


It's Always Been You

by ellie_renee91



Series: It's Always Been You [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Angst and Tragedy, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt, Epic Friendship, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Female Friendship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gun Violence, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), Romantic Friendship, Romantic Soulmates, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Supernatural Elements, Teen Angst, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Twins, Werewolves, relationships, slow burn stiles stilinski/original character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 110
Words: 652,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22836169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellie_renee91/pseuds/ellie_renee91
Summary: Addeline McCall, goes by Addy, and is Scott's fraternal twin sister. Her, Scott and Stiles have been best friends since they were four and are about to enter into their Sophomore year of High School. She would do anything for her friends and family and her world is about to be turned upside down the night Scott is bitten and turns into a werewolf.
Relationships: Allison Argent & Lydia Martin & Original Female Character(s), Allison Argent & Original Female Character(s), Derek Hale & Original Female Character(s), Isaac Lahey & Original Female Character(s), Lydia Martin & Original Female Character(s), Melissa McCall & Original Female Character(s), Scott McCall & Original Female Character(s), Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski & Original Female Character(s), Stiles Stilinski & Allison Argent, Stiles Stilinski & Jackson Whittemore, Stiles Stilinski & Lydia Martin, Stiles Stilinski & Original Character(s), Stiles Stilinski & Original Female Character(s), Stiles Stilinski & Scott McCall, Stiles Stilinski & Scott McCall & Derek Hale & Original Female Character(s), Stiles Stilinski/Original Female Character(s)
Series: It's Always Been You [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1641673
Comments: 15
Kudos: 116





	1. Wolf Moon

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Teen Wolf rewrite covering Seasons 1 through 6, with epilogues planned. Seasons 1 through 6A have been written and already posted on Tumblr, someone told me about AO3 so I decided to move my work over here.  
> If you love the Teen Wolf world, a slow burn friends to lovers relationship and thought Stiles Stilinski deserved more, then please give my story a chance and let me know what you think!  
> Canon is followed for the most part, however I have taken things out to best fit Addy plus give her family history a little more in depth look in season 4.  
> Thank you for reading!

Shutting off the kitchen light I pad my way over to the stairs to finally head to bed– first day of Sophomore year tomorrow **_yay_**

Water bottle in hand I’m taking the first few steps onto the stairs when Scott comes barreling down them scaring the bejesus out of me. 

My twin brother, ladies and gents, stands before me holding a bat in what I can only describe as the stance you’d make before playing a riveting game of whack-a-mole when you’re seven.

“What the hell are you doing Scott and for the love of god could you put the bat down?”

Scott stares at me with a bewildered expression before looking at said bat and not only _doesn’t_ put it down but instead grips it tighter **_seriously?_**

“Addy get behind me, I think someone is trying to break in.”

“Why would you think that?” I question, earning him to huff as he moves his eyes from me and over to the front door “Addy seriously, _get behind_ _me_.”

“For fucks sake fine, I’m going.” I grumble while awkwardly trying to move behind my overprotective and older, by 45 _never lets me forget them_ seconds _,_ brother on the stairs. 

Scott starts towards the front door like he’s going into battle, and I can’t help but let out a grateful chuckle under my breath at the adorable goofball. 

Opening the door he looks over his shoulder noticing I have zero intention of not _not_ being a witness to this potential burglar beat down.

Sending me a look that screams “shush” I nod and fall in step behind him walking out onto the front porch. 

We circle around the right side of the house and for the second time in 5 minutes I’m scared shitless by a figure coming towards my face **_only this time the screams of two people fill my ears as I notice said figure hanging from the damn roof_**

Immediately recognizing the owner of the third voice, although he’s upside down, I try to slow my breathing.

“Stiles, what the hell are you doing?!” Scott exclaims.

“Neither of you were answering your phones! Why do you have a bat?” Stiles exclaims incredulously, throwing his hands about to elaborate his words. 

Scott looks to the bat still held up in a defensive stance, then to me. I shrug my shoulders and he shakes his head, letting a humorless chuckle out as he fills in “I thought you were a predator.”

Stiles, _still upside down_ , **_he really should get down before all the blood rushes to his head_** , flails his arms about while sputtering “A pred-?! All right look, I know it’s late but you got to hear this.”

Running his hands frustratedly through his buzz cut hair before letting his arms hang down again, he finally digresses “I saw my dad leave 20 minutes ago–”

“Oh this ought to be good” I interrupt while crossing my arms and giving him a smirk. Stiles is our best friend, who’s dad is the Sheriff of our small town– meaning Stiles overhears calls on the radio and usually drags us with him to investigate the happenings **_we don’t get into THAT much trouble…_**

Stiles glares playfully and continues on “dispatch called, they’re bringing in every officer from the Beacon Department and even State Police” he finishes with a goofy grin and with my interest peaked, I lean forward “For what?”

Stiles locks his eyes with mine, raising his brows quickly once as he states “two joggers found a body in the woods.” 

With those words he swings his body up to untangle his legs from our roof but ultimately crashes to the ground below **_suuuper gracefully I might add_**

“A dead body?” Scott shrieks out as Stiles stands up and rests his hands on the porch railing, throwing Scott a look “No a body of water– yes a dead body” Stiles sarcastically replies with a shake of his head that makes me chuckle. 

He makes his way up and over the railing landing in front of Scott and me with his hands on is hips.

Scott waits a beat before clarifying, “You mean like murdered?”

“Nobody knows yet. Just that it was a girl probably in her 20’s.” Stiles shrugs and I gain his eyes when I make a noise and lean forward slightly as I ask incredulously “Well hold on Sherlock Holmes, if they found a body then what are they looking for?”

Stiles gets an excited smile on his face, acting like he knows the biggest BEST secret in all the world as he lifts one hand off his hip to point towards me “ _That_ , my dear Watson, is the best part.”

The damn bastard pauses for effect, flitting his eyes between Scott and I before continuing, “They only found _half_.”

I immediately smile while Scott just raises his eyebrows and Stiles begins shaking his head yes stating what I already knew was coming next, “We’re going.”

“I’ll grab my coat” I say already halfway through the doorway and into the front hall closet.

*** 

Pulling up in Stiles’ blue baby, aka Roscoe, he stops with the headlights illuminating the sign on the chain blocking us from going any farther 

**Beacon Hills Preserve  
No Entry After Dark**

We all clamber out of the Jeep, flashlights in hand, before we begin to make the trek on foot.

“We’re seriously doing this” Scott wines from my right hand side and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. This type of investigating is more Stiles’ and my thing, however, Scott will humor us on occasion. 

Stiles walks past me and claps him on the back, proudly stating “You’re the one always bitchin’ that nothing ever happens in this town.”

“C’mon Scotty, where’s your sense of adventure?” I ask and quicken my steps to catch up to Stiles. 

Scott throws his hands out to the side as I run past him “I was trying to get a good night’s sleep before practice tomorrow.”

“Right because sitting on the bench is such a grueling effort” Stiles jabs before Scott is quick to counter “No because I’m playing this year. In fact I’m making first line.”

I cough to hide my chuckle _**Scotty is pretty terrible if I’m being completely honest** _

He glares at me as Stiles chimes in “Hey that’s the spirit everyone should have a dream– even a pathetically unrealistic one.”

Deciding to move on before Scott pouts for the rest of the night, I turn to Stiles “Just out of curiosity which half of the body are we looking for?”

He stops in his tracks, causing me to stop mine as he turns and looks at me with a dumbfounded expression “Huh, I didn’t even think about that.” 

He lets out a nervous chuckle, earning me to snort and shake my head while we continue walking.

Used to his best friend’s antics, Scott looks up with an amused look on his face continuing with a question I didn’t even think about **_but immediately leaves a dreadful feeling in my stomach_** , “And uh what if whoever killed the body is still out here?”

Obviously not having thought of it either, Stiles quickly jerks his head confirming my suspicions “Also something I didn’t think about.”

Climbing up a hill Scott continues through labored breaths “It’s comforting to know you’ve planned this out with your usual attention to detail.”

Proudly missing the sarcastic remark, Stiles breathes out cheerily “I know.”

Focusing on not sliding back down the muddy hill, I miss when Scott pauses his climb to lean against a tree trunk, grumbling more to himself “Maybe the severe asthmatic should be the one holding the flashlight huh?” 

Scott finishes his question while vigorously shaking and using his inhaler, trying to catch his breath before he finishes the climb to us.

Once we make it to the top, the three of us crash to the ground– Stiles first, me landing on his right, and Scott landing on my right– at the top of the hill after spotting flashlights in the distance. 

We survey the scene before us seeing police officers searching and chatting with their police dogs barking away.

Stiles grabs my arm pulling me with him excitedly screaming “come on”, thinking Scott is right behind us we take off running.

Scott yells “Stiles, Addy!” needing to use his inhaler again which ultimately makes him fall behind “Wait up, guys!”

We’re running to the far right– away from the line of police officers and their search dogs, almost out of sight when I hear a distant “Stiles” causing me to stop and turn to see that Scott is nowhere behind us.

Stiles notices and stops moving as well before we hear a branch cracking in the direction we were originally running. Turning back around, a bright light is immediately burning my retinas and a scary ass dog is barking like we’re the fucking prowlers of the night.

Stiles screeches and backs into me, making us stumble to the ground and causing him to crush me with his body weight as I let out an “oof” noise when we land.

“Stay right there!” A voice is shouting and the dog keeps barking even closer to our faces **_not like I could run if I wanted to_**

“Hang on, hang on, this little delinquent belongs to me… wait, Addy? Well I can vouch for her also.” A new voice comes walking over to us and Stiles helps me stand up. 

I brush my clothes off as Stiles squints up asking the new voice that I can now make out behind the flashlight still shining on us “Dad how’re you doing?”

Mr. S tries to hide his smirk “So do you uh listen in on all of my phone calls?”

“No–” Stiles replies quickly before he makes a face, relenting “well not the boring ones.”

Shaking his head Sheriff Stilinski, or as I call him Mr. S, turns his inquisitive eyes to me and raises a brow, “Addy, why am I not surprised?”

“Ha– heya Mr. S” I sheepishly counter with a little wave before he shakes his head and looks past us “Where’s your guys’ usual partner in crime?”

“Who Scott? Scott’s home.” Stiles says between breaths, continuing with his word vomit “Said he wanted to get a good night’s sleep for first day back at school tomorrow. Just me, well I mean us, in the woods… all alone.”

I briefly close my eyes at that Oscar worthy performance of an explanation before I open them and see Mr. S looking between us like he doesn’t buy that in the slightest before he turns to me, “That true Addy?”

Squinting my eyes, half out of contemplation and half because they’re still fucking burning from the sun ray powered flashlight of the previous officer, I tilt my head slightly agreeing “Scott did say those _exact_ words earlier Mr. S.”

Mr. S looks like he’s dealing with two guilty perps as he moves his eyes between us before he shouts into the woods behind us “Mmhmm…. Scott you out there?! Scott?!”

Hearing nothing but the rain that’s starting to pick up, I lift my hood up to attempt to keep my hair dry and shove my hands into my pockets.

Mr. S huffs out a breath as he reaches out and grabs Stiles around the neck, resting his other hand on my shoulder as he leads us back towards the entrance of the preserve “Well young man, I’m going to walk you both back to your car and after you take miss Addy back home, you and I are going to have a conversation about something called _invasion of privacy_.”

*** 

“Should we go back and get him?” I ask as I start to chew on my thumb nail, wracked with worry as I stand by the drivers side window. 

Stiles shakes his head as he digresses “I can’t– my dad said I better be home when he gets there so we can have the “privacy invasion” talk. I texted Scott and he said he’s good to walk.”

I drop my hand to my side as I all but scream out “Walk?! Stiles we were literally looking for a dead body tonight that may or may not have been _murdered_! What if something happens to him?”

“Addy, take a deep breath. Scott will be ok, I promise. I’m sure the girl wasn’t murdered. They only found half of a body, that screams animal attack if anything.” 

He shrugs with zero affection of my obvious freak out, so naturally I continue on my worry train “Oooookay and what if the animal wants _another_ body to rip in half?!”

Reaching his hand out to grab my shoulder, Stiles chuckles and moves his thumb back and forth trying to reassure me “Adds, look Scott was already out of the preserve and into the city when he texted me. He’ll be home soon. No animal is going to follow him and rip him apart in the city.”

I snort at that, moving my eyes between his a few times “Thanks for the reassurance, I think.”

He grimaces “I’m sorry, I would stay with you until he got home but if I’m not back–”

“No, it’s ok.” I interrupt with a soft smile and nod my head towards the road “Please go home so you don’t get into anymore trouble. Thank you for the ride, I’ll– uh, I’ll see you in the morning.”

Groaning Stiles removes his hand and nods his head once, “Yup. First day of Sophomore year.”

Giving him a small smile, I wave and walk to the front door. He waves and is backing out of the driveway as I close the door and make my way up the stairs to my room.

I get ready for bed and try to stay awake until Scott gets home– which is surprisingly easy since I can’t shake this pit in my gut that something happened tonight after we left the preserve **_call it our twin intuition but I know something is off_**

I hear Scott finally get home a little after 1AM, and I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear him click the lock on my side of the bathroom. Sending a quick text to Stiles letting him know, I set my alarm and put my phone on the nightstand. 

Thankfully, I’m fast asleep in seconds.

*** 

The next morning I’m _impatiently_ waiting with Stiles in front of the school. Scott texted both of us he needed to tell us about the animal that did in fact attack him after we left last night. Luckily he wasn’t ripped in half– but still I knew I wasn’t worrying for no reason **_Intuition self-five!_**

“There he is” I point to the bike racks across the way from us, readjusting my bag on my shoulder.

“Fucking finally.” Stiles follows my eyesight and is bouncing on his feet even more impatient than I am.

“He didn’t talk to you at all about it this morning?” he turns to look at me quickly and I shake my head “No. After I got ready, he was still taking a shower when mom and I needed to leave.”

Stiles nods in understanding and gets even more excited when Scott catches up to us and starts to lift up the hem of his shirt “Ok let’s see this thing.”

“Holy shit” I gasp as Stiles makes an impressed “oh” sound and goes to reach for the bandage that’s covering the complete right side of Scott’s stomach.

“Whoa–” Scott jerks back and lowers his shirt before he states “It was too dark to see much but I’m pretty sure it was a wolf.”

We start to walk towards the school’s front steps while Stiles and I share a look before I make a noise and look over to Scott “A wolf bit you?”

“Uh huh” Scott nods, flittering his eyes between us earning Stiles to scoff “No not a chance”

“I heard a wolf howling” Scott argues and Stiles is quick to counter “No you didn’t” dismissing Scott’s statement with a shrug.

Scott moves his eyes between us as he shakes his head “What do you mean no I didn’t, how do you know what I heard?”

Sputtering through a chuckle Stiles raises his shoulders “be-because California doesn’t have wolves. Kay? Not in like 60 years.”

Stopping on the stairs Stiles turns back to face us while Scott ponders that bit of information “Really?”

Stiles makes a noise and adds a dramatic head nod with his next words “Yes really, there are no wolves in California.”

Remembering our English project last year I chime in “That is true, we did a whole research paper on it. Sorry but I highly doubt it was a wolf Scotty.”

Not believing either of us in the slightest, Scott shakes his head “All right well if you don’t believe me about the wolf– then you’re definitely not going to believe me when I tell you I found the body.”

“Are you kidding me?!” I interject, completely shocked earning Scott to grimace and fight off a smile “I wish, I’m going to have nightmares for a month.”

I make a disgusted face while Stiles laughs “ _That_ is fuckin’ awesome, I mean this is seriously the best thing that’s happened to this town since– since the birth of Lydia Martin.” 

He says distractedly as she walks up towards our group without a second glance and Stiles continues “Hey Lydia… you look… like you’re going to ignore me” following her with his eyes and a missile locked turn of his body as she walks by.

I roll my eyes at the Queen B completely ignoring probably one of the best guys I’ve ever known.

“You’re the cause of this you know” Stiles huffs out a breath as he turns back towards Scott and I.

Scott wholeheartedly amused, shares a look with me as he agrees “uh huh”

“Dragging me down to your nerd depths.”

The school bell rings so we start walking into the building as Scott again couldn’t be less bothered by Stiles’ accusation “Uh huh”

“I’m a nerd by association. I’ve been scarlet nerded by you.”

“Christ Stilinski, wear that scarlet N with pride won’t you?” I chuckle walking backwards in front of them before turning to head into the first class of the school year.

“Not helping _Addeline_!” Is the last thing I hear before walking through the doorway and groaning at the use of my full name– which I despise– while I head to my seat 

**_Bastard_ **

*** 

“As you all know there indeed was a body found in the woods last night.”

Mr. Curtis drones, earning Scott to look back and to his left at Stiles who is sitting behind me. I hear Stiles snicker as Scott smiles and turns back to the front of class. A smile falling on my lips as Mr. Curtis continues on “and I’m sure your eager little minds are coming up with various macob scenarios as to what happened– but I am here to tell you that the police have a suspect in custody.”

I turn my head to look at Stiles over my shoulder who has just of a confused look on his face as Scott and I do, raising his hands in an _I don’t know_ gesture we turn back around. “Which means you can give your undivided attention to the syllabus which is on your desk outlining this semester.”

Ah so good ol’ Mr. Curtis is lying out his ass _just_ to get us to pay attention in class **_good to know_**

The classroom falls silent as we all look over the outline. I am distracted from my syllabus perusal when Scott jumps like someone just blared a horn in his ear. 

He starts looking around the classroom with the weirdest look on his face, ignoring my questioning glance he fixates on something outside the window that I can’t see **_w_** _ **eird**_

I go back to scouring the syllabus and making notes for tests and other important dates in my school planner **_what? Unlike Stiles, I wear my scarlet N with pride!_**

About a minute later, the door opens and the Vice Principal walks in with a new student. 

A girl, who looks like she wants to run right back out the door as all our eyes look up at her “Class this is our new student, Allison Argent, just do your best to make her feel welcome.”

Allison looks like she wants to be anywhere else in the world as she looks to the teacher who points to an empty seat down on our side of the room. 

I can’t blame the poor girl for wanting to run so I give her a small, warm smile when she walks by my desk. 

She gratefully returns with a shy smile of her own on her way to the empty seat behind my brother– who immediately turns around and is handing her a pen as soon as she sits down **_how in the fuck would he know she needs a pen?_**

“Thanks” she says sweetly and then stares at the pen and the pack of his head in mild confusion.

“We’ll begin with Kafka’s Metamorphosis, on page 133–” Mr. Curtis begins again and I push Scott’s weird behavior to the back of my mind to worry about later.

*** 

After the last class of the day we’re standing around Scott’s locker waiting for him to finish putting his things away when Harley comes over “Can someone please explain to me how new girl is here for all of 5 minutes and she’s already apart of Lydia’s clique?”

I notice Scott ignoring us as he’s staring off at Allison like he’s been hit with Cupid’s arrow– the look on his face alone would make me believe in love at first sight **_well now isn’t that just the cutest_**

“Because she’s hot.” Stiles distractedly answers causing Harley and I to share a look before looking back to him, brow raised in my silent question.

“Beautiful people heard together” he further explains at the looks we give him.

Trying not to take offense to that, I scoff and shake my head in sync with Harley **_he can be such a dimwitted BOY sometimes_**

Realizing what he said, with wide eyes he turns his attention to me “ _That’s_ not what I meant, even a little bit.”

“Damn Stilinski, I thought I looked pretty decent today” I joke with what I hope looks like an easy going smile.

Stiles rolls his eyes “Shut your face Adds, you know you’re gorgeous” he mutters the last bit so low under his breath that I must of heard him wrong.

It’s Harley’s turn to snort as she puts her arm around my shoulders and starts to turn us “Well then, we’ll just leave you to gawk at the beautiful herd of people over there.”

Stiles groans in frustration, grumbling loudly “For the love of god, Scott a little help here?! Scott?!”

I turn and walk off with Harley towards the doors that will take us to the lacrosse field, pushing down the hurt feelings that are always on the surface thanks to Lydia freakin’ Martin and my best friend being obsessed with her for as long as I can remember.

Not that I want him to look at me like anything other than the best friend role I’m currently occupying **_Nope. No way. Drop that thought out of your heads. Mmkay?_**

“Addy come on!” Stiles shouts at my retreating form, though I don’t turn back to look at him and instead I lift my hand in a dismissal wave opening the doors.

I say goodbye to Harley as I take my seat on the bleachers to watch the lacrosse practice. 

The wind is driving me crazy so I search my bag for a hair tie. As I find one and begin to put my long wavy hair in a loose side braid, I spot Allison and Lydia take a seat in the row in front of me.

Alison smiles at me and I lean forward to introduce myself “Hey we have English together, I’m Addy.”

“Oh right, I remember, hey I’m Allison” she adds with a little wave

Lydia turns to me then, brows pinched together as she tries to work out “Addy, weren’t you new last year?”

No words.

Lydia is something else let me tell you.

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I slightly shake my head in a way that I’m sure screams _are you fucking kidding me?_

I make a noise and tilt my head to the side “Lydia, seriously? We’ve _literally_ gone to school together since we were 4.”

Not phased in the slightest, Lydia just shrugs her shoulder making a “hmm” noise and turns back towards the field.

The look Allison gives me makes me chuckle and I know then and there we will be really good friends.

Allison grabs my attention from my homework when she asks who’s in the goal, Lydia shakes her head “Him? I don’t know who he is. Why?”

Activating twin wing woman powers I lean forward in between them “that’s Scott McCall.”

Allison looks at me, nodding and answering Lydia’s previous question “Oh he’s in our English class”

Smirking I nod my head, pointing the end of my pen towards myself “He’s also my brother, twins actually.”

Gaining Lydia’s attention again, she furrows her brows as she looks me over “You don’t look like twins.”

“Fraternal twins usually don’t” I shrug with my answer and go back to my homework.

She isn’t wrong though I’ve got lighter brunette, almost blonde hair with aquamarine-ish _light_ blue eyes where Scott is dark brown hair and eyes. 

Scott looks more like our father, while I got our mother’s soft features and wavy hair. Though my eye and hair color I got from our maternal grandmother. 

We’re an interesting set of twins that’s for sure, but twins we are nonetheless.

Coach’s whistle breaks through my internal dialogue, making me jump and immediately I look to the field _just_ in time to see Scott get hit in the face and everyone start laughing.

Stiles looks back at me and we both share a grimace **_definitely not showing his skills that way_**

Allison notices our exchange and smirks towards me as she nods towards the field “So who’s that?”

“Oh, that’s Stiles, one of our best friends and also in our English class” I smile at her.

Scott catching a ball in his lacrosse stick though immediately grabs my attention. He goes on to catch throw after throw– getting more excited as he does.

“He seems like he’s pretty good.” Allison says impressed earning Lydia to agree and not bothering to hide her complete shock “Yea very good.” 

Scott has a bright smile on his face that reminds me of Christmas mornings when we were kids and it’s infectious.

Jackson, aka Lydia’s douche canoe boyfriend, is up next. Running towards Scott, he aims and throws what he obviously thinks is going to get past Scott.

He however couldn’t be more wrong as Scott at the last second lurches to the left and catches it with ease.

We all jump to our feet and cheer on Scotty for an incredible catch.

Even Lydia which is curious since

1\. she had no idea who he was not 3 minutes ago  
and  
B. that was literally her boyfriend who got robbed of a goal. 

**_Curious_**.

“That is my friend!” I hear Stiles shout, making me feel immensely grateful for the supportive spazz in our lives.

Scott twirls his lacrosse stick around and flicks the ball over to the assistant coach, looking the most confident I have ever seen him on the field. 

As happy as I am for him, I can’t help but wonder how he managed to get these prime goalie skills. 

Not to be mean, but Summer was most definitely _not_ spent on the practice field. It’s almost like, **_like he got good overnight_**

*** 

Trudging through the preserve and getting splashed by Stiles as he makes his way through the stream, Scott continues explaining to us what the hell happened at practice today “I don– I don’t know what it was, it was like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball.”

We are trying to retrace our, or more importantly Scott’s, steps from last night because mom will kill Scott if she finds out he lost his inhaler. Even losing it because he was almost trampled by deer and in turn bit by some kind of animal wouldn’t lessen the wrath.

“And that’s not the only weird thing. I can– uh hea– I can hear stuff I shouldn’t be able to hear, and smell things.”

“Smell things, like what?” Stiles chuckles as Scott stops walking, nodding towards Stiles’ jacket “Like the mint mojito gum in your pocket.”

Stiles scoffs and goes to dig into said pocket “I don’t even have any mint mojito gum in my-”

I raise my eyebrows at the look that crosses Stiles’ face as he stops his movements and immediately pulls his hand out of his jacket.

We all look at the piece of gum in Stiles’ hand, Scott raises his arms out with a stupid grin on his face and turns back around walking again.

Stiles releases a breath, sounding like a chuckle as he also starts walking again “Sooo all this started with the bite?” **_aaaand hello pit in my stomach,_** ** _what are you thinking?_**

I follow behind them as Scott continues “Well what if it’s like an infection, like my body’s flooding with adrenaline before I go into shock or something?”

“You know what, I actually think I’ve heard of this– it’s a specific kind of infection.”

Gaining both of our attentions we stop and look at Stiles, Scott looking between us as he rushes out “Are you serious?” 

“Yea– yea I think it’s called… lycanthropy” Stiles mutters and squints his eyes in thought as he puts his hands on his hips.

Realizing what he’s doing, I roll my eyes and smirk at my brother who is listening like Stiles just informed him he has 24 hours to live.

“What’s that? Is that bad?” Scott stammers and I join in on the fun, crossing my arms over my chest to keep warm as I digress darkly “Oh yea it’s the worst.” 

“What you’ve heard of this too?!” Scott shrieks and looks back towards me as I nod with a grim look on my face and Stiles elaborates “but only once a month.”

“Once a month?” Scott questions, looking towards me with his eyebrows drawn together “like what yo-”

“No not like what I go through you asshat!” I interrupt quickly with a deep glare towards him.

Stiles snorts, “mhmm once a month, on the night of the full moon.”

Scott still not getting the fact that he is being fucked with just raises his eyebrows and Stiles driving his point home– howls like a teenage wolf.

Scott reaches forward smacking his chest “hey man” turning and heading back the way we were originally walking, causing both Stiles and myself to chuckle.

Stiles raises his arms in surrender “Hey you’re the one that heard a wolf howling.”

“Hey there could be something seriously wrong with me.“ Scott declares exasperatedly, keeping his pace forward.

“I know! You’re a werewolf!” Stiles shouts while turning his hands into claws and adds a baby Simba type of growl **_Yes I hear you loud and clear intuition but that’s crazy– right?_**

Scott rolls his eyes and at the look he gives, Stiles chuckles out “Okay, obviously I’m kidding– but if you see me in shop class trying to melt all the silver I can find it’s cause Friday’s a full moon.”

Stopping his steps, Scott ignores Stiles’ last statement and starts looking at our surroundings, putting all of his attention on the ground “No, I– I could have _sworn_ this was it. I saw the body, the deer came running–”

Stiles and I look around as well listening to his train of thought before Scott crouches down to one knee and starts rustling the leaves around “–I dropped my inhaler.”

“Maybe the killer moved the body.” Stiles offers and Scott huffs “If he did, I hope he left my inhaler.”

“Seriously, those things are like 80 bucks, mom will kill you” I add oh so helpfully if the look Scott throws me is anything to go by.

Turning away from that, I jump out of my skin at seeing, **_who I’m begging anyone who is listening to NOT be the fucking murderer_** , dude in a leather jacket standing about 20 feet behind us– literally just _standing_ there looking at us.

Words and the fight or flight instinct failing me, I turn back to see Stiles’ eyes go wide and him desperately hitting Scott’s shoulder to get his attention. 

Scott still crouched down turns and immediately stands up as well, standing slightly in front of me **_told you he was protective. Love you Scotty_**

Mr. Broody McCreepy takes long strides to get in front of us way too quickly for my liking, stating like he owns the place “What are you doing here?” 

When we don’t say anything he shakes his head and continues “Huh? This is private property” **_aaaand he owns the place– I stand corrected._**

Stiles lifts one hand in a slight shrug “Uh sorry man, we didn’t know”

Scott shakes his head slightly, elaborating “Yea we were just looking for something, but… uh forget it–” 

Mr. Broody interrupts Scott by throwing something that Scott catches with cat like reflexes. 

Turning it over in his hand we see that it was the reason for us being in this super awkward, ** _I want to leave now_** , situation.

Mr. Broodster doesn’t say anything else and just walks away **_What the fuck is happening?_**

“Alright, come on guys, I gotta get to work” Scott starts to walk and Stiles shoots out his arms stopping him in his tracks “Dude, that was Derek Hale. You remember right? He’s only like a few years older than us.”

“Remember what?” Scott asks earning Stiles to fill in quickly “His family?”

Instantly clicking a memory together at his name and Stiles’ mention of his family I add “His whole family burned to death in a fire, like ten years ago.”

Stiles nods while pointing at me, earning Scott to furrow his brows thoughtfully “I wonder what he’s doing back?” 

Stiles scoffs like he has no idea and starts walking “come on” **_don’t have to tell me twice_**

I follow quickly behind him as Scott continues to stare in the direction Mr. Brood– I mean Derek Hale walked off in before catching up to us a few seconds later.

********

“Scott! Scott, wait up.”

Looking up from my book I immediately see Stiles running up to Scott who stands up from the bench on the field. 

I can’t quite hear what they’re saying, but it’s clear whatever Stiles has to say is important if his body language is anything to go by. 

I hear the end of the conversation and Stiles shouting “They found animal hairs on the body in the woods!” 

Standing up from the bleacher and grabbing my bag I walk over closer to the boys as Scott walks off, throwing dismissively over his shoulder “Stiles, I gotta go.”

“Wait, no! Scott! You’re not going to believe what the animal was!–”

Stiles takes a few steps after Scott’s retreating back, stopping ultimately and taking a deep breath as he sighs out quietly “–it was a wolf.”

“A wolf?!” I whisper shriek making Stiles whip around and face me, hand going over his chest “Fuck Addy, turn down the ninja skills would you? You scared the shit out of me. Yes a wolf” he huffs between breaths.

A million things running through my mind I go to speak when Coach blows his whistle– signaling the start of tryouts.

Stiles makes a face that says _we’ll talk after_ and runs to join the huddle.

I see Allison walk up, waving at Scott as she makes her way over to the bleachers. Walking over towards her, I smile as I sit next to her and we watch the boys start the game.

After a few seconds of silence, Allison breaks it “Sooo your brother asked me to a party Friday.”

An instant smile lights up my face as I turn to face her “Finally he made a move! I was hoping he wouldn’t just stare at you forever.”

We both chuckle as Allison blushes and nods as she looks down towards her hands “I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Good, I can tell he really likes you, I’m sure you guys will have an amazing time.”

She smiles and looks back to the field before turning her head towards me again “Could you– I mean would you– never mind” she stops her thought and faces the field again.

I make a noise, shaking my head when she looks back towards me “Yea that won’t fly with me, you can ask for my help with _anything_. What’s up?”

Allison nods but looks down at her hands, rushing out quickly “Do you think you could come over and help me pick out something to wear?”

I instantly smile, though she doesn’t give me a second to answer and continues on “It’s just I’ve never really had friends at the places we live because we don’t stay for very long, so I don’t really know what to wear as I haven’t ever really been to a party like this, but it’s totally ok if you aren’t up for that. I mean I know we just met technically and I’m going out with your broth–”

“Ally, take a breath” I chuckle slightly hoping to calm her nerves as I set my hand on her shoulder “As far as I’m concerned we’re friends and I would love to come over and help you with an outfit. After this, I can head over if that works for you?”

“Really?! Thank you Addy, yes that totally works.” She leans over and quickly hugs me before tryouts start, gaining both of our attentions.

Jackson is something else today, **_not a compliment_** , but he’s got absolutely nothing on Scott who looks like he pulled a Freaky Friday with some professional player.

Everyone in the stands have stood up and are cheering for the goal he just made when we hear Coach bellow out “McCall! Get over here!”

Scott comes over and pulls off his helmet as Coach bellows “What in god’s name was that? This is a lacrosse field! What are you trying out for the gymnastics team?”

We all quiet our cheering down and are silent during this exchange that is quite opposite of what I would think a coach would be saying to someone who made an incredible play that resulted in a goal **_an impossible for Scott play, but that’s not the point right at this second_**

“No, coach.” Scott shakes his head

“What the hell was that?”

“I don’t know. I– just trying to make the shot.” Scott offers lightly and Coach scoffs with a nod “Yeah well you made the shot. And guess what? You’re starting buddy. You made first line.”

At Scott’s baffled expression the cheers start up again. I can’t help but notice that Stiles is the only one _not_ standing or cheering, which instantly makes me think that whatever is going on in his head is going to make this feeling I have had since he said wolf, **_technically since yesterday and the preserve inhaler search_** , earlier grow even stronger.

Suddenly I’m very worried for my brother as I look at him with the brightest smile on his face as the other teammates are shouting “First Line” at him.

***

“Ok I’m here, what did you wan–” I stop talking as I walk into Stiles’ bedroom seeing the state of not only his obvious sleep deprived face but his room that looks like the printer exploded papers out in an act of never printing again revolution.

He twirls around, dropping the book he was reading on his desk and ushers me to sit down on his bed while closing his door “Oh thank christ, here sit and read this and tell me what you think, because if I just start talking I probably won’t make any sense because I’ve been looking at the same information wondering where to start when you get here, but like _really_ read it because I need you to believe me, if I try to tell Scott without at least _you_ backing me up there’s no way he’s going to beli–”

“Stiles” I stop his rambling and smile softly towards him, “How about you start at the beginning and we’ll go from there ok?” 

Picking up the book he was holding when I came in, he nods and moves his computer chair over to where I’m sitting.

Sitting with his chest against the back of the chair he begins, “Ok so you remember how they found wolf hairs on the body in the woods?”

“Yea–”

“I don’t think that Scott being able to do everything he has done these past few days is a coincidence.”

Nodding my head and agreeing completely with that thought, Stiles continues to show me everything that backs up that theory.

In all honesty as crazy as it sounded, I knew, deep down, his theory wasn’t actually a theory. 

Everything we knew to be legend or myth was about to come crashing into our lives like a damn wrecking ball.

A loud knock makes us jump out of our seats like the pictures of the wolves we were just looking at were coming alive to eat our faces **_Knocking on the door though, because obviously they still have their manners_**.

Reaching over and shutting his laptop closed, Stiles gets up and I sit down in the newly vacated seat.

He hesitantly opens the door, sighing a “get in” once he sees it’s Scott “You gotta see this thing. I’ve been up all night reading– websites, books. All this information Addy and I just scoured.”

I wave at Scott who returns it with an amused smile before turning his attention back on his best friend “How much adderall have you had today?”

With an accepting that question jerk of his head, Stiles states “A lot. Doesn’t matter– okay just listen.”

Chuckling at his response, Scott throws his bag down before sitting down himself on the end of Stiles’ bed “Oh, is this about the body? Did they find out who did it?”

“No they’re still questioning people, even Derek Hale” I offer and Scott points towards me “Oh the guy in the woods that we saw the other day?”

Not having ANY more patience for not talking about what he really wants to be telling my brother, Stiles throws his arms out– ruffling the papers in his hand as he exclaims “Yeah! Yes– but that’s not what we need to tell you, okay?”

“What, then?” Scott asks amused, looking between us.

“Remember the joke from the other day?” Stiles chuckles sadly, “not a joke anymore.”

Scott just looks at Stiles clearly not following what he’s implying, so Stiles elaborates “The wolf– the bite in the woods. I started doing all this reading–”

Standing abruptly, Stiles’ train of thought instantly changes “–do you even know why a wolf howls?”

“Should I?” Scott asks, trying to fight off his smile while Stiles answers “It’s a signal okay? When a wolf’s alone, it howls to signal its location to the rest of the pack. So if you heard a wolf howling that means others could of been nearby. Maybe even a whole pack of ‘em.”

“A whole pack of wolves?” Scott questions before Stiles swallows hard and digresses “No… werewolves.”

Scott looks to me with an _is he serious_ look and at my reluctant nod in response, he stands up grabbing his bag angrily “Are you two seriously wasting my time with this? You know I’m picking up Allison in an hour.”

Standing up myself I walk in front of Stiles to stop Scott from leaving as I offer quickly “We saw you on the field today Scott. Okay, what you did wasn’t just amazing all right? It was kinda impossible.”

“Thanks Addy–” Scott deadpans, obviously upset before he shrugs it off and continues “–yeah so I made a good shot.” 

He starts to walk away from us, earning Stiles to reach forward and grab Scott’s bag as he counters “No, you made an incredible shot!” 

Stiles steps past him, setting Scott’s bag back onto the bed before he starts gliding around the room to accentuate his next statement, “I mean the way you moved, your speed, your reflexes. People can’t just suddenly do that overnight.”

Remembering what he told us in the woods I point towards him as I add “And there’s the vision, the senses, and don’t even think we haven’t noticed you don’t need your inhaler anymore–”

“Okay guys! I can’t think about this now. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Scott declares and starts to move towards his bag again, earning Stiles to bellow “Tomorrow?! What? No! The full moon’s tonight. Don’t you get it?” 

Completely fed up with our endless facts that he can’t argue with, naturally Scott gets angry “What are you guys trying to do? I just made first line, I got a date with a girl who I can’t believe wants to go out with me, and everything in my life is somehow perfect. Why are you both trying to ruin it?”

Shaking my head and resisting the urge to punch Scott in his _obvious_ werewolf denying face, I offer softly “We’re trying to help, Scotty”

Stiles nods and sympathetically looks over towards him while he digresses “You’re cursed Scott. You know and it’s not just that the moon will cause you to physically change, it’s also when your bloodlust will be at its peak.”

“Bloodlust?”

“Yeah, your urge to kill.” Stiles fills in, earning Scott to quip back angrily “I’m already starting to feel an urge to kill, Stiles.” 

Grabbing the book off his desk Stiles ignores Scott’s threat “Fuck man, you gotta hear this. The change can be caused by anger or anything that raises your pulse.”

Turning around with a look on his face like he just stated his winning argument in court he continues “All right? I haven’t seen anyone raise your pulse like Allison does. You gotta cancel this date.” 

Stiles declares and determinedly walks over to Scott’s bag “I’m gonna call her right now.”

“What are you doing?” Scott rushes out reaching for Stiles who walks over to stand next to me “I’m canceling the date”

“No! Give it to me!” Scott screams and pushes past me to roughly slam Stiles against the wall. 

The abrupt action causing me to gasp and jump backwards while Stiles closes his eyes preparing for the punch we both feel is coming.

Scott wavers his fist shaped hand before yelling out a scream and hitting the chair with such force it flies back narrowingly missing my legs.

I look at Scott like he’s a stranger. I don’t think I have ever seen him this angry, someone else in our family yes, **_story for a different day ladies and gents,_** but never Scott.

An awkward tension settles over the room as neither Stiles nor myself can look Scott in the eyes as he pants and flicks his gaze between the both of us and the helpless chair.

Like a fog was lifted from him, Scott pants out “I’m sorry. I– I gotta go get ready for that party.”

Scott moves past us, grabbing his bag and reaching for the door. Before opening it, however, Scott makes a final look back towards Stiles and more confidently states “I’m sorry” before he grabs the handle and leaves the room.

Once the door closes, Stiles bangs his head on the wall– the noise making me flinch again.

I can’t come up with anything to say to try to make this better, so I turn and attempt to pick up the chair– however I fall short when I see the back of it.

Stiles sniffs and pushes off the wall. He comes next to me, grabbing the chair since he obviously thinks my lack of movement means I can’t lift the chair myself **_Not a damsel, just fucking frozen speechless my man_**.

Once it’s upright he turns it and sees what stopped my movements.

Three slashes in the fabric.

Wide golden honey eyes meet my blues as he mutters quickly “We’re going to that party.”

*** 

Never having been to one of Lydia’s parties, we stop in what I think is a living room as Stiles talks to some of his Lacrosse friends.

I turn to go in search of something to drink as a body slams into me, making me lose my balance. 

Stiles steadies me from falling, setting one of his hands on my waist and the other on my upper arm **_rescuing me from making a complete ass out of myself_**

Realizing who the body that crashed into me was, Stiles pulls me closer to his side as he tries to get their attention “Yo, Scott– you good man?”

Scott doesn’t answer and instead walks off looking completely shit faced and ignoring everyone **_how is he that drunk already?_**

We share a look, however are stopped from commenting on the weirdness when Allison comes running up towards us “Hey Addy, have you seen your brother? We were just dancing and I thought everything was going pretty great, but then he mumbles something I couldn’t quite make and then he just leaves.”

I lift my hand to point my thumb over my shoulder, stammering through my confusion “I– uh, I mean yeah he was just here but he walked off that way without really saying any–” 

“Okay great, I’ll see you later!” She interrupts, waving and running off in the direction Scott just went.

I turn to look at Stiles who instantly grabs my hand, keeping me right behind him as he leads me through the crowd of people, letting go once we get outside and we run to his jeep.

As Stiles is getting out of his parking spot, I spot out of the window Allison walking with Derek towards his car **_Maybe he’s not just a creepster after all_**

Deciding to check our house first, Stiles makes a left out the driveway and speeds like his dad is the Sheriff.

*** 

Getting to my house, we run upstairs to Scott’s room and begin knocking, getting a croaked answer from the other side “Go away.”

“Scott, it’s us.”

Scott barely opens the door causing Stiles to crash into it as Scott is keeping it from opening any further with the help of his foot in the way **_well that’s rude_**

“Let us in, Scott– we can help.”

Without his face visible, we hear his shouting response “No! Listen, you gotta find Allison–”

Stiles shrugs as he answers “She’s fine, all right? We saw her get a ride from the party. She’s– she’s totally fine.”

“No, I think I know who it is.” Scott replies quickly and Stiles tries again “You– just let us in. We can try–”

“It’s Derek! Derek Hale is the werewolf. He’s the one that bit me. He’s the one that killed the girl in the woods.”

My eyes widen with that bit of information and I look at Stiles, immediately regretting not grabbing Allison when we were leaving.

I nod telling Stiles he _has_ to let him know and Stiles grimaces before he rushes out “Scott… Derek’s the one who drove Allison from the party.”

Silence.

Door slam.

Stiles makes a noise, looking over at me as he tries the handle again, getting no luck and hitting the door in response “Scott!”

Silence yet again.

I groan in frustration and set my hand on his arm “Come on, let’s go see if Allison made it home in one, non murdered piece.”

*** 

Pulling into Allison’s driveway, Stiles is out his door– barely putting the Jeep in park, before he’s running up to the front door.

I come up behind him as he’s ringing the doorbell and knocking like a lunatic **_please let Allison answer the door after THAT_**

Stiles starts talking once the door opens “Hi, Mrs Argent.” **_Thanks universe, you’re a real peach_**

“Um… you have no idea who we are. We’re friends of your daughter’s. Uh… look, this is gonna sound kind of crazy, um… really crazy actually. You know what? Crazy doesn’t–”

I elbow Stiles in the ribs to get on with it as Mrs. Argent– clearly fed up with his rambling– turns to her side and yells up the stairs “Allison! It’s for you.”

A few seconds later, I breathe a sigh of relief at seeing her standing on the upstairs landing, safe and sound.

Mr. Broody Hale is at least not a murder spree kind of murderer **_I hope_**

We sputter off just wanting to make sure she was home safe after Scott left, somehow convincing her to at least talk to him about it before _completely_ blowing him off, before we head back to the Jeep to go searching for Scott.

If Derek was involved, we’re thinking near the preserve is where we should check first.

***

We’ve been driving around for awhile, and I yawn when the morning sky turns to dawn. 

I can barely keep my eyes open, immensely grateful for Stiles driving, when he nudges my arm “There he is.” 

I spot the figure walking in front of us, wearing blue jeans with no shirt on **_typical_**

“Could he look like a more cliche werewolf?” I scoff, earning a chuckle from Stiles while he pulls over and I hop in the backseat before Scott clammers into the passenger seat.

Stiles starts driving again and Scott drops his head forward with his sigh “You know what actually worries me the most?”

“If you say Allison, I’m going to punch you in the head” Stiles quips and looks over at Scott, who doesn’t take the threat seriously as he grumbles “She probably hates me now.”

“Ugh. I doubt that– but you might want to come up with a pretty amazing apology” Stiles concedes to his friend’s lady trouble pain.

I lean forward in between their shoulders to look at my pitiful big bro “We convinced her to at least hear you out, so don’t make me regret that and possibly lose the first friend who’s _actually_ a girl because I backed you up instead of her.” I playfully glare at him to drive my serious **_but not so serious_** threat home.

Stiles makes a noise, tilting his head to the side to cheerfully offer “Or you know, you could tell her the truth and… revel in the awesomeness of the fact that you’re a _fucking_ _werewolf_!” 

Scott lifts his head to look at him like he’s grown two heads and Stiles concedes “Okay, bad idea. Hey, we’ll get through this. Come on, if I have to, I’ll chain you up myself on full moon nights and feed you live mice– I had a boa once, I could do it.”

“I’ll help too, but you can handle the mice, because that’s a hard pass for me.” I hit Stiles on the shoulder before I lay back in my seat.

He chuckles and I can see his smirk in the mirror as Scott lightheartedly scoffs and shakes his head at our _obvious_ foolproofFull Moon night plan.


	2. Second Chance at First Line

The copy machine apparently had enough for the day and decided to be a right bastard today. It decided to stop printing the copies I needed for Mr. Harris, who I am a TA for his last period Chem class this year **_do you_** **_sense my overjoyed yay coming?_**

Fixed the copier, handed the copies off and I am officially done with that nightmare.

I’m making my way to the lacrosse field to wait for the boys to be done with practice when I hear someone **_not just someone but Scott_** , bellowing “Get away from me!” 

I make a noise, widening my eyes as I instantly start running towards the boys’ locker room just down from where I was.

Hearing growling that can NOT be good, I round the corner just as Stiles comes stumbling out the door holding a fire extinguisher **_and panting like he just ran a mile._**

“What the hell is going on?” My eyes go wide trying to figuring out what happened as I take in his scared face and death grip on the extinguisher.

A different type of instant panic crosses his features and he pushes off the wall, blocking me from going any further towards him “Addy! No, stay over here” he pants “ _please_ ”

I take a step back with his plea as he turns to the doorway on his other side when we hear a groaning “Stiles…”

Holding the fire extinguisher tighter he looks farther past the doorway before his shoulders drop in what I’m guessing in relief.

I walk closer and stand behind him, trying to look between his side and the door and finally see Scott panting on the bench

“What happened?” He croaks out not looking up towards us.

Instantly dropping the fire extinguisher to the ground with a loud clang, Stiles sniffs angrily and pants out “You tried to kill me” while taking off and throwing his gloves to the side.

I follow behind Stiles into the locker room as he sits down in front of Scott “It’s like I told you before. It’s the anger. It’s your pulse rising– it’s a trigger.”

“But that’s lacrosse. It’s a pretty violent game, if you hadn’t noticed.” Scott interrupts

Done with him failing to see the bigger picture **_again_** I kneel next to Stiles in front of Scott as well. I move my head forward, gaining his eyes as I digress “Well, it’s gonna be a lot more violent if you end up killing someone on the field.”

Stiles nods and elaborates “You can’t play Saturday. You’re gonna have to get out of the game” ** _he looks guilty even having to suggest this to Scott_**

Scott still in disbelief, shakes his head like he doesn’t see how that will work “I’m first line.”

I start to shake my head like that isn’t an option right now as Stiles grimly states my inner thought “Not anymore”

****

I just reach out to open the door to my room when mom walks past me, tapping my shoulder and nodding her head to indicate me to follow her to Scott’s doorway.

Knocking on his open door, she gains his attention with her words “Hey guys, late shift again for me. But I am taking Saturday off to see your first game” 

Her eyes land on Scott and I freeze, as Scott not really phased in the slightest mumbles into his pillow “Oh, mom, you can’t.”

“Oh, no, I can and I will. Come on one shift isn’t gonna break us– completely.” She mumbles walking further into his room.

I stay leaning on the doorframe, wishing I was getting more shifts at the movie store than my measly twenty four hours a week.

Mom looks at the pitiful being called her son not having moved from his original plop on the bed, making a noise before she implores “Hey what’s wrong with your eyes?”

Both sets of her twin’s eyes grow wide at that statement– Scott finally sits up, and I stand up straight

**_Seriously?_** Come on Scott, what are we going to say to her to explain the fact that your eyes gl–

“You look like you haven’t slept in days.” she states crossing her arms looking back at me “The both of you.”

And my lungs remember how to breathe.

“School work is a lot this year.” I say at the same time Scott says “Oh, uh, it’s nothing.” **_smooth bro_**

He grimaces at the look I throw him and he stammers “I’m– I’m just stressed.”

Better. **_Not a total lie either_**

“Just stress… nothin’ else? Homework? I mean it’s not like you’re on drugs or anything right?” She adds with a nervous chuckle

Scott furrows his brows and looks confused as he states “Right now?” 

I mentally slap myself in the face at my brother, shaking my head before I notice Mom jerk her head back.

She’s is completely taken back as she stammers “I’m sorry, right now? What do you mean, ‘right now’? Have you ever taken drugs?”

“Have you?” Scott asks like the teenager he is and I try to hide my snort chuckle combo as Scott playfully glares back at me.

Mom interestingly _doesn’t_ answer and is making her way to the door adding “get some sleep” before kissing my cheek and walking down the hall.

Scott scoffs and plops his face back on the bed, before I turn to leave. My steps halt however when I hear a ringing and then see a video chat with Stiles’ face pointing a toy gun pop up on the computer screen.

“What did you find out?” Scott asks instead of a hello.

I roll my eyes at his attitude as I make my way further into Scott’s room and stand next to him at his desk **_what? I most definitely need to know too. Alright I’m curious, sue me_**

“Well it’s bad, Jackson’s got a separated shoulder.” Stiles informs, earning Scott to not miss a beat with his clarification “Because of me?”

“Because he’s a douche.” I interject at the same time Stiles says “because he’s a tool.” 

I smile at the screen, seeing Stiles nod appreciatively at me while Scott ignores both of our supporting comments “Well is he going to play?”

Stiles shrugs “Well, they don’t know yet. Now they’re just counting on you for Saturday.”

I close my eyes at that unfortunate turn of events and I hear Scott scoff.

Opening my eyes when Scott says “What?” I see Stiles leaning towards the lens like he’s trying to crawl through the screen. 

He sits up and has a look on his face like someone who saw something in a horror movie as the screen starts to glitch and he begins to type a message 

“It looks like what?” Scott reads, but we see the obnoxious color wheel pop up on Stiles’ frozen face **_meaning the computer forgot how to computer for a moment so hold on._**

“Come on damn it.” Scott is hitting keys on the keyboard **_because mashing buttons ALWAYS makes things work faster_**

I finally see what Stiles was talking about, a shadow behind us in the screen that looks like a freaking murderer waiting to take out it’s next victim **_or victims in this case._**

Right as my brain is processing what my eyes are seeing Stiles’ picture unfreezes and the rest of his message pops up “someone’s behind you”

Scott, being that person in a horror movie, just says “what?” and makes our picture bigger.

I turn around to see Derek walking determinedly towards Scott who is just turning around when Derek lunges forwards and grabs him by the shoulders and smashes him face first into the wall. 

I stay back by the computer and share a worried look with Stiles who is gaping at his screen.

“I saw you on the field.” Derek all by growls out and Scott stumbles over his words “Wha– what are you– you talking about?”

Derek bellows out “You shifted in front of them! If they find out what you are, they find out about me. About _all_ of us.” 

He takes a second before he more calmly adds “And it’s not just the hunters after us, it’s _everyone_.”

“But… they didn’t see anything! I sw– I swear, I–”

“And they won’t! Because if you even try to play in that game on Saturday… I’m gonna kill you myself.” He whispers the last part **_like the murderer he obviously is_** before he pushes off Scott and is out the door in a flash.

Panting through labored breathes, Scott turns around and looks over as words finally make their way back to me “what the actual fuck was that?” he just shakes his head and looks towards the window then lowers his head.

******

“Addy!” I drop my book at the sudden voice near my ear **_if I could stop being so damn jumpy that’d be great for my poor heart_**

I turn my head slightly to my left and huff out a breath “Stiles, have you ever noticed we are in a hallway not a train station?”

Bending down in front of me, he stands back up and hands me the book I dropped “Of course we’re not in a train station, Addy focus please. Where’s Scott?”

“He’s seriously right here.” I grumble and move slightly away from my locker to show Scott putting the lock on his locker next to mine.

Stiles flails his hands and moves past me “Scott!”

“Why are you shout–” I trail off as Stiles grips Scott around the shoulders and moves him over to the opposite wall “What?” Scott asks begrudgingly as I follow them.

“Tell me what they’re saying” Stiles points up the stairs where we see his Dad standing with a deputy and a teacher.

Scott does his super focused werewolf hearing face for a few seconds before Stiles mutters “Can you hear ‘em?”

Scott closes his eyes and shushes Stiles who raises his hands in surrender.

I give him a smirk like _do you really think you talking is helping him focus_ to which he rolls his eyes and looks back to his dad.

I chuckle to myself before Scott looks back at us “Curfew because of the dead body.”

Stiles shakes his head and pats Scott on the shoulder then raises his hands “Unbelievable. My dad’s out looking for a rabid animal, while the jerk off who _actually_ killed the girl is just hangin’ out doing whatever he wants.”

“Unless he didn’t actually kill her” I grumble absentmindedly and the both of them turn to look at me like I grew 7 heads.

I make a face and look between them as I shrug “What? You said yourself they _were_ questioning him, but now he’s out galavanting around and scaring the shit out of us _inside_ our house. Either he didn’t do it or they don’t have anything on him.”

Stiles shakes his head, a dumbfounded expression on his face as he digests my words. He, however, is interrupted from saying anything as Scott just bypasses what I said completely and turns back to Stiles “Well, you can’t exactly tell your dad the truth about Derek.” 

Scott looks at me pointedly causing me to roll my eyes as I shift my bag higher up on my shoulder **_yes because what I’m offering is so fucking out of left field_**

“I can do something” Stiles answers Scott’s non question and I move my eyes to his “Like what?”

“Find the other half of the body. Want a ride?” He states the last part quickly at me before walking off.

I wave at Scott and run the few steps down the hall behind Stiles to catch up to him.

“Are you kidding?” I hear Scott bellow towards our retreating backs as we’re rounding the corner.

“I’m not kidding you know?” He asks once we walk out the doors and make our way into the parking lot.

I nod with a little shrug “I know, which is why I’m going to help.”

“I thought you said Derek didn’t do it?” He sarcastically jabs with annoying air quotes as we reach the jeep and get in our seats.

“I said he _might_ not have. Doesn’t mean I’m _not_ wrong, just adding a second opinion is all. Another variable maybe that we’re missing.” I shrug while fastening my seatbelt and looking over towards him.

Stiles doesn’t say anything but gives me an appreciative **_almost admiring look if I’m not mistaken_** that has me turning to look out the window to hide the smile and slight blush it brings to my face.

***

I’m attempting to finish my homework when Scott gets home yelling to me from his room he found the other half of the body but wont give me any other information until Stiles gets here **_rude_**

I get up from my bed and I’m just walking into the hall when I hear the front door slam open and a body barreling up the stairs. 

Reaching the hall I laugh at Stiles’ urgency as he’s ushering me into Scott’s room, his hands on my shoulders as we stumble into Scott’s room **_did I mention how fucking graceful we are?_**

“What did you find? How did you find it? Where did you find it? And yes I’ve had a lot of Adderall so…” He finishes his questions with a rapid blink of his eyes. 

I chuckle as Scott bypasses all of that and answers “I found something at Derek Hale’s.”

Gaining my attention completely I swing my eyes over towards Scott “Are you kidding, what did you find?”

“There’s something buried there– I could smell blood.”

“That’s awesome!” Stiles interjects “I mean, that’s terrible” he adds with a shake of his head bringing his hand up before dropping it.

“Who’s blood?” I question

“I don’t know. But when we do, your dad nails Derek for the murder.” He points at Stiles before continuing “And then you guys help me figure out how to play lacrosse without changing. Because there’s no way I’m not playing that game.”

He drives his point home by finishing tying the last knot in his net and throwing his lacrosse stick on his bed and walking past the both of us.

Stiles looks like a proud dad as he slaps him on the shoulder and follows him out the door **_oh is that all we need to do?_**

***

We brainstormed that the best way for Scott to figure out if the blood he smelled at the Hale house was the same as the bottom half of the body– was for him to smell said bottom half of the body.

So arriving at the hospital, we walk in the doors and Stiles instantly finds the direction for Scott to head towards “Hey”

Scott and I look over at him as he points at a sign that reads **Morgue**

“Okay” Scott adjusts his jacket preparing for what he has to go search for.

“Good luck, I guess.” Stiles offers with a raise of his hands and Scott makes sure the coast is clear before he pushes the door open and walks through it.

“Now we wait?” I offer softly and Stiles nods “Now we wait– here…” pointing, he leads us over to where some chairs are up against the wall. 

I take a seat in the last chair by the end of the wall but Stiles walks past me a little ways more towards the nurses’ station before doing a double take to his left and then he’s leaning on the station like he just saw Han Solo **_what the hell now?_**

Leaning to my left and peering around the corner of the wall I see Lydia freaking Martin sitting a side table and two seats over.

Stiles gets his shit together and starts walking back over towards– **_no way_**

“Hey Lydia.” His voice slightly shakes as he leans one of his arms on the wall and sets the other on his hip as he continues “You probably don’t remember me. I’m– I sit behind you in Biology” he adds with a little hand movement.

I peer slightly around the corner again and it looks as if Lydia is contemplating what he’s saying but doesn’t actually respond **_could be going worse_**

“Uh, anyway, I always thought that we just had this kind of– connection. Unspoken, of course. Maybe it’d be kind of cool to uh… get to know each other a little better.” **_She’s smiling!_**

“Hold on, give me a second.” She bends her head forward and reaches up to…

And she had a Bluetooth earpiece in **_poor Stiles_**

Scrunching my nose up and grimacing with clenched teeth, I turn back from the corner. I face forward in my seat, grabbing a magazine off the table to pretend like I didn’t just witness or hear any of that awkward piece of pie.

“Yeah, I didn’t get any of what you just said. Is it worth repeating?” I hear Lydia humorlessly chuckle out behind me.

“Uh, heh… no. Sorry” Stiles manages to get out, his voice cracking through his embarrassment.

He takes a step back over towards my side of the wall as he mumbles “I’ll just sit– you don’t care.”

I put the magazine closer to my face as he walks past me **_Very interesting article we have here. Yup._**

Stiles sits in the seat to my right, holding up his hand to point towards me “Don’t say a word.”

“Huh? About what? This _super_ fascinating article I’m reading because let me tell you–”

“Adds, the magazine is upside down.” He deadpans and snatches it from my hands before he starts to flip through it.

I look at his face and his attempt to seem unfazed– if how quickly he’s flipping the pages is anything to go off of **_it’s_** **_not working by the way_**

I soften my face and clear my throat as I Scott closer to the edge of my seat “You know it’s her loss Sti– we just need to find you someone who is actually deserving of all this Stiles lovin’.” 

I add with a little wave my hands towards him like I’m waxing a car, earning a slight chuckle from him **_success_**.

He smirks and looks over to me “Oh yea? And who might–”

He’s interrupted by Lydia standing up loudly and walking towards an approaching Jackson “did he do it?”

“He said not to make a habit out of it, but one cortisone shot won’t kill me.”

Peaking both our interests, Stiles and I share a look before I grab another magazine to hide behind our obvious snooping as we lean closer to peer around the corner.

“You should get one right before the game. The pros do it all the time. You want to be a little high school amateur? Or… do you want to go… pro?” She jabs making Jackson rolls his eyes before she’s all up in his face and then _on_ his face making out in a fucking hospital waiting room **_classy_**.

I roll my eyes as they walk off and start to turn my head back around right as someone snatches the magazine from Stiles’ hands and makes us both jump.

“O-oh god!” Stiles lets out before we see it’s Scott and we let out a relieved breath.

“The scent was the same” he informs and Stiles stands up quickly “You sure?”

“Yes” No hesitation in the slightest from Scott and I furrow my brows with how much this isn’t making sense.

“So he did bury the other half of the body in his property?” Stiles questions not on my same thought process, which Scott isn’t either as he adds with a nod “Which means we have proof he killed the girl.”

**_Something isn’t adding up at all_** I stand up settling in front of both of them as I argue “Why would he kill her, cut her in _half_ and bury one half but then leave the other out to be found?”

Doing his famous whisper yelling Stiles turns towards me “Seriously Addy?! How much more proof do you need huh?”

“I’m just saying it’s weird– and stupid.” I shrug with my own glare back towards him.

“I say we use it.” He ignores my statement and turns to Scott before walking towards the doors to leave.

“How? Scott ponders as we both walk to catch up behind Stiles.

Turning abruptly back around, Stiles faces us making us all stop as he implores “Tell me something first– are you doing this because you want to stop Derek, or because you want to play in the game, and he said you couldn’t?”

“There’s bite marks on the legs, Stiles– _bite_ marks.”

Nodding his head, Stiles digresses his plan “Okay– then we’re going to need a shovel.” 

He slaps Scott on the shoulder and I make a face as we make our way out the doors **_shovels? This can’t be good_**

***

Stiles has his lights off as we wait a ways down the road with the Hale house in view still. Derek gets in his car, starts it up and drives off. We wait a beat before driving the rest of the way up, and parking closer to the house.

Getting out of the jeep, the boys have their shovels and various tools they figured we needed to do this unappealing task. 

I’m carrying a flashlight and some bottles of water, prepared to be _super_ helpful **_obviously_**

“Wait, something’s different.” Scott momentarily stops his steps and looks around us.

“Different how?” Stiles observes the ground around us, turning in a circle as I do the same to see if anything is different **_Though I’ve never been here before so I don’t know why I’m looking_**

“I don’t know. Let’s just get this over with.” Scott concedes and grabs his shovel before he starts disrupting the ground.

***  
Handing the shovel back to Stiles, I go to the edge of the decent sized hole we’ve managed to make in a not terribly long time to drink some water as the boys keep shoveling dirt out **_how fucking deep is this smelly corpse?_**

Since I think it’s been a decent amount of time, naturally Scott freaks out “This is taking way too long.” 

He pants out, looking between us while sticking the shovel into dirt and keeping it there.

“Just keep going” Stiles stresses, not missing a beat with his shovel scooping.

“What if he comes back?” Scott sputters and looks back towards the road as I shrug “Then we get the hell out of here”

“What if he catches us?” Scott continues to freak out, earning Stiles to concede “Well I have a plan for that.”

“Which is?” Scott ponders and looks back towards us, the both of us seeing Stiles shrug before shoving the shovel into the ground again “You run one way. Addy and I run the other. Whoever he catches first, too bad.” 

He continues digging and I try not to choke on my water with his reasoning as I try not to laugh at the face Scott makes “I hate that plan.”

_Thud_

“Oh, stop, stop, stop.” Stiles waves his hands around and drops down to investigate whatever caused the ominous thud. 

A potato sack looking material is sticking out of the dirt and Stiles moves the dirt off it more. He begins to try to untie the rope that is around the fabric, his fingers moving quickly but not getting anywhere.

“Hurry.” Scott pants out oh so helpfully while looking around frantically. 

Stiles makes a noise and shakes his head “I’m trying, did he have to tie the thing in, like, 900 knots?”

“Here I’ll do it” I walk over and bend in next to them, trying to work through the knots. One finally gets loose enough that I’m able to unravel the rope on one side “There we go.”

They help to unravel the loose knots away and pull back the material that was under the rope.

We all scream and jump back in pretty impressive unison **_terrifying unison, but still impressive_**

We all land out of the hole and I swear I’m going to have a heart attack before this week is over.

I cover my mouth with my hand, immediately remembering where my hand just was and drop it to rub against my jean clad leg furiously. 

“What the hell is that?!” Stiles screams and points at the dead animal head that is weirdly buried next to this fucking house.

“It’s a wolf.” Scott fills in and I huff out an annoyed breath, swinging my _are you seriously pointing out the obvious_ eyes towards my brother. 

Stiles scoffs, just as annoyed, as he bellows “Yeah we can fucking see that. I thought you said you smelled blood, as in _human_ blood?”

“I told you something was different.” Scott shrugs indifferently and I shake my head as I squint my eyes in confusion at this whole situation “Okay, what the actual fuck– this doesn’t make sense.” 

Scott ignores me and rushes out “We gotta get out of here.”

“Yeah, okay, help me cover this up.” Stiles mutters and they move to grab the shovels again after covering the wolf head up again.

I lift my head trying to catch my breath and move my eyes past us, a flower a few feet away instantly grabbing my attention “Stiles?” I murmur softly, earning him to look over towards me “What’s wrong?”

“You see that flower?” I point past us and Stiles follows the direction my hand is indicating “Oh, no way, is that–?”

“What about it?” Scott interrupts, also looking to where I’m pointing.

“Yea, I think it’s wolfsbane” I answer Stiles’ question and Scott is quick to implore “What’s that?”

“Uh… haven’t you ever seen The Wolf Man?” Stiles couldn’t sound more shocked before Scott continues to let him down “No”.

“Lon Chaney Jr?” Stiles hints again and Scott just looks between us.

“Calude Rains?” I add even though I’m pretty sure Scott wasn’t apart of that movie night.

Stiles points towards me while Scott just continues to look at us like we should get on with the damn point, however Stiles tries once more adding in complete disbelief “The original, _classic_ werewolf movie?!”

“No! What?” Scott barks out, completely done with our not just laying it all out there for him.

Stiles just shakes his head, grumbling “You are so unprepared for this” while getting up and heading over to the wolfsbane.

He grabs the flower near the roots and lifts it up, but the roots are attached to… a rope **_what the what?_**

I climb out of the hole as well, following with my eyes as Stiles follows the rope that he’s continuously unburying from the ground. With the flower in his hands, he bunches up the rope into his hands as well as he continues to walk with it, past us in a circle for about three more times.

“Guys” Scott states as he stands up and indicates into the hole. I look at him and then down at what has caught his eye, immediately jumping backwards with a little shriek and crashing into a chest.

Said chest belongs to Stiles as he had walked up behind me to look over my shoulder into the hole as well. He sets his hand around my side as we share a wide eyed look before looking back at the no longer wolf head in front of us “Holy fuck”

**_Holy fucking HUMAN face now where a wolf head just was_ **

******

We’re leaning on Stiles’ jeep near the trees outside of the Hale house as a not so happy Derek is being led away with his hands cuffed behind his back. 

He looks over at us and even though his look is screaming _fuck you very much Scott_ , it doesn’t look like a villain on Scooby Doo who hates us meddling kids.

No, it actually looks like he’s saying ** _there’s SO much more to this story. Fuckwads._**

But I don’t have time to focus on it as Stiles **_what the fuck are you doing_** Stilinski is walking as nonchalantly as he can towards the Sheriff’s car they just put Derek into. 

He reaches the car, and looks back at us– Scott and I both shake our heads whispering “No” but does he listen? **_No. No he does not_**. 

He instead opens the front passenger door and climbs in.

“What could he possibly have to say to him?” Scott raises his hands and turns to me, putting one arm on the jeep as he rubs his face

I shake my head as I shove my hands into my sweater pocket and grumble “this can’t be good.”

Mr. S reaches into the door and grabs Stiles’ arms and walks him away from the car “There– stand. What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m just trying to help.”

“Uh-huh. Okay, well, how ‘bout you help me understand how _exactly_ you came across this.”

Stiles huffs “We were looking for Scott’s inhaler” **_bad_**

“Which he dropped when?”

“The other night.” He states like this isn’t the worst thing he could ever say **_very bad_**

“The other night when you were out here looking for the _first half_ of the body?” **_well he isn’t Sheriff for no reason_**

“Yes” Stiles couldn’t seem more unimpressed with his dad’s questioning

“The night that you told me you and Addy were _alone_ and Scott was at home?” **_fuck_**

“Yes.” Realization instantly crosses his face and he backtracks “No! Oh, crap.” he adds while he drops his head forward in shame.

Mr. S smirks “So you lied to me.”

Stiles points towards his dad as he counters “That depends on how you define lying.”

“Well, I define it as not telling the truth. How do you define it?”

“Mmm, reclining your body– in a horizontal– position?” **_aaand facepalm_**

“Get the hell out of here.”

“Absolutely.” Stiles quips and scratches his head as he walks back towards us.

We’re already in the jeep when Stiles makes his way over and finally gets into the driver’s seat 

Scott and I wait a second as he buckles his seatbelt before we begin at the same time “Why–” 

“Shush McCall twins, just shush. Okay, I know” he holds up one hand to stop us while starting the jeep with the other.

We both snort and look out our respective windows to hide our smiles.

From my periph I can see Stiles shake his head muttering more to himself than us as he begins to drive off “fucking twins man”.

***

“I can’t find anything about wolfsbane being used for burial.” Scott grunts out in frustration and I lean forward to set my hand on his shoulder and dig into my pocket for my phone “Here I’ll keep looking Scotty.”

Scott seems to be getting aggravated more and more by the second since we left the Hale house, but he looks back at me and nods before he put his phone away.

“Maybe it’s like a ritual or something, like maybe they bury you as a wolf. Or maybe it’s like a special skill, you know? Like something you have to learn.” Stiles rambles out his thought process earning Scott to grumble angrily “I’ll put it on my to-do list, right underneath figuring out how the hell I’m playing this game tonight.” 

“Maybe it’s different for a girl werewolves.” Stiles inquires with a squint of his eyes, missing Scott’s tone completely.

“Or maybe how it was buried was to _keep_ her a werewolf so people wouldn’t find a top half of a human body and freak out” I deadpan from the back seat, earning Stiles to smirk into the rearview mirror before Scott shouts for literally no reason “Okay! Stop it!” 

I furrow my brows as Stiles looks over to him quickly before looking at the road again “Stop, what?”

“Stop saying ‘werewolves’! Stop enjoying this so fucking much!” 

I put my phone in my pocket and lean in between the seats but face Scott “Are you okay?”

“No! No, I’m not. I’m so _far_ from being okay.” Scott croaks out, his breathing getting more labored as Stiles quips “You know you’re gonna have to accept this, Scott, sooner or later.”

“I can’t.” Scott grumbles and I huff before sitting back in my seat “Well you’re gonna have to Scotty.”

“No! I can’t breathe– aahh!” He screams out before hitting his hand onto the jeep’s roof and I jerk with the action at the same time Stiles does and the wheel jerks with him.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa” Stiles starts jerking the wheel before regaining control of the jeep.

“Ah, pull over!” Scott groans loudly and I set my hands on the back of their seats.

“Why? What’s happening?” Stiles shares a worried look with me in the rearview mirror as Scott reaches over and finds Stiles’ backpack, opening it and angrily shouting “You kept it?!”

Stiles looks from the road and over to his backpack as he rushes out “What was I supposed to do with it?”

Eyes glowing yellow now, Scott once again bellows in his now wolfed out voice “Stop the car!” **_whoa there sparky_**

Stiles immediately slams on the breaks, all of us lurching forward as the jeep comes to a stop. 

Scott’s still grunting and hopefully trying his hardest not to wolf out on us as Stiles mutters “Okay…” and grabs his backpack, stumbling out of the jeep. I move over to the window watching as he runs a few feet away from the jeep before he’s chucking his bag into the woods. 

He sighs with relief and turns back towards us “Okay. We’re good, you can…”

He gapes at the front seat, and turning myself away from the window I see why– Scott isn’t there, I didn’t even hear him leave **_fuck you very much adrenaline_**

Even though he’s obviously gone, Stiles still asks “Scott?” as the passenger jeep door closes as an answer.

He looks back and forth in the woods surrounding us **_I really really hope if Scott wolfed out, he is putting as much distance between us and him_**

“Scott?” Stiles asks one more time a little hesitantly, then looks back to me as I get settled in the front seat. 

I shrug my shoulders trying to stay hopeful as I lean across the center console and set my hands on his seat “Let’s go try to find him.”

***

“Stiles, you know you can’t call the dispatch line when I’m on duty.” The voice on speaker phone interrupts Stiles who shakes his head even though she can’t see him “I just need to know if you’ve gotten any odd calls.”

“Odd how?” she asks and I grimace as he stammers “Uh, like an odd person, or…” He looks to me with a _here goes nothing_ look before he elaborates “a dog like individual roaming the streets.”

I scrunch my nose up with how that sounds before the dispatcher deadpans “I’m hanging up on you now.”

“No! Wai– wai– wai– wai– wait!”

“Good-bye.”

He looks at the phone like it bit him, throwing it at the jeep floor by my feet “guh!” 

I lift my feet up, dodging the device as I exclaim back “Hey!”

Stiles grimaces “Sorry, I just can’t believe she didn’t take me seriously.”

I snort and make a face towards him “Dog like individual? Really Stiles, who would take that seriously?”

“It’s the truth!” Stiles lifts one of his hands off the wheel, throwing it up in exasperation as I chuckle “Well _I_ know that and _you_ know that, but _she_ does not.”

Conceding that maybe I’m on to something, he huffs and scratches at the side of his jaw “fine, alright– well where do you think he is?”

“Probably the one place he shouldn’t be.” I grumble absentmindedly and he looks at me quickly before focusing back on the road and we mutter at the same time “Allison.”

***

Finishing putting my hair into a side fishtail braid, I grab my mint colored beanie and adjust it onto my head to complete my ridiculously comfy yet cute, **_totally ready to watch a lacrosse game that won’t end in bloodshed_** , outfit. 

Which consists of my favorite pair of skinny jeans, a white long sleeve henley and my super soft faux leather jacket with one of those made to look like a sweatshirt with a hood linings.

“Honey, we need to get going!” mom shouts from downstairs and I reply back towards her “two seconds and I’ll be right there.”

I finish slipping on my light grey Converse and grab my phone, putting it in my back pocket before I rush down the stairs and meet her in the car.

***

Mom and I find seats in the bleachers and I wave over at Allison who just sat down behind us with who I assume is her father **_AKA the werewolf hunter_**

According to Scott, said werewolf hunter and his goons not only chased him on the night of his first full moon BUT also shot him in the arm with an arrow **_he sounds like a super swell dude_**

I look towards the field and see Lydia grab Scott’s jersey, pulling him way too close to her non-single body **_she’s an odd duck_**

Stiles looks our way as he reaches the team’s bench and does a little smile head nod. I return the smile and mom adds a little wave with hers.

The game starts and right away it looks like they’re playing keep away from Scott, I can only guess who is behind it. 

My assumption is proven correct when Jackson, obviously forgetting they’re playing an actual game and are teammates, slams into Scott as they both head for the ball. 

Scott hits the ground hard, causing mom to stand up with me, her hands covering her mouth as I glare towards the douche canoe.

Jackson scoops up the ball and unfortunately makes a goal easily, while Scott is still laying on the ground watching everything unfold.

The crowd cheers.

Mom and I share a look and reluctantly stand back up to also cheer because

Yay Beacon Hills

but

Fuck you Jackson.

I see both Scott and Stiles looking at something behind where mom and I are seated. Turning to my left I see Lydia and Allison cheering away while holding up a sign that reads “We luv u Jackson”

“Jesus really?” I look forward again, and meet Stiles’ gaze as he grimaces and turns back around. Scott shakes his head and walks back to position.

***

We are down 3 to 5 with 1:29 left on the clock in the 4th quarter.

Scott is now bent forwards slightly and the way the player behind him is moving back like he’s scared of him makes me have a not so great feeling.

“Come on Scott, you can do this” I mutter while shoving my hands into my jacket pockets to stay warm.

Scott turns to look at me **_oh hey wolf hearing_** , then he focuses behind me again. 

I begrudgingly look over my shoulder as well and see that Lydia and Allison have _another_ sign “Jackson is #1” 

At least Allison looks like she would rather be doing _anything_ else than support the douche canoe this time, as she drops her head forward and has her free hand rubbing at her forehead.

I turn back around at the whistle and see Scott jump into the air with a little _literal_ step onto another player’s head push off to grab the ball flying in the air.

Mom and I are standing and cheering for real now, as he runs and dodges like a mad man down the field until 

**GOAL**

“Pass to McCall!” Coach is shouting while Jackson gives a bitch face to everyone around him.

Next blow of the whistle, the visiting team has the ball but all of a sudden dude just throws it straight to Scotty **_Uh oh_**

Scott once again rushes to the other side of the field and throws it straight _through_ the goalie’s lacrosse stick net **_well that’s one way to do it_**

“Wha– did you see that?” mom states with the biggest, disbelieving, yet proudest smile on her face. 

I smile and nod hoping my freak out face isn’t prominent, as we clap and cheer for a most _definitely_ wolfed out Scott **_Thank you for helmets_**

“Way to go McCall! What? The ball’s in the net. That’s the goal of the game.” Coach is now arguing with the other team’s coach and refs with the last goal.

“The ball’s in the net!” I hear both Coach and Stiles shout at the ref now and I smile with how animated they are.

“We got it” Coach states before blowing the whistle and doing a touchdown arm raise.

More cheering ensues as the game is now tied 5 to 5 with 39 seconds left.

Scott once again gets the ball and isn’t running but instead looks like he’s playing out all the options in his head to get to the goal.

“Come on, come on, come on.” mom is rocking back and forth in her seat

5 seconds left as the opposing players decide to just charge at Scott who decides to plant his feet and reels back to throw the damn ball from where he’s at.

Everyone holds their breaths it seems as the ball is flying towards the net as the clock ticks down…. Aaaaaaand goal at the last second!

We all stand and applaud like crazy **_this is why I love lacrosse what a game_**

I head down to the field but don’t see Scott anywhere, so I turn and head over to Stiles who is grabbing his stuff and talking with his dad.

Reaching them just as Stiles shouts “are you serious?!”

“What’s wrong now?” I hesitantly ask with my eyebrows drawn in a grimace as I look between them.

“Come on, let’s go find Scott.” Stiles grabs my elbow and we decide to head for the locker room.

Stiles had just finished filling me in with what his dad had told him when we enter the locker room, eyes darting every which way looking for Scott

“Oh– fuck, wai, wai, wai, wait” Stiles stops abruptly, turning around and grabbing my arms to keep me directly in front of him. 

Resulting in him shielding us from view behind the locker and whatever the scene he saw was. 

“What the hell Sti–” said boy puts one hand over my mouth and the other up to his lips, signaling me to shush **_how rude_**

He lowers both hands and shakes his head while pointing behind him, I lean to my right, past him and see a makeout session in progress.

“Oh gross” I whisper and grimace while going back to letting Stiles be the shield as he chuckles with a smirk that says _I told you_.

We check to see if the coast is clear and see Allison walking towards us, Stiles tries to look as nonchalant as possible when she spots us and even in the dark I can see her blush “uh Addy, Stiles” she does a little salute. 

“Ha– hey Ally.” I smile and wave as Stiles chuckles out with his own little wave “Hey, yeah”

Once she leaves, we walk over and meet Scott who has a shit eating grin on his face, stating as soon as we’re in front of him “I kissed her”

“We saw” Stiles chuckles and still smiling, Scott continues "She kissed me”

“We saw that too.” Stiles states before nodding and adding “That’s pretty good, huh?”

Scott dreamily sighs for an answer **_well we can’t tell him now_**

“I– I– I– I don’t know how, but I controlled it. I pulled back. Maybe I can do this, maybe it’s not that bad.” Scott has a hopeful glint to his eyes as he looks between us.

Stiles shares a look with me confirming my thought of not bursting his bubble right now.

He slaps Scott on the chest, declaring lightly “Yeah, heh– we’ll talk later then.” Stiles turns us prepared to leave, when Scott reaches and grabs Stiles’ jersey to stop our leaving steps “What?”

Stiles sighs, looks to me and I shrug as I reluctantly state “The, uh, medical examiner looked at the other half of the body we found–”

“And?” Scott looks from Stiles to me and then back to Stiles, waiting impatiently.

Stiles huffs and rolls his eyes as he tilts his head to each side as he states “Well, I’ll keep it simple. Medical examiner determines killer of girl to be an animal, not human. Derek’s human, not animal. Derek not killer. Derek let out of jail.”

“Are you kidding?” Scott exclaims and Stiles shakes his head as he reveals “No, and here’s a bigger kick in the ass. My dad I.D.’d the dead girl– both halves. Her name was Laura Hale.”

“Hale?” Scott reiterates, not hiding his complete shock in the slightest as I confirm with a disbelieving sigh “Derek’s sister.”


	3. Pack Mentality

Walking in the middle of Scott and Stiles towards the school, we reach the doors as Scott is going into way too much detail of his dream involving Allison and I’m pretty sure her murder **_poor girl_**

“So you killed her?” Stiles asks holding the door open for us and Scott shrugs as he walks past “I don’t know. I just woke up. And I was sweating like crazy, and I couldn’t breathe. I’ve never had a dream where I woke up like that before.”

Stiles squints his eyes “Really, I have. Usually ends a little differently.”

“My innocent ears Stiles, really?” I make a show of covering them while turning to my right to glare at him

He chuckles as Scott adds to my reaction “A, I meant I’ve never had a dream that felt that real, and B, never give either of us that much detail about you in bed again.”

I nod adjusting my messenger bag strap on my shoulder as Stiles lets out a breath and a little nod “Noted. Let me take a guess here though-”

“No, I know, you think it has something to do with going out with Allison tomorrow, like I’m gonna lose control and rip her throat out.”

“No, of course not.” Stiles states unconvincingly

We both turn our heads to our right to look at him **_come on, really?_**

He connects his eyes with both of ours before relenting “Yeah, that’s totally it… Hey come on, it’s gonna be fine, all right? Personally, I think you’re handling this pretty fucking amazingly. You know, it’s not like there’s a lycanthropy for beginners class you can take.”

“Yeah, not a class, but maybe a teacher.” Scott answers absentmindedly earning Stiles to shout “Who, Derek?!” before he reaches over my head and smacks the back of Scott’s head

“Hey–” Scott begins, however Stiles interrupts like he said nothing “You forgetting the part where we got him tossed in jail?”

“Yeah, I know, but chasing her, dragging her to the back of the bus, it felt so real.”

“How real?” I question as we reach the end of the hallway and doors to go into the quad

“Like it actually happened.” Scott answers as they push open the doors, we come to a stop and the scene before us has all three of our mouths dropping open.

Blood.

Bus.

Crime scene investigators.

Bloody fucking bus just like Scott’s dream.

**_Fuck me_ **

“Holy shit” I say at the same time Stiles states “I think it did”

Scott looks to his right at Stiles, then to his left to me before looking back at the bus.

We both look at Scott, a little apprehensively, before our eyes collide with our shared question. Which I hate, because I’m not scared of Scott. He’s always protected me, there’s no way he did this **_right?_**

We head back inside as Scott is typing away on his phone trying to get ahold of Allison.

“She’s probably fine.” Stiles tries to reassure as he throws out his arms. Scott turns to face him with his rebuttal “she’s not answering my texts, Stiles.”

“Here I’ll call her, just try to breathe Scotty.” I bring up her contact, hitting call before putting the phone to my ear.

“It could just be a coincidence, all right? A seriously _amazing_ coincidence.” I elbow Stiles in the ribs, which he immediately grabs with his hand, glare sent my way as Scott frantically turns back around “Just help me find her, okay?”

We offer our nods and continue down the hallway, Scott turning every which way and not caring as he continues to bump into people.

My call goes to her voicemail as Scott continues to freak out “Do you see her?”

“No” I hear Stiles mumble as we continue to walk down the hall.

I’m looking down at my phone when I crash into Stiles who had stopped walking

“What do you see her?” I ponder with a hopeful tone as I look up and see him shaking his head “No I lost which way Scott went.”

My phone chimes and it’s a very _alive_ Allison telling me she’s running late but will see me in English **_thank christ_**

I let out a relieved breath of air before showing him my phone as I fill in “She’s safe, I need to go to my locker before class.”

Stiles nods and makes a show of bowing with a swipe of his arm “M’lady”

I snort but curtsey nonetheless and begin to walk “Soooo what do you think happened in the bus?”

Stiles makes a contemplative face as we fall in step together, but before he can answer the intercom system buzzes “Attention students, this is your principal. I know you’re all wondering about the incident that occured last night to one of our busses. While the police work to determine what happened, classes will proceed as scheduled.” 

There’s a collective groan from everyone around us as we reach my locker and I swap out my books needed for the first few classes.

“10 bucks they say it was just an animal attack” he states with the cheesiest grin.

I snort with a shake of my head and shut my locker, throwing a look over my shoulder at him. He feigns innocence as we make our way to class, earning me to chuckle and shake my head once “No way.”

His smile drops immediately “Wha– why?”

I make a face and tilt my head to the side “Stiles, I might as well just _hand_ you 10 bucks. It’d be the same as accepting your bet.”

He holds out his palm with the grin back on his stupid face **_do I look that naive my friend?_**

I look from his face and open hand two times before I scoff lightly and roll my eyes as we walk into Chemistry class and take our seats at our assigned table.

*** 

I’m sitting trying to take notes but my lab partner’s friend wont shut his face **_that’s not how you whisper_**

“Maybe it was my blood on the door.” Scott’s non whisper has me shaking my head as I try to ignore them.

“Could have been animal blood. You know, maybe you caught a rabbit or something.”

“And did what?”

“Ate it.” Stiles offers before I try not to laugh at the disgust in Scott’s tone “Raw?”

“No you stopped to bake it in a little werewolf oven. I don’t know you’re the one that can’t remember anything.” I snort and look up from my notes to see Mr. Harris glaring at the dumbasses “Mr. Stilinski, if that is your idea of a hushed whisper, you might want to pull the headphones out every once in a while. I think you and Mr. McCall would benefit from a little distance, yes?”

“No” Stiles disagrees as Mr. Harris points at Scott and then to an empty seat by Harley a few rows over.

“Let me know if the separation anxiety gets to be too much.”

Stiles scoffs at Mr. Harrison’s sarcastic jab as Scott gets settled at a table in front of Jackson.

Harley all of a sudden jumps up and runs to the window as she exclaims “Hey I think they found something.” 

We all get up and make our way to the window as well **_rubbernecking at its finest_**

We see an ambulance with paramedics and deputies moving a definite _human_ body on a stretcher.

I hear Scott behind me whisper to Stiles “That’s not a rabbit.”

We all jump back and scream collectively when fucking heart attack **_number I’ve lost count_** happens because stretcher man sits up suddenly screaming and grabbing onto the men around him.

I feel a hand on my arm, stabeling me from my jump backwards. I gratefully look back and see the owner, Stiles, who’s still focused on the window. 

“Okay” he lets out a sigh, looks at me before lowering his hand and tilts his head for me to follow him to where Scott has taken a good distance of steps away from the rest of the class. Once we stand on either side of Scott, Stiles points back towards the windows “This is good, this is good. He got up, he’s not dead. Dead guys can’t do that.”

Scott’s face couldn’t look _less_ convinced this is a good thing as he looks between us and the window “Stiles….I did that.”

*** 

In the cafeteria we’re carrying our trays of lunch towards a table with Scott and Stiles walking behind me.

“But dreams aren’t memories” Stiles states as we reach a table and I sit down with Scott sitting across from me and Stiles sitting down to my left

“Then it wasn’t a dream. Something happened last night, and I can’t remember what.” Scott informs and I grimace slightly with what that could mean.

“What makes you so sure Derek even has all the answers?” Stiles implores as I start to eat my fruit salad.

“Because…during the full moon he wasn’t changed. He was in total control while I was running around in the middle of the night attacking some totally innocent guy.”

Stiles waves his hand holding an apple “You don’t know that.”

“I don’t _not_ know it.” He looks down at the table “I can’t go out with Allison. I have to cancel.”

I drop my hand holding my fork on the table, “No, you’re not canceling Scotty.”

“Addy’s right, you can’t just cancel your entire life” Stiles elaborates with a shrug before adding “We’ll figure it out.”

A tray sets down on our table gaining all three of our attentions “Figure what out?” Lydia speculates as she sits down to the left of Scott, looking at me and then Stiles who makes a “ha” noise. 

I move my eyes to see him with a dumbstruck look on his face as he notices our new guest. 

He snaps out of it and looks to me and then Scott– all three of us communicating the same silent _what the fuck is this_ look.

“Uh, just our homework.” Scott finally stammers out an answer to her question. 

Lydia moves her eyes between the three of us, disbelief written all over her face, before she makes a noise that maybe means ok? **_What is happening?_**

Stiles leans towards his right to whisper in my direction “Why is she sitting with us?” I shake my head with a little shrug, just as confused as him before looking towards Scott for answers– who raises his eyebrows and shoulders with his own dumbfounded expression **_well at least we’re all riding the confused train express_**

I jerk towards Stiles when a dude sits to my right at the head of the table at the same time that Danny sits on the other side of Stiles. 

Allison grabs Scott’s attention from our new guests as she goes to sit on his right however her eyes drop down to his bag being right in the way of the seat she’s trying to sit in. He moves it immediately and Allison smiles brightly at him “Thanks.” **_They are the CUTEST_**

She turns her attention towards across the table towards us, a slight blush rising on her cheeks **_probably from the other night in the locker room after the game_** “Hey Addy– Stiles.”

“Hey” I answer with a smile, hoping to ease her embarrassment I hope she won’t feel for long and see Stiles do a head nod before he’s turning towards Danny to do the same hello gesture– who ignores him and goes back to his food.

Stiles looks back to me with the dismissal, earning me to snort and shake my head as I stab a pineapple and bring it up to my mouth to hide my smile.

“Get up.”

The voice causes our heads to turn to the head of the table, seeing Jackson _ **Eye roll**_ Wittmore standing with a unimpressed look to the dude sitting next to me.

“How come you never ask Danny to get up?” Dude next me states before Danny laughs through his response “Because I don’t stare at his girlfriend’s coin slot.”

“Danny’s also not sitting in the seat _next_ to his girlfriend” I state without really thinking, earning a smile from Lydia and chuckles from everyone except dude who just gives me a bitch face as he gets up **_Buh bye_**

Danny pipes up as soon as Jackson sits down “So I hear they’re saying it’s some type of animal attack. Probably a cougar.”

Stiles immediately smirks my way remembering our non bet as I playfully roll my eyes with a snicker.

“I heard mountain lion.” Jackson adds his own two cents to the conversation no one asked him join.

Again with my word vomit, I grumble towards my bowl “a cougar _is_ a mountain lion.”

Noticing eyes on me I immediately go back to my lunch as Lydia plays the dumb girlfriend looking to Jackson “Isn’t it?”

“Who cares, the guy’s probably some homeless tweaker who’s gonna die anyway.” Jackson quips with a glare and I roll my eyes, moving my attention towards Stiles who saves us from Jackson’s thought process “Actually, I just found out who it is– check it out.”

He sets his phone as best in the center of the table as he can and we all lean in to look at the video on the screen, listening to the news anchor’s voice “The sheriff’s department won’t speculate on details of the incident but confirmed the victim, Garrison Meyers, did survive the attack. Meyers was taken to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition.”

**_Wait, is that?_ **

I widen my eyes and whisper over towards my brother “Scotty–”

He looks at me with just as much shock recognition on his face as he fills in for the table “Yea we know this guy.”

“You do?” Danny questions as Scott looks around “Yea, when we used to take the bus back when we lived with our dad…”

I nod and elaborate softly “he was the driver.”

Stiles looks at me with a _oh shit_ look on his face, putting his phone back in his pocket as Lydia chimes in “Can we talk about something _slightly_ more fun, please? Like, oh, where are we going tomorrow night?” She finishes with a pointed look in Scott and Allison’s direction.

The pair of them looking at her like deer in headlights before she continues like her suggestion should be obvious “You said you and Scott were hanging out tomorrow night, right?”

Crashing on their date? _**Rude**_

Allison, bless her heart, looks like she has no clue how to _not_ invite Lydia. Looking at Scott with a desperate uh-oh face, she quickly stammers “Um, we were thinking of what we were gonna do.”

I look at Stiles, whose eyes have gotten huge in support of his poor date crashed friend before Lydia clicks her tongue as she argues “Well, I am not sitting home again watching lacrosse videos, so if the four of us _are_ hanging out, we are doing something fun.”

Allison is chugging her water with raised eyebrows as Scott looks at me and then Stiles, before his eyes land on Allison as he works out “Ha– hanging out? Like the _four_ of us?”

Stiles starts shaking his head back and forth covering his food filled mouth as I’m left speechless at the scene playing out in front of me: 

The oblivious dbag couple to my right 

and 

the poor helpless to get out of this situation couple across from me **_ummmm_**

Directed more towards Allison, Scott continues “Do you wanna hang out, like us _and_ them?”

“Yeah, I guess. Sounds fun.” She adds a little more cheery now that Jackson is paying attention to their conversation

Jackson scoffs and leans forward “You know what else sounds fun? Stabbing myself in the face with this fork.” Lydia grabs the fork out of his hand with a huff.

Stiles grabs my attention as he lifts his hand and rolls his eyes towards me as he’s taking a drink from his water bottle **_aFUCKINgreed my dude_**

“How about bowling? You love to bowl.” Lydia directs at Jackson as Stiles continues to have a silent conversation about how bad this is while stuffing his face with fries, I snicker behind my hand at his actions as the oblivious fucking couple continues on

“Yeah, with actual competition” Jackson remarks

Allison takes the bait that wasn’t purposefully left “How do you know we’re not actual competition?” Lifting her eyebrows in a _bring it on_ way she lifts her head in a little _we got this_ nod towards Scott “you can bowl, right?”

I cough to hide my laugh at that question, Stiles pats my back in mock concern as he also turns to hide his own chortle over my shoulder **_Scotty is a horrible bowler_**

Scott glares at us while gritting out his answer to Allison “Sort of”

“Is it ‘sort of’, or yes?” Jackson arrogantly asks while leaning forward with his elbows farther on the table

Not backing down from the pissing contest, Scott glares back at him “Yes. In fact, I’m a great bowler.”

Allison comes to the rescue of the macho showdown and changes the subject “Addy, you should totally come too!” **_wait what?_**

I’m mid french fry chew as I swing my eyes to Allison, swallowing my bite as I realize she actually said my name on purpose. 

Clearing my throat I smile “Well sweets, as tempting as fifth wheel sounds, I have to work. Plus _I_ _am_ a terrible bowler, but thank you for the invite.”

She smiles and nods in understanding as Lydia super helpfully adds with a nonchalant shrug “We could find you a date to bring–” her eyes briefly glancing towards Stiles before coming back to me as I shake my head and lift my hand from the table “No no, really, I have to work and I can’t call out.” 

She just makes a “hmm” noise before going back to her food and thankfully the bell rings not much longer after that.

*** 

School day is finally over and we are walking down the steps as Stiles addresses what happened at lunch “You’re a _terrible_ bowler.”

“I know! I’m such an idiot.” Scott stops his steps and faces us on the landing with his hands out before continuing down the second set of stairs.

“Jesus, it was like watching a car wreck. I mean, first it turned into the whole group date thing and then out of nowhere comes that phrase–” Stiles finishes with his hands on his head

“Hang out” Scott finishes his friend’s sentence.

“You don’t hang out with hot girls, okay? It’s like death. Once it’s hanging out, you might as well be her gay best friend. You and Danny can start hanging out.”

I shake my head at their ridiculous reasoning but Scott stops me from addressing their comments

“How is this happening? I either killed a guy or I didn’t”

“I don’t think Danny likes me very much.” Stiles grumbles as he ignores Scott.

“I ask Allison on a date, and now we’re hanging out.” Scott ignores Stiles who furrows his brows in thought as he again ignores Scott “Am I not attractive to gay guys?” 

**_jesus.fucking.christ._ **

“I make first line, and the team captain wants to destroy me, and now– now I’m gonna be late for work.” Scott looks and puts his phone away rushing out the doors apparently done with the one sided conversation **_they really are a pair, I swear_**

“Wait, Scott, you didn’t– am I attractive to gay guy– you didn’t answer my question..” Stiles trails off his yell towards Scott’s retreating back before he stops and turns to me with a huff “Well what do you think?”

“I think you both are ridiculous” I deadpan earning Stiles to drop his shoulders in an exasperated huff “That’s beside the point, do you think I’m attractive to gay guys?”

I ponder the question, making a point to squint my eyes as I look at his face thoughtfully.

“Fuck Addy, it shouldn’t be–”

Chuckling I interrupt his freak out “Hot damn– yes Stiles, alright calm down. Any gay guy would be lucky to have you.” 

He gets a _damn straight_ smile across his face before I interrupt his inner award ceremony “Do you think I’m attractive to gay girls?”

“Without a doubt.” He states before swinging his arm out for us to continue on with our walk to the parking lot **_well I guess that settles that_**

*** 

Pulling up in Stiles’ jeep we come to a stop outside the fence with the school bus yard on the other side. 

Derek had informed Scott that coming back to the scene of the crime and doing some kind of werewolf meditate with his senses would help jog his memory from the murder bus night **_namaste bitches_**

We hop out and are walking towards the fence when Scott stops us “Hey, no, just me. Someone needs to keep watch.”

“Addy can” Stiles answers without missing a beat and I throw my arms out to my side **_Why did I come again_**?

Scott just looks at Stiles expectantly, earning Stiles to groan in frustration before he declares “How come I’m always the guy keeping watch?” 

“Because Addy can’t drive the jeep if we need to run away.”

I scoff “Because _certain_ asshats won’t teach me how to drive the jeep!”

Stiles rolls his eyes and throws his head back slightly “I’m teaching you over spring break!”

I smile with his offer before he turns back to Scott “Okay, why’s it starting to feel like you’re Batman and I’m Robin? I don’t want to be Robin all the time.”

“Who the hell does that make me?” I put my hands on my hips and squint my eyes in thought

“You can be Catwoman” Stiles counters and I scrunch my nose up in a grimace “Oh jesus please no, not after Halle Berry ruined her.” 

Stiles nods in agreement “Hmm yea that’s a good point, you can be Wonder Woman then”

I smile brightly, bouncing on my toes with that suggestion “ooooh fuck yes, I love that–”

“Nobody’s Batman or Robin or Wonder Woman any of the fucking time!” Scott impatiently interrupts with a flail of his arms like our conversation is the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard.

My smile drops and Stiles looks crushed as he moves his sad eyes between us “Not even some of the time?”

“Just _stay_ here” Scott stresses through clenched teeth.

“Oh, my god! Fine.” Stiles stomps off back towards the jeep as I run with my short little legs to catch up with his long strides.

Scott hops over the fence as we get settled in the front seats of the jeep.

I can feel Stiles’ frustration from here and I chew on the side of my lip with what to say to comfort him.

With my eyes focused on the rain starting to hit the windshield I pipe up with my soft reassuring words “For what it’s worth, I think you’re more like Batman.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see Stiles look over at me quickly. I hear him release a little breath, almost like a soft grateful chuckle before he murmurs just as quietly “Thanks Adds–”

My eyes grow wide at what I see in front of us and I interrupt the moment with a few quick light smacks on his chest “Stiles” 

I point forward seeing a guard walking with a flashlight right towards the bus that Scott is currently wandering around in

“Shit” Stiles immediately starts honking his horn

“Shouldn’t we _not_ want to bring attention to us over here?” I exclaim and set my hands on the front dash.

“Well, I don’t know how far his wolf hearing goes, he may not hear us if we just scream for him”

I nod with his reasoning **_good point_**

It’s raining more now however we clearly see Scott running towards us as he hops over the hood and roof of a car. He does a little gymnastic flip mid air **_show off_**

I hop into the back seat as Stiles starts up the jeep when Scott reaches the passenger door I opened for him and hops in bellowing “Go! Go! Go! Go!”

Stiles reverses the jeep a little ways before he’s swinging us to the side to turn us back around and we’re headed down the road as fast as he can drive. Once we’re safely headed away from the bus yard, Stiles looks over towards Scott “Did it work? Do you remember?”

“Yeah, I was there last night. And the blood–a lot of it was mine.” Scott answers incredulously and Stiles implores “So you did attack him?”

“No. I saw glowing eyes in the bus, but they weren’t mine. It was Derek.”

Stiles looks to him quickly “What about the driver?”

“I think I was actually trying to protect him.”

I lean forward between the seats “Wait, why would Derek help you remember that _he_ attacked the driver?”

Scott shakes his head “That’s what I don’t get.”

“It’s got to be a pack thing.” Stiles interjects with a look over his shoulder at me and then Scott who furrows his brows “What do you mean?”

“Like an initiation, you do the kill together.”

“Because ripping someone’s throat out is a real bonding experience.” Scott grumbles humorlessly and Stiles nods with a slight shrug of one of his shoulders “Yeah, but you didn’t do it. Which means you’re not a killer.”

I hit Scott on the shoulder, smile on my face when he looks back at me and I hint “aaaaand it also means that….”

He catches on immediately to what I’m implying and the smile grows on his face “I can go out with Allison.”

Stiles looks at both of us like we’re missing something “Well I was _actually_ gonna say it means you won’t kill us.” He states with a _thanks a lot_ face

“Oh, yeah. That too.” Scott mutters, _obviously_ not having thought that **_thanks bro_**

“All right boys, this has been fun as usual, however I need to get to work” I check my phone and put it in my pocket as I lean back in my seat and Stiles smirks before he mutters “yes ma’am.”

*** 

Walking up the stairs I see mom talking to herself as she goes for Scott’s door

“Seriously” shaking her head she’s turning around and jumps when she sees me “Oh, my god.”

“Hey mom, sorry didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Ha, no it’s fine.” she shakes her head and smiles softly as she takes a deep breath in “How was work honey?”

I shrug my shoulders “it was pretty busy with it being Friday night but the curfew cut my shift early” I smile lightly but it drops when we hear a thud come from Scott’s room

Both our eyes grow wide with the noise **_why would Scott be using his window_**?

Mom makes a motion for me to get behind her when we see a shadowed figure climbing through the window. 

She reaches for the bat just inside Scott’s door while stealthily walking quicker to the bed, raising the weapon of choice above her head and ready to strike.

Mystery window climber flops onto the bed at the same moment mom screams and is ready to swing the bat at our intruder “Ahhh!”

Arms raise up in surrender towards mom as the body flops around on the bed with his own screams “W-wa– wait! Oh, no no no!” **_Stiles– should have figured_**

All of us are breathing heavily trying to catch our breaths, and mom is the first to shout “Stiles, what the hell are you _doing_ here?!”

He looks at both of us throwing his arms out “What am I doing?! God, do either of you even play baseball?!”

Mom takes a deep breath “What?”

The light turns on gaining us to all turn around and see Scott walking into his room

Mom sighs looking at him and pointing the bat towards Stiles “Can you please tell your friend to use the front door?”

Stiles readjusts how he’s sitting on the bed now that he’s not under attack as Scott furrows his brows with his answer back to her “But we lock the front door– he wouldn’t be able to get in.”

Mom looks towards Stiles and shakes the bat once as she exclaims “Yea, exactly. And by the way, do either of you care that there’s a police enforced curfew?”

Scott and Stiles don’t miss a beat before the mutter at the same time “No.”

I snort and move my lips between my teeth to hide my smile at their _didn’t even think about it_ faces.

I try not to laugh at mom’s expression that flashes across her face as she scoffs “No. All right then. Well, you know what?” she throws the bat on the bed next to Stiles who looks at it before looking back at her “That’s enough parenting for me for one night, so good night.” She finishes with a double peace hand throw in the air as she walks out the door.

Chuckling at my awesome mama bear I walk farther into the room and sit down beside Stiles, who lets out a sigh as Scott grabs a chair and rolls it over to us.

Noticing the look on Stiles’ face, Scott shakes his head quickly “What?”

“My dad left for the hospital 15 minutes ago. It’s the bus driver.”

Scott shakes his head, imploring Stiles to continue which he does after a little sigh “They said he succumbed to his wounds.”

“Succumbed?” Scott squints his eyes **_reading is a good hobby to have kids_**

“He’s dead.” I answer looking at Stiles who connects his eyes with mine. He nods at me before we look back at Scott who looks like he’s ready to kill someone. 


	4. Magic Bullet

Sitting in class waiting to get our papers back when movement to my left grabs my attention. Stiles hits Scott on the shoulder as he leans forward“If Derek’s not the Alpha, if he’s not the one that bit you, then who did?”

After Scott left angrily last night when Stiles informed us the bus driver had died, Scott went to Derek’s to confront him about killing the bus driver. Derek informed Scott that it wasn’t him– just like it wasn’t him that bit Scott **_something called an Alpha did_**

Scott connects his eyes with mine shaking his head at Stiles’ question “I don’t know”

Stiles whispers with his continued thought “Did the Alpha kill the bus driver?”

Scott again shakes his head “I don’t know.”

Stiles huffs and sits back in his seat, thinking face in full force as he chews on the inside of his lips.

I look back at my notes when Stiles leans forward again “Does Allison’s dad know about the alpha?”

Scott, quick as agitated lightning turns around “I don’t know!” making everyone around us jump and look at the pair.

Stiles shares a look with me as I frown at the outburst **_just trying to help Scott, calm down_**

Our teacher walks down our shared aisle at that moment and places Stiles’ test on his desk, then mine, finally Scott’s as he continues down the aisle.

Stiles sees my ‘A’ smiling proudly with a playful eye roll as we look at Scott and see his ‘D-’ and a note **_yikes_**

Leaning forward Stiles states the obvious “Dude, you need to study more.”

Scott just lifts his hand out and flops his test back on his desk with a huff

Stiles chuckles and tries to lighten the mood “That was a joke. Scott, it’s one test, you’re gonna make it up. Do you want help studying?”

Scott just sighs “No. I’m studying with Allison after school today.”

Stiles looks impressively taken aback “That’s my boy.”

“We’re just studying” Scott argues before Stiles counters back quickly “Uh, no, you’re not.”

Scott looks at me and I shrug **_like I have any idea where he’s going with this_**

“No, I’m not?” Scott implores as he turns to face his friend who shakes his head “Not if I’m forced to live vicariously through you. If you go to her house today and squander that colossal opportunity, I sw– I swear to god I’ll have you de-balled.” **_Why the fuck am I surrounded by boys, where are the girls at_**?

“Oh sweet christ, I don’t need to hear this” I grumble and face forward again.

I hear Scott chuckle with my words before he addresses his friend “Okay. Just… stop with the questions man.”

I look over my shoulder seeing Stiles raise his hands in surrender “Done. No more questions. No more talk about the Alpha or Derek– especially Derek… who still scares me.”

*** 

Standing with Allison and Lydia **_because this is my life now_** Lydia interrupts Allison “Scott’s coming over? Tonight?”

“We’re just studying together.” She finishes with a slight chuckle

““Just studying” never ends with just studying. It’s like…getting into a hot tub–somebody eventually cops a feel.” **_girls aren’t safe either apparently_**

“How is this the second time I’m hearing about a subject I had no knowledge of before today?” I let out a sigh as Lydia chuckles

Allison looks terrified and turns back to Lydia “Well, so what are you saying?”

“I’m just saying, you know, make sure he covers up.” She informs with a little shrug.

“Fuck, really?” I turn trying to make my escape from hearing about my brother’s fucking sex life

Lydia grabs my arm preventing me from going anywhere, laughing with my actions and turning back to Allison who still looks lost.

Lydia jabs her in the ribs lightly with her other elbow “Hello, Snow White! Do it with him with a condom.” **_kill me now_**

Allison fully on the same page chuckles out in complete shock “Are you kidding? After one date?”

“Don’t be a total prude. Give him a little taste.” She adds with a little slap on her arm

Allison’s cheeks flame in embarrassment before she looks around “Well, I– I mean, how much is “a little taste”?”

I notice how shy that makes her and soften my face before I question “you really like him don’t you?”

She smiles and sighs out “Well he’s just different, when I first moved here, I had a plan– no boyfriends till college. I just move too much but… then I met him, and… he was different.”

She adds with a whimsical smile on her face making Lydia and I look at each other with knowing smirks as Allison continues “I– I don’t know. I can’t explain it.”

I chuckle and shrug “Well I can– it’s your brain flooding with Phenethylamine.”

Allison laughs with confusion written all over her face “What?”

I open my mouth to explain when Lydia interrupts “I’ll tell you what to do. When’s he coming over?”

Allison flicks her eyes from me and over to Lydia with her answer “Right after school.”

The bell rings and I say goodbye to the girls when Lydia starts a sex advice talk I so do _not_ need to hear.

Ally gives me a hug and I murmur softly “take Lydia’s advice with a grain of salt ok? Just don’t do anything that you aren’t comfortable with. Scott really likes you and I have a feeling you’re both on the same page about tonight. Don’t put too much pressure on your study session”

She takes a deep breath and nods “Thanks Addy” I wink before giving Lydia a little wave and walking towards my next class.

***

I close my locker for the day and am heading out to the doors when I crash into a wall… **_no a body_**

“Jesus what the hell… wha– wait, Derek? What are you doing here?” I take in his pale _pale_ appearance and just over all **_not good look_** he’s got going on

“Addeli–” he mutters and looks like he’s going to pass out at any moment.

I lift a hand, interrupting “Just Addy. What the hell happened to you?”

He shakes his head once, croaking out “I need Scott” and goes to walk down the stairs, instantly causing me to run after him to catch up “wait– at least let me help.”

He keeps walking down the stairs and towards the parking lot as I try to keep up. He doesn’t stop his steps until he’s out in the street and stopping a car with his arm out– not a car, a blue jeep **_thank fuck, Stiles_**

I run up to Stiles’ open window as he comes to an abrupt stop from almost hitting Derek.

Stiles mutters“Oh, my god” as he looks out his window at me. I shrug as an answer to his silent question, before my eyes widen and I lift my hand out to my side gesturing towards Derek who then collapses on the ground.

I grimace and grumble “That can’t be good”

“Addy? I– jesus christ you’ve got to be kidding me, this guy is everywhere” he looks behind him at the cars that are starting to honk since he’s completely blocking their way out of the parking lot.

“What the hell?” Scott runs over to us touching my shoulders as he runs past.

I quickly follow behind him hearing an “Oh” and the sound of Stiles opening his door as we all rush to the front of the jeep and Derek who is still laying on the ground.

“What are you doing here?” Scott questions like the pale man is the biggest inconvenience to him as he kneels down next to him

“I was shot” Derek pants out the obvious

“He’s not looking so good, dude” **_Thank you Stiles Captain Obvious Stilinski_**

“Why aren’t you healing?” Scott frantically rushes out and Derek shakes his head “I can’t. It was… it was a different kind of bullet.”

“A silver bullet?” Stiles interjects excitedly and I follow suit with a little smile at the thought before Derek crushes our hopes.

“No you idiot–” Derek glares earning Stiles and I to shrink back a step.

Scott shakes his head and mutters to himself “Wait, wait. That’s what she meant when she said you had 48 hours.”

“What? Who– who said 48 hours?” Derek swings his eyes to Scott who digresses “The one who shot you.”

Derek grunts and starts breathing even heavier and his eyes flash a pretty blue while his fangs are all sorts of not put away **_well people should not see that_**

Scott looks around and non helpfully freaks out “What are you doing? Stop that!”

“I’m trying to tell you, I can’t!” Derek groans out angrily before Scott continues to _not_ be helpful “Derek get up!” **_maybe help him up Scotty_**

Horns are continuing to honk all around us and people are starting to get very interested in our little half werewolf half human power huddle

“Ok that’s it, help me get him up” I take lead and move to one side of Derek as Scott gets the picture looking over to Stiles as we start to move “We’re gonna put him in your car”

Scott and I walk Derek over to the passenger side of Stiles’ jeep and I step back once Scott has a handle on shoving Derek into the seat.

Scott closes the door as Stiles comes to stand next to me, looking every which way at all the interested and pissed off people not able to move yet.

We share a look silently agreeing we need to hurry up before Derek gets settled and turns his attention out the window at Scott “I need you to find out what kind of bullet they used.”

“How the hell am I supposed to do that?” Scott huffs earning Derek to quip back like it’s obvious “‘cause she’s an Argent. She’s with them.”

“Why should I help you?” Scott argues before Derek counters back quickly “Because you need me.”

Stiles grabs my attention, setting his hand on my lower back “Come on lets get in the jeep”

Nodding I walk with him and when we’re rounding the back of the jeep, I notice Allison hesitantly making her way over.

I offer her a small wave hoping that stops her from coming too close, as we walk to the driver side. Stiles opens the door and holds the seat forward for me to climb into the backseat.

Getting settled in the backseat I hear Scott relent to Derek’s idea “Fine. I’ll try.”

Stiles gets settled into his seat and closes his door when Scott turns his attention on him “Get him out of here” **_no please or thanks?_**

“I hate you for this so much” Stiles answers back before accelerating and taking us out of the parking lot.

***

Finishing sending his text message, Stiles shoves his phone back into his pocket as he grumbles “Seriously how long does it take to find a bullet?”

“Zero clue, but he’s looking worse if that’s at all possible.” I lean forward in between the seats answering Stiles while I’m flooded with concern for the front seat werewolf.

Derek huffs ignoring our conversation and tries to take off his jacket, I go to help and get a glare in response. I make a noise and lift my hands in surrender as I lean back in my seat.

Stiles reaches for his phone again when he hears the new message ping “needs more time– come on” he angrily huffs and slams his phone back down. He looks over to his side and lifts his arm towards the injured man “Hey, try not to bleed out on my seats okay? We’re almost there.”

“Almost where?” Derek croaks out, earning Stiles to sigh like it’s obvious “Your house”

Gaining his attention now, Derek jerks his head towards Stiles “What? No, you can’t take me there.”

“I can’t take you to your own house?!”

“Not when I can’t protect myself” Derek states like that couldn’t be _more_ obvious.

“All right” Stiles chuckles humorlessly and has had enough as he swerves to pull the jeep over to the side of the street.

Putting the jeep in park, he turns in his seat to face Derek completely “What happens if Scott can’t find your little magic bullet? Hmm? Are you dying?”

Derek shakes his head and looks down breathing heavily “Not yet. I have a last resort.”

I lean forward in between the seats again “What do you mean? What last resort?”

Derek lifts his sleeve on his arm making both of our faces scrunch up and Stiles to groan while he looks away with his hand on his head “Oh. My. God, What is that? Fuck, is that contagious? You know what, you should probably just get out.” He finishes with a point of his finger at the passenger door.

Derek not phased at all just clips out “Start the car. Now.”

Stiles chuckles and adds “I don’t think you should be barking orders with the way you look, okay? In fact, I think if I wanted to, I could probably drag your little werewolf ass out into the middle of the road and leave you for dead.” **_Careful_**

Unimpressed with his threat, Derek scarily calm now declares “Start the car, or I’m gonna rip your throat out… with my teeth.” I grimace with my nose scrunched up and teeth clenched **_good enough reason in my book_**

Stiles stares at Derek for 3.4 seconds before connecting his eyes with mine over his shoulder.

Stiles huffs and throws his head back towards his window angrily before he shifts forwards in his seat again and turns the engine over, beginning to drive down the road again.

***

“I’m texting Scott, this is getting ridiculous” Stiles nods at my statement, and looks at me in the rearview mirror, quick glance at Derek and then is focusing back on the road again.

It’s been about 15 minutes with no response from Scott, so Stiles pulls over to text him again.

“Why are you stopping?” Derek barely gets out between his labored breaths.

“Well unless you’re going to give me some insight on where to take you, I’m not just going to drive aimlessly around and waste the gas.” He throws his hand out to the side as we come to a complete stop.

Finally Stiles’ phone rings and he brings it up to his ear once he answers “Fucking finally Scott, what are we supposed to do with him?”

I can’t quite make out what Scott is frantically saying on the other end of the phone, however Stiles sighs a few seconds later “And by the way, he’s starting to smell.”

“Like death” Stiles and I mutter at the same time.

Derek slowly turns to glare at us, connecting his eyes with mine and I sheepishly shrug as I whisper “Sorry it’s true”

“What about your boss?” Stiles answers to whatever Scott suggested **_animal clinic obviously_** which makes me chuckle **_how ironic_**

Stiles waits for Scott to finish his answer before sighing and handing the phone over Derek’s way “You’re not gonna believe where he’s telling me to take you.”

Derek breathes out as he grabs the phone “Did you find it?”

Waiting for Scott to finish his answer, Derek returns with another annoyed huff “Look if you don’t find it, then I’m dead, all right?” **_why the hell isn’t he on speaker for fuck’s sake_**

“Then think about this. The alpha called you out against your will. He’s gonna do it again. Next time you either kill with him or you get killed. So if you wanna stay alive, then you need me. Find the bullet.” He grits out and disconnects the call without waiting for Scott to reply.

Stiles connects his eyes with mine and I make a noise as I lean forward and slap his shoulder “All right then– to the animal clinic, Jeeves.”

He rolls his eyes muttering incoherently under his breath before pulling onto the road again.

Derek shakes his head with **_was that a chuckle I heard?!_** and leans his head on the window. I smile to myself and look out the window **_well that’s progress_**

***

Arriving at the clinic, I go around to the passenger side to help Derek walk up to the door–surprisingly he does so without a fight or glare **_more progress, he needs to be careful or I’ll be calling him a friend in no time_**

I set my arm behind Derek’s back and walk him towards the building while Stiles finds the spare key and rolls open the back delivery door.

Turning on the light, Stiles’ phone beeps with a message as I try to help Derek over to lean against the wall, however he just collapses onto a pile of the dog food bags **_oops_**

“Does Nordiblue Monkshood mean anything to you?” Stiles turns around to face us and Derek pants out “It’s a rare form of wolfsbane… he has to bring me the bullet.”

“Why?” I breathe out and set my hands on my hips before Derek looks up towards us and gravely fills in “‘Cause I’m gonna die without it.”

Our wide eyes meet before Stiles texts Scott frantically telling him what Derek just told us.

Helping Derek up we walk further into the clinic, trying to find supplies he needs **_for his super secret last resort plan he still wont share with us_**

We push open the doors to an operating exam room and Stiles turns on the light.

Derek walks further into the room, finishing taking off his shirt and with his back to us we see a triskelion tattoo on the upper middle of his back **_interesting_**

Leaning on the metal table his arm looks like the beginning virus that causes a zombie apocalypse. I swallow hard looking at the infected looking open wound while Stiles nonchalantly flips his hand out towards it “You know that really doesn’t look like anything some echinacea and a good night sleep couldn’t take care of.”

“When the infection reaches my heart, it’ll kill me” Derek fills in exactly how echinacea will do nothing and I notice he’s breathing even heavier than before.

“Positivity just isn’t in your vocabulary is it?” Stiles sarcastically asks the dying man in front of us and I jab him with my elbow.

Stiles playfully glares at me while Derek is opening and closing the cupboards and drawers behind us before he continues “If he doesn’t get here with the bullet in time… last resort”

“Okay, well want to let us in on your last resort plan because you look like you are going to pass out any second now and we may have to complete the plan without you.” I interrupt, shaking my head and throwing up my hands at the boys in front of me.

He, however, finds what he’s looking for and turns towards us holding said item up in front of him “one of you is gonna cut off my arm.”

**_I’m sorry what?_ **

Eyes wide I turn my head to Stiles– who puffs out his cheeks completely speechless

Derek slides the fucking bone saw over on the table and Stiles picks it up turning it on briefly “Oh, my god” he lets out nervously before putting it back on the table as Derek is beginning to tie off his arm in the middle of his bicep

“What if you bleed to death?” Stiles offers and through clenched teeth around the band he’s tying, Derek mumbles out “It’ll heal if it works.”

“ _IF_ it works? Jesus Christ” I shake my head and take a step back from the table before leaning my hands back on it.

Focusing on what Derek is doing again, Stiles shakes his head “Ugh, look, I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Why not?” Derek implores with his mouth still mumbled behind the band.

Stiles makes a face and scoffs as he answers “Well because of the cutting through the flesh, the sawing of the bone, and especially the blood!” **_my spine shivers at all three of those graphic images I so did not ask for_**

Finishing the tie and slapping his arm on the table, Derek incredulously looks at Stiles “You faint at the sight of blood?”

“No, but I might at the sight of a chopped off arm!” Stiles bellows, not relenting his stare down with the dying man.

Stealing myself and trying to sound more confident than I actually feel, I pipe up without a waver in my voice “I’ll do it.”

My words earn looks from both of them and I shrug, moving my eyes between them as I continue “What? If you can’t and he’s going to die, we don’t exactly have another option. I can’t just _not_ do something.”

Derek looks like he’s impressed with my 5 foot 1 inches of bravery, however, the other male in the room has an immediate hard look on his face.

I can see a tick in his jaw before he adamantly protests “No. I’m not letting you perform the backwoods maiming that’s about to apparently go down, let alone even witness it happening Addy.”

Sighing Derek interrupts “All right, fine. How about this? Either you cut off my arm, let her do it, or I’m gonna cut off _your_ head.”

Rolling his eyes and pushing off the table to stand up straight, Stiles counters back strongly “Okay, you know what, I’m so not buying your threats anymo–”

Derek leans across the table and grabs him by the shirt, completely stopping him mid sentence as he brings Stiles ridiculously close to _his_ side of the table **_still moves terrifyingly quick– check_**

“Oh, my god, okay. All right, bought, sold, totally I’ll do it.” Stiles relents with the close proximity of Derek and his _I’ll kill you_ face.

Derek starts to grunt and lose his tough guy facade as he does the dry heave dance. With his grip still on Stiles’ shirt, Stiles can’t really move far as he rushes out “What? What are you doing?”

Letting go of Stiles finally, Derek turns to the side of the table and we watch as black liquid **_what the fuck is that?!_** goo comes projectile vomit style out of Derek’s mouth.

I turn away but bump into Stiles who can’t seem to look away though he’s completely disgusted as he manages to ask “Holy fuck, _what the hell_ is that?”

“It’s my body… trying to heal itself.” Derek pants and leans against the back table as I try not to gag and manage to wheeze out “Well, it’s not doing a very good job of it.”

Derek turns to look up at us “Now. You gotta do it now.”

Completely disgusted, my mind finally catches up to the task at hand he’s talking about and Stiles shakes his head realizing the same thing “Look honestly, I don’t think I can.”

“Just do it!” Derek bellows and we jerk back with his demand.

Grabbing the saw and revving it twice, Stiles winces before he talks through it “Oh my god, okay, okay. Holy fucking shit.”

Setting the saw against Derek’s arm a little ways up from where he tied it off, Stiles continues tp pep talk us all up “All right, here we go!”

I bring up both of my hands and set them on either side of my head by my temples, wide eyes flickering between the side of Stiles’ face and the saw against Derek’s arm.

Holy shit this is happening? **_How is this our life right now?!_**

“Stiles?!” We hear from the hallway near the front door and I share a look with Stiles as he looks over towards the doorway “Scott?”

Scott? **_Oh thank fuck_**

Scott comes running through the door and takes in the scene before him:

Derek on the table.

Arm tied off.

Stiles holding saw to his arm.

My horror filled face.

Scott widens his eyes wider and wider with each new sight he’s taking in “What the hell are you doing?!”

Stiles chuckles and drops the saw on the table as we all take a collective breath of relief “Oh, you just prevented a lifetime of nightmares”

“Did you get the bullet?” I ask fully aware Derek is _still_ dying.

Scott reaches into his pocket and fishes out the bullet handing it to Derek who holds it up in front of his face

“What are you gonna do with it?”

“I’m gonna… I’m gonna…” Dropping his hand with the bullet, it rolls off the table as Derek collapses on the floor **_completely passed the fuck out_**

“No. No, no no no!” Scott grumbles as he falls to the floor trying to find where the bullet rolled to under a cart while Stiles and I drop down on either side of Derek, trying to wake him up “Derek? Derek, come on wake up.”

Stiles lightly slaps his face a few times before he yells over his shoulder “Scott, what the hell are we gonna do?”

“I don’t know! I can’t reach it.” Scott rushes out and I try shaking Derek’s unconscious shoulders “He’s not waking up!”

“Come on” I hear Scott grunt out from the floor to the side of us.

“I think he’s dying, I think he’s dead!” Stiles throws out his arm as we continue to try to shake Derek awake.

I put my ear to his chest and I can hear faint breath like sounds, nodding to Stiles that he’s at least still with us for the time being.

“Just hold on!” Scott is breathing heavily “Come on” he whispers to himself before he yelps “Oh! I got it! I got it!”

“Please don’t kill me for this.” Stiles says under his breath, causing me to look up at him and he steals himself before reaching back and punching Derek square in the jaw

“Ugh! Ow! Jesus Fuck!” Stiles immediately grabs his hand, however it was worth it because Derek regains consciousness.

“Give me…” he reaches for the bullet while Stiles and I each grab one of his hands and Scott grabs under his shoulders as we all heft him off the ground “Up!”

“Ow! God…” Stiles shakes his hand out and I go to the fridge in the corner of the room to get him an ice pack.

He gives me a grateful look, setting it on his hand as we look to Derek who lifts up the bullet in front of him and brings it to his mouth to bite off the pointed part.

Turning it over onto the table, he dumps out the contents that look like a bunch of crushed up herbs.

He gets a lighter from his pocket and lights the herbs which immediately spark like a handful of sparklers and begin to emit a blue smoke from the pile.

Derek scoops the pile into his good hand, takes a few prepared breaths before shoving them into the bullet hole in his bad arm **_fuck that has to hurt_**

He grunts as he shoves them farther with one finger into his wound, causing me to flinch even more.

Next second he’s screaming and falls to the ground before he’s groaning and writhing on the floor.

Right before our eyes the veins of zombie apocalypse poison retreat back towards the wound, blue smoke still emitting before it all heals up, like nothing happened **_that was impressive_**

“That… was…. _AWESOME_! Yes!” Stiles reacts in all his 10 year old glory **_boys, I tell ya_**

“Are you okay?” Scott asks hesitantly before Derek throws him a look and passive aggressively answers “Well, except for the agonizing pain.”

“I’m guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a good sign of health.” Stiles grumbles, earning Derek to stand up as he glares deeply at the three of us.

Scott scoffs and shakes his head “Okay, we saved your life, which means your gonna leave us alone, you got that? And if you don’t, I’m gonna go back to Allison’s dad, and I’m gonna tell him everything–”

“You’re gonna trust them? You think they can help you?” Derek interrupts Scott’s threat, who shrugs “Well, why not? They’re a lot fucking nicer than you are.”

“Yea I can show you _exactly_ how nice they are.” Derek cryptically adds, shock covering the three of our faces **_what does that mean?_**

“What do you mean?” Scott speaks my inner question

“Come with me” Derek grumbles before he walks over and puts his discarded shirt back on as he walks out the doorway.

Scott raises his hands at Derek’s retreating back, looking to us as Stiles nods his head for him to go while we stay back to clean up the mess and lock up.

Luckily besides the _not doing its job_ body healing goo on the floor there wasn’t a terrible mess to clean up.

I shut off the last of the lights while Stiles waits to roll the door down and lock up. Settling beside him by the now closed door, I see him look at me for the umpteenth time since Scott & Derek left twenty minutes ago “Alright Stilinski, what?”

“I did– I didn’t say anything” he looks away slightly before crashing his gaze with mine again.

“Stiles I’ve known you since we were 3, you don’t have to say anything for me to _know_ you have something to say”

He looks like he’s not going to answer before he takes a breath and releases on the exhale “Why did you do it?”

“Going to need a little more info on that, I’ve got sixteen years of experiences for you to be picking _one_ to be upset about right now”

He rolls his eyes before setting them in an unwavering stare “why would you offer to put yourself through _something_ like that for basically a stranger?” He doesn’t shout but it feels like he is, so naturally– I glare

“He was going to die if we didn’t do something.”

“We don’t know that.” There’s a tick in his jaw that causes me to throw my hands up “Come on, Stiles! He looked like he was having his final meal with Death himself when we were still at the school”

“Doesn’t mean you needed to be the one to be an off the books doctor, you could have gotten hurt Addy!”

Realizing he is now close to shouting he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. When he opens his eyes, there’s a different look in them “Just promise me that you won’t willingly throw yourself in front of a bone saw ever again.”

My face softens as I slightly nod “I promise” **_protective butthead_**

He accepts my promise with a nod of his own putting the key back where we found it and making our way to his jeep “Good because I will kick your ass if you break that promise, McCall” he finishes as he opens the passenger door.

I snort as I climb into the seat “Whatever you say, Stilinski.”

I see him fighting a smile as he closes my door and comes around to his side. Starting up Roscoe, he heads in the direction of my house. 


	5. The Tell

Another night at work is going by at the slowest pace ever since it’s a weeknight. 

My co-worker for the evening opted to change the few lights that are flickering around the store while I reorganize the returns back onto the shelves. 

Getting my pile ready to head onto the floor I hear the door open and a few seconds pass by before I hear “Can somebody help me find The Notebook?”

“Hello is anybody working here?”

Turning around the corner and setting my pile on the counter I see Jackson **_ugh kill me now_**

I roll my eyes and head over to him “doesn’t exactly seem like your type of movie Whitmore, color me shocked.”

He rolls his eyes and does his best bitch face “McCall, just help me find it so I can leave already.”

I roll my eyes and turn to go down the aisle where his _obvious_ favorite movie is waiting.

Grabbing it, I head back to him reaching it towards him. His focus, however, is on the floor in front of him so I wave the movie case around trying to gain his attention “Dude, what are you doing?”

He swallows “Addy, was someone else in here before me?”

Dropping my arm with the movie to my side I’m taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor “What? I-well no, just Steve who’s changing the lights” I turn and see the empty ladder “I don’t know where he is now though, why?”

“Stay here.”

“What the hell are you talking about”

He just walks past me going up the main aisle, I step out of the side aisle I’m in and see him walking slowly towards the back of the store where the ladder is at, I look at the floor and see…. shoes? **_oh fuck me, really?_**

“Jackson?” my voice shakes as I pray to whoever the fuck is out there that this is not the way I die.

In a fucking video store.

With _Jackson Whitmore_ being the last person I ever see.

Fully registering what he’s seeing he backs up and hits the ladder knocking the light that was dangling down and making all the lights in the store go out and start flickering **_naturally_**

I walk towards him, though he tries to stop me by holding out his hand “Addy, don’t” I ignore his protest and go to help him up but not before my wandering eyes see a very dead Steve to our left **_why did I agree to cover Brenda’s shift tonight?_**

Standing him up and beginning the scared heavy breathing, we hear a growl coming from the front of the store **_not happening, no_**

Jackson turns around in the aisle and gasps making his breathing increase, so I’m taking a hard pass at looking at what I can only guess by the growl is something I do not want to see.

Jackson reaches to push me down behind the shelf as he jumps across the aisle to hide behind the other row. Both panting and looking at each other he puts a finger to his mouth signaling me to be quiet **_obviously_**

Whatever is back behind us shakes the shelves on Jackson’s side causing them to hit each other and knock down movies all around him.

Just as Jackson leans over and attempts to look down the aisle there is a loud thud and then the shelves bang together as the domino affect knocks them down one by one until they are coming closer to him. He attempts to jump out of the way but doesn’t land far enough in the aisle and the shelf crushes his upper thighs

I start to head to him but he puts up his hands again and shakes his head vehemently no, sending a glare to keep me in place as he’s groaning with the pain that shelf is obviously causing **_shockingly chivalrous_**

Hiding behind the ladder as my only barrier I hear and see a definite animal outline in the shadow come up on Jackson, it’s claw coming up to his neck. 

I look around me trying to find anything to defend us with when it lets out a growl, connects it’s red fucking eyes with me, and in a flash takes off running. Next thing I hear is it crashing through the front window and taking off into the night.

Phone already to my ear connecting to 911 I get up and run over to Jackson. Using my tiny arm muscle, I am able to lift it long enough for Jackson to scoot out from under the shelf. He goes to get up but I push his shoulder back down “No stay laying down until the paramedics get here”

He scoffs and attempts to push up onto his hands “What– no I’m fine.”

I increases my hold on his shoulder, going for a more gentle tone “You don’t know that, shut up and lay there please– adrenaline is a bitch.”

He huffs but surprisingly listens as I fill in the dispatcher on the dead body and Jackson’s condition. I end the call and we wait for the ambulance to get here.

Turning his head slightly he interrupts the silence “What was that thing, did you see anything?”

I flick my eyes from the front window and down to his face, shaking my head as I grumble “Other than a terrifying animal decide neither of us looked appetizing? No– nothing.” **_Terrifying what I’m guessing was the fucking Alpha is what the fuck I saw, but you don’t need to know that_**

***

Sitting with Lydia on the back of the ambulance, the paramedics are finishing checking me over when the Sheriff’s car pulls up next to us. I let out a breath of relief when I see a familiar buzzcut boy sitting in the front seat.

Jackson is getting increasingly angrier by the second because they won’t let him leave. I close my eyes, shaking my head before I open them and they immediately connect with honey orbs that widen upon seeing me **_sup bestie_**

“Why the hell can’t I just go home?! I’m fine.” Jackson is shouting to anyone who will listen.

Sheriff walks up and addresses the douche canoe “I hear ya, but the EMT says you hit your head pretty hard. They just want to make sure you don’t have a concussion.”

Turning to me, Mr. S silently asks if I’m ok to which I respond with a small smile and nod of my head just before Jackson interrupts my second dad’s concern “What part of ‘I’m fine’ are you having a problem grasping? Okay, I wanna go home.”

Mr. S turns back to him and lifts his arm like he’s trying to calm down the potential threat “And I understand that–”

Jackson grits his teeth before he exclaims “No, you don’t understand, which kind of blows my mind, since it should be a pretty basic concept to grasp for a minimum-wage rent-a-cop like you!”

“Hey!” I shout completely done with his fucking attitude as I sit up straighter **_I’m so_** ** _ready to kick him in his shin_**

Mr. S raises his hand to me signaling it’s ok before he looks back to Jackson as I turn my head with a shake. I watch as Stiles gets out of the car, closing the door behind him before he’s immediately heading over to me.

“Okay, now I want to go home!” the dbag continues like I didn’t interrupt however I keep my eyes on Stiles’ advancing steps.

Finally reaching my side, Stiles goes to speak when his attention is grabbed by the gurney moving from the store behind his dad “Oh, whoa, is that a dead body?”

I drop my head into my palm with his _loud_ question before I turn my head in my hand and look back up at him. He looks between me and his dad and at least has the decency to look embarrassed with his outburst.

Mr. S throws him a look and directs his orders to the gathering crowd that is that much more interested in what happened inside “Everybody back up– back up.”

Mr. S comes back over after creating a space and places a hand on my shoulder giving me a comforting squeeze “Addy, as soon as you’re cleared you can wait in the car with Stiles, I’ll give you a ride home.”

“Thanks, Mr. S” I nod and he offers a gentle smile before walking away from us. Moving my lips between my teeth to try to hide my smile, I turn my head to face my best friend.

He throws me a look, moving his eyes around as he nervously scratches the back of his neck, grumbling “What? You know my mouth is faster than my brain can comprehend sometimes.”

Chuckling, I nod with that statement before the paramedic says I’m fine to leave.

Stiles offers his hand towards me and helps me jump down from the ambulance before we make our way to the Sheriff’s car to wait for him.

We both climb in the backseat and for the next silent two minutes, Stiles does a lovely fish impersonation while looking between the side of my face and out his window.

After he opens and closes his mouth for the umpteenth time, I huff and flick my head in his direction “Are you going to ask me what you want to ask me or can I just tell you everything that happened in there?”

“Wha– I wasn–” he stutters out nervously, earning me to throw him a knowing look as I deadpan “Stiles.”

He instantly softens his face and morphs into the sweet boy I’ve known my whole life. Licking his lips quickly he turns in the seat to face me more “I can only imagine what you saw and went through tonight, tell me anything you want Adds.”

I chew on the side of my lip, looking down to my hands in my lap before I take a deep breath, connect my eyes with his and tell him everything.

***

I’m running late the next morning when I bypass Scott and Allison in the hallway as they walk in the opposite direction. Stopping my steps I turn back to her “Ally! Happy Birth–”

“Shuuuuush” she waves her hand in between us and looks around frantically, checking if anyone heard. 

I look around the mostly empty hallway before flitting my eyes between the pair as I question “I’m sorry, is it not your birthday?”

“No– I mean yes it is, how on earth did you and Lydia find out?” Ally questions and I can’t help but laugh as I clarify “You’ve met Lydia, yes?”

Ally smiles and lets out a soft sigh as Scott just looks at me like I’m not helping.

I jerk my head back slightly and give him a _what the fuck_ look– which he just glares and shakes his head at me in return.

Ally notices our silent argument and chuckling she ends our silent banter “Sorry I just don’t like to talk about my birthday.”

Guilt floods me and I step closer to her as I rush out “Oh, Ally, I’m so sorry I had no idea. I tried to tell Lydia to do less but she–”

She shakes her head and elaborates quickly “No, really it was incredibly sweet of you guys, thank you. Really. I just–”

I make a noise and put up my hands stopping her, smiling softly as I interrupt “Hey you do not have to explain anything to me– I get it.”

Ally instantly breathes a sigh of relief, nodding her head once with my words before I notice the time “Yikes I have to get to class, I’ll see you guys later.” 

I give them both quick hugs before I turn on my heel and rush off towards Chemistry.

***

Sitting down at my lab table just as the bell rings, I’m opening my book and getting my notes all together when Mr. Harris speaks up from the back of class “Just a friendly reminder– Parent/teacher conferences are tonight. Students below a ‘C’ average are required to attend. I won’t name you, because the shame and self-disgust should be more than enough punishment. Has anyone seen Scott McCall?”

Mr. Harris stops in front of mine and Stiles’ table looking down at the boy who is highlighting what looks like the whole page.

I shake my head as Mr. Harris’ eyes land on me expecting me to know the whereabouts of my twin **_can’t help you my dude_**

We all turn to the door as it opens and closes loudly with Jackson casually walking to his seat. 

Everyone’s eyes are on him as Mr. Harris walks over to him and puts a comforting hand on his shoulder, bending close to him and keeping his tone soft “Jackson, if you need to leave early for any reason, you let me know.”

Jackson nods and connects his eyes with mine, to which I answer with my own small smile **_hey he did make sure I was safe last night_**

Turning back to me Mr. Harris adds “You too Addy. I however do appreciate both of your dedication to your classes.”

I shrug and look back to my book with everyone now looking between me and Jackson.

“Everyone start reading Chapter Nine– Mr. Stilinski, try putting the highlighter down between paragraphs. It’s Chemistry not a coloring book.” Mr. Harris adds **_back to being the dbag he is_** , before he walks up to the front of the class again.

Stiles flicks his eyes to me, rolling them before tilting his head back. He spits the highlighter lid that was in between his lips up into the air before he easily catches it **_show off_**

Stiles throws me a look before he leans forward towards the lab table to our left “Hey, Danny. Can I ask you question?”

“No”

Laughing to myself I try to keep reading as Stiles continues unfazed by Danny’s short answer “Well I’m going to anyway. Um, did Lydia show up in your homeroom today?”

I roll my eyes and set my elbow onto the table, resting my hand against the side of my face as Danny looks towards Jackson quickly before he answers Stiles “No.”

“Can I ask you another question?”

“Answer’s still no.”

Stiles looks back at me and my raised eyebrows before he asks Danny “Does anyone know what happened at the movie store last night?”

**_You do, why are you asking questions?_ **

“He wouldn’t… tell me.” Danny finally admits, earning Stiles to state the obvious “But he’s your best friend…”

Danny just shrugs as answer before Stiles leans forward again “One more question.”

“What?”

“Do you find me attractive”

I drop my forehead into my palm **_he’s too much sometimes_**

With Danny’s silence Stiles continues to lean forward in his stool, **_which it’s a stool so you can only imagine what happens next_**

Yup, you guessed it, the stool slips out from under him causing him to fall forward. Luckily he catches himself with only a slight brush against Danny’s shoulders and I try to conceal my snicker behind my hands as everyone looks at the commotion. 

I move my lips between my teeth and give Stiles a thumbs up– which earns me a glare as he gets situated at our table again.

***

“You haven’t seen him since when?” Stiles asks while hitting Scott’s contact info on his phone and putting it up to his ear as we walk into the hallway after class.

Letting out a breath I swing my eyes over to his face “I– well this morning I guess. I saw him and Ally at the lockers on my way to class, but I was running late so I left them. They didn’t say anything about skipping school but it’s her birthday so I’m sure that’s what they did.”

Stiles nods before his eyes widen and he shouts “Finally! Have you been getting any of my texts?” 

He waits for a few seconds before rolling his eyes at Scott’s reply and continues “Do you have any idea what’s going on? Addy hasn’t lost the ‘I’ve just seen a ghost face’ all day, Lydia is totally M.I.A., Jackson looks like he’s got a time bomb inserted into his face, another random guy’s dead, and you have to do something about it.”

I hit him in the shoulder at the mention of my ‘ghost face’, to which he answers with a look that says he isn’t wrong before his attention is grabbed by Scott’s response.

Throwing his free hand up along with both of his shoulders he frantically answers Scott “Something!” 

Confusion crosses his face before he pulls his phone away from his ear to look at the screen. 

He puts the phone back to his ear, mumbling “Scott?” before he huffs and pulls it away completely and shoves it into his pocket.

Stiles scratches the back of his head and connects his eyes with mine “Do you want to come with me to go check on Lydia?” **_not so much_**

Instead of saying no I offer him a shrug, thinking why not “Yea, we should probably see if she saw anything since she was in the car right outside the window it jumped out of.”

Stiles nods like that’s exactly what he was thinking as well and lifts his arm to indicate down the hallway, smiling softly “After you.”

***

Mrs. Martin opens up Lydia’s bedroom door with a slight knock “Honey, there’s a Stiles and Addy here to see you.”

Lydia is laying on her stomach across her bed in a not really appropriate outfit for company **_but alright_**

“What the hell is a ‘Stiles’?” Lydia slurs out with a flick of her hand **_is she drunk?_**

Her mom turns to look at us and our shared raised brow expression, offering thoughtfully “She took a little something to ease her nerves. You guys– you can go in.” We smile politely and thank her as she closes the door after we are inside.

Lydia flops over onto her side to look at us, resting her hand on her hip “What are you both doing here?”

Stiles looks at me nervously before he answers her “We just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Turning her head away and smacking her lips, she sits up on her elbow a little more “Why?”

She pats her bed and we slowly move more into her room, Stiles taking a seat on the edge of her bed as he fills in “Because we were worried about you today. How are you feeling?”

She stretches her arm out and caresses his upper arm while sitting up more. She leans closer to him and gets really close to his face “I feel– _fantastic_.” 

Stiles chuckles nervously as I walk in front of them and sit on her other side of the bed noticing a pill bottle. 

Picking it up and looking at it, I scoff and turn it towards Stiles. 

“Oh– what?” He mumbles and grabs the bottle from my hand, reading the label and sharing a look with me before he smirks over to her “I bet you can’t say, uh, ‘I saw Susie sittin’ in a shoe shine shop’ ten times fast.” **_can anybody say that ten times fast while sober?_**

Smirking at both of us Lydia confidently spouts out “I saw Shuzy– I shaw– I saw–” her sentence fades off and Stiles’ eyes widen as he moves them over her face.

I lean forward taking in the lost look on her face before I gently inquire “What? Lydia, what did you see?”

“Something…” She murmurs and Stiles flicks his eyes over to me, directing his words to her “Something like– like a mountain lion?”

Lydia nods with the distant look still on her face “A mountain lion.”

I touch her shoulder gaining her to look over to me as I elaborate “Are you sure you saw a mountain lion, or are you just saying that because that’s what the _police_ told you?”

Lydia still distantly answers with a slight nod “A mountain lion.”

Stiles makes a noise and reaches for the giraffe stuffed animal on her bedside table, holding it up to the side of his face “What’s this?”

Lydia answers with a more confident but still dazed nod “A mountain lion.”

Stiles looks at me, both of us realizing we aren’t going to get anywhere with drugged up Lyds.

He sighs out deeply “Okay. You’re so drunk. Oh–” 

Lydia abruptly stops his words as she passes out… right on Stiles’ lap and the face he makes causes me to instantly feel super awkward **_I need to be anywhere but here_**

Stiles moves one of his hands in front of my face and gestures for me to help move her.

I stand up and grab her arms, succeeding to lay her back onto the bed without waking her. We both get up and Stiles speaks up as we head towards the door “Well, we’re gonna… go. Uh, let you get back to the whole post traumatic stress thing…”

Reaching the door, we turn back to Lydia who mutters out “Mmm, stay.”

Stiles looks like he won the lottery pointing to himself “M– me? Stay? You want me to stay?”

I stay by the door as Stiles trips over himself to get back over to her bed **_graceful as ever_**

Lydia nods as she sits up and caresses his face when he sits down next to her again “Yes, please” **_oh there’s my cue to leave, I almost missed it_**

I grip the hands and walk through the doorway, hearing Lydia’s continued whisper of a voice “Stay. Please– Jackson.”

My head snaps back into the room as Lydia falls down onto the bed **_that’s a swift kick in the balls_**

Stiles’ face screams _of course_ “aaaaand we’re done here.” 

Lydia’s phone chimes on her bedside table, gaining his attention “You want me to get that?” 

Reaching forward he grabs her phone, muttering “It’s a text– I don’t know how to…” He trails off before swinging around to look at me with the widest eyes. 

As spastic, yet quietly as he can– he runs out the door closing it behind him and whisper shouting to me “We have to go– Now!”

Following behind him and waving a goodbye to to Mrs. Martin once we get down the stairs, we get back to his jeep in no time.

We climb into our seats and I rush out while we slam our doors closed “Stiles, what is it? What did you see?”

“Lydia definitely saw something that wasn’t a mountain lion. Look at what she caught on video” he reaches her phone over to show me the definite blurred version of what attacked us last night. 

My eyes widen and my breathing picks up slightly at seeing the terrifying face up close. Last night was dark and I only saw the shadow outline and the red eyes– however it was just as terrifying as what I’m seeing on her small phone screen **_is it stuffy in here?_**

Ignoring the lump in my throat I look up at Stiles “Did you just steal her phone?”

***

Phone to his ear and pacing his room, Stiles looks over to me and announces “Voicemail… again” 

He rolls his eyes when the beep sounds and begins his message “Hey, it’s me _again_. Look, I– Addy and I found something, and I don’t know what to do, okay? So if you could turn your phone on right now, that’d be great. Or else I’ll kill you. Do you understand me? I’m gonna kill you. And I’m too upset to come up with a witty description about how exactly I’m gonna kill you, but I’m just gonna do it, okay? I’m gonna– ugh! Goodbye.” 

Stiles hangs up the phone and huffs out angrily as he throws his phone next to where I’m sitting at the edge of his bed. 

He turns and sits backwards in his desk chair, crossing his arms and dropping his head onto them “Fuck.” **_basically_**

There’s a knock on the door causing us both to jump and gasp, looking at the open doorway that Mr. S is now occupying. 

He gives me a head nod as a hello which I return with a small smile, before he brings his gaze back to his son “Please tell me I’m gonna hear good news at this parent/teacher thing tonight.”

Stiles makes a face “Depends on how you define ‘good news’.“

Mr. S raises his brows before answering thoughtfully “I define it as you getting straight A’s with no behavioral issues.”

Nodding his head to the side, Stiles relents “You might wanna rethink that definition.” 

I chuckle at the clenched teeth grimace he gives towards his dad who nods and backs out of the room “'Nuff said.”

Stiles sighs and shakes his head while he grabs Lydia’s phone off of his desk, clicking on the video she captured and watching it again. 

He exhales and drops it back onto his closed laptop before rubbing his hands through his buzzcut hair in frustration “Come on, Scott. Where the fuck are you?”

He turns to me and I give him a knowing look “We have to give her her phone back eventually–”

“I know” he nods and looks back at said phone before I add “Without the video”

He huffs and flicks his eyes over to me “Yea” 

Grabbing the phone he clicks on the screen, letting out a sigh before looking at me again, to which I nod and he sighs again. 

He clicks on the screen again before clutching the phone in his hands ‘There, it’s deleted.”

Crossing his arms after he sets the phone down on the desk again, he nods more confident in his action before he looks at me “Want me to drop you off at home on my way to school?”

“That’s not on the way to school” I smirk and add “But if you don’t mind I’ll just come to the school with you to meet mom? I don’t really want to be alone at home right now.” **_or ever again_**

He gives me an understanding look before grabbing his laptop and getting set up next to me so we can watch a movie “Office Space?”

I smile wide at my best friend and his ability to always pick the perfect movie, no matter what it is, to cheer me up.

***

**Third POV - Parent/Teacher meetings**

Mr. Harris: Jackson’s a highly motivated student. In fact, I’d describe him as "unusually driven." 

Mr. Whittemore: Yeah, we were hoping he might ease up on himself a little. He’s always been real hard on himself. It’s just, you know, something we assumed was an effect of him being adopted.

Mr. Harris: I think I understand. He’s never met his biological parents.

Mr. Whittemore: Yeah, that’s right. It’s the need to please, the overachieving, the desire to make someone proud - Someone he’s never even met.

Mr. Harris: Something certainly seems to have recalibrated his desire for achievement several notches higher. Not to be too blunt about it, but he seems almost obsessed.

~

Ms. Ramsey: Let me tell you, there’s plenty to say about Lydia.

Lydia’s Dad: Did I not predict this?

Lydia’s Mom: Here we go. Total nuclear meltdown as usual.

Lydia’s Dad: What is it? Is it her grades, concentration issues, erratic behavior?

Lydia’s Mom: I’m not the one who told her she had to choose who she wants to live with, as if that wouldn’t warp a 16 year old girl.

Lydia’s Dad: Just tell us what the problem is.

Ms. Ramsey: I wasn’t aware that there was a problem. Academically, Lydia is far achieving what is required of her, her A.P. classes push her GPA over a 4.0. And socially, she displays outstanding leadership qualities. I mean, she’s a real leader.

~

Coach: Stiles, that’s right. I thought "Stiles” was his last name.

Sheriff: His last name is “Stilinski.”

Coach: You named your kid “Stiles Stilinski”?

Sheriff: No, that’s just what he likes to be called.

Coach: Oh. Well, I like to be called “cupcake” - What is his first name? Wow, that’s a form of child abuse. I don’t - I don’t even know how to pronounce that.

Sheriff: It was his mother’s father’s name.

Coach: Wow. You must really love your wife.

Sheriff: Yeah, I did.

Coach: Well, this just became incredibly awkward.

Sheriff: Hey, what do you say we get to the conference part of this conference, cupcake? 

Coach: I like your thinking. So, Stiles. Great kid. Zero ability to focus. Super smart. Never takes advantage of his talents.

Sheriff: How do you mean?

Coach: Well, for his final question on his midterm exam, he detailed the entire history of the male circumcision.

Sheriff: Well, I mean, it does have - historical significance, right? I mean -

Coach: I teach economics.

Sheriff: Ah, crap.

~

Melissa leaving a seventh voicemail on her son’s phone closes her eyes “Where the hell are you? Get to the school now.”

Mr. Harris: How about we get started?

Melissa: Sure.

Mr. Harris: Addeline… sorry, Addy, she’s one of the brightest students I’ve ever had. Her A.P. classes push her GPA above a 5.0. I’ve actually talked with a few of my colleagues and we’d like to have her I.Q. tested.

Melissa smiles proudly at the mention of her daughter’s academic success. Though that smile fades quickly at what is said next

Mr. Harris: However the same could not be said for the second half of the McCall twins. Lately Scott’s mind has been somewhere else, as has his body. Personally, I think it may have something to do with his home situation.

Melissa: Oh, well, personally, I’m not sure what you mean by “home situation.”

Harris: Uh, specifically the lack of an authority figure.

Melissa: Yeah, I’m the authority figure, so -

Mr. Harris: Sorry. Allow me to clarify. I mean the lack of a male authority figure.

Melissa: Oh. Well, trust me, we’re much better off without him in the picture.

Mr. Harris: Well, do Addy and Scott feel the same way?

Melissa: Yes. I think so. I hope so. Addy definitely does.

Mr. Harris: But Scott… he’s going through some difficult changes. He just needs a - little extra attention, a guiding hand through this crucial stage of his development.

~

Ms Ramsey: Allison Argent. An incredibly sweet girl. And quick to adjust, despite all the moving around.

Chris Argent: We know it’s hard on her, but, uh, it’s a necessary evil.

Ms Ramsey: Necessary or not, I’d be prepared for some - How do I put this?

Chris Argent: Rebelliousness?

Victoria Argent: We appreciate the concern, but we have a great relationship with our daughter. Very open and honest.

Ms. Ramsey: I’m happy to hear that. And let her know that I hope she’s feeling better.

Chris Argent: Oh, she wasn’t in class?

Ms. Ramsey: Oh, she wasn’t in school. I checked with the office.

***

Mom meets me in the hall with her phone to her ear as she nods for me to follow. Putting one hand around my shoulders she whispers “I’m so proud of you honey”

“Thanks mom” I smile and look down at my feet with the praise but immediately raise it at the tone mom’s voice takes as she yells into the phone. She takes her arm off my shoulder once we reach the door to go outside “Scott, you need to call me _right_ now!”

I cross my arms in front of me at the chilly night air waiting for mom to finish her message to my **_oh so dead_** brother. 

We notice the Argents walking down the stairs and mom walks up to them after the mention of Allison not answering her phone between the two. 

I stay a few feet behind, not wanting to seem rude **_but also because Mrs. Argent is seriously intimidating_**

“Excuse me, you’re not Allison’s parents, are you? I’m Scott’s mom, and I hate to say it, but he’s not answering his phone either.”

Mr. Argent couldn’t look more disgusted as he snaps out “You’re his mother?” 

I glare at him and immediately stand next to mom who gives him a taken back look also “Funny how you say that like it’s an accusation” she finishes with a slight _are you kidding_ chuckle and raise of her hand.

“Well, I wouldn’t claim it as a source of pride, since he basically kidnapped my daughter today.” **_delusional asshole_**

I scoff under my breath as mom jerks her head back and raises her brow at him “How do we know skipping school wasn’t your daughter’s idea?”

“My daughter…” He trails off as his attention is grabbed by something behind us “–is right there. Let’s go.” 

We turn and see Scott and Ally walking from her car. Mom immediately takes off towards the pair and I once again slowly walk behind her.

“Where exactly have you been?” mom questions, trying **_and failing_** to keep her cool.

“Nowhere, mom.” Scott grumbles, looking between Ally and mom as I walk up near them but safely behind mom’s wrath.

“Nowhere, meaning _not_ at school.” Mom counters knowingly and I grimace softly while shoving my hands in my pockets and look out into the parking lot.

“Kinda.” Scott huffs out before Allison interrupts “It’s not his fault. It’s my birthday, and we were–”

“Allison. In the car.” Her dad chimes in as he joins the huddle that I decide to walk farther away from to wait near the car.

I begin towards the parking lot when we all hear a girl scream and then more chattering and yelling as more and more people are running every which way.

Flashbacks from the previous night at work make me even more on edge as I hear a growl coming from behind me.

I feel adrenaline course through my nervous body and begin to walk backwards away from where the growl came from. I take a few more steps and bump into someone, making me jump and let out a small scream.

Hands land on my uppers arms to stable me as whoever I bumped into tries to calm me down “Adds, hey it’s ok, it’s me–” 

“Stiles” Both of my hands land on each of his forearms as I try to calm down, letting out the breath I was holding or a whimper **_not really sure at this point_**

Keeping his hands on my upper arms to keep me looking at him, he nods and quickly moves his eyes in between mine “Yea, it’s me– I’ve got you.”

There’s more screams and tire squeals all around us before we hear a gunshot making us both jump. 

Stiles instinctively pulls me closer as we quickly move our feet and duck slightly behind the car we’re next to.

“I’m fine” we hear gruffly from the next row over from us **_Mr. S?_**

“Dad?” Stiles asks, sharing a look with me before we make our way to our right.

Standing upright we come around the row and into the main aisle of the parking lot, seeing the Sheriff on the ground and a crowd gathered around an actual mountain lion? **_well that’s different_**

We rush forward and kneel down next to Mr. S, who immediately waves us away as he gets up and gets dispatch on the phone.


	6. Heart Monitor

I turn my phone on silent and put it in my bag as Scott comes walking in to English class. He stops immediately when he spots Stiles whose body tenses upon seeing my brother. 

Letting out a sigh Stiles turns his head to his left and sees my encouraging smile, to which he barely shakes his head and looks down at his desk **_still pissed at Scott for yesterday, I get it_** **  
**

Scott sits behind him and at my pointed look paired with a slight nod towards Stiles– Scott nods and leans forward “Still not talking to me?”

Silence.

“Okay, can you at least tell me if your dad’s okay? It’s just a bruise, right? Some soft tissue damage? Nothin’ that big–” **_he still got hit by a fucking car my dude_**

Stiles lifts his head, bringing his gaze from his desk and doesn’t look anywhere but the front of the room. I can see him angrily jabbing his tongue into his cheek, fighting his urge to say something. 

I scrunch my nose up at the awkward situation and flick my eyes back to Scott who tries again “You know I feel _really_ bad about it, right?”

Silence.

“Okay. What if I told you that I’m trying to figure this whole thing out, and– that I went to Derek for help?”

With that statement Stiles huffs out an _unbelievable_ sigh looking at me and my raised brows quickly before looking back down at his desk “If I _was_ talking to you, I’d say that you’re an idiot for trusting him. But obviously I’m not talking to you.” He finishes his jab with a click of his tongue as the bell rings and I spare a look at a defeated Scott who sits back in his chair. 

Out of my periph I see Stiles lean forward and his body gives a little twitch, making me smile to myself **_it has to be killing him not to ask_**

He lets out a breath and looks at my smirk, before rolling his eyes and turning around to Scott “What did he say?”

***

Scott opens the door as Stiles and then myself follow him out of the class, falling in the middle of the boys as we walk down the hall

“Wh– wait he wants you to tap into your animal side and get angry?” Stiles asks in disbelief, earning Scott to nod while he adjusts the strap of his backpack onto his shoulder more “Yeah.”

Stiles scoffs and elaborates his words with a wave of his hand in between him and I “All right, well, correct me if I’m wrong, but every time you do that, you try to kill someone, and that someone is usually one of us.” 

Scott follows the movement of Stiles’ hand and nods “I know. That’s what he means when he says he doesn’t know if he can teach me. I have to be able to control it.”

I make a noise and look up at Scott “Well, how’s he gonna teach you to do that?

“I don’t know. I don’t think he does either.” Scott concedes and Stiles throws his head back “Okay– when are you seeing him again?”

“He told me not to talk about it. Just act normal and get through the day.”

Stiles stops and hits Scott on the chest “When?” I stop along with them sidestepping closer to let a group behind us go by as Scott answers “He’s picking me up at the animal clinic after work.”

Stiles nods, chewing on the side of his lip “After work. All right, well, that gives me to the end of the school day then.”

“To do what?” We squint our eyes and question at the same time back to him.

Used to our twin synchronicity, he just looks between us **_eye twitch and all_** that has me moving my lips between my teeth to hide my smile.

Stiles shakes his head and settles his gaze on Scott, enlightening us to his plan before walking off away from us “To teach you myself.”

***

Sitting with Allison and Lydia, I’m finishing up my lunch when Lydia interrupts Ally from her reading “The what of who?”

“The beast of Gevaudan. Listen– ‘A quadruped wolf like monster, prowling the Auvergne and south Dordogne areas of France during the year 1764 to 1767. La Bete killed over a hundred people, becoming so infamous that the King Louie the 15th sent one of his best hunters to try and kill it’–“ 

Lydia connects her eyes with mine, widening hers and lifting her shoulder “Boring.” 

I roll my eyes playfully as Ally continues on ”–Even the church eventually declared the monster a messenger of Satan–“ 

Lydia hmms like she’s interested, ultimately switching gears and adding “Still boring,” before popping a blueberry in her mouth. 

I chuckle and shake my head, looking at Allison for her to continue ”–Cryptozoologists believe it may have been a subspecies of hoofed predator, possibly a mesonychid–“ **_well my interest is peaked_**

Lydia drops her head back dramatically "Slipping into a coma, bored.” **_sweet christ Lyds_**

Unfazed, Ally continues ”–While others believe it was a powerful sorcerer who could shape-shift into a man eating monster.“ she ends with a whisper as she connects her eyes with us.

I interrupt Lydia from adding her two cents with a raise of my hand while I connect my eyes with Ally’s “Any of this have anything to do with your family? Where did you get that book anyways?”

Ally nods, looking the book over in her hands “My aunt Kate did and yes… this– ‘It is believed that La Bete was finally trapped and killed by a renown hunter who claimed his wife and four children were the first to fall prey to the creature’,” She smiles and looks up at me, lifting a brow “His name was Argent.” **_Argent does mean Silver in French_**

I make an impressed face as Lydia chimes in “Your ancestors killed a big wolf. So what?” 

“Not just a big wolf. Take a look at this picture– what does it look like to you?”

My eyes widen and I feel like the wind was knocked out of me as I look at the picture in Allison’s book. The very close resemblance of the creature that attacked the video store.

I’m snapped out of my scared shitless trance when I hear Allison mutter our names “Addy… Lydia… guys are you okay?” 

I look at Lydia who looks like she saw a ghost and I clear my throat causing her snap out of it, focusing on our faces “It looks… like a big… wolf. See you in History.” She quips, completely back to her cheeky self as she gets up and walks out of the room. 

Stiles looks up from his book and follows her retreating form with his eyes before looking back to me and nodding his head for me to come over.

I playfully roll my eyes and grab my things “I’ll see you in class Ally” 

Distracted by her book again she just raises her fingers off the side and mutters “Mhhmm”

I chuckle to myself, pushing off the table to stand and walk over to the boys just as Stiles reaches forward and puts his hand on top of the book Scott is hiding behind **_stealthy bro_**

“I think the book’s making it more obvious.” Stiles adds thoughtfully as I sit down beside him.

I throw my thumb over my shoulder to indicate behind me to elaborate “Besides, she’s reading anyway and completely engrossed in her ancient family history.”

Stiles makes a face and looks back at her before Scott gains our attention with his question “So did you come up with a plan yet?” 

“I think so.” Stiles answers and takes a bite out of his apple as Scott continues to do the _hide behind the book_ head bob dance in between his following sentences “Does that mean you don’t hate me now?”

Stiles makes an incredulous face, talking around his mouthful of apple “No– but your crap has infiltrated my life, so now I have to do something about it. Plus I’m definitely a better Yoda than Derek.”

“Okay, yeah, you teach me.” Scott mumbles absentmindedly and I smile at the reference, pointing towards Stiles “Yeah, he’ll be your Yoda.”

Completely missing everything we’re saying, Scott just nods like he obviously just said that and looks to Stiles wondering what he’s missing. 

Stiles smiles his Star Wars geeky smile before adding in his best Yoda impersonation “Your Yoda, I will be.” 

At the non laugh Scott gives, Stiles lays it out for him with his own chuckle “I said it backwards.”

Scott not appreciating the hilarity interrupts “Yeah, I– I know.”

Fed up, Stiles makes an offended noise and starts to grab his stuff “All right, you know what? I definitely still hate you–” getting more louder he adds “–Uh huh. Oh, yeah. Come on Adds, I need your help” he finishes by grabbing the book Scott was hiding behind and walking away from the table.

At Scott’s flailing arms trying to figure what to hide behind now and completely missing everything that just transpired, I give him a pointed look **_appreciate your best friend more dumbass_**

He just raises his brows at the look I throw him and I roll my eyes dramatically before I get up and follow Stiles out of the cafeteria.

Stiles is holding the door open for me and once I catch up to him, I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear as we start to walk down the hallway “So where are we going?”

Smirk thrown my way, Stiles adjusts the straps on his backpack “Coach’s office.” **_Naturally_**

***

Walking with Scott and Stiles, we reach our destination of the empty lacrosse field. Stiles sits down on the bench and sets his duffle bag down by his feet, while I reach over and hand the device we acquired to Scott “Okay. Now– put this on.”

“Isn’t this one of the heart rate monitors for the track team?” Scott inquires and Stiles and I share a look before he admits “Yeah, we borrowed it.”

“Stole it.” I smirk, earning him to level me with a look that instantly calls me a traitor before he clarifies “Temporarily misappropriated.”

I raise my hands in surrender and Stiles flicks his eyes back to Scott, continuing “Coach uses it to monitor his heart rate with his phone while he jogs, and you’re gonna wear it for the rest of the day.”

“Isn’t that coach’s phone?” Scott inquires, pointing towards the phone in Stiles’ hand.

“That, I stole.” Stiles relents honestly and Scott furrows his brows in complete confusion “Why?”

I set my hands on my hips and lift my shoulders “All right, well we figure your heart rate goes up when you go wolf, right?”

Stiles points to me and continues “When you’re playing lacrosse, when you’re with Allison, whenever you get angry. Maybe learning to control it is tied to learning to control your heart rate.”

“Like the Incredible Hulk.” Scott mutters thoughtfully and has a _go me_ look on his face.

I try to hide my smile as Stiles rolls his eyes, relenting “Kind of like the Incredible Hulk, yeah.”

“No, I’m like the Incredible Hulk.” Scott counters and Stiles huffs “Would you just shut up and put the strap on?”

We walk out further onto the field and Stiles finishes duct taping Scott’s hands behind his back about fifteen feet away from me. 

Scott looks over his shoulder at him, grumbling “This isn’t exactly how I wanted to spend my free period.”

“All right– you ready?” Stiles ignores and walks over to me, dropping his bag near my feet.

“No.” Scott quips earning Stiles to point back at him **_like this isn’t going to bring him immense joy_** “Remember, don’t get angry.” 

Stiles grabs his lacrosse stick, guiding the ball into the net as Scott rushes out “I’m starting to think this was a really bad idea.”

_Whack_

The ball hits Scott right in the face and I jerk back with the noise on a grimace as we hear him groan “Oh, man. Okay, that one– kind of hurt.” 

**_not funny… nope… not even a little bit_ **

“Quiet, Scotty– remember, you’re supposed to be thinking about your heart rate, all right? About staying calm.” I add trying not to let the smile that is trying it’s fucking hardest to break through on my serious stature.

Scott begins bouncing on the balls of his feet, pep talk in full force “Stay calm. Staying calm. Staying totally calm. There’s no balls flying at my face– Aah! Son of a bitch!”

“You know what? I think my aim is actually improving.” Stiles raves, earning a snort from me and a glare from Scott who grumbles “Wonder why.”

“A- bup- bup– don’t get angry.” Stiles chides, pointing his finger towards Scott who counters back quickly “I’m not getting angry.”

_Whack_

“Stop. Just– can we just hold–” Scott bends forwards and starts breathing more heavily **_well shit_**

The smile instantly drops from my face and I reach my hand over to rest on his forearm “Stiles…”

Scott drops to the ground on his knees, groaning as Coach’s phone starts beeping like crazy in the duffel bag.

Stiles bends down to look at the phone, reaching his hand out towards it and calling across the space between us “–Scott?”

Scott rips through the duct tape and smashes his hands down into the grass.

Stiles stands up straight and puts his hand back towards me as we take a few collective steps backwards **_we thought this was a good idea why?_**

Stiles looks over his shoulder at me, sharing a worried look before we notice the beeping start to get a more steady rhythm. 

We share a look and at Stiles’ nod we head over to Scotty, hearing his steady breathing.

“Scott, you started to change.” Stiles reaches out for him, pulling his hand back when Scott looks up at us and fills in “From anger– but it was more than that. Was like, the angrier I got, the stronger I felt.”

“So it is anger, then. Derek’s right.” Stiles offers, Scott nodding as he elaborates “I can’t be around Allison.”

I scoff and shake my head, moving my eyes between the pair “Just because she makes you happy?”

Scott breathes out deeply, connecting his eyes with mine “No, because she makes me weak.”

***

Back in the locker room, I make sure my back is to anyone who may come in here with us as the boys put their gear back in their lockers.

Picking up where the conversation ended on the field, Stiles shrugs “Alright, you stay away from her for a few days, you can do that.”

“But is it a few days, or is it forever?” Scott grumbles into his locker and I soften my face at the back of his sad head.

Stiles leans with one arm on the locker next to me, blocking me further from the open room behind him “You know, this whole ‘women make you weak’ thing is a little too spartan warrior for me. It’s probably just part of the learning process.” 

I smile with his words before Scott counters “Yeah, but you’ve seen Derek. I mean, the guy’s totally alone. What if I can, like, never be around her again?”

“Well, if you’re not dead, that could be a good thing.” Stiles offers and Scott is quick to state “Rather be dead.”

Putting my hands on his shoulders, I step forward and try to defuse the situation “Okay I’m done being the goodie bag at your pity party, you’re not gonna end up like Derek, all right? We’ll figure it out.”

“'Kay.” Scott sighs out, Stiles snorting with my words before he nods and steps up next to me “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Scott scrunches up his nose to bring his point home as we turn to head towards the door “Yeah, something smells terrible in here anyway.” 

Stiles jerks his head back, sarcastic comment releasing in 3, 2, 1 “Really? In a boys’ locker room? That doesn’t make any sense at all.” 

I open the door, hearing Scott elaborate behind me “No, it’s like something’s rotting or dying.” **_I’m not envious of his sense of smell_**

***

Coach gets impatient with all the students who are struggling to get to their seats and slams his books down “Let’s go– sit, sit, sit, sit. We got a lot to cover today. Let’s go– quicker.”

Scott grabs my attention as he freaks out “Hey, Stiles, sit behind me, dude.” Stiles who was headed for the seat behind me goes towards our left where Scott is directing him, however, Allison beats him to it and sits behind Scott quickly with an excited look on her face.

Stiles lifts his backpack up as he raises his hands in a _what do you want me to do_ gesture and then gets situated in the seat behind me.

Allison greets me with a smile and a “Hey” before turning her attention to Scott “Hey, I haven’t seen you all day.”

His face clearly showing the debate between what Derek told him to stay away from her and what we figured out on the lacrosse field, Scott shifts in his seat uncomfortably as he stammers out “Uh, yeah. I’ve been, uh, super busy.” **_I hate this_**

My thigh is resting on my seat as I’m turned toward the aisle at the pair, however, I turn my head to look at Stiles trying to make sure I’m not eavesdropping on them.

Allison continues to keep their conversation going “When are you gonna get your phone fixed? I feel like I’m totally disconnected from you.”

“Uh, soon. Real soon.” Comes Scott’s reply and Stiles shares a grimace with me.

“I changed lab partners, by the way.” Allison cheerily informs, Scott shifting in his seat again “Oh. To who?” _**hence the tone Scotty**_

“To you, dummy.” Allison chuckles and I draw my brows inwards as I move my gaze to the back wall of the classroom.

“Me? I mean, are you sure?” Scott snaps and even I grimace at his shocked tone.

“Yeah. This way I have an excuse to bring you home and study.” Allison quips and Scott quickly looks down to his desk “Oh”

“You don’t mind, do you?” She questions hesitantly before Scott rushes out lamely “I just– I don’t want to bring your grade down.”

I glance back at Stiles who rolls his eyes at the scene before us that we’re _obviously_ ignoring.

Sparing a glance out of the corner of my eye I see Allison smiling brightly as she changes tactic “Well, I mean, maybe I can bring your grade up. Come to my place tonight– 8:30?”

“Tonight?” Scott asks, immediate freak out crossing his face as he looks to Stiles and me with our in sync shrugs **_no idea what to tell you my doode_**

She nods, completely unfazed by his freak out “8:30.”

Coach slams his book against his desk this time “Let’s settle down. Let’s start with a quick summary of last night’s reading. Greenberg, put your hand down. Everybody knows _you_ did the reading. How about, uh– McCall.”

I look up over towards him as I’m put my leg down and shift in my seat to face forward again. 

He notices my attention but gives me a look and a little shake of his hand pointing to Scott instead “No… Uh, He-McCall… sorry” 

I grab my pen off my desk and glance towards Scott who lifts his head “What?”

“The reading.” Coach repeats, looking at him expectantly.

Scott takes a second before offering “Last night’s reading?”

“How about, uh, the reading of the Gettysburg Address?” Coach quips and everybody laughs as Scott looks completely confused “What?”

“That’s sarcasm. You familiar with the term ‘sarcasm’, McCall?”

Looking at me cheekily smiling at him and then Stiles, who gives an _awe shucks_ shrug, Scott deadpans “Very.”

I snicker into my shoulder, hearing Coach again “Did you do the reading or not?”

“Uh– I think I forgot.” Scott admits and Coach smiles with no humor behind it “Nice work, McCall. It’s not like you’re not averaging a ‘D’ in this class.”

A chorus of “oohs” ring out throughout the room as everyone laughs with Coach’s words **_dicks_**

“Come on, buddy. You know I can’t keep you on the team if you have a ‘D’.”

I grimace and silently tell coach to shut his face and not talk about personal shit in front of the whole fucking class.

Coach takes in Scott’s silence and tries again “How about you summarize, uh, the previous night’s reading?”

Silence.

“No? How about the, uh, the night before that?”

 _More_ silence.

I shift in my seat, wanting to say something but yelling at a teacher would probably be bad.

“How about you summarize _anything_ you’ve ever read– in your entire life?”

“I– I, uh–” Scott looks around as I hear the heart monitor beeping under Stiles’ desk. The noise instantly causing my eyes to close, hoping to whoever will listen that Scott doesn’t wolf out and kills everyone in the room.

Coach continues on “No? A blog? How about, uh, how about, uh, the back of a cereal box? No? How about the adults only warning from your favorite website you visit every night? Anything?” **_can this murder scene end already_**

Coach walks back to pound on his desk with every word “Thank you, McCall– thank you. Thank you, McCall!” 

Standing up from hunching over his desk, Coach turns back towards the class as he continues yelling “Thank you for extinguishing any last flicker of hope I have for your generation. You just blew it for everybody. Thanks. Next practice you can start with suicide runs. Unless that’s too much reading.”

Finally calm Coach takes a breath and takes the focus off of our side of the room “All right. Everybody else, settle down.”

Stiles taps my back and I look over my shoulder at him, seeing him nod over towards Allison. 

I swing my eyes from him and over to her desk, seeing her holding Scott’s hand and him looking back at her out of the corner of his eyes with a thankful expression on his face. 

Looking back at Stiles, he shakes his head in an _of course_ way as he shares my same thought process… she doesn’t make him weak **_she calms him_**

***

After class Stiles turns to Scott once we’ve fallen in step with each other in the hall “It’s her.”

Scott looks around between us “What do you mean?”

Stiles scratches the side of his face, throwing his hand out in front of him “It’s Allison. Remember what you told us about the night of the full moon? You were thinking about her, right? About protecting her.”

“Okay…” Scott trails off, me looking over to him as I chime in “And remember the night of the first lacrosse game? You said you could hear her voice out on the field.”

“Yeah, I did.” Scott turns excitedly to us as Stiles continues with a nod “Well, so that’s what brought you back so you could score. And then after the game in the locker room, you didn’t kill her. At least not like how you were trying to kill me,” taking a breath to calm his erratic thinking, he makes it simpler for Scott “She brings you back, is what I’m saying.”

Disagreeing instantly, Scott turns back towards Stiles “No, no, no, but it’s not always true, because literally every time I’m kissing her or– or touching her–”

I make a noise to stop him “No, that’s not the same.”

Stiles chuckles and elaborates “Exactly– when you’re doing that, you’re just another hormonal teenager thinking about sex, you know?”

Scott gets a doofy hormonal teenager distant look on his face **_gross_**

Stiles realizes he lost his friend and huffs “You’re thinking about sex right now, aren’t you?”

Scott sheepishly looks at me before looking back at Stiles, laughing “Yeah– sorry.”

I chuckle with a shake of my head while Stiles shakes him off “That’s fine. Look, back in the classroom when she was holding your hand, that was different, okay? I don’t think she makes you weak. I– I think she actually gives you control. She’s kind of like an anchor.”

“You mean because I love her.” Scott replies thoughtfully and I smile at his shocked face.

“Exactly.” Stiles misses the moment of clarity, which Scott widens his eyes “Did I just say that?”

I nudge his arm, smiling brightly “Yes, you just said that.”

Scott returns the smile, a dazed look in his eyes “I love her.”

Stiles smirks, moving past the revelation “That’s great– now, moving on–”

“No, no, no, really. I think I’m totally in love with her.” Scott rambles on, however, wanting to finish his train of thought, Stiles continues “And that’s beautiful. Now, before you go off and write a _sonnet_ , can we figure this out, please? Because you obviously can’t be around her all the time.”

That brings him back and Scott nods quickly “Yeah, yeah, yeah– sorry. So what do I do?”

Rubbing his hand over his mouth and throwing it out in frustration, Stiles shifts to his left “I don’t know– yet.”

Noticing his full circle turn to face us again and the look adorning his face, I slightly chuckle “Oh that’s the face, Sherlock. You’re getting an idea, aren’t you?”

Confidently nodding his head, the corners of Stiles’ lips twitch “Yes my dear Watson. Yes I am.”

“Is this idea gonna get me in trouble?” Scott asks hesitantly and I smirk at the look on Stiles’ face before I answer him “Maybe”

Scott grimaces and looks over to his friend “Is this idea gonna cause me physical pain?”

Stiles shares a look with me quickly before setting his hands on Scott’s shoulders “Yeah, definitely. Come on.”

We exit the doors of the hallway and walk towards a truck in the side parking lot. Scott looks around, hesitantly asking “What are we doing?”

Distractedly, Stiles looks around as well “You’ll see– hold on.” 

Turning to face us as we come to a stop, Stiles looks behind him once more before addressing Scott again “Okay– stand right there. Do you have your keys?”

Scott takes them out of his pocket holding them up silently as his answer.

Stiles smiles “Perfect. Hold 'em up like so,” he guides Scott’s arm in the air “Now, whatever happens, just think about Allison. Try to find her voice like you did at the game. Got it?” 

Scott nods, sharing a look with me which I draw my brows in, not really following what we’re about to do. 

Stiles accepts Scott’s nod and looks behind us at this group of guys I now notice **_oh shit_**

I raise my brows looking from the group of guys and over to the truck behind us, thinking he can’t be serious 

Stiles then continues and proves he is that serious, grabbing Scott’s arm of the hand that’s holding the keys to make sure they’re still in the air in the perfect position “Okay… just keep holding it right there.” 

He reaches out and grabs my elbow, leading us over past the group of guys– sidesteps closer over towards the truck and scrapes his own keys along it as we keep our steps moving while we walk by.

I gape before grimacing with the noise “You’re going to hell for this” I chuckle with a shake my head as we get settled a little ways off to the side.

“Whatever it’ll be worth it,” he murmurs before he looks around us and shouts while pointing over towards Scott “Hey, hey, hey, dude! What do you think you’re doing to that truck, bro?”

The guys all look over at us and then over at the truck, finally landing on Scott and his guilty key holding hand “What the hell?”

Stiles throws his hand up, both of us jerking back with clenched teeth grimaces as the first punch is thrown into Scott’s jaw “Ow! Fucking christ. Wow.” 

The guys continue to completely beat the shit out of Scott **_good thing he can heal so quickly_** , as we notice the heart rate monitor beeps increase.

“Ah, come on, stay calm– stay calm,” looking up Stiles grimaces again “Oh, that’s not okay. Scott. Come on, buddy.”

I drop my hand from covering my mouth and turn to look at his side “Stiles, should we try–”

Mr. Harris comes out of no where, running over and immediately stops the beat down “Stop! Hey, stop it right now. What do you idiots think you’re doing?”

Stiles holds the phone up with a knowing smirk on his face, the screen showing the calm heart beats of Scott **_damn bastard was right_**

***

How Stiles and I got detention along with Scott **_but not the guys who were actually beating on Scott_** I still don’t understand.

Scott interrupts my internal complaining “Excuse me, sir? Uh, I know it’s detention and all, but, uh, I’m supposed to be at work, and I don’t want to get fired.”

Mr. Harris just smirks and goes back to his work on his desk, ignoring Scott completely.

Scott addresses Stiles this time, the pair of them sitting behind me “You knew I would heal.”

“Yep.” Stiles quips, popping the ‘P’ and earning me to smirk as I go back to my homework.

“So you did that to help me learn?”

“Yep.” Stiles jabs once more before I hear Scott continue “But partially to punish me.”

“Yeah. Well, that one’s obvious.”

I look up with Stiles’ answer and see Mr. Harris glancing at the bromance moment happening at the table behind me.

Scott sighs “Dude, you’re my best friend, and I can’t have you being angry with me.”

“I’m not angry anymore,” Stiles admits and I glance over my shoulder at them as well, seeing Stiles drop his hand on the desk “Look, you have something, Scott. Okay? Whether you want it or not, you can do things that nobody else can do. So that means you don’t have a choice anymore. It means you have to do something.”

“I know– and I will.” I smile as I face forwards again, moving to finish my math homework.

“All right, the three of you, out of here.” Mr. Harris interrupts, Scott gratefully rushing out “Thank you.” 

Grabbing our things we head out of the classroom, though I can still feel Mr. Harris’ eyes on us as we leave.

***

Later that evening Stiles pulls up to the front of school putting the car in park. The three of us climb out and head towards the back of the jeep.

“This is a terrible idea.” Stiles points out adjusting his jacket, earning Scott to huff “Yeah, I know.” 

“But we’re still gonna do it?” I clarify, moving my eyes to look around at the dark and abandoned parking lot.

“Can you think of something better?” Scott jabs and I shake my head **_unfortunately no_**

Stiles sweeps his outstretched arm out in front of us as he answers Scott “Well, personally I’m a fan of ignoring a problem until eventually it just goes away.” 

Scott sighs, looking between the two of us “Just make sure we can get inside.”

Stiles rolls his eyes and opens the back hatch of the jeep, grabbing the bolt cutters out as a car pulls up behind us “He’s here.”

Scott had filled us in after he had Stiles pick us up to head to the school that Derek was convinced that Scott’s boss at the animal clinic, Deaton, was the Alpha. 

Scott convinced Derek to let him try something before hurting Deaton, alas why we are at the school **_about to do something that could possibly be the worst idea ever_**

“Where’s my boss?” Scott addresses Derek as soon as he’s out of his car.

“He’s in the back.” Derek raises his eyebrows with his clipped answer **_obviously_**

Bending my knees slightly to look in the backseat, I scrunch my nose up in a grimace seeing the position Deaton is shoved into. 

Stiles scoffs as he comes around my other side to look as well “Oh, well, he looks comfortable.” 

Shaking his head, Stiles stands up straight and we share a chuckle at the face Derek throws us before we turn to head towards the school.

“Wait. Hey– what are you doing?” Derek stops us, the three of us turning around and Scott raises his arms out in a shrug “You said I was linked with the Alpha– I’m gonna see if you’re right.”

***

Flashlights in hand, we walk through the dark and empty halls towards the office.

Walking through the door Stiles walks over to the intercom on the desk and starts to get it set up, looking up to Scott quickly with his question “Okay, one question. What are you gonna do if the Alpha doesn’t show up?”

“I don’t know.” Scott rushes out, nerves lacing his words earning me to turn towards him “And what are you gonna do if he _does_ show up?”

Scott shakes his head, connecting his worried eyes with mine “I don’t know.”

Intercom set up now Stiles raises his head at that answer, grumbling lowly “Good plan.”

Scott makes a noise and tries to defend himself “All right. You said that a wolf howls to signal his position to the rest of the pack, right?”

Stiles shares a side eye glance with me, drawing out his answer “Right– but if you bring him here, does that make you part of his pack?”

“I hope not.” Scott answers honestly, earning me to nod with my agreement “Yeah, me too.”

Stiles sighs in his agreement and gestures towards the microphone “All right– all you.”

Scott grabs the microphone, clears his throat and takes a breath, eliciting the most strangled and shrill screech noise I’ve ever been subjected to hear in person that makes my face scrunch up instantly.

I jerk my head to the side, squinting one eye open to share a grimace with Stiles **_that’s your howl Scotty?_**

After he’s done doing his impersonation of a dying animal, he looks at us expectantly “Was that okay? I mean, that was a howl, right?”

Stiles looks at me as he raises his eyebrows with an uncomfortable look on his face “I– yeah, _technically_.”

Scott looks between the two of us “Well, what did it sound like to you guys?”

I open my mouth but no words come to me and I flick my eyes up to Stiles who sighs and closes his eyes with his answer “Like a cat being choked to death, Scott.” 

Scott swings his helpless face my direction and I stifle my laugh with my shoulder as I turn my body away from Scott and towards Stiles, who tries not to laugh himself.

“What do I do!? How am I supposed to do this?” Scott frantically stammers out and we turn back to him.

Stiles walks past me and over to Scott putting his hands on his shoulders like a coach would to a boxer in the ring “Hey, hey. Listen to me. You’re calling the Alpha. All right? Be a man– be a werewolf, not a teen wolf. Be a werewolf. Do it.”

Scott takes a moment and steals himself while Stiles moves to stand next to me again. 

We watch as his eyes glow yellow before he clicks the microphone and actually howls into the intercom. The howl sounds more like a powerful roar and it causes chills to shiver down my spine and my goosebumps to get goosies on my arms.

Stiles smiles and slaps Scott on the back when he’s finished howling for the whole state to hear. 

We set the office back to how it was before we got here and grab our flashlights to head back outside.

Once we are in his line of sight, Derek looks even more pissed than he usually does “I’m gonna kill the three of you. What the hell was that?” 

Stiles and I throw our hands out in front of us, silently asking what the big deal is **_lighten up bro_**

Derek ignores us and all but shouts towards Scott “What are you trying to do, attract the entire state to the school?”

Scott looks between us and Derek, shrugging his shoulders sheepishly “Sorry– I didn’t know it would be that loud.”

Stiles has a proud mama bear smile on his face as he looks between Scott and Derek, coming to Scott’s defense “Yeah, it was loud. And it was _AWESOME,_ ” he sings the last word making Scott and I chuckle as Derek deadpans “Shut up.”

Stiles scoffs and flicks his hand out addressing Derek “Don’t be such a sour-wolf.”

I snort into my shoulder, my eyes landing in the backseat of Derek’s car, seeing it empty I turn back to look at Derek “What’d you do with him?”

“What?” Derek quickly looks over to me and my nod towards his car has him turning to look into the backseat as well, shaking his head when he looks back at us “I didn’t do anything”

My eyes widen when I hear a growl and an awful noise before I see blood dripping from Derek’s mouth, the sight freezing my entire body as my mind tries to catch up with what we’re seeing.

Stiles throws his arm out across my front when Derek is lifted in the air gurgling and dying as we can now clearly see the **_holy tall as fuck_** Alpha growling at us. 

“Holy shit!” We all jump back into each other and then I’m being pulled back as we take off in a run towards the school doors.

There’s another loud ass scary growl and a thud to our left as we reach the doors and pull them open as quickly as we can. 

I’m thrown inside in front of the guys who slam their bodies against the doors once they slam them shut.

Putting my hands on either side of my head, I try to take deep calming breaths to not hyperventilate with the events that have transpired in the last two fucking minutes.

Taking a few steps in front of us I turn on my heel to face them again, my wide eyes moving between their scared faces and the window on the door behind them as I breathe out “Did that just fucking happen?”


	7. Night School

“Lock it, lock it!” Scott rushes out, the three of us looking around at the door trying to figure out how to lock it.

“Do I look like I have a key?” Stiles quips, flicking his hand out in front of him to elaborate his words.

Scott groans and tries a different tactic “Grab something!”

Looking around the hallway, and finding absolutely nothing to help, I turn back to Scott raising my arms out to my sides “Like what exactly?”

“Anything!”

Stiles huffs and stands up, looking out the window on the door. From the change in his demeanor Scott stands up to look as well muttering “No” when he sees whatever Stiles sees outside.

“Yes” Stiles states as he turns around and gently shoves the flashlight in my arms. I raise up onto my tiptoes and glance over his shoulder to look out the window at what he’s spotted– the bolt cutters he dropped at the bottom of the stairs.

“Stiles, no don’t!” I whisper shriek, however it’s no use– he’s already opening and out the door before I even finish my sentence, effectively closing the door in our faces.

He goes down the steps way too slowly for my liking before he’s bending and grabbing the cutters. I jump out of my skin when Scott gasps next to me, whispering quickly “Come back, come back”

“What do you see it?” I murmur quietly, frantically moving my eyes around the darkness outside.

“Yea jeep, it’s by the jeep–” Scott answers, my eyes following his words to see the red eyes and dark outline of the alpha near the back of the jeep.

“Run! Stiles– run!” We shout, both of us hitting the window trying to gain his attention and let him know he needs to hurry his ass back inside.

Stiles turns to us and then his attention is back behind him, all three of us watching as the alpha starts to run towards him.

Stiles clammers up the steps as we open the door and he rushes back inside, the doors quickly slamming shut once he’s in the safe zone. 

He puts each handle of the bolt cutters through either side of the door handles creating a blockade of sorts.

We all stand up, the boys occupying the windows as I try to peer over the shoulder of Stiles to get a look– though I don’t see the glowing red eyes I would expect to be pushed up against the window looking at us right now, with how fast he was running towards the doors a second ago.

We’re all panting like we ran a marathon when Scott grabs my attention from the window “Where is it? Where did it go?” 

Stiles grabs the flashlight from my hands and shines it out the window as I take a step back **_they got the lookout thing down_**

We all take multiple steps back from the doors when they catch up to where I’m standing, I turn to Stiles with my assumption “That won’t hold, will it?”

He looks at me with a grim expression, swallowing hard “Probably not.”

Scott exhales at the news and we all turn to look down the very dark and abandoned hallway of the school **_can I be anywhere BUT here please_**

I jerk back when we hear a distant howling, because it doesn’t sound like it’s coming from outside– no, no it sounds like it’s coming from deep within the school halls **_seriously_**

We take off running, hands pushing against my lower back to guide me through the hallway and into a classroom.

“The desk” Stiles and Scott run up to either end of the teacher’s desk, both trying to move it over to the door however it’s making entirely too noise **_plus that desk blockade won’t stop a strong as alpha_**

I run forward and put my hands on the corner of the desk beside Stiles, whisper yelling to the pair “Shh, stop, stop– this won’t work anyways.”

We all hold our breaths, my gaze wandering to the door over my shoulder hoping not to see an animal running at our faces.

Following my line of sight Stiles agrees “She’s right, the door’s not gonna keep it out.”

“I know” Scott says, however adjusts his grip on the end of the desk to obviously make the barrier until Stiles adds “It’s your boss.”

Scott jerks his head back, his brows drawing inwards “What?”

Stiles nods, waving his hand about with every word “Deaton, the Alpha? _Your_ boss.” 

Scott couldn’t look more unconvinced as he scoffs “No.”

Whisper yelling now, Stiles continues “Yes, murdering _psycho_ werewolf.”

Scott moves his gaze between us, disagreeing instantly “That can’t be.”

Making a face Stiles drives his point home “Oh come on. He disappears, and that thing shows up ten seconds later to toss Derek twenty feet through the air? That’s not convenient timing?”

Scott hits the table with his hand “It’s not him.”

Getting antsy with our arguing **_in a non barrier between us and the fucking Alpha room_** I raise my hands towards Scott agreeing with Stiles “He killed Derek, who _also_ thought he was the Alpha.”

Scott raises his eyebrows and shakes his head at me “No, Derek’s not dead. He can’t be dead.”

Stiles leans forward and continues his whisper yelling “Blood spurted out of his mouth, okay? That doesn’t exactly qualify as a _minor_ injury.”

I nod my head and point at Stiles while he continues, shaking his hand around to indicate between us “He’s dead, and we’re next.”

Scott sighs but doesn’t continue the argument of clearing Deaton’s name “Okay, just– what do we do?!”

Stiles looks from Scott, over to my terrified eyes before taking a few calming breaths as a plan forms and he looks back to Scott “We get to my jeep, we get out of here, you seriously think about quitting your job, good?” 

He ends his sentence with a slap of his hand on the table like that’s settled and he reaches over to grab the flashlight. 

Walking closer to me, he gently guides me by my elbow over to the windows as we look out them towards the parking lot. 

Scott walks up beside us and goes to open the widows but Stiles stops him “No, they don’t open. The school’s climate controlled.”

Scott looks up at the windows like they physically hurt him with their non-opening ability “Then we break it,” he concedes while looking back at Stiles.

I shake my head quickly “Which will make a lot of noise.”

Scott sighs and goes back to looking frantically around outside “Then, uh, then we run really fast,” he looks to his right where Stiles’ jeep is sitting **_pretty far away I might add_**

Scott sighs and looks back at us, grumbling “Really fucking fast.”

Stiles looks behind us towards the doorway again as Scott looks back out the window, confusion crossing his features “Stiles, what’s wrong with the hood of your jeep?”

Stiles snaps his head forward again, looking at the back of Scott’s head and then connecting his eyes with mine as I shrug **_hey don’t look at me, my five foot one inch ass can’t see over his shoulder_**

“What do you mean? Nothing’s wrong.” Stiles guesses before Scott enlightens him “It’s bent.”

“What, like, dented?” Stiles pushes past to get a look over Scott’s shoulder, holding the flashlight up and out the window.

“No, I mean bent.” Scott says incredulously, Stiles immediately rushing out “Wh– what the hell happe–”

Stiles is interrupted from finishing his question as the glass shatters above our heads, causing the three of us to drop to the ground. 

I feel arms instantly cover my head from the falling glass debris as my ass lands on the ground.

When the raining down glass stops I slowly lift my head, the side of my face brushing against Stiles’ chest. 

He lifts off me, looking up at the window and then out towards the ground in front of us, murmuring above a whisper “That’s my battery”

He goes to fully stand up, however, Scott and I grab his arms and haul him back down to sit in the middle of us, “Don’t–” we both mutter the warning.

“We have to move” Stiles stresses as he drops back down next to us.

“He could be right outside,” Scott states quickly earning me to deadpan “He _is_ right outside.”

Scott looks between us and the battery, panting out “Just let me take a look.” Slowly standing we all turn towards the wall and barely clear the bottom of the window seal with our eyes as Scott looks around.

“Anything?” Stiles questions after a few silent seconds, Scott shaking his head “No.”

“Move now?” Stiles barely gets out, his voice hesitant with his nerves.

Scott breathes through a shaky breath while looking back at us and nodding “Move now.”

I take a deep, calming breath as we fully stand and begin to walk towards the classroom door, me falling in step in front of them. 

I feel a hand on my lower back as we walk out into the hallway and Stiles stands beside me, moving the flashlight around both ways. 

Scott turns to our right, making the decision for us “This way.” 

We turn to see where he’s headed and Stiles makes a noise, his hand snapping out to grab Scott’s arm “No, no, no, no.”

Scott stops and looks at his best friend “What?”

“Somewhere without windows,” Stiles enlightens and I move closer to them, adding oh so helpfully “ _Every_ single room in this building has windows.”

Stiles nods an okay with my statement and relents “Or somewhere with _less_ windows.”

Scott looks up and down the hallway again and an idea comes to mind causing me to hit Stiles on the arm with my revelation “The locker room” I state with a raise of my eyebrows.

He reaches his arm out to grab my bicep as he is already turning us to head down the hallway to our left towards the locker room “Yeah, okay, come on.”

Walking into the locker room, Stiles shuts the door after Scott walks in and turns to him “Call your dad.”

Stiles shares a look with me, questioning back “And tell him what?”

“I don’t know, anything. Gas leak, a fire, whatever. If that thing sees the parking lot filled with cop cars, it’ll take off.”

“What if it doesn’t?” I question earning an eye roll from my brother as Stiles agrees and elaborates “Exactly. What if it goes completely Terminator and kills every cop in sight, including my dad?”

Scott shrugs, coming from a different angle “They have guns.” **_which the Alpha is most definitely immune to_**

“Yeah, and Derek had to be shot with a wolfsbane laced bullet to even slow him down, you remember that?” Stiles scoffs, Scott nodding as he remembers that little bit of information “Then we… we have to… we have to find a way out and just run for it.”

I hear a noise from behind us, my head snapping in the direction it cam from before I turn back to Scott at his suggestion “There’s nothing near the school for at least a mile.” **_I will however run that mile with no complaint given our current situation_**

They both look at me, an idea coming to me as I shrug my shoulders “What about Derek’s car?”

Stiles gets a hopeful look on his face, working through the plan “That could work. We go outside, we get the keys off his body,” he makes a disgusted face at that particular detail “–and then we take his car.”

“And him.” I urge with a raise of my eyebrows, Stiles rolling his eyes “Fine– whatever.”

Plan decided on, we start to head back towards the door when Scott reaches out and stops Stiles from reaching the handle “What?”

“I think I heard something,” Scott whispers, dread filling my entire body as Stiles voices “Like what?”

Scott waves his arms around frantically “Shhh, quiet.”

We hear footsteps outside of the closed door and I’m pushed behind them as we take collective steps away from the closing in distance footsteps echoing in the hallway on the other side. 

Scott reaches and turns the flashlight in Stiles’ hand away from shining near the door, looking around us at the lockers surrounding us “Hide”

Stiles steps past me and makes a ridiculous amount of noise grabbing the handle of a locker on his task of wrestling it open. 

He wastes no time climbing inside backwards and grabbing my arm to bring me inside with him **_well ok then_**

A surprised noise gets caught in my throat at our close position in the locker, our fronts smushed together.

Since I’m facing him, he reaches around me to close the door as we hear Scott whisper yelling “No, no, Stiles. No.” 

I can’t turn around in the cramped locker, so I have to gauge what is happening by what Stiles’ face reacts to thanks to the couple of slits in the top of the locker.

My face lines up with his chest and apart from a few hugs throughout our friendship– I’m pretty sure this is as close as I’ve ever been to him. 

It’s a shame we are literally running for our lives because he smells amazing **_he smells amazing?_**

What am I thinking, this is Stiles, my best friend. Stop it. It’s just the fear of death lingering in the air **_Yea that’s it_**

I can feel my heartbeat in my ears and I try to keep my breathing as steady and quiet as I can.

Realizing the space around us is too bright I reach out to move the flashlight to point towards his traitorous amazing smelling chest, holding my breath in fear when I hear Stiles let out a shaky breath.

I snap my eyes up silently asking what he could have seen, however his eyes are looking down at me– **_what is that look for?_**

We hear the locker room door open and close, causing my eyes to widen and I reach up to cover my mouth to hide my erratic breathing as Stiles does the same. 

After a few moments we hear a locker open and a scream rings out through the space followed by Scott’s scream. 

Stiles reaches around me to open our locker and we stumble out to see a janitor single handedly putting a target on our location with his screams of terror

“Shhh” Scott warns, the janitor ignoring him and clothing his chest “Son of a bitch!” 

“Quiet!” Scott screams back at him, the janitor scoffing and glaring deeply “Quiet my ass, what the hell are you trying to do, kill me? The three of you get out.”

I step forward with my hands lifted up like I’m trying to calm an animal “Will you just listen for half a second, okay–”

“Not okay. Get the hell out of here right now!” The janitor interrupts me angrily grabbing the guys by their shoulders and pushing them towards the door.

Scott grabs my arm as we are shoved out of the locker room door, Stiles turning back around trying to reason with him again “God, just one second to explain.”

The janitor just points down the hall and yells at us “Just shut up and go–”

Right on cue with his words, there’s a deep growl that has all of our eyes widening as the janitor is ripped out of our view and pulled back into the locker room, the door slamming in our terrified faces.

We jump into each other as we hear his strangled scream before he’s thrown up against the glass of the door **_may the inventor of frosted glass rest happily in his grave_**

We can however still see his shadow and the definite blood smearing around his hands as he hits the window before he’s ripped away again “Oh my god” I whisper, my voice cracking.

Scott looks back and forth between us and the window before the janitor is thrown against the glass _again_ screaming for his life and Scott rushes forward, trying to open the door.

Stiles and I stay back against the opposite wall, sharing a look that I nod at his silent question **_we need to get out of here_**

Stiles reaches forward, grabbing Scott’s shoulders and screaming “Go, go, go,” as we take off running down the hallway. Putting as much distance as we can between us and the murder scene of the locker room.

***

We reach the doors that would take us out to the quad, however, as we throw our bodies into them they don’t budge **_fucking ow!_**

We all grunt at the impact, pushing against the handle bars more when we notice they aren’t locked and we keep pushing into them.

“What the hell?” Stiles squints his eyes at our obstacle, pushing harder against the doors before I set my hand on his arm to stop his movements.

I step forward and stick my head in between the gap we have slowly made, making a face at the reason we can’t move “It’s a dumpster,” I state as I bring my head back inside.

Stiles stares at the door before connecting his eyes with mine “He pushed it in front of the door to block us in.” 

He starts throwing his body into the door over and over again as Scott takes a few steps back “Come on, help me.”

Scott and I share a look before we lurch forward and grab onto either of Stiles’ arms “Stiles! Stop!” 

We pull him back and successfully get him to fall in step with us as we guide him to walk back the way we had just come from. 

“I’m not dying here– I’m not dying at school.” Stiles proclaims as we continue down the hall and I look over to him, trying to sound convincing “We’re not going to die.”

Stiles scoffs and throws his hands up while looking back behind us “God, what is he doing? What does he want?”

Scott turns his attention towards Stiles with his declaration “Me. Derek says it’s stronger with a pack.”

“Oh, great. A psychotic werewolf who’s into teen work. That’s– that’s beautiful,” Stiles grumbles as I turn my head to look through the windows to my left. 

My eyes widen with the movement I see and I stop walking immediately throwing my arm out connecting with Stiles’ chest. 

He stops walking, making a little grunt from the force of my arm and looks down at me “Addy, what–”

“Guys–” my voice cracks and gives away exactly how scared I am and both sets of eyes look to me before following my line of sight. 

They look out the window with me and notice the fucking Alpha on the other building’s roof across the quad from where we are.

The Alpha turns more out of the shadow and starts running across the roof connecting to the building next to the one we are in as it gets closer to us.

My feet are frozen at the scene as Stiles reaches out for my shoulders and pushes me in front of him. That snaps me out of my frozen state, my feet finally getting the hint and we start running back towards the blocked door. 

As we take a few strides we hear the terrifying crash through the windows behind us, **_which only that beast could make_** as we pound our feet into the ground harder and faster. 

Instead of crashing into the dead end door again, Scott pushes open a door to our right that leads to a stairwell. Stiles ushers us through the doorway before we go down a flight of stairs and onto the floor down below us, never faltering our running pace.

***

We keep running until we reach the lower levels of school finding a corner, we round it and slam into the wall of extra lockers, trying to catch our breaths as we hear a distant growl. 

Scott turns and looks around the corner slightly before putting his back against the wall again. 

I look over across Stiles– who is in the middle of us– at my brother, noticing the terrified look on his face which does nothing to calm my erratic heartbeat.

I grab onto Stiles’ arm as I close my eyes wishing this fucking beast would leave us alone already **_this can’t be how we die_**

Stiles reaches up and grabs my hand in return, giving it a comforting squeeze that has me opening my eyes.

Stiles turns back towards Scott whispering “What?” as he slightly slams his body back into the lockers. 

I turn to them and see Scott looking at me, mouthing “Go” and nodding his head down to my left, feeling Stiles increase his hold on my hand.

Not having to be told twice, I follow his direction and we rush further down the hall around steaming pipes and sharp corners. We hear another growl behind us making us all jump and turn back towards where we just walked from. 

Stiles never letting go of my hand shines the flashlight in his other hand down a hallway, offering quickly “All right, we have to do something.”

“Like what?” Scott breathes out and Stiles shrugs “I don’t know. Kill it, hurt it, inflict mental anguish on it. _Something_.”

We all jump again when we hear glass shattering and more growling coming from somewhere in the distance. It’s like we’re in a fucking haunted house being taunted by the workers of the ride **_I HATE HAUNTED HOUSE RIDES!_**

We’re constantly looking down each direction since we are open to danger on all of our sides. 

Stiles lets go of my hand to reach into his pocket for his keys, Scott raising his hands towards him “Wait a minute, no–”

“Shh, shh, shh” Stiles throws back at him, successfully pulling his jangling keys out from his pocket and throwing them into the doorway we were standing in front of. 

We hear a louder growl coming towards us as Stiles grabs my waist turning us around and crashing us into Scott. 

I grab Scott’s shoulders and push him in the direction Stiles is leading me– which is behind the door of the doorway he just threw his keys into. 

Stiles lets go of me as soon as we hear the Alpha run into the room, turning around to close the door. As soon as the door is closed, he throws his body against it while whisper shouting “The desk! Come on, the desk.” 

Scott and I follow his suggestion and run towards said desk, pushing it over towards Stiles. He moves out the way to help us slam the desk up flat against the door and we all look at the closed door as we hear another growl. 

Next the Alpha is smashing into the door repeatedly causing the desk to move slightly, however, he’s not able to open the door enough for him to get out **_thank you narrow hallway_**

Scott smiles at the realization “He can’t–” before Stiles lightly laughs in his triumphant “All right.”

There’s a loud bang against the door “Oh!” Stiles fails his arms around before looking across the desk to the other side that Scott and I are standing “Come on, get across. Come on!”

Scott looks down at the desk muttering “What?” as I **_don’t have to tell me twice_** climb onto and over the desk towards Stiles. 

Once I’m closer to the edge on his side, his hands grab onto either side of my waist while my hands go onto his shoulders and he helps me climb off the desk while Scott clambers over and lands next to me.

On my other side I feel Stiles drop his hands from my waist as he leans the wrong direction towards the danger zone we were just escaping from.

Scott notices and leans over to hit him “What are you doing?”

Stiles jumps and throws his body against the wall “I just wanna get a look at It.”

“Are you crazy?” Scott and I say at the same time.

“Look McCall twins, it’s trapped, okay? It’s not gonna get out.” Stiles shakes his head in what I’m sure he thinks is a comforting way while switching his eyes between Scott and I.

Scott shakes his head as I reach out for Stiles muttering “Please no– let’s just go.” 

Not listening in the slightest he climbs onto the desk and looks through the window on the door, shining his flashlight inside and egging the fucking Alpha on “Yeah, that’s right, we got you–”

“Will you shut up!” Scott interrupts hitting Stiles’ hip.

Getting more confident with our makeshift barrier, Stiles drops his flashlight turning his head towards us “I’m not scared of this thing.” **_well I am_**

There’s a loud growl and bang into the door right near where Stiles was leaning towards, the sudden noise causing him to throw himself back onto the desk before falling off the side, ultimately standing next to us again **_graceful as ever_**

Though he continues his yelling at the Alpha _through_ the door “I’m not scared of you. Right, ‘cause you’re in there, and we’re out here. You’re not going any–”

Right on cue with his threat there is very loud crashing that comes from the other side of the door **_this can’t be fucking good_**

The noises move and seem to be coming from right above us **_fucking bastard is coming through the roof_**

Stiles shines his flashlight at the roof as we hear the metal scaffolding creak under the weight as it moves further above us ** _why not_**

Before I can even process what those noises could mean, my arm is being pulled and we start running again. 

***

Scott turns towards us once we’re out in the main hallway, throwing his arm out in front of us “Wait– do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Stiles looks to me as I shrug and Scott finally fills in “It sounds like a phone ringing.”

“What?” Stiles and I murmur, Scott ignoring us as he continues “I know that ring– it’s Allison’s phone.”

My heart stops with even the thought of someone else being subjected to the life threatening situation we’re already living in “What the hell is Allison doing here?”

“I don’t know, here give me your phone” Scott asks, holding his hand out towards me as I dig into my pocket and hand him my phone.

He connects the call in no time and Allison’s voice is heard immediately in the otherwise quiet hallway “Addy?” 

Scott shakes his head already talking before she’s done saying my name “No, it’s me, where are you?”

“I’m in the school looking for you, why weren’t you at my place?” **_why are you at the school?_**

“Where are you right now?” Scott rushes out and ignores her question

She takes a second before she answers “On the first floor.”

I nervously look at Stiles wanting to hurry this all up even more now that Allison is fucking in danger with us

“Where? Where are you exactly?” Scott urges and her reply is quicker “The swimming pools.”

“Get to the lobby– go now,” he commands before hanging up the phone as we take off running towards the lobby.

We run and push open the doors making it into the lobby at the same time as Allison, Scott immediately asking questions instead of saying hi “Why did you come? What are you doing here?”

Allison gives him an incredulous look, jerking her head back as she informs “Because you asked me to.” 

She looks towards me and Stiles and I give her a small smile to lessen the blow of that _warm_ greeting.

Scott furrows his brows, gaining her attention again “I asked you to?”

Allison looks down at her phone turning the screen towards Scott “Why do I get the feeling you didn’t send this message?”

“Because I didn’t.” Scott grumbles lowly and Stiles interrupts Allison from responding “Did you drive here?”

She looks over towards us and answers quickly “Jackson, did.”

I step towards her “Jackson’s here too?” connecting my gaze with Scott and Stiles who huffs and takes a step back away from us **_more people we won’t be able to explain what’s happening– great_**

Allison hesitantly nods towards me “…And Lydia, what’s going on? Who sent this text?” She flicks her eyes between the three of us as she gets more worked up with every word, though her phone ringing interrupts her line of freak out questioning.

Bringing her phone to her ear she shakily asks “Where are you?”

Our attentions are brought to our left as the doors open loudly and Lydia and Jackson come rushing through. 

Lydia drops her hand holding her phone to her ear and reaches our huddle circle “Finally. Can we go now?”

Allison nods at her and looks back at Scott before we hear a heavy thud coming from **_again the fucking roof_** above us. 

We all look up as I instinctively take a step closer to Stiles who grabs my hand immediately, linking our fingers and holding onto me tightly. 

Scott connects his gaze with Stiles who grips my hand harder as he nods at Scott and their silent agreement “Run!”

We take off to the stairs to our right and half way running up them, we hear a loud crash through the ceiling followed by a deep growl behind us. 

We quicken our pace coming to the top of the stairs and rush into the hallway, even though it feels like we can’t outrun this fucking thing. 

Stiles and I crash through the cafeteria doors first, everyone else falling in behind us while Stiles pulls me farther into the room with him.

Scott and Jackson get to work locking the doors with the slide locks on the top and bottom of the doors before we hear Scott yelling at whoever will listen “Help me get this in front of the door.”

I stop our steps and nudge Stiles’ side when I look behind us, he follows my line of sight and chimes in towards the rest of the group “Scott, wait, not here.”

Allison completely freaked out looks between us “What was that? Scott, what was that?” she turns towards my brother who is ignoring everything anyone is saying to him as he grabs chairs to put in front of the doors.

Lydia is next with the line of questioning “What came out of the ceiling?”

Scott looks frantically at us all while Jackson is helping him move a cart over to the doors “Will you just help me? The chairs, stack the chairs!”

Giving it a try I take a step towards them “Guys– can we just wait a second?”

Nothing but the sound of the four of them moving everything in sight can be heard through the space around us.

Stiles shares a look with me, huffs loudly and continues on “You guys, listen to us, w–”

_Nothing._

“Can we wait a second here?” My voice cracks from frustration and over all just plain tired of this shitty evening.

“Guys? Stiles talking,” he mutters slowly, shaking his hands in front of him now “Can we hang on one second, please?”

At their continued ignoring of our attempts to get their attention while they stack chairs and other items against the doors, Stiles has had enough and loudly shouts “Hello!”

Gaining the four of them to turn and look at us, he lets out a _finally_ huff and then begins again “Okay, nice work. Really beautiful job, everyone. Now… what should we do about the 20 foot wall of windows?” 

He turns around with his arms out like a Price is Right model shaking his head and stepping back to stand next to me again. 

Right away four sets of eyes finally see what we were trying to warn them about for the last two minutes.

Allison with tears in her eyes turns towards Scott, effectively breaking his silent conversation he was having with Stiles “Can somebody please explain to me what’s going on, because I’m freaking out here. And I would like to know why. Scott?”

Scott looks at her and wants to tell her everything and nothing at the same time based off that look. Instead of saying anything though he just makes a noise and moves over to the table near Stiles and I, leaning his hands on it.

Lydia, Jackson, and Allison don’t accept that in the slightest and all raise their eyebrows while Jackson and Allison throw out their hands with Scott’s obvious dodge of the question.

Stiles turns to Scott who is rubbing a hand over his face and looking completely torn on what to say **_can’t really blame him,_** I’ve been living in this nightmare tonight and I don’t know what to say. 

Taking a few steps forward towards the three newcomers, Stiles takes the lead “Somebody killed the janitor.”

Three confused eyes look from Scott and over to him as Lydia squeaks out “What?”

I follow him, walking closer to them and nodding with my agreement “Yeah, it’s true the janitor’s dead.”

Allison moves her eyes between us and Scott as she nervously chuckles out “What’re they talking about? Is this a joke?”

“It’s the truth, Ally” I mutter softly, her face taking on a more terrified look to it.

Jackson steps forward also looking between us and Scott with his not believing eyes “What, who killed him?”

Lydia looks like she’s seen a ghost as she mutters out “No, no, no, no. This was supposed to be over. The mountain lion killed–”

Jackson snaps to her “No, don’t you get it? There _wasn’t_ a mountain lion.”

Allison draws her brows together, forming an even deeper frown as she rushes out “Who was it? What does he want?” before she’s lowering her head and rubbing her forehead with her hand, whispering more to herself than us “What’s happening?” 

When she still hasn’t heard anything from my brother she snaps her head up, her patience with his silence gone “Scott!”

Scott drops his hand and stands up from his lean over the table “I– I don’t know. I– I just– if– if we go out there, he’s gonna kill us.”

Lydia moves closer to Jackson “Us? He’s gonna kill us?” she squeaks out through her confusion.

“Who?” Allison addresses Scott before turning her inquisitive eyes to Stiles and me “ _Who_ is it?

Stiles opens and closes his mouth looking to me before Scott answers “It’s Derek– Derek Hale.”

I notice Stiles jerk his head back with his mouth open in shock as I close my eyes, **_dumbass_**

I open my eyes at the noise Jackson makes, **_he couldn’t look more unconvinced_** “Derek killed the janitor?”

Allison humorlessly laughs out with a scoff “Are you sure?”

Scott continues with his shitty lie “I saw him,” **_we saw him get clawed in the back_**

Lydia looks off in the distance still disagreeing “The mountain li–”

Scott interrupts her with a yell “No, Derek killed them.”

“All of them?” Allison looks like she wants to believe him, taking a step towards him as Scott nods “Yeah, starting with his own sister.”

Allison squints her eyes adding on a whisper “The bus driver?”

Scott immediately answers “And the guy at Addy’s work– it’s been Derek the whole time.” 

Jackson looks to me in disbelief before looking down at Lydia, as Allison closes her eyes and rubs her forehead again.

Stiles looks down to me and I shake my head in response, crossing my arms over my chest while Scott continues throwing Derek under the bus “He’s in here with us– and if we don’t get out now,” he turns around to face us “He’s going to kill us too.”

He throws his arms out to his sides like _there_ it is and Jackson doesn’t miss a beat “Call the cops.”

Stiles tenses next to me, clipping out sharply “No”

Jackson looks like he was told the sky is green and raises a hand towards Stiles “Wh– what do you mean ‘No’?”

Stiles shakes his head once “I mean no. You wanna hear it in spanish? _No_.”

Even scared shitless he still manages to crack jokes and make me chuckle– though I hide it behind my hand at the look Jackson sends me **_it was funny fuckface_**

Stiles continues “Look, Derek killed three people, okay? We don’t know what he’s armed with.” 

Registering his words, I snap my head to him **_why are we going with Derek is the one doing this train?_**

Jackson makes a face like Stiles is a child “Your dad is armed with an _entire_ Sheriff’s department. Call him.”

Lydia grabs her phone from her purse walking in between the two arguing and stating “I’m calling.”

Stiles walks towards her, gently trying to dissuade her “No, Lydia, would you just hold on a sec–” Jackson interrupts Stiles by pushing him forcefully out of Lydia’s path, earning Scott and I walk up to him “Hey!”

Lydia gains our attention as she speaks to the operator in a shaky but strong voice “Yes, we’re at Beacon Hills High School. We’re trapped, and we need you to–” she makes a face at whatever is said on the other line and I share a look with Scott “but–” she brings her phone down in front of her “She hung up on me.”

Allison incredulously asks “The police hung up on you?”

Lydia continues on “She said they got a tip warning them that there are gonna be prank calls about a break in at the high school. She said if I called again that they’re gonna trace it and have me arrested.”

Allison shouts back “Okay, then call again.”

Stiles shakes his head, announcing to the group “No, they won’t trace a cell and they’ll send a car to your house before they send anyone here.”

Allison stammers out “What the– what– what is this?” smashing her hands over her face before beginning her line of questioning again “Why does Derek wanna kill us? Why is he killing _anyone_?”

I look away from her and my gaze crashes with Stiles who looks like he wants to say anything to get us out of this situation.

We look towards my brother who quickly takes in everyone looking at him expectantly “Why’s everyone looking at me?”

Resisting the urge to scoff, I instead just raise my eyebrows as my answer **_You brought this on dude_**

Lydia begins her own questions “Is he the one that sent her the text?”

Scott looks between them and stammers “No. I mean, I don’t know.”

“Is he the one that called the police?” Allison tries however fails to be calm, earning Scott to unnecessarily yell “I don’t know!”

Allison jerks her head back like she was slapped with his outburst, giving one last _what the fuck_ look to Scott before she turns her head away from the group **_fuck this situation_**

“All right, why don’t we ease back on the throttle here, yeah?” Stiles announces and slaps Scott on the shoulders, nodding towards me to follow as he leads him a few steps away from the group.

Stiles looks back at a glaring Jackson before he addresses Scott with a sarcastic thumbs up “Okay, first off, throwing Derek under the bus, nicely done.” 

Scott makes a noise and rushes out “I didn’t know what to say. I had to say something– and if he’s dead then it doesn’t matter, right?”

“Except if he’s not” I argue and hit him on the shoulder, raising my eyebrows to drive my point home.

Scott doesn’t care and continues with his Allison driven mind “Fuck, I totally just bit her head off.”

Stiles jumps right in, making a face for Scott to focus “And she’ll totally get over it. Bigger issues at hand here, like how do we get out alive?”

I shake my head trying to connect the dots to this fact that has been bugging me since we’ve been in the cafeteria “But we _are_ alive. It could’ve killed us already. It has to be able to hear all of our heartbeats, shouting– our breathing,” I throw out my hands to my sides with my suspicion “It’s like it’s cornering us or something.”

Stiles nods and raises his own hand out in front of him as he works through what I brought up “So what, he wants to eat us all at the same time?”

Scott jumps in “No– Derek said it wants revenge.”

“Against who?” Stiles and I murmur, Scott shrugging his shoulders with his best guess “Allison’s family?”

Like a lightbulb goes off above his head, Stiles nods once and looks between us “Maybe that’s what the text was about.” 

At Scott’s _not getting it_ face and shake of his head, Stiles elaborates “Someone had to send it.”

Jackson’s fed up voice interrupts our detective work causing our heads to look back at him, noticing him taking a step towards us “Okay, assheads– new plan. Stiles calls his useless dad and tells him to send someone with a gun and decent aim. Are we good with that?”

Stiles looks back to us shaking his head with his tongue jabbing into his cheek angrily.

Scott looks to Stiles, gently agreeing with the douche canoe “Jackson’s right. Tell him the _truth_ if you have to, just– just call him.”

Stiles looks at Scott like he has no idea who he is, looking at me then back at the group before answering Scott “I’m not watching my dad get eaten alive.”

He finishes his words and looks back at Jackson, before shaking his head and steps past me.

Next thing I know though I’m pushed to the side, Scott reaching out to stable me, as Jackson comes quickly at Stiles and grabs his shoulder “All right, give me the phone–” 

Stiles answers the command by turning around and throwing his fist into Jackson’s jaw **_hell yes_**

Jackson stumbles to the side as Allison goes to him quick as lightning, kneeling down beside him “Jackson! Are you okay? Hey, are you okay?” 

She glares back at Stiles who shakes out his hand, breathing heavily and glaring at Jackson. 

I’m completely taken aback by Allison being the one comforting Jackson, causing me to look at Lydia who has the saddest look adorning her face while looking on at the pair on the ground **_what the fuck is happening there?_**

Stiles’ voice makes my gaze snap to him again “Dad, hey, it’s me– and it’s your voicemail.” 

He turns his head and connects his eyes with mine. I give him what I hope is a comforting look as he continues “Look, I need you to call me back now. Like, right now–”

A loud banging against the doors causes us all to jump and turn around. Scott and Stiles moving slightly in front of me and walking us backwards until we’re in a group again with the others.

“–We’re at the school. Dad, we’re at the school.” Stiles hangs up and puts his phone in his pocket as the banging and rattling of the locked doors continues to increase in scary noise.

One final bang causes Lydia to jump and hide behind Jackson’s shoulder “Oh my god.”

Stiles reaches over and grabs my hand again as he states “The kitchen, the door out of the kitchen leads to the stairwell.”

Scott nervously shouts back at him “Which only goes up.”

I give Stiles’ hand a squeeze as I address Scott’s statement “Up is better than here, Scotty.”

More bangs cause the screws to fall out of the plates that hold the handles of the door and that’s all it takes for everyone to agree up is in fact better than here. 

We all turn and start running for our lives again as we hear one last loud crash of metal and a terrifying growl coming from the room as we run through the kitchen door.

Bursting into the stairwell we go up a flight of stairs and out the door on the next floor, running down the hallway until we reach a classroom door. 

Jackson tries a door, however, it’s locked so Stiles immediately leads us over to the door across from the locked one– which luckily it’s unlocked and we all rush inside. 

Scott’s the last in, closing the door and grabbing a chair near me and pushing it up under the door handle to hopefully prevent the damn Alpha from coming in here **_hey a girl can dream okay?_**

We are all panting and trying to catch our breaths when Stiles makes me jump slightly as he reaches out and grabs Scott’s jacket on his shoulder.

We hear a distant growl yet again causing Allison to close her eyes and turn her head, while I step closer to the pair. Stiles immediately stepping into my side and reaching his arm around my back to grab onto my opposite arm **_in what I can only describe as the most protected feeling side hug I’ve ever felt_**

I see Lydia cover her mouth as Jackson’s eyes grow in size when we see a shadow fall over the frosted glass window of the classroom’s door **_we are so fucked_**

My body tenses causing Stiles’ grip on my arm to increase, as I hold my breath and tears cloud my vision. 

A few seconds we all let out a collective breath when we see the shadow fall away from the door, an eery silence settling over the space. 

I turn my head and look up at Stiles, seeing the apprehensive look adorning his adorable face. He notices my stare, giving me a slight nod and reassuring squeeze nonetheless.

Scott turns away from the door, rushing out quickly “Jackson, how many people can fit in your car?”

“Five, if someone squeezes on someone’s lap.” **_There’s 6 of us….great_**

He shrugs and looks around at us “So in our case two people will have to squeeze on laps– the girls are small, it’ll work.”

Allison’s face could not disagree more and if we were in a different situation I’d laugh at her reaction. She leans forward to gain his attention and clips out “Five? _I_ barely fit in the back.”

Stiles interrupts “It doesn’t matter. There’s no getting out without drawing attention.”

I reluctantly nod when Ally looks at me hoping I will debunk that statement **_we’ve been at this for hours, sweets_**

Scott gets a hopeful look on his face and takes off to the other side of the room, Stiles and I following as Allison, Lydia and Jackson stay where we previously were.

Scott reaches the door in the corner of the room on the other side of the teacher’s desk “What about this? This leads to the roof. We can go down the fire escape to the parking lot in, like, seconds.”

“That’s a deadbolt.” Stiles states on a whisper, crashing our hopes and dreams.

Scott sighs and looks down before popping his head up like a lightbulb went off “The janitor has a key.”

I scoff, whispering loudly with my correction “You mean his _body_ has it.”

Stiles is already shaking his head no when Scott looks to him, dropping his voice to an even lower whisper “I can get it. I can find him by scent, by blood.”

Stiles raises his eyebrows and shakes his head “Well, gee, that sounds like an incredibly _terrible_ idea. What else you got?”

Scott looks between our _no you’re not_ faces and the door a few times before stating too loudly “I’m getting the key,” and walking past us. 

Stiles and I share a _what the fuck_ look before turning around to follow Scott **_stubborn jackass_**

Allison steps forward slightly meeting Scott as he walks over to her side of the room “Are you serious?”

Scott visibly swallows and continues on “Well, it’s the best plan. Someone has to get the key if we wanna get out of here.”

Allison, mastering her whisper yell, grabs his forearm “You can’t go out there unarmed.”

Scott looks around quickly before reaching towards the chalkboard and grabbing a pointer stick– complete with a little pointing plastic hand on the end. 

He shakes it around defensively a little as we all look at him simultaneously asking _are you fucking serious right now?_

Scott looks around at all our faces as Stiles does the biggest eye roll I’m sure his brain felt it, before Scott defends “Well, it’s better than nothing.”

Allison scoffs and looks away as Stiles counters “There’s gotta be something else.”

I shake my head and move my eyes to behind where Allison is standing noticing the contents of the glass cupboard **_que lightbulb above my head_** I chuckle with our change in luck and announce brightly “There is.” **_thank the chemical gods the Chemistry room was unlocked_**

Everyone turns to look in the direction of my head nod, Stiles immediately turning to give me his full attention and disbelief of my finding “What are we gonna do, Watson? Throw acid on him?”

I give him a _shut it_ face “No Sherlock– we’re gonna throw a fire bomb. In there is everything you need to make a self igniting molotov cocktail.”

Stiles raises an impressed brow but stammers in an _I don’t get it way_ “Self… igniting–”

I interrupt with a slowed down version like he’s eight “Mol– o– tov cocktail.” 

I smirk at him as he finally relents with a nod and I see everyone looking at me like they have no idea what that is **_I don’t have my GPA for nothing folks_**

I make a noise and lift a shoulder “Just trust me…”

Stiles walks over to the glass cupboard but notices the lock in place and raises his hand towards the inconvenience “We don’t have a key for that either, Adds.”

Jackson huffs and immediately punches the glass, causing us all to stare at him with wide eyes as Lydia goes about wrapping his hand and he shrugs “What?”

Muttering a thanks, I quickly step up to the case and start grabbing what I need. Stiles comes forward with me and grabs what I can’t fit in my arms before we head over to one of the tables. 

I start mixing the ingredients together in a beaker, seeing the last thing I need by Jackson’s hands as he comes over with Lydia to watch the impromptu chemistry experiment.

I open my mouth to ask, however, Lydia nods to the table “Jackson hand her the sulfuric acid.”

I close my mouth and smile at her. I have no idea why she plays dumb for him, she’s in the same AP classes as me and just as smart **_she deserves so much better_**

He reaches over to hand me the bottle and I pour it into the funnel on the beaker. Last ingredient in, I take the funnel out and mix it all together one last time before placing it back on the desk and popping the cork into the top. 

I pick it up and with a reluctant nod I reach it across to Scott with his waiting hands **_I so don’t want you going out there big brother_**

Hesitantly I let go of the bottle and put my hands in my jacket pocket to distract myselffrom my inner dialogue to snatch the bottle back and see him here.

He gives me a knowing look, like he knows exactly what I’m thinking, followed by a reassuring nod before Allison frantically interrupts “No. No, this is insane– you can’t do this. You cannot go out there.”

Scott leans across the table towards her, looking her in the eyes “We can’t just sit here waiting for Stiles’ dad to check his messages–”

“You could die. Don’t you get that? He’s killed three people,” a tear rolls down her cheek that she hastily wipes away in her anger.

Scott relents with a sad expression “And we’re next.” 

Allison sighs and shakes her head at him as he continues “Somebody has to do something.” 

He finishes his words with a step towards the door, Allison quickly rushing forwards to stop his step “Scott, just stop. Do you remember– do you remember when you told me you knew whether or not I was lying? That I had a tell?” 

Scott nods silently waiting for her to continue, which she does a second later “Well, so do you.” 

Scott disconnects their eyes and looks down to the ground as I move away from the table and stand near Stiles again while Allison keeps going “You’re a horrible liar– and you’ve been lying all night.” 

I see Jackson smirk at that comment and I frown at him **_fuckwad_**

“Just– just please– please don’t go. Please don’t leave us. Please.” She takes a breath after her plea and looks at Scott hopefully, while he looks away like he’s contemplating it. 

He lifts his head and looks at Stiles and I, nodding his head at Stiles who returns the nod. Scott steels himself and directs his next words to his best friend “Lock it behind me.”

He turns to head towards the main door however Allison, who had her hands on his arms already, grips one arm tighter and turns him towards her again, smashing her lips against his. 

I immediately look away wanting to give them the most privacy our current predicament will allow, seeing Stiles do the same as he turns towards me more.

Scott breaks their connection and moves his eyes back forth between hers with the most conflicted face. 

Before we know it he’s out the door and Stiles quickly squeezes my arm as he walks past me to lock the door behind my stupid brave brother.

***

It’s been about 15 minutes and we’re all near the door Scott last walked through, impatiently waiting for him to come back. 

Stiles is standing next to me, both our backs up against the classroom wall beside the door. His hands are in his pockets and he’s looking out the windows across the room, while I look at my feet as I rock them out and up on the sides of my converse. 

Allison is standing in front of me with Jackson and Lydia next to her as she interrupts the otherwise dead silence of our room “I don’t get this. I don’t get why he’s out there, and why he left us. And I can’t– I can’t stop my hands from shaking.” 

I stand up at that however I’m interrupted from consoling her when douche canoe Jackson reaches forward to grab her hands “It’s okay. It’s okay, it’s gonna be okay.” **_she was kissing my brother minutes ago and your GIRLFRIEND is right next to you asshat_**

Stiles nudges my side making me look up to his face. When my gaze connects with his he nods head towards their conjoined hands– which when I see the tangled phalanges, I roll my eyes as my answer. 

Moving my gaze away from them I see Lydia’s uncomfortable face **_what the fuck is his game here?_** before my eyes land on the table I was working to build the fire starting cocktail earlier. 

I tilt my head to the side while I take a couple steps closer to the container still on the table as I hear Allison whisper behind me “Okay.”

Grabbing the container and turning it around to the light, I address the slime-ball “Jackson, you handed me the sulfuric acid, right? It has to be sulfuric acid. It won’t ignite if it’s not.” I finish as I turn around to face the group again, immediately catching the attention of everyone.

Jackson glares at me while rushing out “I gave you exactly what Lydia asked me to didn’t I?”

I return with my own glare “You better have because I would hope you wouldn’t send my fucking brother out there to face a murdering psycho with a weapon that won’t do _anything_ but get the person on the receiving end wet.”

Jackson just continues to glare as Stiles stands up straighter and comes to my side looking at the container as well.

Jackson mumbles something to Lydia who replies “Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure you did.”

I huff and cross my arms over my chest, not believing him in the slightest and shake my head at Stiles who looks worriedly at me **_he’s lying I know it_**

A second later a deep growling roar echoes throughout the halls and makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. We all look around the room when Jackson grabs his neck and makes painful noises like he’s being stabbed. 

He drops a knee to the floor screaming uncontrollably as we all look on helplessly 

He drops his hand from his neck to put both his hands on the ground and Stiles nudges my arm as he looks down at Jackson’s neck. My eyes widen when I see three puncture wounds that look like thin strips **_are those claw wounds?_**

Allison and Lydia go on either side of him and haul him up from under his shoulders “Agh, uh. No, I’m fine,” he protests loudly and pushes away from them “Like, seriously, I’m okay.”

Allison counters back incredulously “That didn’t sound okay at all.”

Stiles not caring about the pain in the slightest asks our shared question “What’s on the back of your neck?” He points towards the area in question and Jackson immediately smacks his hand away with a glare “I said I’m fine.”

Lydia turns on him and addresses Stiles’ question “It’s been there for days. He won’t tell me what happened.”

Jackson gets defensive and jabs back at her “As if you actually care.” 

Seeing her face reaction to that comeback I instantly put my arm around her shoulder and glare at him **_we may not be BFF’s yet however she’s getting the shit end of his attitude and I don’t like it all_**

Stiles gives me a slight smile and interrupts the couple drama “All right, can we not argue for half a second here?”

I have the worst feeling in my gut and I absolutely hate not knowing if Scott is ok, though our twin intuition tells me he is still alive. I’d feel it if he weren’t, I just know it. 

I’ve known when he was hurt every other time. Confuses the hell out of everyone every time it’s happened, however it’s something that happens that we can’t explain **_so I think him dying would be a pretty intense feeling_**

Allison puts her hand on her head as she turns away from us “Where’s Scott? He should be back by now.”

Lydia smiles at me and I give her a reassuring little arm squeeze before dropping my arm and crossing them over my chest. Trying to feel anything but the dread that’s increasing.

We hear a click sound and we all turn around. I see Allison running up to the door trying the handle and banging on the door “Scott? Scott!”

We see the shadow move away from the glass and Lydia pipes up from my side “Where’s he going?”

Allison continues to scream out while banging on the door and simultaneously trying the door handle “Scott– Scott! Scott!”

In between her screams I hear what I hope is not my ears playing a trick on me and I exclaim “Stop. Stop!” 

Allison turns around to me as I reach over and grab Stiles’ arm beside me “Do you hear that?” 

Everyone looks at me but realization crosses their faces as I look over to the windows “Listen!” **_sirens_**

Stiles’ hand falls to my lower back as we all rush forward towards the window.

Smashing our faces next to each other, we look out and see a police car pull up behind Stiles’ jeep. 

We all let out a collective sigh of relief, my head dropping to the side to land on Stiles’ shoulder as he lets out a chuckle and puts his arm around my shoulder, giving me another reassuring hug. 

I would never have been able to get through the hell of tonight without him and his continuous protective actions for me **_told you he was one of the best guys I know_**

They end up using one of the canon looking things to break down the door to get us out of the classroom because the key broke off in the keyhole, according to Scott **_not fishy at all. Nope_**

Allison, Lydia and Jackson take off down the hallway and outside with deputies as Stiles and I wait with Scott for the Sheriff to come back from his original search Scott took him on. 

“You sure it was Derek Hale?” Mr. S asks Scott as we walk through the doors into the much appreciated fresh night air.

Scott nods while answering him “Yes.”

Stiles, ever the best friend chimes in “I saw him too.”

The Sheriff looks at them before looking to me with his silent question.

“What about the janitor?” Scott thankfully interrupts me having to either lie or dodge the question **_still wasn’t sure how I was going to handle that question, so thanks Scotty_**

We walk down the stairs as Mr. S turns slightly to answer Scott “We’re still looking.”

“Did you check under the bleachers? _Under_ them?”

“Yeah, Scott, we looked. We pulled them out just like you asked, there’s nothing.” Mr. S huffs through a nod, sounding annoyed or tired **_could be either at this point_**

We continue down the second set of stairs getting closer to the parking lot as Scott shakes his head “I’m not making this up.”

Mr. S steps off the last step, turning to face us as he reassures “I know, I believe you, I do.”

Scott steps closer to him as Stiles and I stay back and lean against the hand railing “No, you don’t. You have this look like you feel bad for me. Like you wanna believe me, but I know you don’t.”

Mr. S takes a deep breath and looks back at the school before looking at Scott again “Listen– we’re gonna search this whole school. We’re gonna find him. Okay? I promise.”

A deputy shouts out “Sheriff!” gaining all our attentions before Mr. S nods and turns back to us, pointing at Scott “Stay– all of you,” he adds by pointing at Stiles and I while he walks over towards his deputy.

Stiles looks offended and lifts his hands in response to his dad’s command, earning me to 

Scott turns to face us, however, has his eyesight on the school. Stiles notices and throws his hands out in a _can’t believe it_ way “Well, we survived, dude. You know? We outlasted the alpha. It’s still good, right? Being alive?” 

He looks to me slightly and I give him a nod “Here, here.”

Stiles chuckles, however Scott ignores the statement and finally addresses us “When we were in the chemistry room, he walked right by us. You don’t think that it heard us? You don’t think it knew _exactly_ where we were?”

Stiles looks at him like he’s reaching, trying to stay hopeful “Well, then how come we’re still alive?”

Scott leans forward while answering “It wants me in its pack,” he sighs and looks between the two of us “But I think, first– I have to get rid of my old pack.”

Stiles furrows his eyebrows and looks at me before looking back at Scott “What do you mean? What old pack?”

Scott grimley adds with a shake of his head “Allison. Jackson, Lydia– …Addy… You.”

Stiles raises his head slightly as realization crosses both of our faces and I cross my arms over my body feeling that dreadful feeling again. 

Stiles looks away towards the school before facing Scott again with his revelation “The alpha doesn’t wanna kill us…”

My voice is shaky as I keep the thought train going “It wants you to do it.”

Scott nods and sheepishly adds “And that’s not even the worst part.”

Stiles throws his hands out while shrieking “How in the holy fuck is that not the worst part, Scott?” He looks at me as we wait for Scott’s answer.

Scott angrily manages to answer “Because when he made me shift– I wanted to do it. I wanted to kill you. _All_ of you.” He finishes and the feeling of dread is very loud now **_yes I heard him, shut up_**

Scott looks away from us and at the face apparently adorning my features, Stiles stands up from the railing and puts an arm around my shoulders. I lean into him, thankful for his support for the umpteenth time tonight.

Scott looks up from the ground and squints his eyes past my shoulder, making me turn slightly to see him walking off towards the ambulance. 

I nudge Stiles and nod my head when I get his attention towards the direction Scott went. Falling a step behind Scotty we hear none other than Deaton himself state “There you are.”

Scott immediately starts questioning him as we come to a stop behind him and the open back of the ambulance “How–? How did you–”

“Get out? Not easily. And from what they tell me, I’m alive because of you.” I squint in disbelief at Stiles who shakes his head also in disbelief.

Deaton chuckles up towards Scott “I think I owe you a raise.”

Sheriff walks up at that point and grabs Stiles’ arm who bumps and grabs onto me and I grab Scott’s arm in a chain reaction to get us all over to follow him “Guys, come on, let’s let the EMT’s do their job. You can talk to him later.”

“Allison!” Scott exclaims and runs off after we take the few steps Mr. S forced us to take away from the ambulance.

Based off of her body language I don’t think this will be good at all **_uh oh_**

They exchange a few words each looking more frantic in their faces, so if I had to guess Allison was ending whatever is going on between them.

Next thing I see is Allison walk off away from Scott and towards Jackson’s car where he and Lydia are waiting for her.

Scott stares after her for a few more seconds before eventually walking back over to where we are waiting for him.

I step towards him, gently inquiring “Scotty what happ–”

“What does it look like Addy? We’re taking a break. And no I do not want to talk about it.” He snaps with a glare directed at me **_who pissed in your wheaties?_**

I scowl and lift my hands in surrender at his snarky attitude as he walks past us and shakes his head at Stiles who walks forward slightly as well.

Stiles scoffs at the silent dismissal, while Mr. S clears his throat at the awkward exchange between the three of us “Umm why don’t you guys wait in the car while I finish up real quick and then I’ll take you home?”

I off a grateful nod even though he’s already walked off and look up at Stiles, his eyes connecting with mine. He offers me a small smirk and nod of his head towards his dad’s car behind us “Come on trouble, let’s get you in the car.”

I roll my eyes “Me trouble? Pot calling the kettle black much, Sherlock?”

He looks mock offended as he shoves his hands in his jacket pockets and starts to walk with me, shrugging his shoulders “I mean you are wearing a black jacket, Watson.” 

I jerk my head back with his words, laughing my first laugh in what feels like forever and playfully shoving my shoulder into him. 

His smile lights up his face as he looks down towards me and shoves me right back. We reach the car and he holds open the door for me to climb inside first, following behind me. 

Once he closes the door, I yawn and lay the side of my head on his shoulder “Thanks for making sure I was safe tonight.”

I hear him suck in a breath before I feel him rest his head on mine gently, his whisper of a voice so soft as he replies “Always, Adds.”


	8. Lunatic

_3rd POV_

Scott and Stiles make their way up a path at a campsite on the preserve, not at a terribly late hour, but night time all the same. **  
**

Addy had stayed home at the request from Stiles for a boys night. She was still a little shook up, rightfully so, from the Wednesday-Night School-Terror special, so being in the comfort and safety of her house was priority numero uno for the time being.

Said boys continue to walk past cabins, dodging puddles when Scott breaks the silence “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see” Stiles’ grunts out while jumping over a decent sized rock, continuing on the path to one of his favorite spots in the preserve.

Scott looks around nervously “'Cause we really shouldn’t be out here. My mom is in a constant state of freakout from what happened at the school.”

Stiles looks over his shoulder at his best friend “Well, your mom isn’t the Sheriff, okay? There’s no comparison, trust me.”

Thinking that over, Scott shakes his head and throws his arms out to his sides with his next question “Can you at least just tell me what we’re doing out here?” 

Stiles huffs out a breath, enlightening to his brilliant plan “Yes. When your best friend gets dumped–”

“I didn’t get dumped. We’re taking a break.” Scott grumbles and glares at Stiles’ back.

“All right, well, when your best friend gets told by his girlfriend that they’re taking a break– You get your best friend drunk.” Stiles declares and turns around holding a bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand with a shit eating grin plastered on his face.

One successfully built bonfire and half of the bottle of Jack later– Stiles is definitely feeling the affects alcohol produces as he slams the bottle down a little too forcefully. 

It doesn’t break but it does catch Scott’s attention from the tree line he was staring at. Looking down at his friend, Scott’s having a hard time not being upset that even though they’ve been sharing the bottle he is completely sober.

Laying down with his head on a rock, Stiles’ slurred speech interrupts the silence “Dude, you know, she’s just one– one girl. You know, there are so many– there are so many other girls in the sea.”

Scott, sitting up a little higher on the rock that Stiles is laying against, looks down and smiles at his very drunk friend while he corrects the analogy “Fish in the sea.”

Stiles scrunches his face up in confusion “Fish? Why are you talking about fish? I’m talking about girls. I love girls,” he sighs out while getting a little more situated on the uncomfortable ground with a dreamy look coming over his face, “I love ‘em. I especially love ones with blonde hair that _always_ smells like coconuts, a little button nose, the lightest blue eyes, five foot one who fits perfectly right here–” he finishes his words and indicates his impersonation of a hug with a swing of his arms.

At those details Scott smirks at his best friend’s description of his twin sister, however, he decides to continue to give Stiles shit for the ‘crush’ he claims to have on a certain someone else “Lydia doesn’t have blue eyes…”

Stiles furrows his brows, making a face “Of course she doesn’t, I was talking about– hey, how did you know I was talking about… about… what was I talking about?” he finishes with a drunken big smile.

Stiles tilts his head back to look at Scott, the smile on his face instantly dropping when he sees the solemn look on Scott’s face “Hey, you’re not happy. Take a drink.” 

He rolls to his side to grab the bottle and reaches it up to Scott who holds out a hand to stop the drunken movements “I don’t want any more.” 

“You’re not drunk?” Disbelief is written all over Stiles’ face as he sets the bottle back down, crossing his arms over his chest.

Scott shakes his head and continues to look at the bonfire in front of him, grumbling lowly “I’m not anything.”

“Hey, maybe it’s like– maybe it’s like not needing your inhaler anymore, you know. Maybe you can’t get drunk– as a wolf… Am I drunk?”

Scott shakes his head and raises his eyebrows, his eyes not leaving the fire while he answers his oldest friend “You’re fucking wasted dude”

Stiles breaks out in a huge grin and puts his arm in the air for a fist bump “Yeah!” 

Scott doesn’t even move his eyes to the fist he leaves hanging, earning Stiles to huff at his heartbroken friend and drop his arm “Come on, dude, I know it feels bad. I know it hurts. I know. Well, I don’t know,” he chuckles with his single status before going on “But I know this. I know that as much as being broken up hurts, being alone is _way_ worse,” he closes his eyes and takes a moment before he laughs out “That didn’t make any sense… I need a drink” 

Remembering the bottle is on his right side and not his left he leans over, squinting with one eye to make the double image of the bottle stop shaking as much. 

Wrapping his fingers around the object he leans back against the rock, taking a few deep breaths from the exertion, however, a hand reaches for the bottle in Stiles’ hand snatching it up.

Stiles looks up at the bottle thief who addresses another guy who walked up with him “Well, look at the two little bitches getting their drink on.” 

He laughs and smirks at Scott who glares at the unwanted guests “Give it back” he manages to sound somewhat intimidating.

The guy, Reddick, still holding the bottle drops his smile “What’s that, little man?”

Reddick’s friend answers him “I think he wants a drink.”

“I want the bottle.” Scott deadpans

Stiles still drunk off his ass starts to sit up, flitting his eyes between the three “Scott, maybe we should just go.”

“You brought me here to get me drunk, Stiles. I’m not drunk yet.”

The unwanted guests scoff and take collective drinks from the bottle they stole from Stiles.

Scott, unimpressed with their actions, stands up and walks closer to the men “Give me the bottle,” Reddick just smirks and shakes his head with this kid’s threat.

Scott slightly lowers his head while looking up on a glare, eyes shining yellow as he grits out in a menacing calm way “Give me the bottle of Jack.”

Stiles notices Scott’s hands, more specifically, his nails that are growing into claws, making his eyes grow wide as saucers “Scott?”

Terrified and completely freaked out at the Sci-Fi movie level eye change, Reddick hands the bottle of Jack back to Scott who snatches said bottle and on a growl throws it against a nearby tree. 

Both unwanted men look at each other and take off in the direction they originally came.

Scott rolls his eyes, turns around and without a word takes off in the direction he originally came in with Stiles.

More sober now Stiles races to catch up with Scott “Okay, please tell me that was because of the breakup– or 'cause tomorrow’s the full moon.” 

Scott ignores his questions and reaches out to open the passenger door for his best friend. 

Stiles stumbles to the seat and turns around to face Scott again “Going home now, yeah?” He bobs his head slightly and then collapses in the seat. 

Scott looks around the campsite before getting in the car and taking them home.

****

_Addy POV_

“Morning honey– oh you’re already awake?” I pop my head out of my bathroom and see mom standing by my half open bedroom door. 

Smiling at her as she comes closer to me, I recap my mascara and set it down “Yea I couldn’t really stay asleep for long,” I look back at the counter “Figured I’d take my time getting ready before Scott wakes up.” 

She smiles and gives my arms a little squeeze “Smart thinking, he is a bathroom hog.” 

We share a chuckle before apprehension fills her face, drawing her brows in “You doing well enough to go back to school?”

I nod, breathing in deeply and releasing it with my answer “As well as I’ll ever be, I don’t want to fall behind in my classes” 

She snorts “Impossible– but if you’re sure…”

I give her a reassuring **_I hope_** smile “I’m sure momma thank you” I kiss her cheek and give her a hug. 

She gives me a little extra squeeze before she lets go and side steps around me heading for Scott’s side of our Jack-and-Jill bathroom door “I need to make sure he’s waking up, you ready to probably be kicked out?”

I chuckle and nod, she returns with a soft “Okay” before she opens the door after her knock and disappears into his room. 

The song on my counter radio ends and the announcer breaks in, my eyes falling to the speakers “Beautiful Monday morning– Beacon Hills High School is back open after being closed Thursday and Friday. Police search continues for alleged killer Derek Hale…”

“Ugh” I shut it off not ready to face any of the drama that awaits us at the school, or life in general really. Four days was not enough to put it behind me **_not by a long shot, sorry momma_**

I hear mom clearly, now that my music is off, talking to Scott and trying to wake him. With both our doors open it’s like I’m right in the room with them

“You alive in there?”

“No.”

“Not ready to go back to school?”

“No.”

“You want to stay home another day?”

“No.”

I roll my eyes at my brother’s prime communication skills, while I finish getting ready **_boys night probably shouldn’t of happened on a Sunday_**

“Want a brand new car?” I chuckle at that, putting my jacket on and turn every which way in the mirror to make sure my clothes are all in place.

Mom continues “Me, too. This isn’t just about what happened at the school, right? I mean, it’s about what’s her name. Do you want to talk about it?”

Scott groans and gets out of bed walking towards our bathroom. I grab my phone off the counter and shove it in my back pocket as Scott snaps at mom “Not with you.” 

I glare at his back with his outburst **_why are you snapping at her_**

Mom undeterred tries once more “Hey, I’ve been through a few breakups myself, you know. I mean, disastrous ones, actually.”

“I don’t care about your breakups, mom. I’m gonna get her back.” He rudely says to her before closing the door in her face and turning to face me.

He huffs loudly and rolls his eyes as he jabs “Do you mind?” 

My eyebrows raise into my hairline along with my hands up to my sides in surrender as I slowly walk backwards towards my door **_what the fuck dude?_**

I scoff, plastering on a way too bright smile across my face “Good morning to you too, assbutt.” 

He mocks me like we are six and not sixteen before he again rolls his eyes, reaching for the door on my side of the bathroom and slamming it in my face as soon as I clear the doorway. 

I huff out a breath and go about grabbing my things for school, trying to push his attitude away to not completely ruin my mood for the day. 

Scott apparently got the memo he needed to race Jackson in the biggest douchenozzle race that I wasn’t aware took place today **_because holy shit he’s winning by a long shot_**

***

Walking out of class after the bell rings I run into Lydia and Allison, giving them both hugs before I fall in the middle as we continue on down the hallway. 

Allison turns slightly towards us, continuing their conversation before I joined them “It’s just weird. Everybody’s talking about what happened the other night, but nobody knows it was us.”

“Thank you, for the protection of minors.” Lydia remarks earning me to chuckle and bump my shoulder with hers. 

She returns my chuckle looking down the hall as Allison sighs and drops her head back with a groan “Guys, do you think I made the wrong decision?”

Lydia gets her serious face on, looking across me and pointing towards our friend “About that jacket with that dress? Absolutely.” 

She shakes her head and looks back in front of us as I give a light hearted _don’t listen to her_ scoff and turn to Ally “About the sibling I shared a womb with?”

She lightly smiles, offering a reluctant nod and I go to answer when Lydia interjects “Hello? Scott locked us in a classroom and left us for dead. He’s lucky we’re not pressing charges or making him pay our therapy bills.”

Allison doesn’t look like she agrees and I voice as much “Guys I know what he did after he left the room was weird,” I have Ally’s full attention as Lydia scoffs and shakes her head so I continue “Buuut have you thought that _maybe_ he locked us in there to protect us?” 

Allison gets a thinking face on and Lydia just makes a hmmm noise **_she’s very good at saying a million things with that hmmm_**

Instead of answering me, Lydia knocks her elbow into my ribs “Ow Lyds, what the actual fu–”

“Hey” The new non female voice causes my feet to stop and my head to swing back in front of us. 

My gaze crashes with Stiles’ as he offers a tight lip smile at the girls and a raise of his eyebrows towards me when he adds “Can you come with me?” 

“I– of course yea” I nod and wave a goodbye to the girls, taking the adjacent hallway to our right as Stiles leads the way with his hand on my lower back.

Stiles filled me in on our walk through the hallway that he saw his dad pull into the parking lot outside the widows of his last class, figuring he was at the office we headed there right away. 

Which is how I find myself now sitting on the ground with our backs against the wall waiting for the Sheriff to finish up inside.

The office door opens a little ways down from where we’re sitting and we hear Mr. S talking with a deputy and some dude in a suit **_feds?_**

“We are watching his family’s house. Maybe he’ll wind up there. Give me a second” He looks in our direction as Stiles and I stand up and he makes his way over to us. 

Crossing his arms and going in dad mode as soon as he reaches us “Don’t you two have a test to get to?”

Stiles shakes his question off “What’s going on? Did you find Derek yet?”

“I’m workin’ on it. You guys go take your test.” Mr. S urges, however Stiles pushes on “All right, dad, listen to me–”

“Go!” Mr. S interrupts, Stiles huffing and continues like his dad said nothing “This is really important. You have to be careful tonight, okay? _Especially_ tonight.”

Mr. S furrows his brows, taking a second before he nods with his reassuring words “Stiles, I’m always careful.”

“Dad, you’ve never dealt with this kind of thing before, okay? At least not like this–”

Mr. S nods and looks back to the group he was with, our eyes moving to follow his line of sight “I know, which is why I brought in people who have. State detective.” 

Stiles and I look at the suits down the hallway, connecting our eyes with one of the men who nods at us. Mr. S slaps Stiles on his shoulder “Go take your test.”

Stiles looks back at his dad and then me before he sighs, grips his backpack tighter and we take off down the hallway **_well that could have gone better_**

We make it to our class and take our seats just as the bell rings and Mr. Harris begins passing out our test packets. Allison takes the seat in front of me and gives me a small smile before turning around.

Scott comes in the classroom noticing her and walks up to her desk “Allison–”

Mr. Harris leans on her desk to get in Scott’s line of vision “Mr. McCall, please take a seat.”

Scott looks like he wants to stand his ground, however, he decides against it. Shaking his head he lets out a defeated sigh and walks up the aisle, taking a seat next to me and in front of Stiles.

Mr. Harris addresses the now full classroom “You have forty five minutes to complete the test. Twenty five percent of your grade can be earned right now simply by writing your name on the cover of the blue book–” rustling can be heard around the room as students quickly jot down their names **_done and done_**

Mr. Harris continues unfazed by the noise “–However, as happens every year, one of you will inexplicably fail to put your name on the cover, and I’ll be left yet again questioning my decision to ever become a teacher. So let’s get the disappointment over with. Begin–” he clicks his stopwatch and sits down, the sound of papers rustling and pencils marking filling the room.

Fifteen minutes into the test, I am working on the last question when Scott abruptly grabs his bag and takes off out of the room. Mr. Harris glares and calls after him “Mr. McCall!”

I furrow my eyebrows at his retreating form and look at his desk to see he didn’t mark anything on his test.

Stiles connects his gaze with mine and sighs before he’s next to grab his bag, slamming his test down on Mr. Harris’ desk and following Scott out the door “Mr. Stilinski!”

I sigh and quickly mark the last question as I also grab my bag and set my test on his desk “Really, Ms. McCall?”

I give him a pitiful look and mutter lady troubles as I quickly follow the path both boys took before me **_I don’t pull that card often so suck it dude_**

I enter the hallway, seeing Stiles a little ways down picking up Scott’s discarded backpack “Scott?”

He stands up and grabs his phone out of his pocket, pressing the dial when I reach his side. 

We immediately turn to our left when we hear a distant ringing. Connecting our eyes and silently agreeing to walk towards danger **_again–_** we walk hesitantly in the direction of Scotty’s ringing phone.

Following the ring leads us to the locker room and upon entering we hear a shower running. I fall in step behind Stiles since the last thing I need to see is my birthday suited up twin bro. 

Turning the corner Stiles takes a sigh of relief and I peek around his side seeing a shirtless, but otherwise clothed, Scotty leaning against the shower wall under the running water **_eyes are safe for the time being_**

He shuts off the water and turns around to see us, breathing heavily like he can’t catch his breath “Stiles, I can’t–”

Stiles rushes forward, “What’s happening? Are you changing?” 

Scott turns around to lean his back against the wall and barely manages to wheeze out “No– no, I can’t breathe.”

Stiles makes a noise and jumps into gear, reaching into Scott’s backpack that he grabbed before our journey in here. 

Finding what he was looking for he hands it out to Scott, shaking it when Scott just looks at it “Here, use this. Come on, do it.”

Taking the inhaler and breathing in the meds, Scott takes a second before talking in a more controlled, albeit disbelieving, way “I was having an asthma attack?”

Stiles shakes his head once and clarifies “No, you were having a panic attack– but thinking you were having an asthma attack actually stopped the panic attack. _Irony_.” He sing songs the last word and Scott takes another deep breath “How did you know to do that?” 

“I used to get them after my mom died. Not fun, huh?” Stiles confesses and my face softens, reaching my hand out in front of me to put on his shoulder. Stiles reaches his arm across his chest to give my hand a little squeeze.

His mom died when we were young and one of my most fondest memories is him letting me comfort him when he pushed everyone else away. I don’t even think I ever uttered one word. Everyone constantly told him and Mr. S they were ‘sorry’ but it just never felt like the right thing to say. 

So I would just sit with him, sometimes we would watch a movie, but mainly we would just sit on either of our front porches watching the cars pass or the rainstorms. Hearing the noise of a car down the road we would guess what color it would be. Thunderstorms were our absolute favorite thing though, it was the one thing that would bring a smile to his face as we guessed how close the storm was. Mr. S taught us to count once we saw the lightning strike and whatever the number was when we heard the thunder was how many miles the storm was away from us.

I never knew if I was being the most helpful I could actually be at my prime of eight years young, however he never pushed me away– so I continued to pass the time with him whenever he needed it.

Scott closes his eyes and leans his head against the wall, snapping me out of my thoughts and lowering my hand, “I looked at her, and it was like someone hit me in the ribs with a hammer.”

I nod and mutter “Yeah, it’s called heartbreak.”

Stiles lets out a humorless chuckle and elaborates “I mean there’s only about two billion songs written about it.”

“I can’t stop thinking about her” Scott grumbles and Stiles shrugs “Well, you could think about this: Her dad’s a werewolf hunter, and you’re a werewolf, so it was bound to become an issue.” 

Stiles finishes on a smile, however it drops at the look Scott and I both give him. He sighs and he concedes quickly “That wasn’t helpful. Dude, I mean, yeah, you got dumped, and it’s supposed to suck.”

Scott shakes his head in his disagreement “No, that’s not it. It was like I could feel everything in the room, everyone else’s emotions.”

“It’s got to be the full moon… definitely explains more than one thing lately.” I mumble the last bit and cross my arms over my chest.

Scott however misses my jab and just nods as Stiles finishes “So we’ll lock you up in your room later just like we planned. That way the Alpha, who is _your boss_ , can’t get to you, either.”

“I think we need to do a lot more than lock me in my room.”

“What, you mean because if you get out, you’d be caught by hunters?” Stiles questions and Scott shakes his head “No. Because if I get out– I think I might kill someone.”

***

After school, I’m standing outside the open locker room door waiting for everyone to be decent and head out to the field for practice. 

Coach walks in and begins talking “All right, geniuses, listen up. Due to the recent pink eye epidemic– thank you, Greenberg– the following people have made first line on a probationary basis, emphasis on the word ‘probationary’. Rodriguez– welcome to first line, Taylor, and, uh– oh, for the love of crap… I can’t even read my own writing. What is that, an ‘S’? No, no, that’s not an ‘S’. That’s a– that’s a– that’s a ‘B’. It’s definitely a ‘B’. Uh, Rodriguez, Taylor, and, uh– Bilinski.” **_close enough to Stilinski, no way_**

I stand up straighter, smiling towards the doorway when the celebratory hooting calls of lacrosse first line echo from the room. Snorting with the image of what arm flails are more thank likely accompanying those sounds, I chuckle and look down to my feet **_definitely Stiles_**

Coach interrupts the screaming “Bilinski!”

“Yes?” Stiles replies, the smile in his voice heard from here before Coach clips back “Shut up!”

“Yes, sir.” 

Coach continues “Another thing. From here on out, immediately, we’re switching to co-captains. Congratulations, McCall.”

I perk up at that as well, he is being a complete asshat **_thank you full moon_** however, I still love the jerk face and want him to get the things he wants out of our high school life.

Jackson’s voice can be heard next “What?” I peer in and see Coach turn to the dbag “What do you mean, ‘what’? Jackson, this takes nothing away from you. This is about combining separate strengths into one unit. This is about taking your unit, McCall’s unit, and we’re making one big unit. McCall, it’s you and Jackson now. Everybody else– asses on the field! Asses on the field!”

“Dude, can you believe this? You’re a captain. I’m first line. I’m first fucking line!” Stiles exclaims excitedly as they come out of the doorway. 

His smile is almost breaking his face in two as they meet up with me in the hall and we begin our trek towards the field, Stiles falling in the middle of us.

I smile at them “Congrats guys that’s awesome”

Stiles looks over to me, his smile in full swing “Thanks Adds–”

“Whatever” Scott interrupts causing me to roll my eyes at his continuous shitty attitude all day.

Stiles turns to him now “Are you not freaking out? I’m freaking out–”

“What’s the point? It’s just a stupid title– and I could practically smell the jealousy in there.” Scott grumbles, earning Stiles to make a noise as he reaches his hand out against Scott’s chest instantly stopping our movements with his question “Wait, you smell _jealousy_?”

I move to stand in front of them as Scott nods, lifting his shoulders up “Yeah, it’s like the full moon’s turned everything up to ten.”

Stiles contemplates that, making a face like he couldn’t care less **_though he totally does_** and shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly “Can you pick up on stuff like, I don’t know… desire?”

Scott and I furrow our eyebrows and mutter together “What do you mean desire?”

Stiles huffs, drops his head forward and grumbles “Fucking twins,” to his feet **_he secretly loves when we do that I know it_ **

He sighs and lifts his head addressing Scott on a reluctant whisper “Like sexual desire?” Stiles elaborates, his eyes snapping to me quickly before looking over my shoulder down the hall behind me.

Scott clarifies louder “Sexual desire?”

Stiles getting impatient rushes out “Yeah, sexual desire. Lust, passion, _arousal_.”

Scott looks to me quickly before also looking over my shoulder **_the fuck is down the damn hall?_**

“From Lydia?” Scott inquires, smug disbelief lacing his words **_Of course the queen beauty is the topic of conversation_**

Stiles jerks his head back “What? No, in a general, broad sense, can you determine sexual desire?”

Scott smirks at me before connecting his eyes and forming a bigger smirk towards Stiles “From Lydia to you? You sure you don’t want me asking–”

Clenching his teeth, Stiles connects his eyes with mine quickly again before he looks down the hall and interrupts whatever Scott was about to say “Fine, yes, from Lydia to me. Look, I need to know if I have a chance with this girl, okay?”

I snort and offer helpfully “You know she has a boyfriend right? And she’s all but ignored you every time you’ve tried talking to her?”

Stiles’ face drops and he glares at me “Real helpful thanks, Addeline”

**_Asshole_ **

I scoff and cross my arms over my chest and look down the hall at the girl in question.

Scott interrupts “Why don’t you just ask her?”

I turn back to the pair when Stiles scoffs, gritting out “Well, to save myself utterly crushing _humiliation_. Thank you, Scott. Okay? So, please, can you just go up and ask her if she likes me? See if her heartbeat rises, pheromones come out,” he shrugs his shoulders and hand motions what pheromones apparently do when they come out of the top of the head.

Scott rolls his eyes and takes a step past me, on his way towards her direction “Fine– if you’re _sure_ _she’s_ the person I should be getting that read from” **_what the fuck does that mean?_**

Stiles’ mouth drops open and he looks to me and then back at Scott’s retreating form “Wha– of course it– I love you. I love you. You’re my best friend in the whole world!” He shouts and can’t stop the fist bump in the air celebration.

I chuckle at his actions as we see Scott walk up to Lydia and then the pair together walks down the hall further and into Coach’s office.

I furrow my brows **_weird place to need to talk_** and nudge Stiles’ side “Come on let’s go wait on the field.”

He clears his face from the confusion that had crossed it as well and reluctantly nods “Yea ok”

***

I’m set up on the bottom bleacher, legs crossed and book in hand while I wait for practice to get on and be over already. 

Stiles is sitting in front of me on the team bench when Scott walks up and sits next to him. 

Perking up instantly at seeing Scott, he gains my attention with his arm flailing “Hey– what happened?”

“What?” Scott barely pays him any attention.

Stiles flails about again “What do you mean, ‘what’? Did you ask her? Did she say anything? Did she say she liked me? Did she _imply_ she liked me?”

In the most cocky, yet bored tone ever, Scott keeps staring at the field “Yeah. Yeah, she likes you. In fact, she’s _totally_ into you.” 

I furrow my brow at that, however, try to hide my disbelief when Stiles’ excited face turns towards me. 

Giving him a small _you go Glen Coco_ smile, I return my attention to the book I’m reading as practice finally gets on way **_nothing else makes sense in our life so why not_**

Coach blows his whistle snapping my attention from my book to see him leaning over Scott who is laying on the ground “Let’s go! Guess some people don’t appreciate your new status there, McCall.” 

He stands back up and addresses the other players “Who’s next? Let’s go. You have a problem with that, Bilinski?”

“What? Yeah, no.” Stiles shakes his helmet covered head and moves back a step for Scott to stand in front of him in the line again.

Coach continues his onslaught of what I assume he thinks is the way a coach should pump up him team while Scott gets up from the ground “All right, you’re up, big boy. Let’s go! That’s it, McCall! That’s the spirit! You earn it! Earn it, McCall!” 

Scott runs down the field at the blow of the whistle knocking two players out of the way, making me flinch with each hit. He reaches Danny in goal and hits him down with a ridiculous force before he’s shooting the ball in the net.

“Danny! Oh, man, Danny!” I hear all around me as I close my book and stand up **_ok what the fuck Scott_**

Everyone in the stands starts running to the field, me included, with the players and a couple other kids. 

I step my steps beside Stiles as he turns to his other side towards, Scott who takes off his helmet with a huff of frustration “Dude, what the fuck are you doin’?”

“He’s twice the size of me.” Scott snaps back his shitty argument and I scoff “Ok but Danny isn’t Jackson who, in case you forgot, actually deserves your anger.”

Stiles nods “Yeah, and everybody likes Danny. Now everybody’s gonna hate you.”

Scott just scoffs and continues with his attitude “I don’t care guys.” ****

I roll my eyes before turning back to the huddle of people, grumbling lowly “That much is obvious.”

Lydia joins the group gaining my attention and overwhelming _WANT_ to punch my werewolf brother in his stupid face “Is he okay?” she breathes out from her jog onto the field.

Jackson nods and looks at her “It looks like he just has a bloody nos–”

“What?” She furrows her brows at what made him stop mid sentence and he nods towards her “Your lipstick.”

Lydia immediately has a guilt face overcome her features and she reaches into her bag, grabbing her compact mirror and goes about fixing her smudged lipstick “Oh– oh, wonder how that happened.”

Jackson couldn’t sound like he doesn’t believe her more “Yeah. I wonder.”

Stiles’ mouth immediately drops as he turns away from the encounter in front of us, my eyes moving from Lydia’s guilty face and Scott’s behavior earlier **_no fucking way Scott_**

_***_

I’m finishing putting a lunch together for mom before she leaves for work in a little bit, when we hear the front door open. 

We share a furrowed brow look of confusion as she calls “Scott?” and she steps into the hall toward the foyer.

I hear _not_ Scott’s voice when I reach the foyer myself “Stiles,” he chuckles out nervously pointing to himself.

Mom looks at his hand, pointing towards his palm with her observation “Key!”

Stiles raises the aforementioned key “Yeah. I had one made, so–”

I snort as mom takes her lunch from my outstretched hand before she addresses Stiles “That doesn’t surprise me. It scares me, but it doesn’t surprise me.” 

Stiles chuckles as he throws the duffel bag he was holding on the ground and a very obvious metal sound clunks when it hits the ground. The sound instantly gains mom’s full attention and she points towards the bag “What is that?” **_chains for your werewolf son_**

My wide eyes meet Stiles’ as he hesitates before stuttering out “Uh, school project,” he finishes with a confident smile and I scrunch my nose up in a small grimace **_smooth Stilinski_**

“Mmm.” Mom turns to look at me with a sad smile “Guys, he’s okay, right?”

“Who? Scott? Yeah– totally” Stiles puts his hands in his jacket pockets and I nod when she looks at me again, sadly exhale as she continues “He just doesn’t talk to me that much anymore, not like he used to.”

I frown at that while Stiles tries to comfort her “Well, he’s had a bit of a rough week…”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Yeah, um– okay, uh– be careful tonight.” She puts her hand on my arm to drive her mom warning home and I kiss her cheek “You too, momma”

Stiles nods, smiling softly with her warning as she digs for her keys in her purse before looking up and stating “Full moon.”

On alert Stiles and I quickly reply “What?” **_How does she_** –

She smiles as she clarifies “There’s a full moon tonight. You should see how the E.R. gets– brings out all the nut jobs.”

Stiles chuckles as I let out a breath “Oh.”

“Yeah” mom smiles, looking between the two of us.

“Right,” I chuckle as she heads towards the door continuing “You know, it’s, um, actually where they came up with the word ‘lunatic’.”

We chuckle as she opens the door and with one last wave she’s gone, completely oblivious to our shared mental freak out.

As soon as the door closes Stiles drops the reassuring smile he directed at mom and slaps a hand over his heart, breathing out “Fuck I think my heart stopped.” 

I smile as he takes a deep breath and drops his hand to put both on his hips “So Scott’s not here?”

I shake my head “Not yet, here I’ll help you set everything up. What the hell did you bring in there anyways?”

Stiles makes a face as he bends to grab the bag “Scott will hate it…”

I snort and turn towards the stairs “After his attitude the last few days I don’t even care.”

Stiles chuckles in agreement as we head up the stairs, getting to the top landing we head for Scott’s room.

Stiles opens his door and flips on the light, immediately jumping back and running into me, bellowing “Oh sweet jesus!” 

“What?” I step out from behind him, more in the room now, and see Scott sitting in his chair in the corner of the room– in the dark **what a c _reeper-wolf_**

Stiles lifts his arm out towards Scott “Dude– you scared the hell out of me. Addy said you weren’t home yet.”

“He wasn’t–” I mutter from his side, Scott glaring over at us as he fills in “I came in through the window.” 

Stiles and I share a _what the fuck_ look before he raises his eyebrows and turns his head back towards Scott “Okay. Uh, well, let’s get this set up. I want you to see what I brought.” 

He walks further into the room, crouching down to start digging through the duffel bag as I cross my arms and lean my shoulder on the doorframe.

Scott continuous his monotone creeper vibe “I’m fine. I’m just gonna lock the door and go to bed early tonight.” **_Liar_**

Stiles clicks his tongue and lifts his head to address that statement “You sure about that? 'Cause you’ve got this kind of serial killer look going on in your eyes, and I’m hoping it’s the full moon taking effect, 'cause it’s really starting to freak me out.” **_me too_**

“I’m fine. You should go now.” Scott urges and widen my eyes because I so don’t want to be here _alone_ with whatever the fuck Scott is at the moment **_that’s a hard pass for me thanks_**

Stiles quickly looks back at me and my alarmed face before facing Scott again “All right, I’ll leave,” I stand up straighter fully prepared to go with him when he begins to rock back on his heels. 

Reaching forward he hits his bag again “Well, look, would you just at least _look_ in the bag and see what I bought? You know, maybe you use it, maybe you don’t. Sound good?”

Scott stands up very slowly and creepily before walking forward a few steps and kneeling down in front of the bag. 

Grabbing the chains he lifts them out while glaring at Stiles even more “You think I’m gonna let you put these on and chain me up like a dog?” he sets them back in the bag.

“Actually, no–” Stiles mutters quickly as he lurches forward towards Scott, fastening the handcuffs on Scott’s wrist and attaching the other end onto the radiator against the wall under the window. 

He moves back from Scott quick as lightning, taking a couple quick steps backwards and crashes into me. 

He instantly pushes me slightly behind him, making us take a few steps back when Scott bellows “What the hell are you doing?”

“Protecting you from yourself and giving you some payback… for making out with Lydia” Stiles informs, earning Scott to look up and deepen his glare towards him.

My mouth drops open slightly ** _even though I had a feeling_** I can’t believe Scott would do that to Stiles. 

If the full moon continues to make him a big enough douchebag that rivals Jackson every month, he’s eventually going to push us away for good. 

Blood or not, you don’t just get to continue to be a dick to the people who love you because you think they’ll never leave you **_I’ve closed off one relationship before, I’ll do it again_**

Letting his words sink in, Stiles ushers me out of the room and closes the door. Not really knowing what to say, I clear my throat “Stiles–”

“I’ll be right back” he grumbles, rubbing a hand over his face before he heads towards the stairs.

I frown and nod towards his retreating steps, leaning my back against the wall.

Stiles comes back a few minutes later with a smile that he tries to hide. I peer around the doorway once he opens the door again and heads back into Scott’s room.

He has a water bottle in one hand and a dog bowl in the other with ‘Scott’ written on the side **_nice touch_**

Lifting his hand up, he shakes the bottle “I brought you some water.”

He pours water into the bowl and I stand up straight trying to chuckle quietly into my hand. 

Stiles comes to a stop in the doorway when I hear the water bowl clammer on the ground and watch water hit and fly all over Stiles while Scott shouts “I’m gonna kill you!”

Stiles angrily turns and snaps back “You kissed her, Scott, okay? You kissed the _one_ girl I asked you to see if she liked _me_ … and, you know, the past three hours, I’ve been thinking, it’s probably just the full moon, you know, he doesn’t even know what he’s doing, and tomorrow, he’ll be totally back to normal. He probably won’t even remember what a complete fuckwad he’s been. A fucking unbelievable piece of shit friend, and an even worse brother– I mean Jesus Scott, treating Addy the way you have, are you insane? She has always been by your side and I could kick you in the balls for how you’re treating her.” 

My face drops the glare I had in full force towards Scott, and softens at the side of Stiles’ face as he stands up for me.

Scott condescendingly smirks up at Stiles “Sticking up for Addy like always, what a shock… and you should know– Lydia kissed _me_.”

Stiles flinches his head back slightly “What?”

I shake my head and lean out of the doorway pressing my back against the wall next to the door frame as Scott _needs to shut up_ McCall keeps going

“I didn’t kiss her. She kissed me. She would have done a lot more, too.” Stiles shakes his head and walks out of the room with Scott’s taunting words.

He stands next to me against the wall in the hallway as we continue to hear his stupid voice “You should have seen the way she had her hands all over me. Thanking me for saving her life the other night. She would have done fucking _anything_ I wanted. Anyth–!”

One quick look at Stiles’ face and I’ve had enough. I step into the doorway, glare connecting with Scott’s smug face as I grit out angrily “That’s enough Scott! Christ, do you seriously even hear yourself? How are you turning into this big of a jackass to the people who have always been there for you? Do you realize who you sou–”

“Shut _up_ Addeline,” he snaps angrily “I can’t stand how constantly on my case you are about _everything_. Do you know how annoying it is for me to have a shove it in your face _perfect_ sister like you? Just shut up and get off my back already.”

I suck in a breath and feel the frustratingly familiar tingly feeling in my nose as tears instantly make their way into my eyes. He never talks to me the way he has these past few days and I absolutely hate it **_does he seriously feel that way about me?_**

I feel rooted in my spot digesting his words, wanting to cry and scream and just all around punch his stupid smirking face that looks to be enjoying my pain. 

Stiles reaches into the doorway, setting his hand on my arm and causing me to suck in a sharp breath that I was apparently holding.

I feel his fingers slide against my skin and curl around my inner elbow, pulling slightly to get me to move out of the doorway. 

My feet finally follow the direction of his pull, guiding me to lean my back against the wall on his other side as the first tear falls and I hastily wipe it away. 

We simultaneously slide our backs down the wall and sit on the floor, Stiles setting a comforting hand on my knee. I close my eyes willing the rest of the tears to go the fuck away as I rest my hand on his in thanks.

A couple minutes later we hear the cuffs clinking against the radiator as Scott grunts “Stiles, please let me out. Addy, I– I swear It’s the full moon. You know I wouldn’t do or say any of this on purpose, I didn’t mean any of it.”

I open my eyes and shift them to Stiles who is fidgeting in his anguish over wanting to help him, however, ultimately knowing we can’t **_this is for his own good_**

Scott groans again, panting through his pleas “Please, guys, let me out. It’s starting to hurt. It’s not like the first time. It’s the full moon. It’s Allison breaking up with me. I know… I know that it’s not just taking a break. She broke up with me– and it’s killing me. I feel completely hopeless. Just, please, let me out.”

Stiles shakes his head, looking over to me and answers Scott lowly “We can’t.”

Smiling sadly, I nod and I grip his hand on my knee to offer solidarity in that decision. 

Scott starts screaming in pain and I let go of Stiles’ hand to put my hands over my ears. I may dislike him at the moment, however, hearing him in pain is the worst feeling. Stiles does the same and I drop the side of my forehead onto his shoulder.

Next thing we hear is Scott’s screaming stopping and we instantly look at each other in our confusion, lowering our hands.

We hear a thud and my eyes widen, turning towards the door though Stiles finds his voice first “Scott, are you okay? Scott?” 

Standing up, we open the door and see the handcuffs on the ground in a puddle of blood, Scott nowhere to be seen and an open window 

I internally groan in frustration as Stiles grabs my arm and turns us back towards the hallway “Fuck not again, come on.” 

We take off down the stairs and prepare for another long night of searching for my stupid brother who in all honesty is pretty selfish. 

Yes he’s going through a lot of shit that I can’t even imagine what that is like _BUT_ he’s being a dick to us when we’re constantly making sure he’s ok– and after the things he said tonight I’d really rather flip him the bird than make sure he’s not killing someone **_karma and all that_**

_***_

We aren’t driving for long when we see a police and ambulance scene in front of us “No, please god, no” Stiles mumbles more to himself and I look between the side of his head and the windshield “Stiles? What is it?”

“This is where I took Scott the other night and– and cops are here now and I swear if he did anything to my dad…” he trails off as he parks and we climb out of the jeep running towards the lights.

“Dad? Dad? Has anyone seen my– has anyone seen my dad?” Stiles is asking any and all of the deputies we are running past, my eyes moving around the group of people as quickly as I can.

Seeing a burnt to a crisp hand hanging off the gurney **_thankfully under the sheet_ **I nudge Stiles who starts to reach for the sheet. 

He pulls his hand back though when the best voice I can ever remember hearing in that moment comes up behind us "Stiles, Addy? What are you guys doing here?”

**_Thank fuck_ **

Stiles immediately turns around and embraces his dad in a hug that brings tears to my eyes while I look down to my shoes. 

Mr. S claps his son on his back again asking what we were doing here.

Oh you know, just making sure you weren’t the victim of a teenage creeper-wolf who seems to be off his rocker **_you know just your average night_**

Stiles rattles off a better excuse about study night and heading back home, then we’re off towards his jeep and making good on _not_ lying to his dad **_again_**

****

Noise coming from the direction of Scott’s room has me flicking my eyes up from my book, hearing through our bathroom and my slightly open door “Wait”

Oh good Scott’s home **_sarcasm BTDubs_**

“I can’t do this. I can’t be this and be with Allison.”

Interest peaked at who he could be talking to, I get up to double oh seven spy creep through our bathroom **_trying to sneak up on a werewolf– one of my better ideas obviously_**

“I need you to tell me the truth. Is there a cure?” I see Scott sitting on his bed and a very _alive_ ** _thank the werewolf gods_** Derek standing in front of him.

“For someone who was bitten? I’ve heard of one– I don’t know if it’s true–” he informs Scott and flicks his eyes up to me. I offer a small wave before his eyes cast back down towards Scott who doesn’t seem to have noticed me and pipes up “Well what is it?”

I cross my arms and lean slightly against the doorframe as Derek answers him “You have to kill the one that bite you.” **_can anything ever be easy?_**

“Kill the Alpha?” Scott clarifies with a scoff earning Derek to nod “Scott, if you help me find him, I’ll help you kill him.”

Scott looks up and nods at Derek’s request– which Derek nods in return before looking back up to me and I give him a small smile “I’m glad you’re alive, Derek”

Scott jumps and turns around to face me with wide eyes **_ha wasn’t a terrible idea, still scared him_**

Derek’s lip twitches in what I’m assuming is the best smile he knows how to do, and he adds “See you guys soon,” before he turns around and leaves.

Scott looks like a kicked puppy when he looks back at me which only makes me more angry, so I turn around– fully intent on leaving without saying anything when he stops me “Addy wait, _please_ just let me say something”

One of my hands is resting on my bathroom sides door handle “Pretty sure you said enough for one evening don’t you?”

“No. Addy, I’m sorry ok? I’m more sorry than you will ever know.”

I scoff and cross my arms facing my room, however, still inside the bathroom. I can sense Scott has come to at least his door to our bathroom though since his voice is closer now “I’m even more sorry than when we were seven and you broke your arm falling from the treehouse when I wouldn’t open the door hatch.”

My reserve cracks slightly at that, Scott has spent the past nine years making that up to me in some way. Picking me up a coffee, doing one of my chores, and a handful of other random little things always muttering “To make up for the summer of arm break ‘02 that we don’t mention,” because he still feels guilty over that summer. 

No matter how much I’ve said he’s paid his dues he won’t listen. He’s been determined to be the best big brother from the moment he made the oath, sealed with a pinky promise in my hospital room after I got my cast on. 

He’s the best brother I could have _ever_ asked for, which is what makes how he’s acted the past few days so difficult to digest. 

However, him laying it out there with the summer arm break as his base line to feel _more_ guilty about something, that’s how I know he’s being serious.

I turn around, arms still crossed however I take a step closer to him “Well that’s a pretty serious comparison,” I look up with raised eyebrows as I connect my gaze with his.

He gives me a small smile before the kicked puppy look is back “Addy I’m serious, what I said to you– how I’ve treated you, mom and– and Stiles. I don’t know how I’m going to make it up to you guys but I will.”

I shake my head and look at my feet again “You know, we just want to help you Scotty.”

He lifts his arms out towards me as he rushes out “I know– fuck, trust me I couldn’t do any of this without you guys.”

“Well I do know that” I sarcastically quip, playfully rolling my eyes. 

He chuckles and hesitantly looks at me “So do you… forgive me?”

I chew on the side of my lip, taking a second to digest everything “Only if you promise to give Jackson back the trophy for Biggest Asshat of Beacon Hills that you stole from him.”

He barks out a laugh before nodding and sticking out his pinky “I promise.”


	9. Wolf's Bane

I’m thrown into the car door as Scott goes into the turn way too fast. Rubbing my shoulder and glaring, I see him look over at Stiles who is sitting in the passenger seat “Faster?”

Stiles looks out the rear window behind me, nodding “Much faster.” 

Scott nods, immediately changes gears and slams his foot on the gas.

 _ **Story time** _\- We are currently in Derek’s car pretending to be him while the Argent hunters are right on our asses. Derek needed help distracting them while he set out to find the Alpha… who we need to kill in order for Scott to be healed **_so excited about our quest if you couldn’t tell_**

However as you may recall my super amazing **_and not stupid in the slightest_** brother framed him for killing everyone, so Derek couldn’t exactly go investigating like a free man.

“Scott, I don’t think you’re grasping the concept of the car chase here.” Stiles stresses while looking between my brother, me and the enclosing car behind us.

“If I go faster, I’ll kill us.”

“Well, if you don’t go faster, they’re gonna kill us!” I emphasize to the _Fast & the Furious_ wanna be driver as he slams his foot on the gas again and makes a slight right turn.

Stiles makes a sound of agreement before turning around again “They’re gone.” 

We all take turns looking out the back window when Stiles turns on the police radio he stole “All units, suspect is on foot, heading into the Iron Works.” Stiles huffs and drops his hand **_shit_**

We head towards the Iron Works site and see Derek sitting on the ground taking cover from something. 

Swerving to a stop, Stiles opens his door shouting “Get in” before he’s climbing over the center console and gets settled in the back seat next to me.

Derek takes off running, which starts a line of bullets being fired at him and us. We duck down as he climbs in and Scott takes off driving again before turning to our new guest and berating him “What part of _laying low_ don’t you understand?” 

Derek, ignoring the question, slams his hand on the dash in front of him “Damn it, I had him!” 

I lean forward slightly, my hand gripping onto Scott’s seat to look over at Derek “Who, the Alpha?” 

Derek grunts as he looks back at me “Yes! He was right in front of me, and the fuckin’ police showed up.” 

Stiles puts his hands up defensively “Whoa, hey, they’re just doing their jobs–”

Stiles trails off and shrinks back from the glare Derek throws his way, before Derek sends an even deeper glare over towards our driver “Yeah– thanks to _someone_ who decided to make me the most wanted fugitive in the _entire_ state!”

Scott scoffs, quickly looking from the road and Derek a few times “Can we seriously get past that? I made a dumbass mistake. I get it.” **_Colossal mistake but ok_**

Stiles puts his hands on the back of the passenger seat and leans forward again “All right. How did you find him?” 

Derek’s glare is in full force, when he connects his eyes with Stiles before shaking his head and facing forward– not uttering a single word.

Scott huffs “Can you try to trust us for at least half a second?” 

Stiles chimes in “Yeah, _all_ of us–”

Derek glares harder at Stiles who shrinks back in his seat _again_ , before Derek scoffs and points over in my direction “The only one I can even begin to trust is her” **_her as in me?_**

I raise my eyebrows, kinda shocked I’ve made that kind of impression on him already. 

At my shocked face he exhales and turns back to the front finally conceding “Look the last time I talked to my sister, she was close to figuring something out. She found two things. The first was a guy named Harris.” 

Stiles looks at me as I mouth ‘Harris,’ which earns him to raise a shoulder before he leans forward and addresses Derek again “Our chemistry teacher?”

I lean forward now as well, continuing the line of questioning “Why him?”

He shakes his head “I don’t know yet.” 

Taking a few seconds to process that, I grab onto the driver’s seat to balance myself as I continue question time “What’s the second?”

“Some kind of symbol,” Derek lifts up a piece of paper with some kind of drawn picture on it, showing it to us and then turning it more for Scott to look at it.

I squint my eyes, recognition immediately crossing my face and apparently Scott’s because Derek furrows his brows at him and shakes the paper in front of him “What? You know what this is?”

Scott nervously shakes his head, stammering out hesitantly I’ve– I’ve seen it– on a necklace.”

“Allison’s necklace” We say unison as he connects his eyes with mine in the rear view mirror.

***

“This is gonna be impossible, you know.” Scott groans out as he opens the door and we walk into the school hallway

Stiles lifts his shoulders “Why don’t you just ask her if you can borrow it?” 

“How?” 

“It’s easy. You just say, ‘Hey, Allison, can I borrow your necklace to see if there’s anything on it or in it that can lead me to an Alpha werewolf that I need to kill in order to get back together with you’?” **_Subtle_**

I stop both of them with a shake of my head “Her aunt gave her that necklace and Allison has been learning all about her family history because of it. Why would she give it to someone she isn’t even dating anymore?”

“Ok neither of you are fucking helping.” Scott exasperatedly flicks his fingers up off of the straps of his backpack across his chest.

Stiles makes a noise and lifts his hand out to his side “Why don’t you just talk to her.”

“She won’t talk to me. What if she, like, only takes it off in the shower or something?” Scott exhales before looking off to the side

“That’s why you ease back into it, okay? Get back on the good side, remind her of the good times. And then you ask for the necklace–” Stiles face drops and he smacks Scott on the arm “You’re thinking about her in the shower, aren’t you?” 

Scott unapologetically smiles “Yeah.” **_Fucking boys_**

Stiles raises his arm and sets his hand on Scott’s shoulder “All right, stay focused, okay? Get the necklace, get the Alpha, get cured, get Allison. In that order. Got it?” He finishes with a point to Scott as he walks away from us 

“Get the necklace.” Scott nods and looks over to me giving him an encouraging smile complete with a nod as I chime in helpfully “Get the necklace from Rose, Jack” I kiss his cheek and take off in the direction of my class.

“Get who from what?” Scott shouts at my retreating form earning a head thrown back groan from me. 

How can someone I literally share split chromosomes with get ZERO of my movie references? **_idjit_**

***

Stiles freaks as we round the corner “How the hell did Jackson find out?” 

“I have no idea.” Scott shakes his head, letting out an unbelievable huff.

He has just finished telling Stiles and I that Jackson just left him at his locker, threatening to tell people, specifically Allison, that he is a werewolf unless Scott turns him into a werewolf also **_blackmail planning asshat_**

I move closer to the antsy pair lowering my voice “Did he pull a Bella Swan and say it out loud– the word?” 

Stiles snorts with my reference as Scott looks behind us “What word?” **_that you’re Santa Claus_**

Momentarily left speechless at that serious question out of his mouth, I only gape at him earning Stiles to come to the rescue, whispering somewhat “Werewolf, Scott. Christ, did he say, ‘I know you’re a werewolf’?” 

Scott raises his eyebrows and looks around us as we move to continue our walk through the hallway, clearly hoping no one is listening “No, but he implied it pretty fucking clearly. How do you always get her movie references?”

 ****“I unfortunately will never forget _that_ movie night,” Stiles glares at me earning a scoff and eye roll from me as I mutter “You loved it.”

He snorts and shakes his head at me, turning back to Scott and continuing his optimistic view “Okay, maybe it’s not as bad as it seems. I mean, he doesn’t have any proof, right? And if he wanted to tell someone, who’s gonna believe him anyway?” 

I level him with a look “How about Allison’s father?” 

“Okay, it’s bad.” Stiles relents and wipes a hand over his mouth, Scott throwing his head back as he grumbles pitifully “I need a cure. Right now.” 

Stiles turns to us flicking out his hand “How do we even know what Derek told you about killing the Alpha and being cured is true?” 

“We don’t but what else am I supposed to do?” Scott answers, looking absolutely helpless **_I hate this_**

“Does Jackson know about Allison’s father?” I ask softly and Scott shakes his head at me “I don’t know.” 

Stiles ponders everything for a few seconds before he looks between us “Okay, where’s Derek?” 

I look around us before answering Stiles “Hiding, like we told him to– why?” 

Stiles’ thinking face is in full force before he stops Scott’s steps with a hand on his shoulder “I have another idea. It’s gonna take a little time to finesse, though.” 

“We have that game tonight. It’s quarterfinals– and it’s your first game.” Scott reminds him.

Stiles waves that off and rushes out “I know, I know. Look, do you have a plan for Allison yet?”

“She’s in my next class.”

Stiles nods once lifting his hands with the plan for the time being “Get the necklace.” 

Scott nods as I throw him another encouraging smile before Stiles and I turn to head to our next class.

***

Stiles sits next to Scott, both of them now across from me, and setting his lunch tray down he looks around before lowering his voice to Scott “Did you get her to give you the necklace?”

“Not exactly.” Scott sets down his water bottle and shakes his head.

Stiles makes a face as he gets situated at the table, digging into his lunch “Ah. What happened?”

“She told me not to talk to her– at all.”

I grimace and notice Stiles try to talk through his too big of a bite of chicken “So she’s not giving you the necklace–”

“She’s not giving me the necklace.” Scott angrily quips and flicks his hand on the table like that couldn’t be a more obvious statement.

Stiles looks down to the table, trying a different tactic “Ok– well, did you find anything else out?”

“Just that I know nothing about girls, and that they’re totally psychotic.” Scott rambles off quickly.

“Hey” I furrow my brows and exclaim around my bite of pineapple, earning an eye roll from Scott “You don’t count, you’re not a girl.” **_I’ve got some damning evidence that would disagree bro_**

I raise my eyebrows and he rolls his eyes, offering “You know what I mean.”

Stiles snorts and hits his hand on the table “Okay, I came up with a plan B just in case anything like this happened.”

“What’s plan B?” I inquire before I take a drink of my trusted **_get me through this mess_** Dr. Pepper

“Just steal the stupid thing.” Stiles states as easily as saying it’s raining outside, Scott waiting a beat before his counteroffer “Couldn’t we try at least getting to Harris?”

Stiles shakes his head “My dad put him on a 24-hour protective detail, okay? The necklace is all we got. Steal it– _thank you_.”

Scott sighs as he looks at my _helpless to come up with a different solution_ face before he settles his eyes on something over my shoulder. He jumps to alert causing me to furrow my brows while he turns his head to Stiles but addresses us both “Guys, he’s watching us.”

“Who?” I start to look around when Stiles, also looking over my shoulder at whoever is watching us, reaches across the table and sets his hand on my arm “Stop, act natural– Jackson is glaring right at us.”

Being told to act natural has the effect of making every nerve on my skin stand on alert to be the _least_ fucking natural I can be. 

At least whatever is going on is behind me so I don’t give anything away with my face **_my poker face sucks_**

Scott furrows his brows and looks past me again before he shifts in his seat

Stiles notices as well and talks as natural as he can “What’s wrong?”

Scott looks at the table and mutters “Jackson’s talking to me. He knows I can hear him.” 

Stiles’ shocked face looks up but Scott stops him “Look at me. Just talk to me,” looking over to me pointedly he orders “Act normal– pretend that nothing’s happening.” **_Words have completely failed me_**

Stiles opens and closes his mouth however it looks as though words are failing him also

“Say something. Talk to me!” Scott urges leaning closer towards us. 

Stiles and I share a _what do we say_ look and I shrug my shoulders as Stiles fails his arms about voicing our shared problem “I can’t think of anything. My mind’s a complete blank.”

“Your mind’s blank? You can’t think of something to say?” Scott incredulously jabs 

“Not under this kind of pressure” I whisper shriek, Stiles nodding in agreement before he looks behind me again and sits up a little straighter “FYI, he’s not even sitting with them anymore.”

“Where the hell is he?” Scott looks around before he gets a serious look on his face and looks back towards the table again.

Stiles and I share a worried look noticing Scott is getting angrier and angrier.

“Yes.” Scott snips and clenches his fists, his fist wraps around his water bottle and starts to shake gaining my attention. 

Stiles raises his eyebrows in question at the look that must come over my face and I nod my head towards Scott’s hand. 

Still shaking his hand, Scott lifts his water towards him and attempts to take a drink **_could end badly, but ok_**

Stiles leans over and tries to talk him down from the angry bird ledge “Scott, come on, you can’t let him do this. You can’t let him have this kind of power over you. Okay?” 

Scott ignores him, and Stiles shrugs a shoulder to me before taking a drink of his own water while I discreetly try to look over my shoulder.

A loud snap causes me to turn my head back to the table in front of me, instantly seeing Stiles’ eyebrows lifted close to his hairline and Scott’s hand in a fist on top of his lunch tray **_his very much broken in half lunch tray_**

***

Closing my locker I see a flash of strawberry blonde hair zoom past at a speed that has me taking a step back out of the missile locked path “Jackson! This little text– not funny!”

Jackson, with his permanent scowl, looks down to her “No, I wasn’t trying to be funny. I would have put a ‘ha ha’ at the end of it– and, see, there’s no ‘ha ha’.”

I resist the urge to scoff and opt to roll my eyes as Lydia answers his remark with a smirk and reads said text message ‘Lydia, please give back my spare house key at your earliest convenience… as we are no longer dating’?”

“You didn’t lose it, did you?” Jackson asks like he didn’t pull the biggest asshat card by dumping her via text.

She jerks her head back in her confusion “What the hell is this?”

“Well, Lydia, in preparation for some big changes, I’ve decided to drop some of the dead weight in my life– and you’re just about the deadest.” **_Fucking prick_**

“Are you breaking up with me?” Lydia tries to wrap her mind around what’s obviously happening, Jackson leaning forward to clarify “Dumping, actually. I’m dumping you.”

She smirks and flicks her hair over her shoulder “Dumped by the _co-_ captain of the lacrosse team. I wonder how many minutes it’ll take me to get over that.”

Jackson rolls his eyes and does a cocky two finger blow of a kiss at her, turning to walk off as she finishes strong, yelling down the hall at his retreating back “Wait, seconds, actually. Seconds!”

I hesitantly walk over to her, ever since the night of terror she has been actually very pleasant, however, I don’t want to rock the boat or over step in any way.

Especially since I’m pretty sure we are only somewhat of friends because of Allison at this point. I clear my throat “Umm hey Lyds…”

She flips her hair over her shoulder and clears her face from any emotion that the previous conversation might have had on her “Addy, you are smart to not waste your time with these high school _boys_ ” She makes a face at said boys walking around us.

I chuckle at her, lifting my shoulders “Not really sure that it’s been intentional, but you do have a point.”

She gives me an appreciative look before looking at her shoes, she looks so vulnerable and it’s not a look I’ve ever really seen on her.

I turn my body to the side, nudging her shoulder with mine gently “He didn’t deserve you, you know. Breaking up over text is taking the cake for biggest douchecanoe award.”

She snaps her head up to connect her eyes with mine, the unemotional look clears from her face immediately and she laughs **_like head tossed back real kind of laugh_**

She puts her hand on my arm when her laugh dies down and offers a reassuring squeeze “Thank you for that Addy, I’m glad we’re friends.” 

And then she’s walking off –head held high– like she didn’t just shock the fuck out of me.

***

Stiles and I walk into his room after school, heading for his desk when I hear Mr. S call out from the hall “Hey, Stiles!”

Stiles turns to answer, “Yo, Da– Derek,” his voice turning to a muttered alarm.

Snapping my head behind me, I in fact see Derek standing in the corner on the other side of the room from us, previously hidden behind the open door we walked through. 

He’s got a hard look on his face and lifts his hand up to his mouth, putting a shush action into motion before pointing at the door. 

I gently push Stiles to get his feet moving towards his door to make sure his dad –also the main guy on the job looking for said bedroom occupying fugitive– doesn’t come in here to have the easiest arrest of his career take place **_of an innocent man but still_**

“I, u–” Stiles clears his doorway graceful as ever and throws his arms up on either side of the doorframe, blocking the room.

“What’d you say?” We hear from the hall, Stiles answering back quickly “What? I said ‘Yo– d– dad’,” he closes his door slightly to prevent the unwanted invitation from happening.

“Listen, I’ve got something I’ve got to take care of, but I’m gonna be there tonight. I mean, your first game.” Mr. S states and I can hear the smile in his voice, bringing a soft smile to my lips.

“My first game. Guh, it’s great. Awesome. Uh– good.” **_Stop adding so many words_**

“I’m very happy for you– and I’m really proud of you.” **_He’s the best dad_**

“Thanks. Me too. I’m happy and proud– of my– myself.” **_oy vey_**

Derek shares a look with me and I snort, dropping my head forward slightly to laugh quietly to myself as Mr. S continues “So they’re really gonna let you play, right?”

“Yeah, dad. I’m first line. Believe that?” Stiles excitedly states, Mr. S right there with him in his excitement “I’m very proud.”

“Oh, me too. Again, I’m– oh, huggie– huggie, huggie”

I drop my head in the palm of head, shaking it slightly at why huggie needed to be an actual word said that many times.

“See you there.” Mr. S mutters in way of a goodbye, Stiles following with “Take it easy.” 

I raise my head up from my palm and see Stiles opening his door, breathing a sigh of relief before turning to close the door. 

Just as he turns around he clears his throat “I’m sorr– oh!”

I jump when Derek all of a sudden slams Stiles up against the back of his door, pointing a finger in his face “If you say one word–”

“Oh, what, you mean, like, ‘Hey, dad, Derek Hale’s in my room– Bring your gun’? Yeah, that’s right. If I’m harboring your fugitive ass, it’s my house, my rules, buddy.”

Derek relents with a slight nod and lets go of the hold he had on Stiles’ jacket.

Stiles smirks and starts to walk away when Derek makes a quick head jerk forward towards his face, “Oh, my God!” Stiles flinches back and I choke on my laugh.

“Scott didn’t get the necklace?” Derek inquires as Stiles reaches his desk chair glaring at me as he sits down.

I shake my head as I sit down on the edge of the bed crossing my legs and answering Derek’s question “No. He’s still working on it– but there’s something else we can try.”

Derek connects his eyes with mine raising his arms out for one of us to continue, which Stiles clears his throat and does just that “The night we were trapped at the school, Scott sent a text to Allison asking her to meet him there…”

“So?” he jerks his head to the side in his impatience **_he really has that brooding glare down_**

I breathe out a breath “So it wasn’t Scott.”

“Well, can you find out who sent it?” Derek questions, flitting his eyes between the two of us before Stiles shakes his head “No, not us. But I think I know somebody who can.”

***

“You want me to do what?” Danny looks at Stiles like he’s crazy for what he just suggested.

“Trace a text.” Stiles opens his hands out with an innocent look adorning his face.

Danny again looks between us, moving his hand between us with his next words “I came here to do lab work with you both. That’s what lab partners do.” 

“And we will, once you trace the text.” I smile innocently, Danny furrowing his brows as he counters “And what makes you think I know how?” 

Stiles looks guiltily to me before looking back at Danny and confessing “I– I looked up your arrest report… so–”

“I– I was 13. They dropped the charges.” Danny argues, trying to defend himself and Stiles is quick to lift his hands up in a no judgement way “We’re good man”

Danny shakes his head “No, we’re doing lab work.” he grabs the chair I had scooted closer towards him with my foot, sitting down and grabbing his notebooks.

Stiles throws his head backwards, muttering lowly “Fucking Christ”

Danny looks at our guest sitting down on the other side of the room, quiet during our previous exchange “Who’s he again?”

Stiles and I share a worried look “Um, my cousin– Miguel.” Stiles stammers earning a snort from me that I try to hide with a cough.

Danny leans forward on a whisper “Is that blood on his shirt?”

I flick my eyes over to Derek, watching as he looks down at his shirt. I move my lips between my teeth and go back to flipping through my notes while Stiles looks back quickly “Yeah– yes. Well, he gets these horrible nosebleeds. Hey, Miguel– I thought I told you you could borrow one of my shirts?”

Stiles throws a pointed look towards Derek and his dresser earning Derek to huff angrily, closing the book he was reading before he gets up to head to Stiles’ dresser.

Stiles turns his attention back to our lab partner “So anyway, I mean, we all know you have the skills to trace that text, so we should probably–”

Derek drops his arm, gaining my attention as he mumbles his interruption “Uh, Stiles?”

“Yes?” Stiles turns around with an exasperated sigh, looking over towards Derek who lifts up the shirt “This– no fit,” he emphasizes by stretching the shirt in between his fists with two quick tugs.

“Then try something else on.” Stiles grits out before turning back around.

Derek sends the back of Stiles’ head an _are you fucking kidding me_ look before he connects his gaze with mine. Gaining his eyes, I laugh lightly and indicate with a nod to the next drawer where Stiles usually keeps his bigger shirts that he sleeps in at.

Derek turns and points to where he thinks I’m nodding and looks back at me with raised eyebrows in his silent question. 

I nod which he returns and finds another shirt, putting it on and turning back to me. I give him a thumbs up, it seems to fit slightly better **_passable at least_**

Derek smiles with no humor behind it and throws me a sarcastic thumbs up that I laugh quietly towards my notebook at.

“Sorry,” Stiles notices Danny looking at our guest and flicks his head back and forth “Hey, that one looks pretty good, huh?” Hitting Danny on the shoulder he indicates towards Derek again “What do you think, Danny?”

“Huh?”

Stiles points behind him “The shirt.”

“It’s– it’s not really his color.” **_Bloody shirt or wrong skin clashing color take your pick_**

Derek throws me a glare and takes off the shirt, once more turning towards the dresser.

Stiles squints his eyes slightly “You swing for a different team, but you still play ball, don’t you, Danny boy” **_Sweet Jesus_**

“You’re a horrible person.” Danny quips

“I know. It keeps me awake at night. Anyway, about that text…”

Derek huffs “Stiles! None of these fit.”

Stiles looks from Derek _**shirtless still** _back towards Danny with a _come on_ look

Danny makes a face and turns back towards the desk, grabbing the computer “I’ll need the ISP, the phone number, and the exact time of the text.”

Stiles’ shocked face turns towards me, reaching his arms up in celebration as I chuckle and shake my head at the scene he played out perfect **_at Derek’s expense but still_**

***

An impressive couple of minutes later, Danny points at the screen “There. The text was sent from a computer– this one.” 

I’m sitting at the desk with Danny and Stiles sitting on either side of me, Derek opting to stand on Danny’s other side and we all lean forward slightly looking at where he’s pointing **_no I don’t accept that_**

“Registered to that account name?” Derek stands up straighter and I can feel him look at me as I’m filled with dread **_There’s no fucking way_**

“No, no, no, no– that can’t be right.” Stiles rushes out and is next to look at me, making my dread-o-meter skyrocket– however I can’t take my eyes off of the screen in front of me and what it’s telling me

**Text Message located::filesystem catalog entry =  
** **Account registered to:  
** **Beacon Hills Hospital - Melissa McCall  
** **End search …**

***

Speaker phone turned on, Scott’s voice fills the jeep “Did you get the picture?”

“Yeah, I did, and it looks just like the drawing.” Stiles looks at me in the rearview mirror, sitting in the backseat while him and Derek are in the front seat.

Derek having zero patience grabs Stiles’ hand holding the phone and brings it closer to his mouth “Hey, is there something on the back of it? There’s gotta be something– an inscription, an opening, something.”

“No, no, the thing’s flat– and, no, it doesn’t open. There’s nothing in it, on it, around it, nothing. And where are you? You’re supposed to be here. You’re first line.” Scott frantically states the obvious to Stiles just before we hear Coach bellow through the phone “Where the hell is Bilinski huh?” 

“Man, you’re not gonna play if you’re not here to start.” Scott reminds and Stiles waves his hand out in front of him “I know. Look, if you see my dad, can you tell him– tell him I’ll be there, I’ll just be a little bit late, okay?”

“Yea, okay man” Scott sighs out as I focus on the Beacon Hills Hospital sign we are parked in front of.

“All right, thanks.” Stiles ends the call and pockets his phone in his jacket.

“You’re not gonna make it.” Derek deadpans and Stiles shifts in his seat “I know.”

Derek hesitates, looking at me out of the corner of his eye before he continues “And you didn’t tell him about his mom, either.”

Stiles connects his gaze with mine quickly before looking back to Derek “Not till we find out the truth. It’s bad enough Addy has to go through this”

Derek nods and looks at me with what I swear is a supportive look that I return with a soft _thank you_ smile.

He turns back to face Stiles, throwing out like it’s not a big deal “By the way, one more thing–”

“Yeah?” Stiles asks just before Derek reaches behind Stiles’ head and quickly smashes his forehead into the steering wheel– the action and noise making me scrunch up my face in a grimace and jump backwards in my seat a little.

Stiles groans “Oh, fucking dick! What the hell was–”

Derek lifts his pointer finger right at Stiles’ face, cutting him off instantly “You know what that was for– go… go!”

Stiles opens the door and holds the seat with one hand, his face with the other while I get out of the backseat. 

I grab onto the seat and pull myself forward, muttering lowly for only Derek to hear “You’re ruthless my dude.”

“He deserved it,” Derek mumbles just as quietly and I snort through my reply as I climb out of the jeep “Maybe.”

Stiles steps back for me and I close the door, both of us turning and walking up the path towards the Hospital as we go in search of my mom **_who better have no idea what a fucking Alpha is_**

***

We’ve been walking around for a couple of minutes before Stiles decides to call Derek, who answers after one ring “Hey– we can’t find her”

Stiles throws out his non phone holding hand as we round a corner “Yeah, I said we can’t find her.” **_it’s like a ghost town in here_**

Stiles turns the phone slightly so I can hear too “Look, ask for Jennifer. She’s been looking after my uncle.” 

Right dear Uncle Peter who was burned almost to death in the Hale house fire. He’s been in this hospital ever since, not able to speak or do anything other than sit in a chair looking out a window, or sleep.

Reaching his room first, I turn back to Stiles and shake my head. He rolls his eyes and addresses Derek “Yeah, well, he’s not here either.”

“What?” Derek shouts loud enough that I can hear him and I snap my eyes to the phone as Stiles makes a face and repeats “He’s not here– he’s gone, Derek.”

“Stiles, get Addy out of there right now– it’s him! He’s the Alpha! Get out!”

My wide eyes meet Stiles’– flashbacks of the other night in full force in my mind. 

Stiles drops his phone from his ear and grabs me, turning us around when he flinches and we see a _half_ burned dude standing a little ways down the hallway from us.

Peter smirks “You must be Stiles,” swinging his gaze to me “Addeline, the twin sister… hmmm how delightful.”

His words cause me to shiver and Stiles instantly pushes me behind him, nudging slightly for me to get the hint to fucking move. 

We both turn around, about to start running, when Nurse Hatchet comes around the corner making me stop and Stiles crashes into me, setting his hands on my arms to stable us.

“What are you doing here? Visiting hours are over.” She states in an _about to murder you_ trance.

“You– and him,” Stiles points back and forth to our threats that make up the outside pieces of our totally fucked sandwich “You’re– you’re the one who– **_sent the text message_** – oh, my– and he’s– **_the fucking Alpha murdering everyone_** – oh, my God, we’re gonna die.” **_accurate_**

I turn back to look at Nurse Psycho when I see a body hit the floor– hers to be exact because Derek elbowed her in the face **_rescue mission is a go_**

“That’s not nice. She’s my nurse.” Peter taunts as he addresses Derek.

“She’s a psychotic bitch helping you kill people. Get out of the way.” he directs the last statement at Stiles and I with a flick of his eyes.

“Oh, damn.” Stiles sighs and grabs my arms, pulling us down to the ground and effectively out of the way. 

Stiles kneels protectively in front of me while Peter stalks towards Derek “You think I killed Laura on purpose? One of my own family?”

Derek takes a defensive stance back as he shifts into werewolf mode. Growling and eyes to their blue color **_why are his blue but Scott’s are yellow?_**

Next he jumps with one foot onto the wall across from us, pushing off he jumps towards Peter who dodges the attack and instead grabs Derek by the jacket and shoves him into the wall closer to where Stiles and I are trying to remain safe.

Stiles throws his arms out and over me as we try to scoot farther down the safer part of the hallway. We continue moving down the hallway– side scooting away from the unconscious bloodied nosed nurse– and taking cover by the nurses station.

Peter grabs Derek around the throat and starts to walk with him down towards us “My mind, my personality were literally burned out of me. I was being driven by pure instinct.”

He drops Derek on the ground who grunts and rolls to the side as Peter grabs something out of the nurse’s pockets. Derek stands up and punches Peter in the face “You want forgiveness?”

Peter again grabs Derek’s jacket and slams his head into Derek’s “I want understanding,” his words sealed with a spartan kick to the chest that causes Derek to fly past our nurse station. 

I crawl over to the other side to see Derek sprawled on his hands and knees spitting blood out of his mouth in the waiting area. 

Stiles grabs my waist, pulling back and effectively planting me next to him on the ground shaking his head as Peter continues his bad guy speech “Do you have any idea– what it was like for me during those years? Slowly healing, cell by cell. Even more slowly coming back to consciousness. Yes, becoming an Alpha, taking that from Laura pushed me over a plateau in the healing process. I can’t help that.” 

We hear grunting and Derek groaning before Peter finishes “I tried to tell you what was happening. I tried to warn you.” 

Next there’s glass shattering and that’s all Stiles wants to hear as he’s standing up and pulling me with him. 

Grabbing my hand just like the night of terror– we run as quickly as we can out to his jeep to go and warn Scott about what we just uncovered **_somehow still alive_**

***

_3rd POV_

In the Chemistry classroom Mr. Harris sits at a desk with the Sheriff sitting at the one behind him. Mr. Harris throws out a hand defensively “It was six years ago, and in my defense, it was before I’d gotten sober.”

“Listen, I have my son’s first lacrosse game to get to. What do you say we just focus on the details, huh?”

“I met her at a bar. We had a lot of drinks– a lot. She started asking me what I do, and she kept asking questions. Do you have any idea what that’s like? To have someone actually interested in the topic of chemistry– after staring at all these vacant faces day after–”

“Details.” Sheriff interrupts to get this thing over with.

“Like I said, I talked. It was fascinating stuff. How you could melt away the lock of a bank vault. How you could dissolve a body, and get away with murder.”

“How you could start a fire, and get away with arson?” Sheriff adds

“And a week later, the Hale house burns down.”

“You know, you could have said something.”

“And be an accomplice? It would have ended my teaching career.”

“So you don’t know her name or where she was from?”

“No! Which is exactly what Laura Hale asked. I’ll point you in the same direction that I pointed her.” Mr. Harris draws the same necklace detail he gave to Laura Hale– and that Derek Hale now had in his possession– Allison’s necklace.

Sheriff grabs the paper and questions “What is this?”

“The necklace the girl was wearing. That’s the symbol on it. I asked her about it. She said it was a family thing. You find the girl wearing that necklace, she’s your arsonist.”

“Murderer.”

“Excuse me?”

Sheriff breathes out a deep breath and clarifies “Arson happens to property. This girl’s a murderer.”

***

_3rd POV_

Scott is sitting on the bench next to Jackson, impatiently waiting for Stiles or Addy to show up at the game when Coach comes up behind them and slaps both boys on the shoulders, leaning in between them “Now, this is what I like to see, rivals turned allies. You know there’s no ‘me’ in ‘team’ right, boys?”

Scott’s scrunches up his face “Yes, there is, coach”

“Okay smartass, how ‘bout this– No ‘A’ in Econ if no win on field? Good? Huh? Perfect. Good” He stands up slapping the boys on their backs and walking away.

Scott faces Jackson “So what are you gonna do?”

“Well, I’m gonna give you a chance to give me what I want. What’s three days huh? Seventy Two hours. That’s all you get Scott– seventy two hours.”

“What if– what if I can’t?” Scott asks the severity of the situation becoming clearer.

Jackson just smirks “Oh come on, McCall. That’s not a winning attitude.”

The whistle blows and Coach starts shouting to ramp up all his boys on the team but Scott doesn’t stand up right away– it takes him a moment before he’s joining the huddle.

A conversation in the stands gains his attention, however, and it’s all he can focus on since it’s between none other than the hunters of his life– Chris and Kate Argent.

“Chris, remember how we were talking about a second beta– a younger one?”

“Yes” Chris agrees with his sister, remembering their conversation and looking over to her. She nods and continues “Can you get turned by a scratch?”

“If the claws go deep enough. Maybe.”

“Wonder how deep those went” 

On full alert now, Scott follows their line of sight and widens his eyes at who exactly they are fully concentrated on.

Jackson fucking Whitmore.


	10. Co-Captain

Stiles and I make it to the school in record time, running to the lacrosse field first, however, we find it completely empty. Stiles hits me on the upper arm and hops backwards once before turning “Locker room, come on”.

Stiles rounds the corner, addressing Scott as soon as he sees him in front of us “Dude, we have a huge problem–”

Scott, sitting on a bench and holding the back of his neck, looks up when we come to a stop in front of him “Trust me– I know.” 

Apparently Peter _and Derek_ beat us here and had just showed up in the locker room after the game. 

Peter did some werewolf acupuncture in Scott’s neck with his Alpha claws and made Scott see everything in Peter’s memories from the night of the fire. 

All the pain and healing, lumped in with all the murders he’s been committing since killing his niece, Laura **_memory onslaught via Alpha claw– why not_**

We leave Scott to get sorted before we head home, it’s been a long day and I just need to sleep until at least next week. 

_However_ I can’t because I’m going shopping with the girls tomorrow– for a dress– for the Winter Formal– that I’m not going to– **_yay having friends who are girls, so much fun_**

***

Lydia and Allison were at my house right on their 9 o’clock promise this morning, however, we didn’t go to the mall. 

No, no– we went to the woods and Ally brought out what looks like an arrow bow in a bag from her trunk when we got here. Wasn’t aware she had such a hobby or why we were pursuing it right this second.

Lydia on the same page as me, huffs out her seventh deep breath of the last ten minutes “Allison– when you said you needed to stop for an errand before we went shopping– a five mile hike in the woods was not what I was expecting.” **_she is in heels so I can’t blame her_**

Allison doesn’t really address that and keeps walking, earning Lydia and I to share a look.

Keeping her fast pace walk in front of us Allison tilts her head to the side, however she doesn’t look back “Before I forget Lydia, I wanted to ask if you’re okay with something– Jackson asked me to the winter formal.”

Lydia looks a little taken aback and squeaks out “Did he?”

I can hear the smirk in Allison’s next words “Mhmm– just as friends. But I just wanted to make sure you’re okay with it first.” **_interesting tone for making sure she’s ok with it_**

“Sure. As long as it’s just friends.” Lydia clarifies and I try not to fall on my face on the uneven ground.

Allison never loses her walking speed “Well, yeah–” she chuckles humorlessly “I mean– it’s not like I would take him to the Coach’s office during lacrosse practice to make out with him or anything.” **_aaaand there it is_**

I raise my eyebrows at the feisty brunette’s back and see Lydia’s step falter next to me. Her mouth opens in a mix of shock and guilt at the apparent well known occurrence with her and Scott “Uh, about that–” she connects her gaze with mine and grimaces, before we continue to follow Allison.

***

_3rd POV_

Jackson gets out of his car to inspect whatever caused the engine light to interrupt his joy ride in his _too expensive for him_ Porsche. Hearing a car pull up behind him he turns and glares at the unfamiliar SUV. 

Chris Argent steps out and puts his hands in his jacket pockets adding with a smirk “Car trouble?” grabbing gloves out of one of his pockets, he begins to put them on.

Jackson shakes his head and points behind him “It’s okay. I’m just gonna call a tow truck.”

“Oh, I know a few things about cars. Could be something simple” he opens the driver side door to pop the back hood for the engine. 

“I don’t know. I mean, it’s a pretty expensive car and they pull all this warranty crap if you do your own repairs, right?”

Chris stands up and closes the door, leaning closer to Jackson “Well– I won’t tell if you won’t,” walking to the back on the car he continues “It’s Jackson, right? Come here. I’ll show you what to look for.” 

Jackson reluctantly follows and looks around him– taking in the abandoned parking lot he’s currently in, before bending slightly to look at the engine.

Chris sets his hand on Jackson’s back slowly lifting his hand up to pull the collar on his jacket down ever so slightly to get a better look at the mostly healed wounds Kate pointed out last night “Oh, sorry.”

Jackson looks back quickly “What?”

"Your neck. You hurt yourself?”

Jackson stands up but keeps his back towards Chris who still has a hold of him “No. I mean, it’s just– just a scratch.”

Chris smirks as he concludes "Well, it looks like more than a scratch. Kinda looks like claw marks.” 

Jackson jerks away at the mention of that and lifts his hand to but a barrier between the marks and Chris who chuckles and puts a fake comforting hand on Jackson’s shoulder “You all right?”

Jackson shakes it off and lifts his phone out of pocket “Yeah, look, I’m just gonna call for a tow truck, okay?”

Chris keeps the cocky smile plastered on as he looks around the parking “Is there any reason you’re so reluctant to tell me what it was that did that?”

Jackson is saved from saying anything as the sound of tires screeching and loud music playing comes to a stop in front of the pair– none other than a baby blue Jeep, whose occupants Jackson never thought he’d be so happy to see.

Stiles and Scott lurch forward with the brakes, both of them looking out the passenger window as soon as the Jeep comes to a stop. 

Scott lifts his hand up in a way of a greeting “Yo.”

Stiles tilts his head back slightly in a nod type of way “What’s up?”

Scott takes in the look on Jackson’s face “Is everything okay?”

Chris nods “Hey, Scott. Your friend, here, was having car trouble. We’re just taking a look.”

From the driver’s seat Stiles couldn’t sound less convinced “Wow.”

Scott points behind them “There’s a shop right down the street. I’m sure they have a tow truck.”

Stiles nods towards Jackson “Yeah. You want a ride?” Scott opens his door, both boys looking expectantly at Jackson as Stiles adds “Hey, come on, Jackson. You’re way too pretty to be out here all by yourself.”

Scott gives Jackson a look that he hopes tells him to get his ass away from the hunter and into the safety of the Jeep. 

Thankfully Jackson gets the hint and nods quickly, setting his feet into a quick motion towards the boys.

Chris drops his smile and reaches into the engine to remove the device he had planted in there to signal the check engine light earlier. 

He closes the hood “Hey, boys,” walking towards the driver’s side he turns the keys and successfully starts the engine “Told you I knew a few things about cars.”

The three boys share a look while Chris walks back to his SUV without another word and leaves like nothing happened.

Jackson, safe from the danger, turns a glare onto the pair “What, are you following me, now?” he angrily points to himself as Scott, out of the jeep at this point, slams the passenger door “Yes, you stupid fucking idiot. You almost gave away everything, right there.”

"What are you talking about?” Jackson argues, earning Scott to fill in angrily "He thinks _you’re_ the second beta.”

Jackson completely confused expresses as much “What?”

"He thinks you’re me!” Scott bellows before punching the passenger door

Stiles lifts his hands towards his baby “Dude, my jeep.”

Scott gets back in Jackson’s face “I can hear your heart beating from a mile away– literally! Now he thinks that there’s something wrong, and now I have to keep an eye on you so he doesn’t kill you too!” he roars before advancing on the jeep again.

However Stiles throws his arms out “Whoa, whoa, whoa, okay, how about we step away from Stiles’ Jeep?”

Jackson angrily interrupts “This is your problem, not mine, okay? I didn’t say anything, which means you’re the one that’s gonna get me killed. Okay, this is your fault,” he ends with shoving Scott into the side of the jeep.

Stiles lifts his arms yet again “Can we stop hitting my fuckin’ jeep?” 

Scott reaches forward to push Jackson, however Stiles is quicker. He gets in between the pair and puts his hands on either boy’s chest “Yo, all right, yo, guys, stop. All right?”

Scott takes a deep breath before continuing “When they come after you, I won’t be able to protect you. I can’t protect anyone.” He nervously looks to his best friend at that realization.

"Why are you looking at me?” Stiles jerks his head back slightly 

Jackson looks between the two before shaking his head “You know, now you have to do it. Get me what I want, and I will be fine protecting myself.”

“No, you won’t! Just trust me. All it does is make things worse.”

“Oh, yeah, really? You can hear anything you want and run faster than humanly possible. Sounds like a real hardship, McCall.”

"Yeah, I can run really fast now– except half the time, I’m running away from people trying to _kill_ me! And I can hear things like– like my girlfriend telling people that she doesn’t trust me anymore right before breaking up with me. I’m not lying to you! It– _ruins your life_.”

Jackson scoffs "It ruined _your_ life. You had all the power in the world, and you didn’t know what to do with it.” 

Scott looks to the ground not wanting to believe that to be true as Jackson continues “You know what it’s actually like? It’s like you turned sixteen and someone bought you a Porsche when they should have started you out with a nice little Honda. Me?” he leans forward to add on a dickbag whisper “I drive a Porsche.”

With that he turns and goes back to his car, driving off and leaving Scott and Stiles to stare off agreeing in their silent statement, that Jackson Whittemore is an unbelievable pain in the ass.

“I hate him” Stiles grumbles, Scott nodding “Me, too.”

***

_Addy POV_

Getting far enough in the woods Allison drops the bag in front of her as Lydia and I make it to her side. 

I cross my arms wishing I dressed better than the light **_only good for fashion choice_** jacket I’m in for this woodland adventure “Going to fill us in anytime soon, Ally?”

Allison just smirks over her shoulder and drops down to kneel by the bag. She pulls arrows out, however they’re missing the sharp end that actually makes them _be_ an arrow. 

She continues to dig in the bag and takes out aforementioned arrow tip that she then begins screwing into the top of the arrow **_don’t cross her, got it_**

Lydia crosses her arms and matches my stance “What does that do?”

Allison finishes the arrow assembly and grabs her bow “We’re about to find out.”

She stands up and places the arrow against the string with perfect stance, I’m assuming since the most arrow knowledge I have comes from the legend of Katniss Everdeen herself **_may the odds be ever in our favor_**

Allison lets the arrow go and we all watch it sail through the air about thirty feet in front of us into a tree. 

As soon as it hits the tree there’s a little explosion of a bright light and smoke billows out around from the arrow.

Lydia and I jump slightly back as Allison lowers her bow at the result **_that wasn’t expected_ **

I share a look with Lydia, who looks super uncomfortable with our current activity. Turning back to face Allison I step forward “Okay seriously what the hell was that?”

Allison’s face mirrors mine as she turns towards us “I don’t know.” 

Lydia shakes her head and claps her hands together “Well– that was fun! Any more lethal weapons you wanna try out?” 

I chuckle before hearing a snapping noise in the distance, my smile dying instantly **_can I have one day?_**

Allison and I turn our heads to our left and we share a look before hearing yet another creepy twig snap in the distance. 

All three of our heads turn to look around us before Allison turns to me “Here, hold this” she hands me her bow and starts to take off her gloves. 

My mouth opens slightly **_no no, I’m 100% Effie in this relationship my dear_**

Lydia drops her hands and walks closer to me “What? Why are you handing her that?”

"Because I thought I heard something.” Allison states like it couldn’t be more obvious.

"So– what if you heard something?” Lydia ponders through a _not happening_ scowl.

Ally chuckles and looks between us "So– I want to find out what that something is. Don’t worry. It’s probably nothing.”

I shake my head “Lyds is right what if that nothing is _something_ and that something is something _really_ dangerous?” **_Like Peter fucking Hale_**

Allison stops her advancing step, throwing back towards me “Shoot it, Addy.” and then she’s off. 

Lydia shakes her head and crosses her arms again “Do you have a secret talent for arrow shooting that I’m also unaware of?”

“Not even a little bit” We share a grimace and stand a little closer, hoping Allison returns in record time stating it was nothing but a deer and we get to leave.

It’s been a few minutes _**I think**_ when Allison comes through the trees, stating quickly “Come on, let’s go”

Lydia and I share a look “Well what happened, did you find anything?” 

Allison grabs the bow from my hand and begins to pack up as she answers “Just Scott”

I furrow my brows “Scott? What was he doing out here–”

“Just giving me back my necklace,” she stands up and slings the bag on her shoulder “he knows I run out here sometimes so–” she trails off looking so sad.

Lydia shares a knowing look with me before she shrugs her shoulders “Well he didn’t need to be so creepy about it”

I smile and agree “All right then, should we call it a day? Maybe go shopping a different day?”

Allison rolls her eyes, fighting through a smile “Giving yourself more time to come up with even more reasons to _not_ go to the formal with us?” 

I open my mouth to argue when Lydia pipes in “and don’t even think one of those reasons is going to be ‘that you have to work’, because the video store is still closed, sweetie” **_fucking Alpha Peter, life ruiner_**

I make a noise to disagree, ultimately deciding not saying anything is preferable right at this moment though and I shake my head, taking a step away from them. 

Hearing their shared snicker behind me, I roll my eyes as we start walking back towards the car **_at least they aren’t awkward silent fighting anymore_**

***

I open the Stilinski’s front door, per Stiles’ text instructions to do so once I got here, and walk into the foyer, taking off my coat. 

I close the door and see him in the kitchen facing the other doorway into the dining room. I drop my bag and coat by the stairs and walk closer, raising a brow at seeing him chugging milk straight out of the container. 

His attention is drawn to the other doorway into the dining room “Whatcha doing?” he asks as he lowers his hand holding the milk jug, fastening the cap back onto it. 

“Work” comes Mr. S’ reply when I walk into the kitchen and come to a stop next to Stiles, seeing his dad at the dining room table with papers strewn all about.

His head is still lowered to the table, pen in hand, glasses set on his nose **_serious business is afoot_**

Stiles nods at me as a hello before turning back to his dad “Anything we can help with?”

“We?” I wave as he looks up and he offers me a welcoming smile “Addy, there’s leftovers in the fridge if you haven’t eaten,” he looks back to the table and addresses Stiles’ earlier question “You know Stiles, if you poured me an ounce of whiskey, that would be awfully nice.”

Stiles immediately jumps into gear, handing me the milk as he rushes to the cabinet to get the whiskey and a glass. 

I set the milk in the fridge and fall in step behind Stiles as he walks to the table, setting the bottle and glass down. He clears a spot for me and sits down in the chair next to his dad reaching for the pile in front of him “Any leads?”

Mr. S snaps the pen down on Stiles’ reaching hand, a clipped warning of “Hey”

Stiles makes a noise in the back of his throat at the unexpected pain as he retracts his hand and goes to open the bottle that I hand over to him instead, failing at hiding the amusement on my face. 

He throws me a glare as he starts unscrewing the cap while Mr. S finally answers him “You know I can’t discuss that with you guys,” he shakes his pen at us, smirking at his son, before his eyes cast down onto the papers again and he states absentmindedly “Not too much.”

Stiles nods and begins to pour the amber liquid, stopping after what I’m assuming is a good amount of ‘not too much’. 

However, with the bottle hovering in the air– he flicks his eyes up from the glass, over to me, over to his dad, back to me and my now shaking head, and back down to the glass as he pours the liquid way too close to the top of the glass **_no way Mr. S won’t notice that_**

Screwing the cap back onto the bottle Stiles moves the glass over to right in front of his dad “Okay– there you go, dad.”

“Thanks.” He states while looking nowhere near us or the glass of, **_you’re going to hit the floor so fast if drink all of that_** , whiskey as he reaches for it and brings it up to his lips.

Stiles rubs his hands on his pants and smiles nervously “Bottoms up.”

Mr. S indeed bottoms it up and drinks that whole glass like it wasn’t anything more than apple juice in one drink **_damn_**

Mr. S sets the glass down and I share a shocked look with Stiles before his dad sets his arms on the table in an exasperated huff, drawling out “You know, Derek Hale would be a whole hale of a lot– Hale of a lot?” 

He looks so confused while trying to untwist his words and I put my elbow on the table, covering my mouth with my hand to hide my snicker– which Mr. S hears anyways and looks up to me, scrunching his face up even more “Gesundheit.”

“Uh, I– thank you” I mutter lamely to not seem rude.

Stiles coughs and rubs a hand over his mouth to hide his own chuckle and throws me a wink before turning to face his dad and correct gently “Hell of a lot?”

Mr. S nods “Hell,” he lifts a hand up pointing towards Stiles “Yes. He would be a _hell_ of a lot easier to catch if we could get an actual picture of him.”

I furrow my brows and lean forward putting my hand under my chin “How do you not have a picture of him?”

Mr. S grabs a picture from under another pile of papers “It’s the weirdest thing. It’s like every time we tried to get a mugshot–” Stiles snatches the picture from his too drunk to care dad “–it’s like two– laser beams were pointing at the camera.” 

Stiles’ eyes widen as he mutters a “Nice”– completely impressed with that knowledge. 

I lean over to his side and he tilts the picture so I can get a better look. There’s huge bright circles over Derek’s whole face basically like when you take a picture with the sun behind you at just the right angle **_will Scott never be able to take a normal picture again either?_**

Mr. S takes off his glasses and rubs his face with his hands “Oh, my God– ugh jesus, that ounce hit me like a brick. And I have said way too much, and if either of you repeat any of that–” he shakes his hands over the table like he’s trying to erase everything **_wax on wax off Mr Miyagi_**

Stiles lifts his hands out defensively “Dad– it’s us. We’re not gonna say anything– come on.” 

I nod as Mr. S looks between us offering a slight smirk and head jerk in lieu of a nod I’m assuming.

Stiles reaches for an envelope, taking the contents out and looking at them while Mr. S puts his forehead on his palm and shakes his head back and forth “See, the thing is they’re all connected. I mean, the bus driver that got killed, he was an insurance investigator assigned to the Hale house fire.” Stiles drops his hand onto the table holding a piece of paper and connects his eyes with mine **_Hale house fire– Peter?_**

Stiles leans over and reads what his dad is now staring at in front of him "Terminated under suspicion of fraud.”

Mr. S nods as he flips through more of the files “Exactly”.

I clear my throat and put one leg up onto the chair to sit on as I lean over closer to their paper piles “Who else?”

Mr. S continues without missing a beat “The video store clerk who got his throat slashed–” I shiver from the memory that will forever be embedded in my brain memory loop “–He’s a convicted felon, history of arson.” **_convicted felon Steve, should have known_**

Stiles clears his throat “What about the other two guys, the guys who got killed in the woods?” aka Reddick and his friend who harrassed Scott and Stiles the night before the Full Moon **_also the burnt to a crisp bodies under the sheet on the gurney that we stumbled upon_**

Mr. S waves a hand around “Priors all over their records including–”

Chin still resting in my hand, I flick my eyes over to Stiles before we mutter at the same time “Arson.”

Stiles licks his lips and leans closer to me “So maybe they all had something to do with the fire?”

“The house fire– so, what _evil_ Peter might have had a reas–” Mr. S hits his hands on the table in an attempt to get the papers in order, gaining both of our attentions. 

Stiles shoots out his hands to elaborate his question “Another shot?” he grabs the bottle and already has his hand on the cap when Mr. S shakes his head and makes a cut off motion with his hand “No, no, no, no more.”

Stiles drops one hand on the table “Dad, come on. You work really hard, all right? You deserve it.”

Mr. S sighs and rubs one hand over his forehead and the side of his head relenting “Oh, my God, I’m gonna have such a hangover.” **_worse than a frat boy at his first party of the year_**

Stiles laughs lightly “You mean you’re gonna have such a good night’s sleep.” 

He chuckles to hide his disgust with himself, hitting the glass lightly on the table and turning to face me muttering so only I can hear him “I’m gonna have an eternity in the lowest circle of hell.” 

I smirk and nod while he pours another _way too full_ glass. He raises his brows at me and jabs “Yea, well, you’re letting this happen so you’ll be right there with me” my smirk falls and he steals it as he turns back to hand his dad the glass **_that’s not true is it?_**

Mr. S takes his time this round, however he still downs that glass. Once he’s finished he sets the glass on the side of the bottom rim and rolls it back and forth on his palm. 

It rolls too close to the edge of the table and it topples off. Stiles reaches out, with reflexes I’m impressed by, and catches the glass before it crashes to the ground

Mr. S raises his eyebrows before rubbing his hands over his face again “Guys, there’s just _soo_ many questions.”

Stiles sets the glass safely on the table and puts his hand up to the side of his head “Like what?”

Mr. S scrunches up his face and flicks out his hand “Like if Derek– wanted to kill everyone involved with the fire… then why start with his sister? I mean, she had _nothing_ to do with it. Why make it look like some kind of animal did it?” 

Mr. S is beyond wasted and he’s starting to mumble now “When that cougar ended up in the parking lot– I checked with animal control. You know the instances of wild animal reports were up seventy percent over the past few months,” Stiles nods and sits back in his chair while his dad continues on “It’s like they’re just going crazy, running out of the woods– I don’t know.”

“Or something’s scaring them out.” Stiles looks over to me before looking back to the table **_Alpha scaring at it’s finest_**

Mr. S nods and smiles over to his son “You know, I miss talking to you. It’s like we never have time–”

Stiles is too lost in thought to actually hear what his dad is saying to him, he reaches into his pocket and interrupts “Dad, you know, I have to make a phone call– I’m sorry. I’ll be right back.” 

He pushes up from the table and sets one hand on my back while dialing with the other. 

I drop my leg from the seat and go to stand up, though Mr. S closes his eyes and continues like Stiles never got up “I do. I miss it– and I miss your mom.”

I halt my standing from the chair movements while Stiles drops both of his hands down “What’d you say?”

Mr. S doesn’t say another word, instead reaches for the whiskey bottle and begins to go for his glass. 

I reach forward before he can pour anything and halt his movements with my hand on his arm, Stiles comes forward a step and grabs the bottle out of his hands as tears begin to fill my eyes.

Mr. S still has his head in his elbow propped up hand and closes his eyes whispering “Thanks.”

I stand up and grab the bottle, fastening the cap and heading for the kitchen. Stiles sets his hand on my shoulder as I walk past him, squeezing lightly in thanks and I offer him a small smile. 

Reaching the kitchen I rinse the glass and set it in the sink. Walking to the cabinet I put the bottle away before putting my hands on the counter and take a few deep breaths **_getting info was not worth putting him through that_**

Stiles rushes in as I stand up straight “Hey we need to go– wai– are you okay?”

I clear my throat and nod my head, wiping my eyes quickly as I turn and head through the doorway towards the front door, adding over my shoulder “Yea I’m fine, um where are we going?”

Stiles looks like he doesn’t believe me and wants to say something, however his ringing phone cuts him off “Yea we’re leaving now. Ok– Scott– yea I get it, we’re hurrying” he shoves his phone in his pocket, grabbing his keys off the entry table and opening the door

“Stiles?” I furrow my brows, walking closer to him hesitantly.

He nods and sweeps his arm indicating the outside world we need to venture into “Adds– on the way I promise– come on.”

***

“Peter _fucking_ Hale?! Is taking my mom out?!– Tonight?!”

Stiles grimaces from my questions and raises a hand off the steering wheel “I– yes. Ok, apparently he showed up at the hospital pretending to be a pharmaceutical rep and woo’d your mom and–”

“Do not ever say someone woo’d my mom to me ever again”

He snorts and surrenders with another hand raise “Noted. Where does your GPS say she is now?”

I let out an aggravated sigh and look down to my phone shaking my head slightly “Nowhere near restaurants– oh, oh, oh next left and a right will get us to them quicker.” 

Stiles does as instructed and we see taillights up ahead, squinting his eyes he whispers “Is that them?”

“Yes. Why are you whispering?”

“Mission Op rules apply, Adds” 

I chuckle and whisper back “My mistake Eagle One.”

“We obviously need to retrain you on the code names–” he trails off and I look over to see him squint even more as he leans closer to the steering wheel.

Lightly easing on the breaks, Stiles flicks his eyes over to me “Permission to inflict a _minor_ fender bender little love tap on the car currently holding your mom?”

“You’re going to do that to Roscoe?”

He flicks his eyes to me quickly before looking at the car getting closer “I’d do anything for you guys,” he shrugs “but I need to know if you have another plan because our window is closing.”

I laugh and shrug my shoulder “Well I mean that will definitely postpone the date”

He rolls his eyes playfully and jerks his head forward slightly “You’re not whispering again– but 10-4.”

He leans off the brakes lightly as we bump into the back of Peter’s car **_more forcefully than he probably wanted_**

Mom is out right away shouting for all the world to hear “Are you kidding me?” She slams her door as soon as she recognizes the jeep “Stiles!” She squints her eyes at none other than her daughter in the passenger seat “Addy?!” 

Stiles and I share a grimace before opening our doors and hoping out.

Stiles rubs the back of his neck as he closes his door and I meet him around the front of the jeep “Mrs. McCall?”

Mom shakes her head at him and raises her eyebrows coming to stand in front of us “Yes!” 

Stiles looks to me, chuckling “Wow, this is– this is just crazy. What a coincidence, huh?” he flicks his arm out to me and I nod looking anywhere but at my fuming mother who humorlessly chuckles out “Ha-ha, guys seriously?”

I open and close my mouth trying to figure out how to diffuse her anger while Stiles continues his charade “I mean– I do _not_ know what happened. You guys just came out of nowhere,” he throws his hands between Peter’s car and his jeep.

Mom scoffs “Came out of nowhere?!” We were parked on the side of the road, Stiles.”

Not really thinking, I offer “I mean technically the back end of the car was sticking out a little and–” 

Mom scoffs and swings her raised eyebrows towards me, shutting me up instantly.

Stiles clears his throat, gaining her attention from me “Anyways how crazy is that? I mean, we should probably call the cops, you know, do like an accident report thing–” I nod when he looks my way, shoving my hands into my jacket pocket.

Peter joins our huddle now, setting his eyes in an unwavering stare at us “I don’t think that’s necessary, you two should probably get on with your evening.”

Stiles squints his eyes and sets one hand on his hip and the other up to his neck “Are you sure? I think I’m feeling a little whiplash.”

Mom shrieks and flicks her arm back towards Peter’s car as I flinch back “Whiplash? You hit us!”

I notice Peter walk off towards the front of his car, muttering under his breath **_Scott must be nearby_**

Stiles continues to rub his non injured neck “I don’t know– there’s something definitely wrong with my neck,” he grimaces as mom shakes her head and scoffs for the thousandth time in five minutes

Peter walks back towards us and sets one hand on mom’s arm gaining her attention “Melissa, perhaps a raincheck is in order.”

Stiles flails an arm out “Great idea mystery man, I’ll take her home since I’m going to drop off Addy.” 

I smile as mom drops her mouth open to argue, however, I cut her off with a shrug “Good idea, save the trip. Come on mom…”

Peter smirks at Stiles “Or I could take them both home and you could just head on home and rest that whiplash, Stiles was it?”

I move closer to Stiles and set my hand on mom’s arm, sending Peter a glare before looking at mom “No. Stiles left his books at our house, so he needs to take us. Mom please come with us.”

I don’t know if my face said everything I couldn’t or if she could sense my complete fear for her hinting under my words that I _could_ say, but her face softens and she nods slightly “Let me just grab my purse.”

They walk off to the passenger side and talk too quietly for us to hear. Stiles knocks into my shoulder and walks us over to his jeep “She’s safe, it’s okay.”

I shake my head slightly “Yea for now,” I look over towards mom and see Peter send us a smirk while he rounds the front of his car “do you really think he’s going to stop putting her in danger to get to Scott?”

My pitiful expression when I connect my eyes with his makes him furrow his brows. 

He makes a noise in his throat before the next thing I know, he reaches his arm out to grab my shoulder and brings me in for a hug. 

My hands stay in my pockets as shock prevents me from comprehending what’s happening. We may have been friends since we were four, but this kind of affection is few and far between for us **_not a terrible feeling though I must admit_**

My face is smashed into his chest for the second time in however many days **_still smells amazing ugh_** and I slowly get myself together to reach my arms around and return his hug.

It doesn’t last long though, Stiles pulls away with a cough and brings one arm up to rub the back of his neck as he turns to open the door. 

He reaches and pulls the seat forward for me to climb in the back. I set one foot on the bottom of the door frame and turn back to him “Thank you.” 

He flicks his eyes from the ground to me, nervously asking “For what?”

I try to figure out how to say ‘everything’ when mom walks up clearing her throat roughly “Either of you want to tell me what the hell is going on?”

“It was an accident mom” I shrug however, I have a hard time looking her in the eyes.

“Uh-huh and _demanding_ I come home with you two?” She swings her mom eyes towards Stiles who opens and closes his mouth.

I sigh and look at Peter’s retreating car “I just had a weird feeling from the guy. I’m sorry if that ruined your date.” 

I don’t look at her as I turn and climb the rest of the way into the back, pulling the seat back after I’m settled. 

She sighs and gets in the jeep as well, Stiles closing the door for her and running around the front to get to his side. 

I drop my head against the window and beg whoever wants to listen that our life turns around soon. 


	11. Formality

Scott huffs and throws his pillow back on his bed “Call it again.”

I shake my head and continue to pace in front of the bed where Stiles is sitting at the end, amused look on his face at our behavior when I continue “It’s not here Scott. Now rewind– Peter hinted to _you_ , at our impromptu accident scene, that Jackson was in danger?–” I raise my hands, moving them out in front of me as I go on with recapping what Scott filled us in on “–You then ran to the Hale house and found Derek about to attack Jackson– so you ninja jumped from the stairs into a superhero landing in front of him to protect him–” I hear Stiles chuckle before I see Scott roll his eyes “Yes now wi–”

I hold up a finger towards his face and push on “ _BUT_ before you could fight Derek, someone started shooting at the house and you somehow escaped, mostly unscathed, and wound up at the Vet’s office where Deaton was taking care of you–”

Scott huffs, widening his eyes slightly in annoyance as he interrupts me “Addy, yes now–”

I continue my pacing and hand pointing with each statement “ _AND_ when you woke up, Peter _fucking_ Hale shows up trying to ‘pick you up’ like you’re a goddamn house pet, but he couldn’t make it past the reception counter because of something called a Mountain Ash barrier– that Deaton was using to protect you both with?” 

Scott nods and grits out through his clenched teeth “ _Yes,_ now will–”

Ignoring his attempt to interrupt me, I stop my pacing and set my hands on my hips fully facing Scott and Stiles “ _AND_ then Peter threatened basically every one of us vulnerable non werewolves of your life?”

Scott groans and throws out his hands towards me “YES! Addy will you please call my phone again?”

Hands still on my hips, I squint my eyes in thought my rambling train not done yet “What the hell is Deaton and what the actual fuck is Mountain Ash?”

Scott throws his head back “Ugh Stiles! Will _you_ call my phone again?”

Stiles snorts and rubs a hand over his mouth to hide his smile, clearing his throat he looks from me and over to Scott “It’s not here dude. Okay, so you lost your phone. Why don’t you just get a new one?” 

He raises his hands out to his sides with his suggestion, while Scott drops to the floor to search under his bed again **_if his werewolf hearing couldn’t hear it ring, obviously his eyes can find it_**

Scott shakes his head, standing up from the floor and goes to the other side of the room “I can’t afford a new one– and I can’t do this alone. We have to find Derek.” 

Stiles looks offended, waving his hand in between us as he argues “Well, ‘A’, you’re not alone. You have us. And ‘B’, didn’t you say Derek walked into gunfire? He sounds pretty dead.”

I shake my head and sit next to him on the end of the bed “We always think he sounds ‘pretty dead’ and he always shows back up. I’m never going to believe he’s actually gone until I see his body in a morgue for longer than a day.”

Scott makes a noise in the back of his throat as he goes to the bathroom door “Plus Argent’s plan was to use him to get to the Alpha– they’re not gonna kill him.”

Stiles ponders that, lifting his shoulders up “All right, so then just let them do what they’re planning, you know? They use Derek to get Peter– problem solved.” 

Scott rushes out of his closet throwing his arm down “Not if Peter’s going after Allison to find Derek! I can’t protect her on my own. Which means we either find Derek first or– just– just help me!” Scott exclaims, following his desperate plea by throwing a toy basketball at the side of Stiles’ face **_that I try really hard not to laugh at_**

Stiles glares and in return hits the ball off my forehead, catching it as he stands up and faces Scott “You know, you probably lost it when you two were fighting. You remember that, when he was trying to _kill_ you, after you interrupted him trying to _kill_ Jackson? Are you starting to see a pattern of _violent_ behavior here?”

Scott stops his movements and looks over at us “He wasn’t going to kill anyone– and I’m not letting him die.”

Stiles’s face drips with annoyance while he flicks his hands out “Could you at least _think_ about letting him die? For me?”

I turn my head to him “He did save us the night in the hospital with Nurse Hatchet and Peter”

He rolls his eyes as a response, turning his attention to Scott and squinting his eyes causing me to turn my head as well.

Scott has his listening face in full force, and I hear Stiles behind me mutter “What?” 

“Mom just got home from work.”

Stiles sits in the desk chair with his chest resting against the back. He crosses his arms on top of the seat and furrows his brows while Scott stands up from the headboard and goes to lean against the bed near the window. His face has drawn into a frown as he listens to whatever he can that we can’t **_bullshit non sharing werewolf hearing_**

I cross my arms while Stiles flicks his eyes from me to Scott, both of us seeing him let out a soft sigh.

“Is she okay?” Stiles inquires while I turn more and lift one leg up on the bed to look at Scott seeing him shake his head, I add “What’s she doing?”

Scott connects his sad eyes with mine “Crying.”

Stiles sighs and drops his hands to his lap “Scott, you can’t protect everyone.”

Scott looks up and shakes his head “I have to.”

***

The boys open the locker room door and I step out of the way as a very sweaty and nervous looking Jackson goes running past. We follow him and watch from around a corner as he rushes down the hall, slamming his body into the locker next to Allison’s.

I turn to look at Stiles and Scott as they look at the scene before us “What the hell did you do to him, Scotty?” I chuckle and cross my arms looking back towards the pair down the hall.

Stiles snorts “Well Jackson wasn’t exactly up for helping keep Allison safe at the dance out of the goodness of his heart, so Scott wolf-suaded a bit.”

I raise my brows “Wolf-suaded huh?” and flick my gaze to Scott who shakes his head “I just confirmed to him I am what he so desperately wants to be.”

Scott flicks his gaze back to Allison and lets out a deep exhale as he leans on the wall to peer around the corner “At least he said they were going as ‘just friends’ four times,” he rolls his eyes as Jackson looks over at us quickly before sharing a laugh with Allison.

Stiles and I share a look before he hits Scott on the shoulder “Hey, don’t worry. We’ll still be there.”

I flick my head to him, disagreeing instantly “I’m not going.”

Both of them turn to look at me, opening and closing their mouths before Scott’s voice breaks their stunned silence “What? That– that’s not what Allison said”

I shake my head and adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder “Allison has a date so she shouldn’t really get a say.”

“They’re going as friends” Scott reminds and I shrug, mumbling lowly “Still more than what I got.”

Stiles makes a noise and urges “Adds, you have to be there.”

I look up at him, opening my mouth to say something when Scott interrupts “Whatever, I’m still going,” and leans back to look around the corner at the pair.

Registering his words, I squint my eyes at the back of his head “Why wouldn’t you be going?”

He shrugs both of his shoulders “Coach negotiated with the principal to not kick me off the team by instead choosing for me to not be allowed to go to the Formal, because I’m failing two classes or whatever.”

Stiles looks to him and nods his head to the side “Three classes, but regardless is that such a good idea? Do you even have a date?”

“Not yet.” Scott answers and I smirk “Do you have a suit?” 

Scott shakes his head “Not yet.”

“Do you have a _ticket_ to the formal? A ride there?” Stiles rattles off and Scott sighs finally turning away from the hallway to face us “No– and no.”

Stiles jerks his head back lightly “So you’re gonna ride your bike to a dance that you’re not even allowed to go to– without a date, a suit, or a way in with werewolves and _werewolf hunters_ all out to kick your little werewolf ass?”

Scott nods with each of Stiles’ statements before he chuckles “Yeah– you guys gonna help me?”

“Hell, yeah.” Stiles exclaims, setting his hand on Scott’s shoulder and leading him a step away, though I stop their advancing steps with a lift of my hands “I will help you later, first I have to go to the mall with Allison and Lydia.”

They share a knowing look and Scott lifts a brow “I thought you weren’t going?”

I drop my hands back down to my sides as I clarify “I’m not, I am however helping _them_ pick out _their_ dresses– it’s what girls do or so I’m learning.”

Stiles drops one of his hands, his voice softer “Addy, it’s our first dance– you have to go.”

I look down at my bare wrist simultaneously turning on my heel and heading in the other direction “Oh fuck a duck look at the time, gotta go! Byyye!” I lift my arm in a wave and I’m out of ear shot at whatever they are mumbling at my retreating form **_they’re worse than girls sometimes I swear_**

****

Lydia slaps her hand down on the railing of the escalator “All right you two, what the hell is wrong with you both?”

Allison and I share a look before we both shake our heads, Allison’s voice working properly first “Nothing’s wrong, I just– I have a lot on my mind.”

I nod in agreement and look back to the escalator ride in front of us “I’m still wondering why the both of you think I’m going to this thing date less” **_absurd friends of mine_**

Lydia makes a noise in the back of her throat “You could find a date if you _actually_ wanted to go with someone.”

I click my tongue and look over my shoulder at her “I wasn’t exactly putting off the _no date_ vibes these last few weeks”

Lydia shakes her head “Fine well you both could smile, at least. Ever heard of the saying, ‘Never frown, someone could be falling in love with your smile’?” We both give her a look and she rolls her eyes playfully “Smile, double A’s. I’m buying you both killer dresses.”

I shake my head no as Allison cuts in with a hand on my shoulder “Have to admit as far as apologies go, that’s more than I expected.”

“Excellent,” Lydia smiles cheekily and I look between them “Okay but she has nothing to apologize to me for, so she definitely doesn’t need to buy me anything let alone a fucking formal dress” **_that I’m not going to_**

“Lydia ignored you for years and thought you were a new student last year” Allison deadpans **_that’s not untrue_**

Lydia glares at her and crosses her arms “Way to make me feel like shit– you’re getting shoes too Addy.”

“What?! Lyds seriously no!” I turn around slightly more to look at her and she is already shaking her head at me “Addy, this what girls– nay– this is what _I_ do for my friends– so let me,” I tilt my head to the side, my resolve cracking as she goes on “ _Besides_ we’re all just going as a group anyways, so as _our best friend_ you need to be there too babe.” 

She puppy dogs the fuck out of her eyes and I’m no match, my mouth twitches to fight the smile trying to break free and I sigh as I face forward again “Dress. No shoes.”

Lydia claps her hands twice with a little squeal before setting them on my shoulders and giving me a little squeeze hug combo “Good because I already bought you a ticket.” She stands back up straight and gives me a side eye smirk like she knew all along I’d cave **_aaaand I fell for it_**

My mouth drops open instantly and Allison laughs before turning to Lydia “But not as much as _I’m_ going to ask.”

Lydia cocks her head to the side replacing her smirk with scrunched up confusion “What? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re going to cancel on whatever dumb, roided-up jock you said yes to and you’re going to go with somebody else.” 

We step off the escalator and walk farther into the second floor of Macy’s, Lydia letting out a scoff and reluctantly ponders “Who?”

Allison points forward and we see Stiles at the perfume counter “Him.” 

Right on cue he sprays what he should be smelling into his face and he sneezes, before he sets an arm on the counter, picture of ease, as he waves at us.

I smile and chuckle while Allison smirks at Lydia “Don’t frown, Lydia. Someone could be falling in love with your smile.” 

My smile drops ever so slightly when I feel an unfamiliar pang feeling in my chest, I shake it off as Lydia makes a hmpf noise and goes to talk to Stiles.

It brings the smile back to my face as he reacts to her proposal for the dance **_there’s that pang again, WTFuck_**

Allison nudges my shoulder “Hey, you okay with this?”

I flick my eyes to her before raising a brow “Of course I’m okay with it, why wouldn’t I be okay with it?” I turn my head back to the pair in front of us as they walk off towards the dresses “Stiles’ dream girl is asking him to a dance.”

Allison smirks and looks over to a dress rack tilting her head for me to follow “I don’t think Lydia is his dream girl and I’m hoping this will make him realize that.”

I squint my eyes as I work through what her words mean “So you’re setting them up to give Stiles clarity and give Lydia payback farther by spending the evening with someone she has no interest in?”

Allison nods with a knowing smirk as she grabs a beyond gorgeous beaded bodice, mint colored dress holding it up to me, her eyes lighting up instantly “This color looks amazing on you, please try it on?”

I huff but grab the hanger gently from her “Okay isn’t that a little _evil_ and for the love of seven puppies, what’s with all the smirking? What do you know that I don’t?”

“I’m not saying I _know_ anything, I’m just observant.” She shrugs while moving to another rack.

“Of what exactly?” She hands me a lace navy blue dress to add to my pile when I follow her and she throws over her shoulder “You have to see it for yourself, I can’t force you”

I snort “I’m not asking for a Jedi force showdown in the juniors department, just a little hint would be nice” I grab a silver dress and hand it to her. She smiles and grabs the hanger throwing it over her three deep dress pile on her other arm.

Stiles walks past us carrying a pile of I don’t even know how many dresses but his face is almost hidden from how far they pile up in his arms “Oh– okay, so are you just gonna– try these on right now?” Lydia ignores him and throws another one on the pile before turning and walking away, him following her “All of them? Is this a 24-hour Macy’s?”

Allison and I connect our gazes, eyes squinting in the corners before we’re busting out laughing. Stiles turns slightly to glare at us before heading into the changing room waiting area.

Our laugh turns into a chuckle and I’m still staring at the spot he was last in when Allison bops me on the nose with her finger gaining my attention “I see the look”

Confusion crosses my features “What look?”

“Nope, you asked for a hint, that’s my hint”

I look from her to the dressing room and back to her, dropping my mouth open slightly and making a little noise “No– Ally, _friends_. We are just friends.”

She hmm’s and turns to a mirror behind us holding up a black, white and red colored dress, I go to shake my head when a voice behind us makes me jump “That’s not your color.”

My eyes snap to Peter’s face, my mouth opening to give a warning when he slightly shakes his head. I snap my mouth closed when he flicks his eyes past me and gives Allison his full attention “Sorry if that was intrusive, but– considering your skin tone, I’d go lighter.” **_skin tone? Could you be any creepier?_**

Allison chuckles since she has no idea of the murderer in front of her “Because I’m pale?” I drop my glare and give her a light smile when she turns to look at me.

Peter shakes his head “Fair. I mean, you can’t call skin like yours pale. Not skin that perfect.” **_Creep-o-meter just broke on the highest level_**

Allison nervously looks to me chuckling out “Okay” as she turns and puts the dress back.

Peter turns to a rack and begins searching through the hangers “Trust me, I– I have a unique perspective on the subject.” He lifts the same silver one up I already handed Ally and reaches for her hand to compare the colors “Do you mind?” **_didn’t really give her much choice there Alphacreepeter_**

Allison looks around nervously when he flicks his head up to us again, letting go of her arm “See? Much better.”

I fake smile his way and stand closer to Allison as he continues “You two aren’t here alone, are you?” 

We shake our heads and step closer towards where I’m hoping Stiles is going to come around the corner of the dressing room waiting area any second when he continues “Shopping for dresses– with friends. High school dance?”

Allison and I mutter “Formal” at the same time before the announcer in the store’s intercom breaks our stranger danger convo “Attention shoppers. To the owner of a blue Mazda, license plate–”

Allison shares a look with me “Did she just say a blue Mazda?” I nod as the announcer lady continues “5768. Your car is being towed”

Allison widens her eyes before handing me her dresses “Oh! That’s my car.” 

I nod towards the front of the store “Go I’ll wait for you in there” and follow her until I’m walking into the changing room as she heads for the doors to the parking lot **_why is he showing up everywhere?_**

Once I walk through the doorway into the waiting area for the dressing room, I lean my back against the wall out of sight of the store “Addy? What’s wrong?”

Looking to my left I see Stiles sitting down, game on his phone forgotten as he looks at me. 

Not wanting to ruin the day I just shake my head “Nothing, I’m going to try these on– um wil– will you let Allison know hers are with me when she comes in? Her car was being towed so she went to check on it.”

Not really giving him time to do anything but give me a look screaming his unasked questions, I turn to find an empty room. 

Leaning my back against the door as soon as I close it, I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Hanging the dresses up, I smile already knowing which one I’m picking.

***

I step into my dress and attempt to contortion my arm around to zip up the part on my lower back but I only make it so far before letting out a huff “Useless T-Rex arms.”

There’s a knock on my door, bringing a smile to my face **_mom to the rescue_** “Come in…”

She walks in and drops her mouth open with a small gasp “Oh honey, that dress is gorgeous”

I smile looking at my reflection in the mirror, nodding and looking at her behind me “Lydia and Allison have amazing taste.”

  
“Ithink it also has something to do with who is wearing the dress as well but–” **  
**

“Well I think you’re biased, but thank you momma. Could you zip me up?” I move the bottom half of my hair that’s not pinned up over the side of my shoulder and out of the way “There’s also a little hook on the top bit.”

I see her nod and feel the zipper go up “Saw it– there we go,” She sets her hands on my shoulders and leans her chin to rest atop her left hand looking at our reflection “beautiful honey, did you do your hair?”

I shake my head slightly “After the mall we went back to Lydia’s and she pinned up my hair for me while Allison pinned up hers. I curled the bottom of mine while she curled Allison’s.”

Mom’s smile instantly gets brighter “Well I love it, and I’m so glad you are making friends with the girls,” I roll my eyes and she lifts up her hands “–There is nothing wrong with your brother or Stiles, however, a girl needs some close girl friends in her life.”

I give her a knowing smile and soft nod “It has been nice, especially for a night like tonight”

She nods when there’s a knock on my bathroom door, at my okay to come in Scott pops his head past the door “Opinions on my tux please?”

At his pitiful look mom chuckles and lifts out her hands “On our way” she walks through the bathroom into Scott’s room, me following them. 

She sees said tux on Scott’s bed and flattens it out exclaiming “This is really nice. How did you afford a– oh–” She turns the flap of the jacket open and we see some DIY patchwork inside.

Scott, who was fixing his tie, turns around suddenly “It’s not gonna work, is it?”

Mom smiles instantly lifting the jacket up “No, no, it’s fine, it’s fine. No one’ll notice. No one legally blind.” She reassures slightly causing me to snort into my hand.

Scott shouts from the bathroom “I heard that.”

“Okay, well, you just come in here, and we can try it. Come on, come on, come on. Let’s do this.” 

Scott walks past me turning around so mom can help him put the jacket on, offering me a smile “You look great, Addy.”

I return his smile and cross my arms standing off to the side “Thanks, Scotty.”

Mom smiles as she lifts the back onto his shoulders and Scott turns around to face her “See? I actually think this is gonna work.”

Scott raises his eyebrows “Really?”

I nod as mom flicks her hand out “Turn and– no.”

Scott lifts his arms out to his side and we see a hole in the back of his pants that the jacket was previously hiding.

I walk into the bathroom to get a sewing kit. Hearing Scott exclaim “What?”

I walk back into the room and see mom point behind him causing him to turn and see for himself “Yeah.”

Scott grabs the offending material “What– I– I don’t have time for this! I can’t buy new ones, Mom! What am I gonna do?”

Mom raises her hands “Okay, don’t panic, all right? Take them off. Pants off now.” 

I set the kit in her waiting outstretched hand and go sit in the desk chair turning it away from the pant-less bro.

Mom sits down on the bed next to me and begins her hole patch work up “So is she coming here, because you know I need the car tonight… Addy are you going with them?”

Scott interrupts “No– I’m going stag.”

“You’re going alone?” Mom ponders with a tilt of her head towards him.

Scott is quick to argue “Stag. There’s a difference– sort of.”

I snort and look over my shoulder at mom “Zero difference– and mom is there any chance you could drop us off?”

She nods through a chuckle and addresses Scott “I’m sorry, I’m just a little, you know, surprised that, you don’t have anyone else to ask other than Allison.”

Scott releases a sad sigh “There are no other girls besides Allison.”

Mom and I share a knowing look before she goes back to her sewing “You really feel that way?”

Scott throws his head backwards “Can you just please keep sewing?”

“No, no, no, no. You have time for just one question. Come here.” She pats the bed next to her and I turn the seat to face them now.

“Do you really feel that way?” She connects her gaze with his before going back to work

Scott sighs as he sits down “I can’t help it. I mean, every time I look at her, I get this– this hollow feeling in my chest, and it’s like– it’s like someone literally took a shovel and dug a hole in me, and it’s the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my life, and I didn’t– I didn’t know anyone could actually ever feel this bad.”

Mom nods “I know. Everyone knows eventually. It does go away.”

“I don’t want it to.”

“Have you told her how you feel?” Mom questions, Scott nodding absentmindedly “She knows.”

Mom clicks her tongue and high fives Scott’s forehead “Come on, _she knows_.”

I uncross one of my arms to cover my mouth from busting out laughing while mom lifts her previous face smacking hand in the air continuing her question “She knows? Listen, dumb ass, I’m gonna let you in on a secret that most guys don’t even have a clue about, all right? You ready? Women love words.”

“Huh?” **_Good start_**

Mom rolls her eyes and connects them with mine. I lift my brows up as an answer **_He’s your son_**

“You need to tell her how you feel. Just say it. Say it again. Say it differently.” She chuckles lightly, Scott and I smiling right along with her as she continues with her wisdom “Learn how to say it better. Learn how to sing it. You know, just write it in a poem and a letter attached to flowers, carve it in a tree, in a sidewalk with cement– tattoo on your arm.”

“Really?” Scott and I ponder together, earning her to chuckle before she bites off the string from the needle “No. Not really. Just– tell her the truth. Tell her– anything and everything you want.”

“Everything?” Scott lifts a brow, mom nods and points to Scott’s jacket “But when you do– I’d keep that buttoned. Come on we gotta go now if I’m dropping you guys off.”

***

I walk up closer to the gymnasium after having to weave through the _other_ far side of the parking lot ** _thanks to Scott having to sneak in out of sight_**

I see Allison getting out of Jackson’s car, her eyes lighting up instantly before she’s crashing into me with a bear hug “Addy! Holy shit did I pick a great dress for you because you look stunning!” **_que blushing cheeks_**

I pull away looking to my feet before adding a curtsy “Well thank you kindly. You look absolutely gorgeous, Ally.”

“Thank you” she smiles and links her arm with mine. The sound of a familiar door opening with a squeak causes me to turn my head to our right. 

I see Stiles standing next to the passenger door of his Jeep, completely zoned out from Lydia who is trying to get out the jeep.

He has his hand on the handle, however, his gaze is on me– an unreadable expression on his face. 

After getting out of the jeep, Lydia mutters something to him, though he doesn’t react other than lifting his other hand up to rub over his mouth **_ok what was that?_**

My line of vision is taken up from that curious situation by Lydia who is now making her way over to me.

She reaches me, smiling brightly and giving me a tight hug as well “Gorgeous darling,” she winks as she pulls away and assesses the dress **_and fucking shoes she spoiled me with,_** with an approving nod “Told you the shoes could NOT be passed up.”

I nod and look down at the gorgeous accessories “I will never again question Lydia _the fashion guru_ Martin, who also looks stunning tonight.”

“Thank you sweetie,” she smiles and looks over my shoulder. Her smile switching from genuine to fake just like that “Jackson– you look handsome.” 

Allison makes her way closer to her supposed date while I see Jackson rolls his eyes “Obviously– it’s Hugo Boss.” **_can he ever not be a prick?_**

I roll my eyes and look away, my gaze instantly crashes with Stiles’–who is still looking at me with that unreadable expression. 

I feel my cheeks warm and I look down at my dress, making sure the tule or something isn’t in a compromising position **_nope, still decent– why is he just staring?_**

My attention is drawn to the black dress shoes now standing in my line of vision with my own heels. 

I lift my head up slowly, giving him a warm smile “Hey Sty– you look very handsome this evening”

Stiles clears his throat with a lopsided smile and lifts one hand to rub behind his neck “Adds– that dre– you– you look absolutely beautiful.”

Bringing the biggest smile to my face, **_and holy mothership of butterflies to my stomach_** , he shoves his hands in his pockets, returning the smile and squinting his eyes off towards the doors of the dance. 

Lydia walks up and links her arm with mine raising a brow at the two of us with her own knowing look “Let’s get this show on the road everyone, shall we?”

***

The dance is in full swing and I’m currently having an absolute ball– sitting on my ass– _alone_ at a table and completely wondering why I thought this would be fun **_I was puppy dogged tricked into coming that’s right._**

Going with friends is great in theory until you’re actually here and realize a date is pretty much the only reason to be here– friends dancing together only makes sense for so long, especially with the type of song that is playing right now **_aka the slow couple sway_**

Stiles plops down in the seat next to me snapping me from my thoughts. I drop the hand that was holding up my chin on the table and offer him a small smile “Hey, where’s Lydia?”

He shakes his head slightly looking off to the dance floor “Looking for the person she should be here with.”

“Oh, Stiles– I–”

“You wanna dance?” He flicks his eyes to me, interrupting what I was about to say.

Making a noise in the back of my throat I furrow my brows, shaking my head and sitting back in my seat “Hard pass”

Stiles scoffs “Hard pa– you know what? Let me try that again,” he stands up adjusting his tie slightly and setting his hands on the back of the chair next to me “Addy– get off your cute little ass and dance with me now.” **_my what now?_**

I offer my own lighthearted scoff, raising a brow at him “Just because I’m sitting here alone doesn’t mean I want a pity dance, Stiles.”

He drops his mouth open in offended shock “A pit– Adds, _get up_ okay?”

At my raised eyebrow response he clears his throat and sets his hands down on the table, leaning in front of me “Addy McCall, you are going to dance with me. I don’t care that you have excuses for every foot that you are tall. I don’t care if your feet are hurting in shoes that don’t even remotely resemble your Converse you’re always in. I don’t want to dance with you out of pity. I want to dance with my best friend, because we made a pact when we were eight that we would not only attend this thing, but that we would dance our first dance together– no matter what. I want to dance with the _only_ person who has kept me alive and sane these past few weeks,” he licks his lips, standing up tall as he holds out one of his hands to me “I want to dance with the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.” ** _holy shit he just said all of those things? I can’t believe he remembered the pact._**

I clear my throat and place my small hand in his much larger one “Well who could say no to a proposition like that”

Shock crosses his face “Wha– really?” while he pulls me up, I set my other hand on his arm to steady myself in the heels I’m unpracticed in wearing.

I smile and playfully roll my eyes as I go to lead us to the dance floor of bodies, I however do not miss the beginning of his arm in the air celebration fist bump when I start to turn. 

I chuckle at his theatrics, and try to weave us through the crowd. I feel him link our fingers when the bodies get more crowded around us.

Seeing an opening I move us into it, pivoting on my heel to face him now. Immensely grateful for the six inch heels and my eye level now being just above his shoulder. Which I’m hoping will make this next move easier **_you know the whole dancing thing_**

I must look lost **_since I’ve never danced with anyone before_** , because he smiles and mutters “Come here”.

He keeps our hands linked, pulling me closer by them and brings them up to his chest. I make a guess as to where to put my **_hanging limply at my other side_** arm, and lift it up around his neck. 

He wraps his free hand around me, lightly skimming the bare part of my back. His touch immediately sending a shiver down my spine and he pulls me impossibly closer as his hand splays out across my waist. 

He drops his head slightly to rest the side of his jaw against the side of my face and I try to focus on my breathing when we start to sway to the beat of _I Found by Amber Run_ , feeling him move his thumb back and forth against my hand.

I thought we were close when we hid in the locker– well that’s nothing compared to now. The butterflies are in full force flapping away in my stomach, and I feel like I can’t breathe.

I take a deep breath, that I lie to myself and say isn’t shaky, while I drop my head to lean against his shoulder. His head stays connected to mine, our sway never missing a beat **_is dancing with someone always like this?_**

He smells even better than locker night, and I resist the urge to punch his _again_ traitorous smelling chest **_you’re killing me Stilinski_**

Partly because he smells amazing, partly because I feel like I can’t breath but mainly because I’m dancing with my best friend and I’m beyond nervous **_however I can’t figure out why_**

If I’d had been on a date before in my life, I’d imagine this is how I’d be feeling. But this is Stiles, I don’t feel that way about him– besides he is in love with one of my now really close friends.

No I definitely can’t feel that way about him– there’s no way I fee– I widen my eyes **_sweet baby jesus, was Ally right?_**

I’m snapped out of my thoughts when I hear Coach yelling “Mccall! I see you! Come here, buddy. Come here. Mccall! Get outta my way! Mccall!”

We lift our heads, eyes widening as we see Scott run past us “Hey guys, looking great.”

We turn back to each other and share a chuckle. I lower my elbow from Stiles’ shoulder and slide my arm to rest against his back with my hand laying on top of his shoulder. I feel him shiver and try to hide my smile as I set my jaw on the top of my hand ** _payback shiver, self-five_**

I see Scott argue and then grab Danny. He sets his arms around his neck and they start somewhat swaying. I shake my head slightly causing Stiles to whisper near my ear “What’s happening?”

Fighting the urge to shiver again with his breath on my ear, I mutter lowly “Scott’s pretending Danny is his date”

Stiles snorts and we hear Coach again now standing in front of the new couple “Mccall! You’re not supposed to– what the hell are you do– what the hell are you doing?”

Scott tightens his grip on Danny furrowing his brows “Yes, coach?”

Coach’s back is to us but we see him shaking his hands in front of him “Okay, ho- ho- ho– ha ha. Hold on, you– I was just saying he’s not supposed to– I mean, I wasn’t saying that he shouldn’t– You guys don’t think,” Coach starts to get frantic at looking around making sure we don’t think he’s _against_ the couple. “You don’t– I– I was– just dance, everybody. Just dance! Dance! It’s a party!”

I chuckle and shake my head on top of my hand. Stiles unlinks our hands and I think he’s going to pull away, however he surprises me and wraps his other arm around my back also **_Not complaining_**

I lift my now free arm and rest it across his shoulder laying my hand around his neck as I feel him tighten his hold on me, pulling me closer into him **_well now if this doesn’t feel amazing_**

I see Scott lead Allison to a spot near us and at her smirk and head nod I roll my eyes. Scott furrows his brow at our behavior and I stick my tongue out at him. He laughs and shakes his head before he is immediately in Scott and Allison land.

Stiles leans back slightly, connecting his eyes with mine “Why are you laughing now?”

I shake my head, offering a small smile “I wasn’t laughing, I was just– thank you for turning my night around.”

Stiles smiles and jerks his head back slightly, about to gloat based off his face; however, something catches his eye over my shoulder and the smile falls from his face. Groaning he stops his movement with me “Son of a bitch.”

I furrow my brows and try looking where he is, however, I can’t see anything other than who’s dancing next to us “What? What’s wrong?”

He flicks his eyes back to mine and there’s such a battle in his eyes “Stiles?”

Breathing out a harsh breath through his nose, Stiles licks his lips quickly and frowns “I saw Jackson and he just– ugh I have a bad feeling.” 

I shake my head “Bad feeling? Okay, well then come on” I grab his hand and we make our way through the crowd, walking out the doors into the hallway in no time where wecsee Jackson immediately “Where the hell have you been?”

Jackson turns around at Stiles’ voice and I cross my arms across my chest, lifting my shoulders “Did Lydia ever find you?”

Jackson looks the most scared or guilty I’ve ever seen him. Which is a huge and unsettling difference from his usual face **_this is going to be bad_**

“I’m going to go find her” Stiles shakes his head no and steps forward. I uncross my arms and set one of my hands on his arm while I’m stepping past him “I’ll be ok, promise.”

Stiles watches Addy go further down the hall fighting every feeling he has that’s yelling at him to go after her. Instead he turns to the pain in the ass, shaking his head at the look adorning Jackson’s face “What? What’s wrong?”

Jackson shakes his head once before he starts stuttering “I– I was out behind the school, and I– I was– out–”

Stiles having zero patience clenches his jaw “What happened? Jackson– what the hell did you do?”

***

I walk out of the bathroom and see what looks to be Lydia’s strawberry blonde hair walking around outside. 

Making my way over I push open the doors to the quad and follow her. I cross my arms over my chest again, my small attempt to get warm and wishing I’d taken a jacket with me tonight.

I see her walking a bit in front of me now after rounding the corner of the far building “Lydia!”

She turns around and steps towards me, relief crossing her features at seeing me “Oh thank god Addy, I think I saw Jackson walk over that way– will you come with me?” 

I shake my head and indicate behind us towards the school “Lyds he’s inside with Stiles come on back with me, it’s fucking freezing out here”

Her eyes widen over my shoulder “Jackson!” Then she’s off and fast pace walking in the other direction. 

“Lydia seriously there’s no way Jackson is already out here,” I grumble and I know I’m in heels but still I had a pretty big head start, plus he was _just_ supposedly in the other direction.

I follow Lydia, following Jackson, out to the lacrosse field, dread immediately taking over **_where happy beautiful teenage life butterflies used to live earlier this evening_** , when the field lights flash on.

Lydia points forward across the field from us “There he is.”

“Lyds…” my voice is much too small to reach her ears **_no way Jackson did this_**

She scoffs and shakes her head in her annoyance “Jackson, what the hell are you doing?!”

My eyes widen at the figure across the field, the much too tall to be Jackson figure “Lydia, that’s not–”

Stiles’ voice booms from behind us making me jump and turn seeing him running at full speed towards us “Addy, Lydia!! Addy, Run!!”

Pain like I’ve never felt immediately gains my attention from him, sucking in a sharp noise as air leaves my lungs. 

My eyes snap in front of me, instantly connecting with Peter’s Alpha reds and his were-teeth, that are way too close for my liking. 

I look down to my side and see his hand in the same spot where the blinding white pain is emanating from **_fucking prick ruined my dress_**

I can’t help the whimper I make while my brain takes in the information of not only the unbearable pain, but also upon lowering my gaze further and seeing Lydia covered in blood, lying unconscious next to us. My eyes fill with tears seeing her **_please be alive, please stay alive_**

He sets his other hand on my shoulder earning my gaze to snap up to him again. 

Peter smirks and then rips his claws from my side– very ungentle like I might add– leaving me to let out an involuntary scream and attempt to stand on my own **_being stabbed with 5 tiny blades attached to an alpha fist– do not recommend it_**

My legs give out as Stiles reaches us, coming to a sliding stop on one knee to catch me from hitting the ground completely.

“Adds…” Stiles’ broken voice breaks through my thoughts as he rests me back against his chest. I lift my eyes up to him and take a deep breath, wincing immediately with the pain that brings on “Did– did that just fucking happen?”

He frowns through his grimace, nodding and putting pressure on my side causing me to wince again, groaning through the pain.

Peter kneels next to us and reaches out to rest his hand against my neck. I whimper as I burrow back into Stiles’ chest, though I don’t really get far.

I feel Stiles’ voice rumble in his chest “Don’t kill her. _Please_.”

Peter clicks his tongue, tilting his head to the side as he moves his eyes between us “Of course not– just tell me how to find Derek.”

“Wh– what?” Stiles stammers and Peter throws him a look as he repeats “Tell me how to find Derek Hale.”

Stiles clutches me harder and I try to focus on just breathing through the pain as he answers him “I don’t know that– how would I know that?”

“Because you’re the clever one, aren’t you? And because deception has a particularly acrid scent, Stiles. Tell me the truth– or I will rip her apart.”

Peter emphasizes his threat by taking a single clawed finger and traces it down my cheek leaving a cut and drawing blood on the way down, making me hiss and flinch back into Stiles again.

His grip around me tightens as be bellows “Stop– stop it! Look– look, I don’t fucking know, okay? I sw– I swear to god, I have no idea.” I don’t even have to look to know he’s clenching his teeth with that last statement.

“Tell me!” Peter roars and Stiles flinches with me “Okay, okay, okay, look, I– I think he knew–”

“Knew what?” Peter pushes, leaning closer to us.

“Derek, I think he– I think he knew he was gonna be caught,” Stiles breathes out, rubbing his thumb against my arm as he holds me closer and Peter clarifies “By the Argents?”

“Yeah.”

“And?” Peter draws out, earning Stiles to let out a huff of aggravation before he stammers out “When they were shot, he and Scott– I think he took Scott’s phone.”

Peter narrows his eyes slightly “Why?”

I can feel Stiles shake his head, filling in quickly “They all have GPS now. So if he still has it, and if it’s still on– you can find him.”


	12. Code Breaker

Definitely feeling lightheaded now as my head starts to lull to the side on Stiles’ chest, however his voice causes my eyes to snap open and my head to lift **  
**

“No– I’m not just letting you leave them here.”

Peter with **_zero care in the world_** glances at me and then flicks his gaze towards Lydia, bringing out a handkerchief to wipe his bloody face “You don’t have a choice, Stiles. You’re coming with me.”

Stiles looks down to his hands on my side “Just kill me. Look, I don’t care anymore.”

I try sitting up, but just wince instead “Stiles go– I’ll call Jackson.”

Peter raises his arm out towards us “Call your friend. Tell Jackson where they are– that’s all you get.”

Stiles scoffs and jerks his head backwards “Jackson can’t carry both of them.”

 ** _I’m not an invalid_** “I can walk” I argue and attempt to lean forward but Stiles grips me tighter and continues like I said nothing “No, we’ll call him and I’ll take Addy.”

Peter glares however Stiles grits his teeth and continues on “Wait in the tree line and watch me. I’ll go with you– BUT only if you let me get Addy closer to the school.”

“This isn’t a negotiation” Peter lets out on a frustrated groan and throws his head back slightly, earning Stiles to shout right back “You didn’t need to fucking hurt her! Your choice now– either kill me or let me help her.”

***

We call Jackson and he surprisingly takes not long at all to get to us. His eyes widen at the scene before him– me holding Lydia’s hand, feeling her pulse– both of us covered in blood while Stiles keeps pressure against my non stop bleeding side.

Jackson runs over and picks up Lydia while Stiles helps me to my feet. I let out a hiss and groan, wincing the whole way because fucking stomach muscles are apparently a big deal when they get punctured **_amateurs_**

“Stiles, no–” My protest dies in the back on my throat, replaced with a groan while he lifts me into his arms, cradling me into his chest. 

I drop my head onto his shoulder and lift one arm around his neck, moving my other hand to hold my side while mentally cursing the fuck out of Peter **_the prick_** Hale

Stiles tightens his hold around my back and under the backs of my knees, carrying me with strength I wasn’t really aware he had “I’ve got you, Adds.”

Jackson and Stiles fall in step next to each other and Jackson flicks his eyes over to us “What the fuck happened to them? Was this Derek?”

Stiles scoffs “Derek wouldn’t hurt Addy. This was done by what Scott has been warning you about– just shut up and hurry.”

Jackson rolls his eyes and breaks through the tree line yelling for someone to help us. We see people running and screaming out of his path though can’t really blame them **_we do look like a scene out of a horror movie_**

Jackson lays Lydia on the ground and Stiles sets me on my wobbly legs, his hands gripping onto either side of my waist to steady me. 

He nods his head towards Lydia “Here sit down” I shake my head at his suggestion and my eyes widen slightly when I see Peter at the tree line we just broke through. I drop my voice to a whisper “Stiles, you have to go.”

Glare set in his eyes he looks over his shoulder, I see his arguing face set into position and I grab his arm with my free hand “Stiles, the ambulance is on its way, we’ll be okay– _go_. Please.” **_I can’t lose you_**

He flicks his golden eyes in between both of mine before exhaling roughly, nodding once and helping me lean my back against the car beside us.

He takes a couple steps away from us and with one look back over his shoulder he steps through the trees.

I take a couple deep breaths, trying to keep a decent amount of pressure into my side even though my arm is definitely getting tired. 

Jackson pivots on his toes to the side, looking up at me with concern I’m not used to “Addy you look like you’re going to pass out–”

“Jackson I’m fine, besides I don’t think I will survive if I have to stand up again” I answer honestly, smiling softly to lessen me waving off his concern.

He nods, looking back down to Lydia and grabs one of her hands in bot of his. 

I lean my head back against the car I’m leaning on and close my eyes, trying to focus on my breathing. I hear sirens in the distance and will them to hurry the fuck up.

*** 

_3rd POV_

Following Peter’s directions Stiles pulls into a parking garage, and parks near a car Peter points to. 

Getting out of the jeep Stiles begins to close his door when Peter is by his side in a flash grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. They walk a few cars down, coming to a stop by the trunk of one. Peter lets go of Stiles’ shirt to dig into his pockets for the keys.

“Whose car is this?” Stiles looks around before his eyes settle on the keys in Peter’s hand

“It belonged to my nurse.” Peter unlocks the trunk and begins to open it

“What happened to your nur– oh, my God!” Stiles jumps back and holds his hands up at the sight of Nurse Hatchett dead in the trunk of the car. Peter grabs a bag from under her dead arm and shoves it into Stiles’ chest.

Peter looks at Stiles’ shocked face still looking at the dead body, and then to his previous caregiver, shrugging a shoulder “I got better.”

He reaches up and closes the trunk as Stiles gives him a _what the fuck_ look.

Stiles watches Peter pulling the items out of the bag, rolling his eyes at the computer “Good luck getting a signal down here.”

Peter pulls out a device, causing Stiles to make a face “Oh, MiFi. And you’re a Mac guy. Does that go for all werewolves, or just a personal preference?”

Peter gives a look that screams _shut up_ as he shoves his hands into his pockets and nods towards the computer “Turn it on. Get connected.”

Stiles looks at the computer and shakes his head once before looking to the device in his hands “You know, you’re really killing the whole werewolf mystique thing here,” he flips the MiFi device over to get the wifi key code on the back. Clearing his throat he informs “Look, you still need Scott’s username and password, and I’m sorry, but I don’t know them.”

“You know both of them.” Peter jabs without missing a beat and Stiles flicks his head to the side to give him a look “No, I don’t.”

“Even if I couldn’t hear your heartbeat, I would still be able to tell that you’re lying.”

“Dude, I swear to God–”

Stiles doesn’t get a chance to finish his statement as Peter grabs him around the back of the neck and smashes the side of his face into the trunk of the car the computer is resting on. Stiles groans through the force that his head is being held down with, as Peter leans closer to him “I can be very persuasive, Stiles. Don’t make me persuade you.”

***   
_Addy POV_

We get to the hospital in minutes or seconds, I’m having trouble following time at this point. 

Mom was working tonight, so she is at the side of the gurney I’m on as soon as we are out of the ambulance.

She takes my hand and walks with us through the doors “Oh my god, wha– what happened?” Her eyes are frantic as they look back and forth from the cut on my cheek to the bloody mess of my side.

I close my eyes through a deep breath and connect my gaze with hers again “Claws mom– Lyd– Lydia’s worse, get to Lydia”

“Claws?” She states in horror before she shakes her head “I’m not leaving you–”

I squeeze her hand in mine twice with my pleading words “Mom, you can’t be my nurse and Lydia _needs_ a damn good nurse. Please.”

One of the nurses who I’ve known since I was little, Ronnie, comes over and puts her hands on mom’s shoulders “We’ve got your girl Liss, the other girl is in bed five.”

Mom takes a deep breath and nods once, kissing my non injured cheek and moving out of the way of the nurse team moving about.

They close the curtain around my bed and lay a blanket over my lap so we can maneuver my dress up and away from my torso. 

Ronnie tucks the tule under my arms and upper ribs so it’s out of the way because “We couldn’t cut such a beautiful thing.” 

I laugh despite the current situation, **_especially since the dress is already ruined_** , however I appreciate the thought nonetheless.

I don’t have to look at the wound to know it’s bad, their faces tell me enough. So I lay my head back and try to fight the sleep that is trying to take over, my vision going cloudy as their voices talk over each other

“Stay awake Addy”

“Ok we need a portable x-ray in here now, how deep do these look?”

“An animal did this? We need _O Neg_ now”

“It’s her left side so we have to worry about her spleen and possibly her stomach”

“I’ve cleaned the facial laceration”

“She’s going into shock, grab–”

Their voices stop as I welcome the world around me fading to a peaceful black.

***

_3rd POV_

Typing away Stiles exhales a shaky breath “What happens after you find Derek?”

“Don’t think, Stiles– type.” Peter takes a step closer towards the teen, who ponders reluctantly “You’re gonna kill people, aren’t you?”

“Only the responsible ones.”

Stiles scoffs “Look, if I do this, you have to promise to leave Scott out of it.”

Peter takes a deep breath to not lash out at the teen’s endless demands of the evening “Do you know why wolves hunt in packs? It’s because their favorite prey are too large to be brought down by one wolf alone. I need Derek and Scott. I need _both_ of them.”

Stiles looks back to the computer shaking his head once “He’s not gonna help you, and you pretty much already dug your grave by hurting Addy.”

Peter rolls his eyes before raising his eyebrows “She’ll survive, and he will help– because it’ll save Allison. And you will, because it will save Scott,” Stiles relents and looks to the ground as Peter continues “Your best friend whom you know so well, you even have his username and password.”

Stiles sets a hard look on his face and sighs typing in the info he knew all along.

Peter squints his eyes “His username is ‘Allison’?” Resisting the urge to say _really_ , even though his face says it all, he turns to Stiles as he finishes entering the password “His password is _also_ ‘Allison’?”

“Still want him in your pack?” Comes Stiles’ sarcastic reply with a jerk of his head.

Stiles furrows his brows at the computer screen “Wait, what the– that’s where they’re keeping him? At his own house?”

Peter squints his eyes until recognition flashes through them “Not at it– under it. I know exactly where that is.” 

He begins to pack up the electronics but stops his movements, ears perking up at the distant howling he hears. Derek and Scott– signaling to each other where they are to the other. 

_Excellent_ Peter thinks to himself, before offering outloud to Stiles “And I’m not the only one.”

Peter packs up the devices and throws his things in the backseat of the car, continuing to hear the howling in the distance. He looks to Stiles “Give me your keys.”

Stiles sighs, however, digs them out of his pocket anyways “Careful. She grinds in second.” He shoves them into Peter’s hand who immediately lifts them up, clenching his fist around them and bending the Jeep’s key at an angle to render it completely useless.

Stiles’ mouth drops open looking at the ruined keys, inquiring towards Peter’s retreating back “So you’re not gonna kill me?” 

Peter stops his steps near the driver’s door and walks slowly but deliberately back towards Stiles who takes a step back wishing he hadn’t asked “Oh God.”

“Don’t you understand yet? I’m not the bad guy here.” Peter stresses as calmly as he can, Stiles furrowing his brows and exclaiming “Tell that to Addy and Lydia! I mean jesus, you turn into a giant monster with red eyes and fangs who has single handedly been our living nightmare for weeks, and you’re _not_ the bad guy here?”

Peter nods his head “I like you, Stiles. Since you’ve helped me, I’m going to give you something in return. Do you want the bite?” He asks like one would ask if you wanted a bite of pizza.

Stiles raises his eyebrows, that being the last thing he expected to come out of the Alpha’s mouth “What?”

Peter repeats slowly “Do– you– want– the bite? If it doesn’t kill you– and it could– you’ll become like us.”

“Like you.” Stiles questions quietly, earning Peter to smirk “Yes, a werewolf. Would you like me to draw you a picture?” He takes a step closer “That first night in the woods, I took Scott because I needed a new pack. It could’ve easily been you. You’d be every bit as powerful as him. No more standing by his side, watching him become stronger, and quicker, more popular, watching him get the girl. You’d be equals. Maybe more,” Peter grabs Stiles’ arm and brings his wrist up towards his Alpha fangs “Yes or no?”

Stiles takes longer than he cares to admit to himself to deliberate, before he pulls his wrist away angrily “I don’t wanna be like you.”

Peter raises a brow “Do you know what I heard just then? Your heart beating slightly faster over the words ‘I don’t want’. You may believe that you’re telling me the truth, but you are _lying_ to yourself. Goodbye, Stiles.”

With that Peter gets in his car and he’s gone. All that’s on Stiles’ mind is getting to the hospital to check on Addy and Lydia. 

He becomes increasingly very aware he’s stranded without a way to start up his jeep with each passing second. 

He doesn’t even think about it twice, turning around he’s off in a run towards the hospital.

***   
_3rd POV_

“Where is she?!” Stiles asks as soon as he’s out of the elevator, admittedly it was louder than he probably should have, however the whole run here all he could see in his mind was Addy bloody in his arms and he has no idea if she’s okay or not.

Sheriff turns and sees his son come out of the elevator doors, stopping him from coming further onto the ICU floor by grabbing him by the shoulders “You know what? It’s good that we’re in a hospital, because I’m gonna kill you.”

Stiles, still out of breath, throws his hand behind him “I’m– I’m sorry. I lost the keys to my jeep. I had to run all the way here.”

“Stiles, I don’t care!”

Through a shaky voice that has his dad’s face softening, Stiles looks over his shoulder in search of his best friend “Where is she? Where’s Addy? Is she gonna be okay? Can I see her?”

“Hey take a breath. Addy– she lost a lot of blood, they hooked her up for a blood transfusion and did a portable something or another and found that none of her vital organs were hurt, so she doesn’t need surgery. She’s sleeping right now and they’re stitching her up. She got lucky kid.”

“What about Lydia?” Stiles flicks his gaze over his dad’s shoulder at the girl before looking at his dad who shakes his head “They don’t know about Lydia, partially because they don’t know what happened. She lost a lot of blood as well, but there’s something else going on with her…”

Stiles sighs through his confusion “Wh– what do you mean?”

“The doctors say it’s like she’s having an allergic reaction. Her body keeps going into shock. Did you see anything? I mean, do you have any idea who or what attacked them?”

Stiles connects his gaze with his dad and wishes he could tell him everything, knowing he can’t he shakes his head and drops his eyes “No. No, I have no idea. Can– can I see Addy now?”

Noah reluctantly shakes his head “It’s just family in there right now– what about Scott?”

Stiles bites his tongue wanting to state that they _are_ family however catches what his dad said, and furrows his brows further “What do you mean? What about him?”

Noah looks around them “Did he see anything?”

“What do you– is he not here?” Stiles can’t hide the shock from his voice, he knows he’s been gone for hours, however Scott should have been here by now.

Noah shakes his head “What are you talking about? I’ve been calling him on his cell phone. I’ve gotten no response.”

Stiles looks up and sees the guilty look on Jackson’s face. At the slight shake of his head from him Stiles mutters at the realization “Yeah, you’re not gonna get one.”

***

_Addy POV_

_“Where is she?!”_

A gasp leaves my lips as I jolt awake and I see Ronnie look up from writing on the clipboard in her hands, a smile instantly lighting up her face “Hey sweetie.”

I give her a warm smile in return and rub at my eyes, feeling a pull on my hand and look down at the needle taped to the back of it. Looking back to Ronnie I frown “How long have I been out?”

“Couple of hours” She announces as she walks over and taps the IV bag the needle in my hand is connected to.

I move to sit up more and can’t help the wince that my face makes. She sets the clipboard down and comes to my side, clicking her tongue “May want to take it easy, those stitches are not easily ignored.”

I make a noise of agreement and clear my throat “So what’s the damage?”

She hands me a cup of water and points her free hand towards me “Whatever did that to you did a number on your side honey, however it miraculously missed both your spleen and your stomach. So you’re walking out of here with just some stitches and some butterfly bandages on your cheek. We gave you Antibiotic Prophylaxis to fight off would be infections, common with this type of wound. The last round is going through your IV now. Other than that? You are very lucky and should be out of here in no time.”

“So I can leave?” I ask with my own puppy dog eyes that she knows well.

She snorts and wraps the blood pressure cuff around my arm “Your mom would probably be against that, _however_ you weren’t technically admitted yet– so I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t rest at home.”

I breathe a sigh of relief, smiling softly at her “Thanks Ronnie.” 

She hmms at me, pointing a finger towards my face “If your mom asks I fought a little bit to get you to stay. I’m glad you’re okay though, you gave us a scare there.” 

I chuckle and offer her a nod as she takes off the cuff and moves to grab her clipboard again. Heading towards the door she calls over her shoulder “I’ll be back to take out your IV and get you set up to leave in a couple of minutes.”

“How’s Lydia, the girl who was with me?”

Ronnie keeps her hand on the door handle and looks out the window of my room. I follow her gaze to see Lydia across the hall laying in a bed with her mom by her side “She’s stable for now honey.” **_Meaning she wasn’t stable earlier?_**

I offer her a small nod and smile that she returns before opening the door and walking out.

***

_3rd POV_

Walking into the hall Noah slaps his son lightly on the shoulder “Stiles. Listen, just go wait with your friends, all right? I’m sure Melissa will let you see Addy soon.”

Stiles hesitates a moment at that, deciding he needs to get answers first “Dad, tell me. Look, you know it has something to do with Derek.”

Furrowing his brows and stepping into Sheriff mode, he lifts his hand “What? I– I thought you three said you barely knew him.”

Stiles clenches his teeth, letting out a sigh “All right, we might know him a little better than that.”

Noah reaches forward and grabs Stiles around the back of the neck “You do realize that I’m elected to this job, right?”

Stiles lifts his arm out “And if I help you figure this out, you’ll be re-elected. Am I right?” Noah lets go and Stiles lifts a shoulder to fix his shirt before continuing “Dad, come on.”

After looking down the hall he looks back to his son, lowering his voice to a whisper “You know what? Addy and that girl in there have got nothing to do with a six year old arson case.”

“When did you decide it was definitely arson?” Stiles questions, Noah lifting a shoulder “When we got a key witness,” Noah lifts his hand up at Stiles who takes a step forward, the question he wants to ask written all over his face “And, no, I’m not telling you who it is, but yeah– yeah, we know it’s arson. And it was probably organized by a young woman.”

“What young woman?” Stiles asks quickly, Noah lifting his hand up in a dismissal wave “If I knew that, she’d be in jail.” 

“Was she young then, or is she young now?”

“She’s probably in her late 20s,” Noah answers before grabbing his ringing phone out of his pocket “Oh, I gotta grab this call.”

“You don’t know her name?”

“No, I don’t– what is this? twenty questions? All we know is that she had a very distinctive– what do you call it,” he taps his chest looking for the right word “–a pendant.”

Stiles jerks his head back in his confusion “What the hell’s a pendant?”

Noah resists the urge to smack his son upside the head “Stiles, do you go to school? A pendant! A pendant! It’s a necklace. Now, can I answer the phone?”

“Yes.”

With a nod the Sheriff turns and walks back the way they came “Thank you. Stilinski. Yeah.”

Realization instantly washes over Stiles as he connects pendant– necklace– Allison– Late twenties– her Aunt Kate “Holy shit”.

Jackson catches up with Stiles who is walking down the hall at a pretty quick pace “Hey, where are you going?”

Stiles rolls his eyes, however he doesn’t falter his step “To find Scott, he probably doesn’t even know about Addy yet.”

“You don’t have a car.”

Stiles licks his lips and lets out an aggravated sigh “I’m aware of that. Thank you,” he adds with a look back in Jackson’s direction, not watching where he’s going and crashes into someone– his arms reaching out to grab their arms to steady them

**

_Addy POV_

“Oh shit balls, ow!” I clutch my side watching Stiles and Jackson’s eyes widen at me standing before them **_bloody dress and all_**

Stiles increases his grip on my arms “Addy? What the– what are you doing out here? You’re okay? Should you be walking? They let you go? Oh– oh my god,” he rushes out his questions before slamming my body into his for a bone crushing hug.

“Oh– okay stitches. Stiles stitches– holy shit _stitches,_ ” I whimper out through a deep breath and clutch onto his back.

He releases me instantly, keeping his hands on my arms “I’m– I’m sorry– they wouldn’t let me see you. And– and It’s _really_ good to see you alive, Adds.”

I nod and smile “Well they aren’t exactly releasing me because they want to, mom will freak if she finds me not in bed. So we kind of need to move– like now.” I emphasize my point by looking behind me to make sure the wrath of mom is nowhere near us.

Jackson grabs Stiles on the shoulder “Here, I’ll drive. Come on–”

Stiles shoves his hand off “Look, just because you feel guilty all of a sudden doesn’t make it okay, all right? Half of this is still your fault.”

Flicking his eyes to me he softens his glare “Addy if you think I’m letting you out of this hospital you obviously hit your head and need more tests.”

I roll my eyes and cross my arms “I’m fine, Ronnie said I could leave. We need to find Scott, and if _you_ think I’m just going to sit here and be useless _you’re_ the one who needs the fucking tests.” I level him with my own glare.

Jackson clears his throat and looks between the two of us not breaking our glare war “Look, guys, I have a car. You don’t. Do you want my help or not?”

Stiles squints his eyes slightly before relenting and rolling them “Fuck, fine. Did you bring the Porsche?”

“Yeah.” Jackson states like it’s more than the expected answer and Stiles grabs the keys “Good, I’ll drive.”

We turn to continue walking, our steps halting instantly as Chris Argent and two of his cronies block our path. 

He flicks his eyes over our bloodied Formal attire, adding a smirk “Rough night kids? I was wondering if you can tell me where Scott McCall is.”

Stiles and I furrow our brows and look to each other like we’re seriously contemplating the question. Stiles lets out a pondering breath of air “Scott McCall? Uhm, haven’t seen him since the dance.”

I nod and squint my eyes back towards Mr. Argent “Yea definitely saw him dancing it up with someone– Jackson, you?”

Jackson, our achilles heel, just flicks his eyes between us and Mr. Argent. Finally stuttering out guiltily “Uh– I uh– I…”

I close my eyes and hear Stiles next to me sigh out “Oh, for the love of God.”

Cronies get into gear and grab both Stiles and Jackson. Chris sets a hand on my shoulder and surprisingly is gentle with his push to lead us all into an exam room. 

Jackson and Stiles however are shoved and knocked into the bed while I move on my own to stand next to them. 

Cronies lock the doors as Chris shoves his hands in his jacket pockets “Let’s try this again. Where is Scott McCall?”

I cross my arms and shake my head “We weren’t lying. We have no idea where he is, we haven’t seen him since the dance.”

Chris just smirks again and squints his eyes at me “As his sister, I’m having a hard time believing that.” **_I’ve been unconscious for hours asshat_**

Stiles gets in Chris’ personal space and lifts his arm towards me “She was admitted in the hospital after being stabbed, you really think Scott wouldn’t be here if he knew that?!”

In a flash Chris grabs the front of Stiles’ shirt and shoves him up against the x-ray lights in the room “Let me ask you a question, Stiles. Have you ever seen a rabid dog?”

“No. I could put it on my to do list, if you just let me go.” Stiles quips with a nod to Chris’ hands balled into fists on his shirt.

Chris ignores that and presses on “Well, I have– and the only thing I’ve ever been able to compare it to is seeing a friend of mine turn on a full moon. Do you wanna know what happened?”

“Not really. No offense to your storytelling skills.” **_don’t laugh_**

Chris continues without missing a beat “He tried to kill me, and I was forced to put a bullet in his head,” Chris emphasizes with a smack of his palm on Stiles’ forehead before letting go of his shirt completely and continuing on “The whole while that he lay there dying, he was still trying to claw his way toward me, still trying to kill me, like it was the most important thing he could do with his last breath. Can you imagine that?”

“No– and it sounds like you need to be a little bit more select–”

Chris interrupts with slamming both of his hands against the wall on either side of Stiles making me flinch back “Did Scott try to kill you on the full moon? Did you have to lock him up?”

Stiles loses his sarcastic side and exclaims “Yeah, I did. I had to handcuff him to a radiator.”

Jackson shares a look with me, however, Stiles catches my attention with his next words “Why? Would you prefer I locked him in the basement and burned the _whole house down_ around him?” He finishes the last bit through clenched teeth **_hold up what did I miss_**

Chris takes a step back from him and adding on a humorless chuckle he faces Jackson and I before turning back to Stiles “I hate to dispel a popular rumor, Stiles, but we never did that.” **_I don’t believe that_**

Stiles licks his lips “Oh, right. Derek said you guys had a code. I guess no one ever breaks it.”

Chris looks back to his cronies “Never.”

Having a hunch I step forward “What if someone does?”

Chris looks to me and then back to Stiles, curiosity getting the better of him “Someone like who?”

Flicking his eyes to me quickly Stiles looks back at Chris “Your sister.” **_buh-buh-bumm_**

*** 

I shoot my arm out to hold onto the dashboard– trying to keep myself somewhat steady through the curve Stiles takes on the dirt road while my other hand goes to hold my side.

Stiles looks at me quickly, sending a glare to my hand before looking back to the road with a huff **_don’t say it_**

Jackson leans forward in between the two seats “Hey, hey, hey. This isn’t exactly an all terrain vehicle.”

Stiles looks in the rearview mirror “Yeah. Did you pay for it?”

I look over my shoulder to see Jackson connect his eyes with mine and lean back in the seat “No.”

Stiles smirks and switches gears “Then shut up.”

We pull up and see through the headlights an Alpha’d out Peter holding Scott in the air. Stiles honks the horn and grabs the beaker of a proper molotov cocktail we put together before we left the hospital **_don’t tell mom_**

We’re out of the car in a flash and I hold the seat for Jackson to clammer out behind me. I see Stiles reach back and throw the beaker through the air, however the stupid were-reflexes of Peter catches the damn beaker and just looks at the liquid splashing inside **_well that wasn’t the plan_**

“Oh, fuck” comes Stiles’ reply when I look over at him. I hear Scott exclaim “Allison!” and turn to see him throw her bow towards her. 

Jumping into action immediately she loads up an arrow and pulls it back, releasing it in perfect aim to the beaker that Peter lifts in the air.

Once the arrow pierces the glass of the beaker, it explodes into a fireball covering his entire arm. He growls and obviously forgot about a special fourth grade firefighting field trip, because he just shakes his arm around **_stop, drop, and roll bro_**

Stiles looks over to me and nods, knowing I have the other beaker– at my insistence because I’m going to enjoy this little bit of payback. 

I reach back and take a deep breath through the pain before I launch the beaker at Peter. It hits and thankfully **_from the heat of the already fire I’m assuming_** breaks and explodes into a fire on the rest of his body.

He returns with a growl, leaning backwards and roars with his arms out to his sides.

Peter stands back up and looks directly at Allison before he falls forward and starts to move towards her.

I rush to the front of the car to somehow help her before I feel a chest against my back and arms wrapping around me, careful of my injured side “Addy, I don’t care that you have stitches I will tackle you to the ground if you go over there” Stiles whisper yells in my ear.

Letting out a huff of aggravation, I turn my head to the side and look over my shoulder at him– my blue eyes crashing with his honey ones as I see him ready to make good on his words. I reluctantly nod, silently letting him know I’m staying put which he nods in return before we hear Scott yell “No!”

Our heads snap back forward and see Scott move up from his position on the ground as he runs up to the fire covered Peter and jumps up to roundhouse kick him in the face **_that was ninja skill level 10 awesome_**

Peter knocks backwards, making awful noises as the fire goes out on him and he falls back onto the ground in front of us. He drops to his knees and transforms from his Alpha form back into his burned up human form.

Stiles, content with my not moving, lets go and stands next to me as we see Allison stand up and walk over to Scott– who is still wolfed out and in the defensive stance he landed in on the ground after kicking Peter.

He turns when she gets closer and kneels next to him, moving his face towards her as he changes before our eyes back into Scotty right before their lips touch.

I softly clear my throat and turn to face Stiles. Since the adrenaline is wearing off I wince and reach up to place a hand on my side. 

Stiles notices and puts his hand on my shoulder “Why don’t we get you back in the car.”

I shake my head however Chris standing up and joining our beating the Alpha party gains my attention. 

A look crosses his face and he shakes his head at Allison and Scott being nice and cozy, however all of our attentions move to our right when we hear rustling footsteps. 

We watch as Derek stalks over towards the burnt body of Peter lying helplessly in the leaves, taking one leg to step over him so he’s hovering above his body.

Next Scott is rushing towards the pair as Derek kneels over Peter “Wait! You said the cure comes from the one who bit you. Derek. If you do this, I’m dead. Her father, her family– what am I supposed to do?” **_maybe Chris will give you a pass since you saved Ally?_**

Stiles and I share a worried look before looking back towards Derek, Peter’s attempt at a strong voice can be heard in the quiet night “I can smell it on you!”

Derek lifts his clawed hand up in the air and Scott reaches forward to stop him “Wait! No, no! Don’t!”

Derek ignores him and swipes his hand down and across Peter’s neck in a flash. I flinch back into Stiles who sets an arm around me again, while I lift one hand over my mouth turning slightly more into his side and away from that **_I’ve seen enough blood for one night_**

There’s a disgusting amount of gurgling noise as Peter gasps for air. Derek stands back up, taking a few breaths as he turns his head towards us. 

I gasp when we see his eyes no longer their ice blue– instead they are the Alpha red I’ve come to be terrified of **_how bad could this be?_**

He looks over us all, stating in case we weren’t aware “I’m the Alpha now.” 

*** 

The next day Stiles and I are sitting in Scott’s room, well they’re sitting, I’m leaning against the desk **_1000% done with my useless non healed muscles at this point_**

Stiles throws Scott’s toy basketball in the air and catches it “So Kate brought Allison to kill you and Derek?”

Scott huffs “Yes but Allison wasn’t thinking they were going to be killing us, so there’s that”

Stiles rolls his eyes and throws the ball again “That’s still not good.”

I clear my throat “I mean she obviously feels differently now because she kissed your wolfed out face.” I finish with a smirk towards Scott who snorts and shakes his head at me with a soft chuckle in return.

“She also just watched Peter kill Kate right in front of her, so I don’t think we’re out of the woods with this whole situation being weird. My dad said they found Kate with the necklace– Allison’s necklace– which was the key piece of evidence their witness linked to the murderer/arsonist” Stiles exhales as he lays back on the bed continuing to throw the ball.

I shake my head and look to my feet “Allison’s family is going to be talked about by the town now I’m sure.” 

Not only finding out your Aunt, who you looked up to, did something like that but then also having to watch her die at the hands of a psycho werewolf– which you also just found out were not only meant for a Kate Beckinsale movie? I feel awful for her– not her family though **_They can fuck right off_**

Scott ponders through a frown before he flicks his eyes to me “How’s your side?”

I cross my arms and shrug “It’s not healed if that’s what you’re worried about.”

He stands up and throws his arm out “Yea kinda, Jackson experienced weird symptoms after he got _scratched_ by Derek. Yours was worse, Addy, _way_ worse.”

I resist the urge to wince as I stand up from my lean “Weird symptoms but he didn’t turn, and Peter’s dead so any symptoms I might have had probably won’t happen now.”

Scott and Stiles share a look like they could not disagree with that more and Stiles sits up again– however I keep going “If I start to wolf out you guys will be the first to know, but I doubt that’s going to happen. It’s been a day, yours healed in hours right?”

Scott contemplates that and huffs “Well yeah– I mean I think. I had it bandaged, but yeah, it was definitely healed by now.”

I shrug “Ok then, maybe what you overheard Chris and Kate talking about with scratches being deep enough was just a myth or maybe this stabbing wasn’t deep enough to trigger anything.”

Stiles scoffs, flicking his eyes back and forth between my side and my face “Addy yours _was_ fucking deep, it just missed _vital_ things. Stop downplaying what you went through.”

I set my hands on my hips gently “Guys, I’m not downplaying anything. Trust me, I’m fully aware of how I can barely sit or lay down, however I’m _fine,”_ I get eyerollsof aggravation in return from both of them before I nod my head towards the door “So now then, let’s go check on Lydia because she was _actually_ bit.”

Earning reluctant nods from the both of them, we head to the hospital.

*** 

We walk into Lydia’s hospital room, trying to be as stealthy as possible since only family is allowed. 

They crouch down onto the ground **_which is so not happening for this stitched up situation I’ve got_** so I just continue to walk in and stand next to her.

My action causes Scott to furrow his brows at me and I shrug “What? I got attacked _with_ her. They can fight me if they think I don’t deserve to see how she’s doing with my own eyes.” 

Scott rolls his eyes and lifts his head towards Stiles “Shut the door.”

Stiles falls on his ass to get out of the door path and begins to close it. Though the door doesn’t believe it should be stealthy and squeaks a ridiculous haunted house creak, making us all share a grimace.

Stiles tries to go slower but that just amplifies the creak, and deepens our grimaces. 

He finally gets it latched closed and reaches up to switch the lock in place, falling against the door once he does. 

I smirk at him and he looks from me over to Scott who hasn’t moved from his crouched position “What?” he lifts his arms and clatters against the door again.

They get up from the ground and come to stand next to her other side. Being the girl I silently volunteer to move her bedding and hospital gown to the side to check her wound. 

They look away as I pull her bandage covering the wound up and away from her skin. My eyes widen at the definite still wound on her **_what the what? She was definitely bit_**

Still looking away Stiles mutters “Is it completely healed?”

Drawing my brows in, I open my mouth with no words before I clear my throat and answer “Umm not exactly…”

They snap their heads up to look at me while Scott answers “What? It should be healed by now.”

Not looking at them, I shake my head and put the bandage back where it goes “Okay well it’s not.”

I look up at them, watching as they share a look before Scott furrows his brows at me “What do you mean it’s not?”

“Scott, I don’t even understand how you think there is another meaning to what I’m saying.” I mutter as I move her gown and pull the blankets back over her again. 

Stiles looks over now that everything is back in place, moving his eyes between Scott and I “I don’t get it– the doctor said she’d be fine.”

Scott shrugs his shoulder “Yeah, but the bite is not healing like it did with me.”

I lift a hand out towards her with my conclusion “Which means– she’s not a werewolf.”

Stiles connects his gaze with mine and then towards Scott’s “Then what the hell is she?”


	13. Omega

Stiles’ sleep grumbled voice causes my eyes to snap up from my book “Ohh– just like that. No, no, you first… me first?” 

I raise a brow and turn my head to my right to see a huge smile spread across his sleep talking face. He’s laying in the two seats next to me, somehow over the armrests. He makes another cheeky smile to his dream situation, which makes me chuckle and shake my head **_I don’t even want to know_**

I attempt to go back to reading, however mom walks over and crosses her arms as she stands in front of me “Addy, since you took it upon yourself to check out of the hospital without my knowledge– the least you could do is be home resting.” **_she’s still pissed if you couldn’t gather_**

I groan “Mom I’m okay, patched up and absolutely no need for me to be wasting time or resources with me in a bed here. I’m resting right here, besides I want to be here for Lydia.”

“Honey, I get that– I do,” she crosses her arms over her chest, lifting her shoulders “But what you went through, you need to be very care–”

“You’re dirty.” Mom’s eyes snap to Stiles’ very much still asleep face with his interruption and we watch him kiss face the air around him.

I couldn’t even stop the snort/chuckle combo that comes out of my mouth if I tried.

Moving my lips between my teeth, I lift my elbow up from my leg to bump the back of Stiles’ head resting on the armrest in between us **_wake up, Fabio_**

His leg immediately drops from the far seat, which causes him to snap his eyes open– connecting with my amused face and over towards mom’s shocked one. Widening his eyes slightly, he makes a noise in the back of his throat as he sits up completely.

Mom shakes her head once and looks back to me, continuing on like nothing happened “Have you changed the bandage today?”

I close my book and nod “I did it this morning after my shower andI’ll do it again before bed– twice a day just like you told me to do” 

She hmms with a nod and turns to walk away from us without another word, earning me to scrunch my nose up in a soft grimace at her retreating back.

Stiles rubs a hand over his face and adjusts his jacket “How long do you think she’ll stay mad?”

I frown and close my book putting it in my bag on the seat next to me “I’m hoping she’s not so much mad as she is worried it happened in the first place.”

He nods and stands up “I’m going to the vending machine, want anything?”

I shake my head and he scoffs, calling over his shoulder while taking steps down the hall “Yeah okay– you’re getting reese’s, Adds.”

I chuckle at his retreating form and lean back in the chair **_zero disagreement from me with that choice_**

A couple minutes pass when I hear a loud crash from around the corner. I shoulder my bag and get up, walking over to peer around the wall. My eyes widen slightly at the sight of Stiles standing next to the vending machine which is lying front down on the ground **_that’s one way to get snacks_**

“What the hell happened?” I ask through a chuckle as I come to stand on the other side of the machine from him.

Stiles looks up with a grimace “It didn’t want to release the food”

“So your answer was to hulk smash it into the ground to teach it a lesson?”

He rolls his eyes “It just fell smartass, will you help–”

Screaming from Lydia’s room gains our attention, we connect our worried gaze before we rush towards her room “Lydia!”

“What the hell was that?” Mom asks as we reach Lydia’s door with Mr. Martin in tow behind mom, I grab the handle and we all push into the room. Finding it empty and the bathroom door closed we silently make the decision to rush into the bathroom “Lydia?!”

Opening the door we also find it empty, the shower running the only noise in the room. I rush forward and peek around the edge of the curtain, pulling it back farther when I see she is nowhere in sight.

Mom pushes past and turns off the water to the shower, while I take a step back out of the way. I feel Stiles tap my arm and when I turn to look at him, he nods his head towards the open window.

I share a look with him **_she really crawled out the window?_** I look back around us in the bathroom for any signs of something else being in here with her and see Lydia’s hospital gown on the ground **_wherever she is she is buck ass naked_**

*** 

Mom, Lydia’s dad, Mr. S, and one of his deputies walk down the hall and stop near the hallway leading to the still broken vending machine. 

They exchange a few words before Stiles walks up and addresses his dad, who in return grabs Stiles behind the neck and pulls him off to the side while I lean back around the corner waiting for the coast to be clear.

I get a text from Scott that he’s outside, and deciding that this is as clear as it’s going to get, I walk like I belong there and go into Lydia’s room. 

Shutting the door, I grab the personal belongings plastic bag they give to patients and go in the bathroom to grab her gown. I shove it inside the plastic bag before then shoving it inside my bag **_thank you slouch purses_**

Stiles rounds the corner of the bathroom doorway making me jump like I was caught. We both let out a sigh of relief that it’s just us and I nod once letting him know I got it.

He returns the nod and tilts his head for us to get going “Come on, they’re down by the nurse’s station” He sets his hand on my back and we quickly make our way through the hall and walk into the elevator without being seen.

“Did your dad say anything we should know?” I ask as soon as the doors close and we’re alone.

Stiles shakes his head and shoves his hands in his jacket pockets “Just that they’re putting an APB out for her.”

“We’ll find her” I reassure as the elevator doors open on the lobby floor and we walk out.

He shrugs and tilts his head back, looking up at the ceiling “I just feel like she’s only in this mess because of us.”

I scoff “She’s in this mess because Peter was a sociopath.”

He chuckles as we make our way out of the hospital and towards Stiles’ jeep where Scott is waiting for us.

After getting set up in the back seat I open my bag and get the gown out of the plastic bag, handing it over to Scott “This is the one she was _just_ wearing?”

I nod and he connects his gaze with mine “I’m not gonna let anyone hurt her. Not again.”

Stiles flicks his hand out towards the gown “All right, just shove the thing in your face and let’s find her,” he turns on the headlights and we all jump when we see Allison standing in front of us, causing Stiles to throw his arm up defensively “Wa– wow!”

She comes around the side and stands by Scott’s open window, who looks around frantically before addressing her “What are you doing here? Someone’s gonna see us.”

Little back story for the last couple days, Chris was apparently not okay with Allison attempting to stay in a relationship with Scott after she found out he was a werewolf. So to get him off their case they ‘broke-up’ and now are attempting a secret relationship that only Stiles and I are in the know of **_obviously those always work_**

Allison scoffs and looks between us “I don’t care– she is one of my best friends, and we need to find her before they do.”

Scott shakes his head “I can find her before the cops can.”

“How about before my father does?” Allison raises her brows and Stiles leans forward to gain her attention “He knows?”

A worried look crosses her face and she nods “Yeah. I just saw him and three other guys leave my house in two SUVs.” 

“Search party.” Scott and I mutter at the same time and I look towards Stiles who nods while barely muttering “Fucking twins.”

I snort at his sarcastic jab even in a time like this while Allison clarifies “It’s more like a hunting party.”

“Let her in” I push the back of Scott’s head forward, who gives me a glare over his shoulder while he moves his hand over to open his door. 

Allison chuckles while she climbs over him and in between the seats to sit next to me in the backseat.

Stiles reverses out of the spot as soon as she’s settled and Scott closes the door.

Scott inhales with the gown all up in his nose and sticks his head out the window “Make a left”

Stiles does as instructed and then looks back at Allison “All right, but if she’s turning, would they actually kill her?”

Allison shrugs her shoulders “I don’t know. They won’t tell me anything. Okay, all they say is, ‘We’ll talk after Kate’s funeral, when the others get here’.” 

She lifts her arm up before resting her elbow on the back of Stiles’ seat and planting her hand against the side of her face.

I turn to look at her “What others?”

She shakes her head and connects her gaze with mine “I don’t know, they won’t tell me that yet.”

Stiles scoffs “Okay, your family’s got some serious communication issues to work on. Scott, are we going the right way?”

Scott, who is top half of his body out of the jeep window, shouts back in at us “Take the next right!”

Scott’s directions eventually lead us to the preserve and we make the rest of the trek on foot.

Lydia’s scent leads us in front of Derek’s house, all of our footsteps slowing down considerably when Stiles turns around towards us “She came here? You sure?”

Scott’s eyes move from the house and in between us “Yeah, this is where the scent leads.”

We take a couple more steps before I turn to Allison and Scott “All right, but has Lydia ever been here?”

Allison shakes her head before addressing Scott “Not with me. Maybe she came here on instinct, like she was looking for Derek.”

I continue walking behind Stiles, but hear Scott answer Allison behind me “You mean– looking for an Alpha.”

“Wolves need a pack, right?” She inquires back and Scott clarifies “Not all of them.”

I stop and turn back towards them with my question “But would she have been drawn to an Alpha? Is it an instinct to be part of a pack?”

He turns towards me and nods “Yeah, we’re– we’re stronger in packs.”

“Like strength in numbers.” Allison adds with her own nod and Scott ponders that before turning to her “No, like– like, _literally_ stronger, faster, better in every way.”

“That the same for an Alpha?” Allison continues, however my attention is drawn to Stiles who has kept quiet while he searches the ground around us.

“That’ll make Derek stronger too.” I hear Scott say behind me as I walk over to Stiles who is moving leaves out of the way of something. 

He looks up, connecting his eyes with mine “Ooh, hey, look at this–” and nods towards me before he kneels down and reaches his hands out to something “You see this? I think it’s a tripwire.”

I bend down to kneel closer to him, Allison following my actions on my other side, and we lean forward to get a better look at the wire that he’s holding **_and now pulling_**

“Stiles–” we hear Scott grumble behind us earning Stiles to lift his head, looking at me before he turns around and answers Scott “Yeah, buddy?– Oh.”

Allison and I turn as well and see Scott hanging upside down by one of his feet attached to said tripwire.

I fail at containing my snortle earning a Scotty glare before he continues towards Stiles “Next time you see a tripwire– don’t trip it.” 

He flicks his arms out to his sides to indicate the consequence of the tripwire, while we all stand up and Allison chuckles behind her hand.

I flick my eyes to Stiles and see him nod guiltily with a point of his finger “Yeah, noted.”

Allison and I smirk towards each other before we head over closer to Scott “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,” he stops our steps with his arms raised in our direction “Someone’s coming,” we look around before he frantically waves his arms around “Hide– go!”

We take a step back at his rushed warning and Stiles grabs my shoulders to push me in front of him. I, in return, grab Allison’s arm and we rush forward heading down a little hill, however I don’t get much farther as I’m pulled back suddenly by one of my arms.

I trip over my feet at the force my body is being pulled and I crash into Stiles, who is leaning his back against a tree. 

His hands land on either side of my waist as mine splay out across his chest, preventing my face from at least smashing into him as well since the entire front of my body presses into his **_fucking grace of a pigeon, I swear_**

Allison moves to stand next to him and I make a noise in my throat, huffing out a breath and giving him a look that screams _really?_ **_that needed to happen?_**

Trying not to laugh he just shrugs his shoulders and lifts his hands from my waist in a surrender. 

I shake my head at him and with my hands still on his chest, I push myself off of him and stand facing both of them **_bastard_**

I attempt to peer around the side of the tree, though Stiles sets his hands on my arms and leans me back out of sight, sending me a warning glare. 

Silently I roll my eyes at him and shake off his hands while Allison just smirks at the both of us **_as my friend, you need to shush_**

A voice fills the otherwise quiet night around us “Scott?”

We all share a wide eyed look as Scott answers back “Mr. Argent.” **_well shit balls_**

Allison throws a worried look my way as her dad continues “How are you doing?”

“Good. You know, just hangin’ out. Is this one of yours? It’s, uh, good. Nice design. Very constricting.” Scott wheezes out **_blood rush is taking effect_**

“What are you doing out here, Scott?”

“Looking for my friend.”

“Ah, that’s right. Lydia’s in your group now, isn’t she? Part of the clique? Is that the word you use? Or is there another way to put it? Part of your pack?”

“Actually, clique sounds about right to me.” Scott jabs and Mr. Argent is quick with his agreement “I hope so. ‘Cause I know she’s a friend of Allison’s, and one special circumstance, such as yourself– one, I can handle. Not two.” **_You can’t just murder Lydia you psycho_**

“Scott, do you know what a hemicorporectomy is?”

I look over towards Stiles’ worried expression as Scott grumbles “I have a feeling I don’t want to.”

“A medical term for amputating somebody at the waist. Cutting them in half. Takes a tremendous amount of strength to cut through tissue and bone like that. Let’s hope a demonstration never becomes necessary.” **_Well that just got dark_**

After a few moments of silence I lean around the tree, without the arm stop this time, and see Chris walking away. 

When I can no longer see his outline in the shadows, I nod my head at Stiles and Allison, the three of us making our way towards Scott. 

“You okay?” Allison asks when we stop in front of him.

Scott looks just as comfortable as you’d imagine for him to still be upside down and he flicks his eyes to her “It’s just another life threatening conversation with your dad.”

I follow the line from his foot over to a tree nearby and see the bit that is holding it all together. I move towards it and gently hit Stiles on the arm “Hey, help me with this.”

We make it over to the tree and try to figure out where a release button is when we see and hear the rope become slack around us.

We look towards Scott who pipes up behind us “Thanks– but I think I got it.”

Stiles makes a _show off_ face towards Scott before he looks back to me and rolls his eyes “Yeah.”

Allison and I chuckle while looking from his proud smile to his claws out hand that helped him cut the rope. Scott returns with his own chuckle and takes a step forward before turning back and looking at us “Comin’?” 

He doesn’t wait for our reply as he walks closer to the house and Stiles raises his arms out as his answer while we all fall in step behind Scott.

*** 

“She ate the liver?” Scott and I exclaim together earning Stiles to roll his eyes and clarify on our walk up the sideway towards the school the next day “No, McCall twins, I didn’t say she _ate_ it. I just said it was missing. And you know what? Even if she did, so what? It’s the most nutritious part of the body.”

Scott looks to me and then over towards Stiles “I never ate anyone’s liver.”

We start up the steps, Stiles letting out a scoff and muttering “Yeah, right, 'cause when it comes to werewolves, you’re a real model of self-control. Actually, wait– hold on,” he hits Scott on the shoulder and stops our steps “You’re the test case for this, so we should be going over what happened to you.”

I move closer to them and out of the way of people we are now blocking on the pathway, questioning Stiles “What do you mean?”

He looks between us, elaborating “I mean like what was going through your mind when you were turning, you know? What were you drawn to?”

Scott thinks on that and raises a brow “Allison.”

Stiles could not look less impressed with that information “Okay, nothing else? Seriously?”

“Nothing else mattered.” Scott shrugs earning me to chuckle while Stiles nods, looking off to the side.

Scott continues with a quick glance at me “But, no, umm that’s good, though– right? 'Cause the night that Lydia was bit, she was with you…”

Stiles’ eyes widen and he connects his gaze with mine and then to Scott’s “No, she was looking for–” 

“Jackson” I finish for him and we look to our left, seeing and hearing him pull up in his ridiculous car.

*** 

Mr. Harris slaps our tests on our lab table effectively interrupting Stiles & Scott’s retelling of how absolutely _not helpful_ Jackson was when they tried talking to him about Lydia turning before class started **_there was mentions of a unicorn? Locker room talk is lost on me_**

Stiles ignores the test atmosphere of the room and leans forward towards Scott who’s at the table in front of us “All right, it’s causing me severe mental anguish to say this, but he’s right.”

Scott looks over his shoulder and just as loudly whispers “I know.”

“What if the next body part she steals is from someone who’s still alive?” Stiles stresses before Mr. Harris snaps “This is a pop quiz, Mr. Stilinski. If I hear your voice again, I may be tempted to give you detention for the rest of your high school career.”

“Can you do that?” Stiles observes back, Mr. Harris smirking humorlessly “Well, there it is again. Your voice– triggering the only impulse I’ve ever had to strike a student repeatedly and violently. I’ll see you at three o’clock for detention.”

Scott and I make similar _I can’t believe that just happened_ noises which gains Mr Harris’ famous eyebrow raised look “You two wanting to join, McCalls?”

“No, sir.” We mutter at the same time and I give Stiles a pitiful look before I go back to my test– though Jackson getting up and rushing out the doors suddenly gains the whole room’s attention. 

Scott looks back at Stiles and I while Mr. Harris clears his throat from the disruption “Tests– now!”

***

After class is over I walk over to Allison’s locker to see her smiling at a piece of paper in her hand. Walking closer I lean over her shoulder “What’s got you all smitten like a kitten?”

She jumps but smiles when she sees me “Addy– oh my god, hey.”

I chuckle and smirk at her as she puts the note back in her locker. I lean against the locker next to her crossing my arms, nodding towards the note “My brother I’m assuming?”

She flicks her eyes to me and smiles even bigger “Maybe”

“You guys are too adorable, I can’t handle it sometimes”

She shakes her head and gets a somber look on her face as she reaches into her locker and pulls out a black dress.

I try to give her a supportive non pity look, asking gently “Would you like someone there for moral support?”

“Not even I would subject you to the nightmare this is going to be, Addy”

I give her a frown when rando dude to her right gains our attentions “Nice dress”

Allison closes her locker slightly to look at him, noticing what’s in his hand “Nice camera”

I raise an eyebrow at him as they share a shy smile **_stop looking at her, who even are you?_**

Voices across the hallway at the other set of lockers interrupts my silent judging

“Not her sister– her aunt. The one who murdered all those people.”

“You mean the crazy bitch who killed all those people?”

I scoff and glare over at Harley and her gossip train as they continue “Yeah the fire, all those animal attacks– it was her aunt.”

“Are you kidding? I sit next to her in English”

“Find a new seat” 

_**fuck off**_

At their shared whoreish chortle I take a step towards them “Don’t you two have _anything_ else to do than spread gossip about shit you know nothing about?”

They scoff and Harley crosses her arms “Really Addy? I know plenty, the news said–”

Fuming now, however, trying to reign it in– I shake my head and deepen my glare as I interrupt with a humorless laugh “Right, because the media never lies to gain readers. Way to be a brainless pathetic sheep– you know it’s never too late to shut up and mind your own business.”

I turn around and grab Allison’s arm, seeing rando dude giving her a pity look “Come on Ally”

I hear her sniffle and I squeeze her arm reassuringly as we continue to walk down the hallway.

We make it a few steps before she’s being pulled into the open doorway of a classroom and since my arm was linked with hers, I am brought in as well **_what is with the arm pulling lately?_**

Scott sets his hands on her shoulders and I smile at him, clearing my throat and unlinking our arms as I smile at her and take a step towards the door “Well now that you’re in good hands, I’ll see you later.” 

Scott nods at me and Allison stops me with a hand on my arm “Thank you for standing up for me”

I smile at her and give her a hug “It’s what we do, sweets,” pulling back from her I offer a little wave and open the door to give them their moment before I head to the parking lot.

***

Scott met me at the car and informed me we were heading to the cemetery to silently be there for Allison at the funeral. 

Which is how I now find myself kneeling behind an angelic tombstone a little ways down the way from where the chairs are set up around the grave spot for Kate’s casket.

There is a media frenzy going about with reporters and paparazzi that are so crowded together they are making Allison and her family walk through them before they are safe behind the police barricade **_vultures_**

I hit Scott’s shoulder when I see an old dude grab the camera out of earlier rando from school dude’s hands and exchange a few words with him. He takes out the memory stick and breaks it half with his apparent not so frail old man fingers **_red flag_**

“Okay who the hell are they? Camera dude was at school earlier being creepy,” I look to Scott who just shakes his head and answers back “I didn’t see him.”

Old man goes and hugs Chris and then Victoria before he stands in front of Allison who has zero recognition on her face.

Stiles makes me jump as he slides in the leaves behind us and lands with his hands on Scott’s shoulder “Yo.”

Stiles nods at me and then to the group ahead of us “Who the hell is that?” 

Having no idea, I shake my head at him before I look around the other side of the statue again.

We see Chris look our way, followed by Allison and old man follows her gaze-which causes the three of us to duck out of sight behind the statue **_super unstealthy like by the by_**

“He’s definitely an Argent,” I answer, pivoting on my toes to face Stiles who raises his eyebrows at me when I start to lose my balance in the squat on my toes position I’m in.

I make a face as I wobble about before I grab onto the bottom cement square of the statue and stable myself. Stiles smirks at me and I stick out my tongue at him before turning to face the Argents again.

Scott mutters “He’s her grandpa” and I look over to see him wave at Allison before I see Stiles roll his eyes **_stop hating, they’re adorable_**

Stiles moves closer leaning his face in the space between my shoulder and the statue “Hey, you know, maybe they’re just here for the funeral. I mean– what if they’re the non hunting side of the family? There could be non hunting Argents. It’s possible, right?”

I turn my head to the right, the action bringing our noses almost touching, and I make a face with his words. Conveying that I want to believe that to be true, however, also knowing deep down if he’s her grandpa– he’s like the Old Man King of the hunters. 

Stiles makes a face, agreeing with my reluctant frown as he leans back on his heels with a sigh.

Scott must also agree because he shakes his head “I know what they are– they’re reinforcements.”

“Ah– the three of you,” a new voice enters the conversation, Stiles and Scott being pulled up onto their feet. I follow them and see Mr. S with one hand on both boy’s shirts and a deep frown on his face. I stand up with a grimace as he sighs out “Unbelievable. Pick up my tie.”

Stiles bends forward to pick up said tie on the ground “Got it. Sorry. I know, I’m supposed to ask.” 

Mr. S pushes them forward and sends me a look that doesn’t even leave a question that he wants me to follow his path of shame we are now walking on **_and that he wishes he had three arms_**

He opens the back of his cruiser and shoves Scott in first, me next and Stiles following after before the door is slammed in his face.

I raise one shoulder, interrupting the silence inside the cruiser “I mean, he could be angrier.”

Stiles snorts while Scott hits the back of his head on the seat behind us before Mr. S makes his way around to the driver’s seat.

The police radio breaks the awkward silence once Mr. S gets settled in his seat “4-1-5 Adam.”

Mr. S picks up his radio “I didn’t copy that– did you say 4-1-5 Adam?”

Stiles tilts his head towards mine whispering “Disturbance in a car.” 

I raise my eyebrows and Scott lifts up his head, looking over towards us as the Deputy over the radio continues “They were taking a heart attack victim– D.O.A. but on the way to the hospital, something hit 'em.”

“What– something hit the ambulance?” **_please be another car_**

We all share worried looks and lean closer to the front seat as the deputy over the radio continues “Copy that. I’m standing in front of it right now. Something got in the back– there’s blood everywhere, and I mean everywhere.” **_for the love of fuck, definitely not another car_**

Mr. S nods, clicking the button on his mic once more “All right, unit four, what’s your twenty?”

“Route 5 and Post. I swear, I’ve never seen anything like this.” 

I nudge Stiles with my arm and nod to the door when he looks at me. He raises his brows, catching on that we need to head over to Route 5 and Post sans a police escort. We all sneak out through the door as quietly as possible and run towards Stiles’ jeep.

***

Night has fallen around us now as we walk up towards the road, taking cover in the tree line just down from where the ambulance and now crime scene are at. We move up to lay bellies down on a hill with only our heads looking across the top.

I get settled in the middle of them, pushing up on my elbows when Stiles pipes up on my right “What the hell is Lydia doing?”

I shake my head as Scott answers “I don’t know.”

Stiles nods towards the bloody scene of the ambulance, directing his words towards Scott “What kept you from doing that, was it Allison?”

Scott looks over at us and nods “I hope so.”

I clear my throat, indicating towards the ambulance with a tilt of my head “Do you need to get closer?”

Scott lifts his head and smells the air around us, shaking his head and connecting his eyes with ours “No, I got it.”

Scott starts to move when Stiles reaches across my back to grab his shoulder “Just– find her. All right? Please, just– just find her.”

Scott looks at both of us, muttering “Guys, I promise– I will,” before he pushes up from the ground and takes off to follow the scent.

I nudge Stiles’ shoulder with my own once we both stand up, pointing over my shoulder towards the road “Come on, lets go talk to your dad.”

“My da–” he chuckles humorlessly and continues “No– home, Addy. We need to go _home_ and not be here to face the wrath of sneaking off earlier.”

I snort and start walking towards the road “Come on– we weren’t really in trouble then and he’ll want to know you’re safe now” 

I hear Stiles grumble something to himself as he follows my path and Mr. S sees us as soon as we break the tree line.

He crosses his arms as we get closer and clears his throat “I swear to– what the hell are you two doing in the woods– _at night_ – with this type of thing happening?” He finishes his words by uncrossing his arm to swing it out towards the ambulance.

Stiles shoves his hands in his jacket pocket making a face telling me _told you so_ before answering his dad “Just…”

Movement to our left catches my attention and I see none other than a very naked and scared looking strawberry blonde “Oh my god, Lydia?”

Stiles looks up at me and then to where I’m staring “Lydia!”

She walks closer and finally snaps out of her trance, raising her arms up to her sides and exposing herself more as she shakily questions “Well– is anyone gonna get me a coat?”

Stiles’ eyes bug out of his head like a cartoon character and I share a look with Mr. S when Stiles collapses on the ground after attempting to grab his dad’s jacket **_aaaaand there’s the 16 year old, almost thought we lost him_**

Mr. S snorts “Jesus christ. Yep, here you go,” he takes off his jacket and hands it to me, chuckling I open it to cover her from the many male eyes around us as I walk towards her.

I wrap my arm around her back after we get the jacket situated over her and walk back towards Mr. S, squeezing her gently with my words “I’m so glad you’re okay, Lyds.” 

She stops me with a hand on my arm “Addy what the hell happened?”

*** 

“Hold up– you found _another_ werewolf and he was who made a mess of the ambulance, not Lydia?”

Scott nods “Yes and that wasn’t even the craziest part of the night”

I look to Stiles before we both raise our eyebrows towards Scott **_who pauses for dramatic effect way too often_**

I lift my shoulders to give the signal for him to get on with it, but he just continues to stare at the floor by our feet.

Stiles flicks his eyes to me before he clears his throat “Scott?”

Scott jumps like he forgot we were here **_what the hell did he see?_**

“Th– the werewolf– he got caught in the trip wire from the Argents and Derek wouldn’t let me help him because the Argents were walking up. Allison’s grandpa– he– he is _definitely_ a hunter…”

I step towards him “Derek was with you? Scott, what happened?”

He nods and continues “They called him an Omega, because he was alone without a pack. He said he didn’t hurt anyone, that the guy in the ambulance was already dead– but her grandpa he–”

I share a worried look with Stiles who also steps forward closer to us as he urges “Scott, what did he do?”

Scott looks up at our worried faces and takes a deep breath “He demonstrated that– that hemicorp-a thing”

“Hemicorporectomy” I correct for him and he rolls his eyes “Yes that thing– that I was fucking threatened with the other night as I was upside down in front of the Argents. He– he just swung this big ass sword and cut clear through the guy, like it was nothing!”

I shiver with that image and frown towards Stiles who opens and closes his mouth a few times before raising his arms out to his sides “What the fuck are we going to do?”

Scott just shakes his head “I don’t know, but Derek wants me to join his pack because of this– because the Argents are declaring war since Kate was murdered by Peter. The reinforcements are here to hunt us all down– they’re no longer following their code.” **_Well the good news just keeps on coming_**


	14. Shape-Shifted

Taking the first few steps up to the school with Allison and Lydia, I tuck a piece of loose hair that has fallen out of my side braid behind my ear and turn slightly towards Lydia “You really don’t remember anything?”

Lydia rolls her eyes and lifts a hand out to her side “They called it a fugue state, which is basically a way of saying ‘We have no idea why you can’t remember running through the woods naked for two days’. But personally, I don’t care,” she smirks and throws her hands to her sides with a little _don’t you know it_ tilt to the side “I lost nine pounds.”

Allison and I share a smirk before she turns to our friend “Are you ready for this?”

Lydia scoffs “ _Please_ – it’s not like my aunt’s a serial killer.” She adds with a look that before I was friend’s with her, I would of called her a bitch for. However now being her friend I realize it is her joking face **_you have to look really close, but it’s there_**

Allison and I chuckle, though I can see the look that crosses her face questioning the bitchy tone of the last statement. 

Lydia walks in before us and I hold open the door for Allison to walk inside, throwing her a way too bright smile to make her laugh before we face school. 

She chuckles and once we step inside, I see Lydia has stopped walking and a good twenty to thirty people are stopped as well– looking, or more like _staring_ right at the three of us **_did I fall asleep in those 8 seconds and step into one of those naked dream nightmares?_**

I flick my eyes down to my mint colored long sleeve henley and dark blue frayed jean shorts, to my left at Allison’s white sweater and grey skirt and finally to my right at Lydia and her navy dress **_fully clothed, good start_**

Allison leans closer to me though she directs her statement at Lydia “Maybe it’s the nine pounds.” 

I fight a smile and make a noise in the back of my throat as Lydia nods her head slightly and makes a face like she had that coming.

I take a deep breath and link my arms with both of theirs “Well we look fabulous today, so let them stare” I feel both of them squeeze my arms in solidarity and we make a silent agreement to walk forward through the hall with our heads held high.

***

I talked with a guidance counselor who said that I need more extracurriculars **_because running for my life from a crazy Alpha werewolf who turned my brother into a werewolf doesn’t look good on college applications_**

Coach was complaining about not having notes to look back on for practices and the plays he comes up with, so I offered to be a note taker for him if it would count as being on the team. 

He didn’t take much convincing and labeled my position as assistant coach transcriber aaaand that’s how I find myself walking with Scott and Stiles towards the locker room for morning practice and my first day on the team. 

Scott breaks my train of thought “I’m serious. It’s not like the last full moon. I don’t feel the same.”

“Oh, does that include the urge to maim and kill people like the two of us?” Stiles scoffs and shakes his hand in between myself and him.

Scott throws his head back on a groan “I swear I don’t have the urge to maim and kill either of you.”

“You know, you say that now but then the full moon goes up and out come the fangs and the claws and there’s a lot of howling and screaming and running everywhere, okay? And it’s very stressful on me and so yes, we’re still locking you up.” Stiles states as they walk through the open door and I wait outside for the coast to be clear of teenage boy bodies unclothed.

“You’re clear Adds” I hear Stiles call after a few seconds.

I walk in, however, keep my eyes to the floor just in case and meet them at their locker as Scott continues our previous conversation “Okay, fine– but I do think I’m in more control now. Especially since things are good with Allison.” 

I cross my arms and chuckle at the look on Stiles’ face as he jabs back “Okay, I’m aware of how good things are with Allison.”

“They’re really good.” Scott boasts with a cheese grin on his face earring Stiles to jerk his head back and roll his eyes “I– thank you, I know.”

Scott just smirks and again repeats “I mean, like, _really_ good.” **_just because I’m in the room doesn’t mean I need to hear this_**

“All right, we get it!” I interrupt and Stiles adds with a nod “Seriously, just please shut the hell up before I have the urge to maim and kill myself.”

I nod in agreement with a glare towards the over sharer who just chuckles before lifting a hand towards Stiles “All right, did you get something better than handcuffs this time?”

Stiles makes an _of course_ face “Yeah, much better” he states before opening his locker and it’s as if the object heard him because the link of chain starts to fall out of his locker, clamoring _loudly_ onto the floor. 

I raise my eyebrows and grimace at the still falling **_louder than shit_** chain while Stiles flails his arms to try and stop it.

Ultimately he just lets it continue to fall as everyone looks our way and laughs while Coach silently walks over, looking at the source of the noise echoing around the room.

After seven years the chain finally finds the end and the noise ceases in the room. 

Coach frowns and shakes his hand between the pile of chain on the floor and over towards Stiles “Part of me wants to ask. The other part says knowing will be more disturbing than anything I could ever imagine. So– I– I– I’m gonna walk away.”

Stiles points towards his retreating back “That’s good– that’s a wise choice, Coach.”

I chuckle and Stiles connects his eyes with mine shaking his head before we kneel down to pick up the chain. Scott lifts his head suddenly and his whole demeanor changes.

We see his eyes light up their were-yellow color, causing Stiles and I to share a look “Scotty?”

“You okay? Scott.”

Scott takes a deep breath “There’s another– in here, right now.”

Stiles furrows his brows while I look around us “Another what?”

“Another werewolf.” **_sure, why not_**

_***_

We make our way out onto the field and take a seat on the bench. The guys prepare to put their gear on while Scott elaborates on what happened in the locker room “It was kind of like a scent, but I couldn’t tell who it was.”

I make a hmm noise and lean closer to them “Okay, well practice should help– you’re close to everyone out on the field right?”

Stiles nods and adds “What if you can get him one on one? Would that help?”

“Yeah.” Scott looks around us, probably hoping to just pick up on the scent out here as Stiles ponders that for a second and nods. 

“Okay I think I got an idea,” Stiles rushes out before getting up and running down the field to the other benches near Coach.

I grab my clipboard and make sure my pen works, drawing a few circles together in the corner of the paper. 

Looking up I see Scott smiling at me, I furrow my brows and let out a slight chuckle “What?”

He adds his own chuckle and looks out to the field “Nothing, I’m happy you’re on the team with me.”

I snort and shake my head, indicating towards the clipboard in my hand “I’m not really on the team, _this_ was a loophole. You know I hate running”

He turns his head towards me “You are too apart of the team, and I’m happy to be sharing this with you.” **_I’m not crying, you’re crying_**

I make a noise in the back of my throat in attempt to respond to Scotty’s sweet brotherly moment, however Stiles runs back over and drops gear down at our feet “I told coach you’re switching with Danny for the day.”

Scott glares at the gear “But I hate playing goal.” 

“Remember when I said I had an idea? This is the idea.” Stiles states with a wave of his arms for Scott to catch on.

“ _Oh_.” Scott says pretty convincingly though I raise my brow at him when he looks to the ground again **_well I still don’t understand_**

“There we go.” Stiles smirks and goes about putting on his gear.

Scott raises his brows and looks at me while I shrug and we both turn our heads to look back at Stiles, questioning together “What’s the idea?” 

He looks up and his face falls, groaning in aggravation “McCall twins– I seriously don’t understand how you survive without me sometimes,” he finishes with grabbing Scott around his shoulders and informing him to use his position in goal to get a scent from the guys running towards him with the drills **_decent enough plan_**

Coach blows the whistle to get everyone ready for practice to start and I make my way onto the field with him “Let’s go! Line it up! Faster! Make daddy proud.”

Scott gets set up in the goal and everyone else lines up to run the drills.

The first player catches the ball from Coach and starts to run towards the goal, however, Scott runs _out_ of the goal and charges at him, slamming him to the ground.

My mouth drops open in shock and I mentally slap myself in the forehead. I share a grimace with Stiles who shakes his head before throwing it back slightly **_not exactly the plan_**

Scott helps the guy up and flips the bird to personal space as he steps forward to sniff around the guy’s head.

Coach snaps out of his own shock “McCall!”

“Yeah.” Scott starts to take a step towards the goal again with Coach clarifying what the players should already know “Usually the goalie stays somewhere within the vicinity of the actual goal.”

Scott nods “Yes, coach.”

“Let’s try it again” Coach yells and comes to stand next to me again “She-McCall, don’t– don’t write that as a positive play tactic.”

I snicker and nod “Copy that, Coach.”

Creepy camera dude next to Allison’s locker yesterday, I have since learned is named Matt, is up next. 

Coach blows the whistle and throws the ball to Matt, who catches it and starts running towards the goal, however _again_ he doesn’t make it far as Scott runs out and crashes into his feet. Matt flips in the air with the force before landing flat on his back– Scott crouching down to lean over his head and smells him, **_very noticeably again_**

Coach makes a noise of frustration and throws his hands out, setting them on his hips as he walks in a complete circle around me before coming to a stop at my side and shouting out “McCall! The position’s goal _keeper_. Not goal _abandoner_.”

Scott stands up and nods while walking back to the goal “Sorry, Coach.”

“Let’s go!” Coach shouts before we see Scott again run out of the goal and crash into another guy during the next drill. 

Coach throws his hands down to his side and walks a few steps away from me to grab Stiles’ helmet “Stilinski, what the hell is wrong with your friend?”

Stiles connects his eyes with mine, stammering out quickly “Uh, he’s failing two classes. He’s a little socially awkward and if you look close enough, his jaw line’s kind of uneven.” **_all true things_**

Coach looks towards Scott who runs back to the goal, making a face as he lets go of Stiles’ helmet “That’s interesting,” and he walks back over to me, blowing the whistle again “Let’s fire it up.”

Danny catches the ball and runs forward, the players who help protect the goal with Scott just side steps out of his way, already expecting Scott to run past again– which he does and crashes into Danny a second later.

I lift the clipboard up, resting the top on my nose to hide my smile behind it as Coach makes a face and blows the whistle, flailing his arms out to his sides “McCall! You come out of that goal one more time and you’ll be doing suicide runs till you die. It’ll be the first ever suicide run that actually ends in a suicide. Got it?”

“Yes, coach.” Scott grumbles and head back to the goal as Coach scoffs and tilts his head towards me “Yeah. Addy– if it wasn’t already apparent, _you_ absorbed all the smart genes in the womb” 

I chuckle before Jackson’s voice gains my attention and I drop the clipboard from my face to see him glaring at Scott “Uh, coach, my shoulder is hurting. I’m gonna– I’m gonna sit this one out.” 

Jackson walks over to the benches and keeps his brows in glare form while looking at Scott. 

Stiles flicks his head up and turns to me with wide eyes, I furrow my brows in response and mouth _what?_

He nods his head towards Isaac Lahey, standing in front of him and up next in the line up. 

I move my eyes to Isaac, seeing his shoulders rising and falling somewhat quickly before he catches the ball and runs towards Scott. 

Scott meets him halfway again, however instead of knocking Isaac to the ground like everyone else– they do the same in the air move and land on their feet in a similar defensive position **_holy shit, Isaac’s the other werewolf_**

Coach blows the whistle again, however, our attentions are brought to the other side of the field where Mr. S and a few other deputies are walking out onto the field.

Stiles walks over to me muttering what I came to the conclusion of “It’s Isaac.”

I nod as Scott makes his way over to us as well and the officers pull Isaac and Coach off down the field away from the rest of us, though everyone is still looking at them with zero intention of going back to practice.

Scott turns his head towards Stiles and I, informing what he heard “His father’s dead– they think he was murdered.”

“Are they saying he’s a suspect?” I question and flick my eyes back to Scott before looking back across the field at Isaac who is now being led away by Mr. S.

“I’m not sure, why?” Scott ponders and Stiles finishes my thought “Because they can lock him in a holding cell for twenty four hours.” 

Scott moves his eyes between us, furrowing his brows as he questions “Like, overnight?” **_there usually is a duration of night time in a twenty four hour period_**

“During the full moon.” Stiles shares a worried look with me before Scott makes a noise, finally catching on to what we’re worried about “I– how good are these holding cells at holding people?”

“ _People_ , good. _Werewolves_ , probably not that good.” Stiles breathes out and shakes his head at me. 

I grimace and look over at Scott who continues bringing bad news “Guys, remember when I said I don’t have the urge to maim and kill?”

I flick my eyes in between them as Stiles and I answer together “Yeah…”

Scott takes a deep breath and raises a brow at Isaac’s retreating back “He does.”

***

Scott leans closer to whisper to Stiles sitting on the other side of me at our lab table in Mr. Harris’ class “Why would Derek choose Isaac?”

Stiles shrugs “Peter told me that if the bite doesn’t turn you it could kill you. And maybe teenagers have a better chance of surviving.”

Scott ponders that before turning our way again “Doesn’t being a teenager mean your dad can’t hold him?”

Stiles shakes his head “Well, not unless they have solid evidence.”

A thought comes to me and I turn my head to him “Or a witness. Wait– Danny…” We turn around to the table behind us where Danny is sitting “Where’s Jackson?”

Danny scrunches his brows “In the principal’s office talking to your dad.” He points to Stiles who does a body jerk arm flail “What? Why?”

Danny looks to me confirming what I thought “Maybe because he lives across the street from Isaac.”

Scott and I look to our right “Witness” we observe at the same time once Stiles faces forward again.

He nods “We gotta get to the principal’s office.”

“How?” Scott moves his eyes back and forth between Stiles and I, the former making a grimace as I hand him a piece of paper after ripping it from my notebook.

Mr. Harris, with his back still to the board thankfully, interrupts the quiet of the room “Everyone please turn to page seventy three.”

Stiles with perfect aim, hits him in the back of the head with the crumpled up ball of paper, Mr. Harris turning around to address the room “Who in the hell did that?”

I cross my arms over each other to point at the boys on either side of me, while Scott points at me and Stiles points at Scott.

***

Sitting in the chairs outside of the office, Scott leans backwards to listen in on Mr. S talking with Jackson– who apparently knew Isaac’s dad was beating the shit out of him, however chose to _not_ say anything because and I quote “Wasn’t his business” **_eyeroll so long you’d think I’d fallen asleep_**

“Are they still talking?” I ponder to Scott who squints his eyes and shakes his head once.

The door opens to our left and we all face forward, though Stiles jumps in his seat frantically trying to cover his face up with the magazine he was holding. It looks about as non smooth as you could imagine and I try really hard not to laugh at the face Mr. S gives his son. 

He clears his throat and shifts his gaze from Stiles and over to Scott and I with a soft smile “Hey Addy– Scott.”

Scott and I offer small waves “Ha– hey Mr. S.” 

“H– hey” Scott chuckles out and Mr. S sends one final look to Stiles, raising a brow and shaking his head at his ridiculous son before him and his deputy continue walking down the hall.

“Kids,” We hear behind us making us turn our heads towards the office door, all of our faces adorning a look of shock at Allison’s grandpa, Gerard, standing in front of us instead of the principal “Come on in.”

We follow him into the office and have a seat in the chairs in front of his desk **_when exactly did Old Man King of hunters become our principal?_**

“Addeline McCall–” I hear Stiles cough to hide his snicker to my left and see Scott raise is brow at Gerard.

“Addy please” I offer with a small smile when he looks up from the paper he is reading from

“Ah– very well, Addy–” he indicates back to the papers in his hand and continues “Academically perfect it looks like, however you need extracurriculars or not even that GPA will get you into your top school.” **_the fuck it wont_**

I lean forward slightly “Well I actually just–”

“Scott McCall–” he interrupts with a flick of his wrist and I sit back in my seat “Academically complete opposite of your sister– shame that, but I see you have become quite the star athlete. Mr. Stilinski– oh, perfect grades but little to no extracurriculars. Maybe you should try lacrosse.”

Stiles scoffs and lifts his hand towards the paper “Oh, actually I’m already–”

“Hold on– McCall…” Gerard interrupts him much the same way as he did to me and Stiles drops his mouth open in a frown, connecting his eyes with mine. 

I raise raise my brows quickly once and click my tongue to agree with the audacity this twatbag is sporting when Gerard continues “You’re the Scott that was dating my granddaughter.”

Scott shifts in his seat before correcting “We were dating but not anymore. Not dating, not seeing any of each other or doing anything with each other– at all.” **_that wasn’t suspiciously descriptive at all_**

Gerard looks to us before chuckling “Relax, Scott, you look like you’re about to crack a cyanide pill with your teeth.”

Scott shakes his head and looks down “Just a hard breakup.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. You seem like a pretty nice kid to me,” Gerard offers before addressing all of us “Now listen, guys– Yes, I am the principal, but I really don’t want you to think of me as the enemy.”

Stiles jerks his head back “Heh, is that so?” he finishes with a look towards Scott.

Gerard continues without missing a beat “However, this being my first day, I do need to support my teachers. So unfortunately someone is going to have to take the fall and stay behind for detention.”

I look to Scott who looks to Stiles in the middle of us who huffs and raises his hand “what’s one more detention?”

***

Scott and I leave the office and rush down the hall to make it outside where Scott can hear the deputies loading Isaac into one of their cars “Come on!”

We open the door to the front of school just in time to see Isaac turn around in the back of the squad car and look at us with a sad expression. 

Scott raises his hands out to his side as we watch the car drive off “Fuck, what are we going to do?”

I shake my head “I mean maybe we–”

Tires screeching to a stop at the bottom of the stairs gains our attentions. We turn and see Derek leaning across the seat to yell out the passenger window “Get in.”

Scott scoffs and points after the Sheriff’s squad car “Are you serious? You did that. That’s your fault.”

Derek relents “I know that. Now get in the car and help me.”

Scott shakes his head and starts walking down the stairs towards the car, me following after him “No, I’ve got a better idea. I’m gonna call a lawyer because a lawyer might actually have a chance at getting him out before the moon goes up.”

“Not when they do a real search of the house.” Derek digresses and I take the final steps until we’re right next to car, questioning “What does that mean?”

Derek shakes his head “Whatever Jackson said to the cops, what’s in the house is worse. A lot worse.” he stresses with a point of his hand before he opens the door for Scott.

Scott looks up at me and I nod my head “Go, I’ve got to go to Allison’s to study– keys?” I hold out my hand. 

Scott looks to my hand and with one more look to Derek, he digs in his pockets for the keys and places them in my hand.

Derek nods at me while Scott closes the door and they’re off.

***

Allison and I are in the kitchen waiting for Lydia to get here when we see Gerard and Chris walk by the other side of the kitchen down the hall towards the front door. 

She nods her head towards them and puts her finger up to her mouth in a shush motion. 

I nod and gently slide off the counter to follow her towards the doorway on our side of the kitchen– which goes into the dining room, and has a clear shot of the study doors that they apparently went into. 

Gerard’s voice ringing through the room “I’m not interested in whether they locked up a sixteen year old kid. I’m interested in what’s going to happen to that sixteen year old when the moon hits its peak tonight. Do we have proof?”

Chris’ chimes in “Is the next step killing him?” 

Ally and I share a look before leaning closer to the doorway as Gerard reiterates “The next step is eliminating the threat. Do we have proof?”

Allison moves out into the doorway more, but I stay out of sight behind the wall because I’m not testing anyone’s non family loyalties when it comes to this family business.

“I haven’t been in history class for a while, but I’m pretty sure straight up genocide hasn’t worked out too often.” Chris jabs, Gerard again pressing on “Do we have proof or not?”

“Not irrefutable,” Chris argues before relenting “But not insignificant– the driver’s side door of Lahey’s car was pried off” **_Isaac’s dad was hunted_**

“Pried off?” Gerard questions and Chris elaborates “Ripped off.” **_suuuuper_** **_hard to feel bad for a child abuser though_**

Allison’s back straightens and I know she’s been spotted, though the next sound to be heard are the doors closing from across the room.

She looks back to me and I raise my hands adding on a whisper “They’re really going to kill Isaac? Scott and Derek think he’s innocent…”

Allison just shakes her head and opens her mouth to say something before turning slightly and we see some dude in a Deputie’s uniform almost crash into her “Oh, sorry”

He offers a small smile and side steps her to continue through the kitchen. We follow his retreating form with our eyes before we hear her dad “Allison?”

She widens her eyes to me before turning back around in the doorway and her grandpa pipes up “Come in– we’d like to talk to you.”

Allison discreetly looks at me before looking back towards her dad “Addy is waiting in my room, I’m supposed to study with her and Lydia– I really don’t have time to chat.”

“Actually, we need to talk to you about them, sweetheart.”

My eyes widen as she nods and reluctantly starts walking away from me and towards them. 

When I hear the doors close again I pull out my phone to text Stiles and Scott, while making my way up to her room so she’s not proven a liar– but you know why me? **_I wasn’t bitten_**

Allison meets me in her room a little while later informing me of their conversation and I send another text to Stiles **_he can’t still be at detention_**

Ally sits on the edge of her bed at the same time my phone finally rings with Stiles’ contact picture filling my screen “Oh thank god”

I put him on speaker and pace in front of Allison’s bed as his voice fills the room “Hey, sorry, Harris literally just let me out of detention. _Literally_. And he had my phone the whole fuckin’ time.”

“It’s okay– well it’s not okay, we need to do something right now.” I ramble earning Stiles to rush out “What do you mean what happened?” 

I offer Allison the phone who continues with a worried look my way “Hey, my grandpa and dad– they– they were asking me all these questions about Lydia and how she was bitten by Peter, and Addy– if she was stabbed like we are all claiming or if her stab wound is actually in the shape of a claw, and how bad her injury actually was– if it’s healed– but then– then they sent this guy out…”

“Wait, what guy?” Stiles interrupts and I lean towards the phone to inform him “He was dressed as a Sheriff’s Deputy– but Stiles if he really is a Deputy, I don’t think he’s on the good guy payroll.”

Stiles sighs out through a deep breath “They’re sending him to the station for Isaac.”

Allison gasps and leans forward towards the phone “Wait he was also carrying this box with something on it, like– um– like a carving or something.”

“What was it?” Stiles and I question at the same time and Ally hands me the phone while she turns to her desk “Hold on, hold on. It’s in one of these books.”

I follow her and she holds out the book to me “Here take a picture to send to him”

I shake my head and look at her “I don’t have to”

“What? Why– Addy what is it?” I hear him chime in over the phone and I lick my lips quickly before I answer him “Stiles, it’s wolfsbane.”

Allison furrows her brows “What does that mean?”

He sighs and I can hear him start up Roscoe “It means they’re gonna kill him, we have to stop them.”

“Call Scott, we’ll slow down my dad’s guy” Allison rushes out and runs to her closet to grab her Katniss Everdeen bag.

I close my eyes and press the top of my phone to my forehead, muttering “Stiles, he’s innocent and they don’t even care.”

“I know Adds, we’re going to stop them– I promise. I’ll call you after I talk to Scott okay?”

“Yea okay” we hang up the call and I put my phone in the back pocket of my shorts.

Allison stands up and has her game face on “Let’s go.”

***

Allison releases an arrow and hits the back tire of the non Deputy’s SUV car, though he doesn’t even slow down after it hits.

“Front one too, I guess” I sigh out and she nods with the next arrow already set and ready to be released, closing one eye she lines up and shoots with perfect aim to the front tire as well.

He finally pulls over and gets out to inspect the damage to his tires, Ally whispering “Stay here,” before she’s running across from the building I’m hiding behind to one across the road that he’s on. 

He follows the bait of her _on purpose loud_ footsteps and turns around walking towards the back of his car. 

Once he clears the back end, Allison shoots another arrow and hits him in the top of his thigh. His cries of agony fill the night as Allison smirks over to me and we run back to her car unseen by the non Deputy.

Once we get there, I feel my phone ringing. Pulling it out of my pocket I see Stiles’ picture again, putting it onto speaker and he starts talking right away “Hey, did you slow him down?”

I see Allison smirk while I chuckle out “You could say that.”

“All right, well, where are you? We need to get to the station.”

Allison furrows her brows “Where’s Scott?”

“Isaac’s.” Stiles answers as Allison starts up her car and questions to the phone “Does he have a plan?”

“Yeah, but not a very good one– and unfortunately we don’t really have time to come up with anything better.” **_full moon is almost at its peak_**

Ally shares a look with me before she announces “Okay we’re a couple of blocks from the station, I’ll drop off Addy with you and go to Isaac’s for Scott.”

“Okay see you soon” We end the call and head to the station.

***

Stiles leans over to open the passenger door for me and once I climb into the seat I turn to him “Want to fill me in on how the two of us are going to free a locked up, brand new werewolf from a Sheriff’s station on our own?”

He chuckles and nods his head towards the car pulling up “We unfortunately have one more person to help us.” **_Derek, figures– this is his mess_**

Derek walks over to us and leans his elbows on the rolled down window frame, brooding glare ever present.

Stiles breathes out through his nose and looks to the window of the station “Okay, now the keys to every cell are in a password protected lockbox in my father’s office. The problem is getting past the front desk.”

Derek furrows his brows and follows our line of sight to the Deputy inside moving behind the desk. He shrugs and mutters simply “I’ll distract her,” before he starts to stand up from his lean. 

Stiles reaches across me to stop Derek with a hand on his arm “Whoa, whoa, whoa– _you_? You’re not going in there.” 

Derek turns and leans back down with his head ducking into the open window. He widens his eyes, looking back and forth from Stiles’ face, down to his hand still on his arm a few times before I snort and Stiles realizes the problem, removing his hand immediately “I’m taking my hand off…”

Once Stiles removes his hand, Derek quips “I was exonerated.”

“You’re still a person of interest.” Stiles counters and I shrug, looking over to Stiles “An innocent person technically.”

Stiles widens his eyes my way before pointing to Derek “Inno– you? Yeah, right!”

I connect my gaze with Derek who shrugs his shoulders like he agrees with me and Stiles huffs “Okay, fine. What’s your plan?”

“To distract her.” Derek makes a face like he already said such a thing and it should be simple to understand.

Stiles flicks his eyes to me and looks back to Derek “Uh– huh. How? By punching her in the face? Unh.” He finishes with a clenched teeth grimace and Derek scoffs “Heh, by talking to her.”

“Okay, all right. Give me a sample. What are you gonna open with?”

Derek flicks his eyes and takes in my _trying not to laugh_ face, before huffing and looking to his left down the sidewalk behind the Jeep. 

Stiles sighs and nods a few times “Dead silence. That should work beautifully. Any other ideas?”

Derek raises his eyebrows in thought before leveling him with a look “I’m thinking about punching you in the face.”

Stiles drops open his mouth slightly and I chuckle as I reach over and grab the door handle, directing my words towards Derek “Wow– okay, let’s go then Fabio.”

*******

Stiles and I wait in the hall while Derek walks in through the doorway. Next we hear the woman of the hour “Good evening, how can I help– you?” She trails off and Stiles rolls his eyes next to me.

Derek clears his throat “Hi.” **_even I can hear the charm from here_**

“Hi,” the Deputy answers back and I imagine a dreamy sigh would follow that kind of a ‘hi’.

“Um, I had a question,” Derek begins, taking a moment to chuckle lightly before he goes on “Um, sorry I’m a little– a little thrown. I wasn’t really expecting someone–”

“Like me?” She finishes for him with a little disappointment in her voice, Derek quick to correct her “Oh, I was gonna say ‘so incredibly beautiful’ but, yeah, I guess that’d be the same thing.”

I make a mildly impressed expression while Stiles just huffs and rolls his eyes again before hitting me on the arm and nodding his head to get me to move.

We clear the doorway and Derek moves in a way that has her turning as well to put her back towards us, giving us a window to run the last few steps through the other doorway.

We walk down the hall and Stiles sets his hand on my back to lead me into his dad’s office and once we get there, I step to the side as he rushes to the lockbox on the far wall of the room. 

He tries entering the code, however nothing happens and I walk up next to him as he pops off the front of the case “Why do I get a feeling that shouldn’t have happened?”

He sighs out through his nose and looks to me “Because it wasn’t, they’re already here.”

Clinking keys suddenly sound from outside of the office door and Stiles connects his wide eyes with mine “Oh, no– come on.”

We run out into the hall, making a turn down another hall before Stiles halts his steps and I crash into his back. One of his arms comes around to stable us with a hand on my side as he talks to our new guest “Oh.”

The Deputy turns around to face us, my eyes widen and I grab onto Stiles’ arm that is still around his back holding onto me while he tries to come up with a reason why we’re back here “Uh, just looking, um–” Stiles looks down and I follow his line of sight to the arrow in dude’s leg. Mr. Non Deputy looks down as well before looking back at us.

Stiles grip on my side tightens, muttering “Oh shit,” he turns and pushes me to go with him, however, non deputy grabs him and pushes him into me before pulling him back.

“Addy run!” I turn around with wide eyes and watch Stiles being pulled back with a hand over his mouth.

Having zero intention of running, I look around us in the hallway and see a fire alarm to my left **_worth it_**

I run across the hall and pull it just as the non Deputy pulls Stiles around the corner. I rush after them seeing him drop Stiles onto the ground in the holding cell room before he pulls out the syringe of what I’m guessing is wolfsbane that he apparently has.

My eyes widen when I see the door to the cell that probably should be closed, wide open instead.

I drop down next to Stiles who scoots back into me “Come on” I pull on his arms, though I’m stopped when Isaac **_in all his wolfed out glory_** crashes into the non Deputy and smashes him onto the desk in the room.

Stiles gets up slightly, grabbing me and sliding us over to hide behind the desk once Isaac moves with the non Deputy and throws him against the wall on the opposite side of the room from us.

Isaac growls as non Deputy tries to still inject him with the contents of the syringe in his hand, he turns his wrist with one hand and smashes the back of his head into the wall with the other– effectively knocking him out cold.

Isaac looks behind him with a growl when we see Derek come in and step on the syringe with his boot covered foot.

Isaac looks from Derek and over to us quickly, Derek follows his line of sight and Stiles slides in front of me more than he already was. 

Isaac never breaks his murder eyes from us and with one step in our direction Derek roars with his Alpha reds making me jump slightly.

Isaac widens his eyes and drops to the ground to cower in the corner near the knocked out non Deputy. He covers his face with his arms and when he looks back at us, his face is back to human normal.

I let out a sigh of relief, Stiles looks back at me and I nod to let him know I’m okay. He nods and takes a couple of deep breaths to slow his breathing before licking his lips and turning back to Derek “How did you do that?”

“I’m the Alpha,” comes Derek’s obvious reply **_so simple, got it_**

Derek lifts Isaac up from under his shoulders and I set my hands in Stiles’ outstretched ones to help me stand up while Derek and Isaac make their escape.

A couple minutes pass and we hear the fire alarm stop ringing just as Mr. S and his Deputies clear the entry way. 

He looks from us, to the non Deputy passed out on the floor, to the open cell door, and back to us with his eyebrows raised in an _answer now_ type of way.

Stiles shares a look with me and then behind us to the open cell before he turns back to his dad while pointing to the unconscious non Deputy on the floor “Uh, he did it.”


	15. Ice Pick

Standing with my arms crossed next to Stiles, he leans over to me somewhat whispering “Scott and Allison were attacked by a _lizard_ last night?” **  
**

I snort and look around us making sure everyone is enraptured in their own conversations before looking at him “I mean technically it was just in the house and didn’t _actually_ attack them, but yes they said it had a tail and everything. Even climbed on the fucking ceiling.”

Stiles makes a contemplative frown “I mean werewolves, so sure why not massive lizards as big as a person. Are they sure it’s what the saw?”

I nod and look back up to watch Scott and Allison who are climbing the rock wall, that we for some reason need to do in gym class **_I hate heights_** “It was dark but Allison swears it was the best way to describe it.”

Seeing Scott stopped and leaning back slightly I shake my head gaining Stiles’ attention. He looks from me, up to them and back down to me “What?”

I flick my eyes to him “Scott is unapologetically checking out Allison’s ass.”

Stiles chokes on his breath and rubs the back of his neck, looking around us “Uh– how– how exactly can you tell?”

I level him with a raised brow smirk “Girls always know, Sherlock.”

He clears his throat and crosses his arms across his chest while a faint blush rises over his cheeks “Al– always, Watson?”

“Always,” I turn back to now see Scott at the top of the wall and Allison just reaching him.

She kicks her leg out, hitting his foot and making him fall down the rest of the way towards us standing on the ground. The harness around him stops him with about a foot left before he’d crash into the ground.

I uncross one of my arms to chuckle behind my hand when the harness allows him to actually fall onto his back. 

Scott glares at me as Coach kneels down to sit near Scott’s head and chuckles out “McCall, I don’t know why, but your pain gives me a special kind of joy. Right?” He laughs before he stands up and points over in our direction “All right, next two. Stilinski, Addy, let’s go. The wall.” He points behind him and moves to stand where we were **_the sign above my head saying to NOT pick me must be broken_**

Stiles and I get harnessed up and begin our climb up the wall **_one foot after the other in the pegs don’t look down_**

I pass him, but I’m too in the zone off _not_ falling to my death so I don’t really notice until I beat him to the top. However my gloat train halts to a stop because on the way down he passes me and jumps down the last however many feet to land on the mat before me **_arms in the air celebration and everything_**

I roll my eyes and chuckle at his antics as we get unharnessed **_not the closest I’ve been to death, but it was still terrifying_**

“Riveting, alright next two– Lydia and Erica.” Coach points as we walk past.

Stiles and I make our way back into the crowd to stand next to Scott and Allison, the former glaring at his friend and shaking his head “Duuude…”

Furrowing my brows I look from them and over to Stiles who widens his eyes “What?” and throws his arms out to his sides.

Allison smirks at him as well, nodding her head towards the wall behind us “Did you lose your footing about halfway up the uh climb there Stiles?” **_Did the Stiles Stilinski check out my ass?_**

I flick my gaze to him to see him glaring at the pair before he’s turning to face the rock wall, blush hue back on his cheeks ** _busted_**

I share a chuckle with Allison and I tell my peacock feathers to be at ease when crying above us gains our attentions. 

Coach and the rest of us gather at the bottom while he lifts a hand up “Erica– dizzy? Is it vertigo?”

I frown in thought before turning to Coach “Vertigo’s a dysfunction of the vestibular system of the inner ear.”

Lydia makes it back down onto the mat, bouncing once on both feet and lifting one hand towards Erica “She’s just freaking out.”

Coach furrows his brows in confusion at us before looking back up “Erica–”

Erica shouts down to us a little shakily “I’m fine.” Allison leans over towards us “Coach maybe it’s not safe. You know she’s epileptic.”

Coach looks to us nodding in agreement before he frowns “Why doesn’t anybody tell me this stuff? Epilep– Erica, you’re fine. Just– just kick off from the wall. Th– there’s a mat to catch you. Come on.”

Erica listens and leans back letting her harness lower her down slowly until her feet touch the ground. She gets out of the harness and coach continues “See, you’re fine. You’re on the ground. You’re all right. Let’s go. Shake it off. You’re fine.”

She walks past us and looks like she is fighting back tears. A bunch of the going to peak in high school dickbags in the back of the group start to chuckle at her retreating form and I glare at all of them **_asshats_**

***

“I think she went this way” Allison and I walk out the locker room door and into the gym trying to find Erica who didn’t change out of her gym clothes. Instead she slammed her locker and walked out of the locker room ignoring our calls after her. 

We make it in the gym to see her half way up on the rock wall– sans harness and shaking. She falls backwards from the wall and we rush forward however Scott somehow was already there to catch her. 

Stiles and I kneel by her feet and Allison kneels up next to Scott by her head “Here, come on put her on her side. Put her on her side.”

Scott holds her shoulder and I hold near her hip to keep her on her side. Allison looks up to Scott “How’d you know?”

Scott shakes his head and looks back at Erica who is still seizing “I just felt it.”

***

I close my locker after class and start heading down the hallway **_one more class before lunch_**

“You ruined everything!” I hear when I’m walking down the steps and see Jackson walking away from a very scared Lydia.

My head snaps in his direction as I narrow my eyes at him “What the fuck did you say to her?” 

Jackson just glares and walks away while I rush the last few steps to Lydia who is back against the wall scared.

“Lyds?”

She doesn’t move other than flicking her eyes to me and takes a few quick breaths. I soften my face and step closer to her “Hey come on,” I put my arm around her back and lead her into the bathroom.

We head into the handicap stall so I can make sure she’s okay but also for privacy from anyone who may come in.

She has tears running down her cheeks and I make a mental note to suggest to Scott that on the next full moon he have a gladiator type of showdown with Jackson **_purely for research purposes on his control_**

I hand Lydia some tissue out of my bag and she leans against the stall wall, wiping her nose and muttering behind the tissue “Thanks, I really don’t want to talk about it.”

I lift my arms in surrender before crossing them over my chest and shaking my head once “Anytime lovely, and we don’t have to say anything. I’m going to stand here with you though until you tell me to leave. Even then I’d be waiting out there for you” I flick my head to the side to indicate outside of the stall.

She smiles softly before she sniffles and wipes her face again. I look down to my shoes when her jumping gains my attention again.

“Hello?” She shakily asks the bathroom around us and I furrow my brows because I definitely didn’t hear anything. 

She steps back from the wall casting her eyes to under the door in front of us “This is the girls room.”

I make a face, not seeing whatever she’s seeing “Lyd-”

She lifts her hand up to me, stopping my words and moves to open the door. 

I open it wider to see the room empty and she looks over her shoulder at me muttering “Stay here” before she’s off and out the door.

The noise of the hallway ceases as the door Lydia walked through closes and I mutter to the empty bathroom “Ok what the actual fuck was that?”

***

Stiles walks over to Scott and I eating at a lunch table and sits down next to me and across from Scott, smiling brightly “Got ‘em– Scott, I’ll pick you up right after work tonight and we’ll meet the girls at the rink, cool?” 

I nod with the plan, however, Scott’s attention is across the room at the cafeteria doors behind us. Stiles and I share a look before we turn around as well and my mouth drops open in shock.

Erica, though never a terrible looking girl, her hair and style more resembled just got out of bed and rushed to school.

So now that _that_ imagine is in your mind– the Erica walking into the cafeteria now is like after picture of that image. 

Her hair is curled and her makeup looks fucking flawless. She is in a low cut, fitting top, a short skirt showing off legs for days, leopard print heels, and a leather jacket that I’m quite jealous of. She looks like she’s walking in slow motion and music is playing in the background. 

With every eye in the cafeteria on her, she walks over to a table of guys and grabs one of their apples. Taking a bite and not even smudging her red lipstick, she smirks at them.

Lydia’s voice chimes up behind me “What– the holy hell– _is that_?”

“It’s Erica.” Scott and I mutter at the same time and like she heard us, her eyes flick over to us and her smirk deepens **_well hellooo werewolf hearing_**

She stands up from her lean and takes one more bite of the apple looking over her shoulder at us before she walks out of the doors. 

Without saying anything and just knowing we need to follow, the three of us get up and rush out into the hallway to follow her. We get to the front doors and burst through them, though we don’t get much farther as we come to a stop immediately at seeing Derek’s car.

I raise my brows at Erica opening the passenger door to his car, smiling at us before getting in. Once she’s settled Derek turns his head towards us and smiles like the cheshire cat before he speeds off out of the parking lot.

Stiles connects his shocked gaze with mine and Scott kicks the handle rail for the stairs in front of us **_first Isaac and now Erica– how many more?_**

***

Allison, Lydia, and I are lounging in Allison’s room waiting for Scott to get off work. Ally grabs a white boho just above the knee dress and holds it out to me “This matches your sweater, please wear it”

I raise a brow, looking at the dress and down to my soft blue and light grey striped chunky sweater, white henley and jeans “It’s pretty, but what’s wrong with what I have on?”

“Nothing, absolutely nothing. I just don’t think skating in jeans will be too much fun,” Allison counters with a slight shrug.

I scoff and shake my head once “But falling on my ass in a _dress_ will be?”

Lydia snorts and grabs a pair of tights holding them out to me “Here these will compliment the blue and grey in your sweater and will provide complete ass covering ability should you fall.”

I look between both of them and the items of clothing they are each holding, narrowing my eyes slightly before huffing and holding out my hand “I don’t know what you two are plotting but fine”

Lydia smirks and places the tights in my hand “We are not plotting anything, just trying to expand your wardrobe to include a dress or two, you have killer legs Addy.”

Allison shares a look with her before connecting her eyes with mine and nodding with a soft smile when she sees my raised brow in question.

I breathe out a laugh and shake my head, grab the hanger from Ally and walk over towards her bathroom to change.

Lydia had put a french braid on each side of my head with my baby hairs and a few small strands out to frame my face while putting the rest of the top half in a messy bun and she left the bottom half down in my waves.

I look at my new outfit and fight the urge to roll my eyes at them being right, smiling at them instead **_mom was right, girlfriends are kind of the best_**

I head back into Ally’s room and they both have smiles immediately upon seeing me. Ally claps her glove covered hands before she picks up a pair for me to put in my sweater pockets.

A knock on her door gains our attentions “Headed out?” her dad crosses his arms and leans on her door frame looking at us

Allison looks to me before looking back at him “Just studying dad…”

He nods but narrows his eyes slightly and Allison walks over with a slight huff to him and they exchange a few words that are too quiet for me to hear.

Lydia grabs her phone before also grabbing my arm to plop me in her lap on the lounge chair she’s sitting in, and takes a photo of us laughing.

Allison turns from her dad and rushes over to us “Me too, me too!” she falls in our laps and we take a few photos and laugh like our life hasn’t been a horror movie these last few months.

***

We get out of the car once Stiles and Scott pull into the parking spot next to us and head to the doors of the rink. 

Stiles pulls the keys he got from Boyd, who works at the skating rink, out of his pocket and unlocks the door. 

Opening them he turns with an excited smile towards us before looking around for the light switch. He flicks on the lights and Allison rushes over to Scott, them both sharing excited smiles and linking their hands as they walk inside.

Lydia walks past me, lifting her brows up and making a hmm noise before following after them, I follow them with my eyes before looking back at Stiles and find him already looking at me.

I don’t wear dresses often so I nervously look down and tuck some of the loose hair behind my ear. Clearing my throat I look back up and out onto the rink, indicating to the friends of mine with a nod “They insisted skating in jeans would be catastrophic to the fashion world.”

He chuckles and walks over to me, shoving his hands in his pockets “Well I would trust them over my opinion, but I think you look great– not that you don’t usually look great– you always look– umm heh…”

He trails off nervously, earning me to offer him a smile of thanks as I set my hand on his arm to stop his ramblings, nodding my head behind us towards the others “Come on”

He clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck with his free hand and nods “Yeah, skates are over here” he points and leads us over to grab our sizes.

He hands skates to Allison and Scott before they walk off to sit on their own.

“Here are your small ass size six, Adds” he hands me the skates and I chuckle while grabbing them “Thanks butthead” and walk off to a bench to sit on. 

Skates in her hand, Lydia walks over and sits on my left side and Stiles follows to sit on my other side **_why didn’t he sit by her?_**

I shiver for the third time since sitting down and turn my head to my left “The tights may have coming in clutch covering ability but they don’t have warmth ability, Lyds.”

She rolls her eyes and goes back to her tying her skates “Fashion rarely does, my love.” **_fucking fashion_**

I rub my legs with my arms as I reach down to finish tying my skates and sit up. Once that’s done I sit back up and my arms across my chest, resisting the urge to let out an audible ‘brrrrr’.

Stiles flicks his head towards me and leaves his untied shoes to dig through his backpack, immediately handing me what he was looking for “Here”

I look down to see a hoodie in his hand, I make a grateful noise and smile up at him as I reach for it. I bunch the fabric in my hands, the hoodie suspended in the air with both of us holding it when Lydia lets out a scoff, pointing across me “She can’t wear that.”

Ignoring her command to freeze while we sit here, I gently take the hoodie from Stiles’ hand and drape it over my legs, turning to her with my amusement “Care to elaborate why?”

She makes a disgusted face and flicks her eyes from me and to the hoodie draped over me “You’re wearing blue.”

Stiles shares just as much of a confused face as me and I scrunch my brows up when I look back to her “Barely, I’m also wearing grey and white and–”

She rolls her eyes “Orange and blue aren’t a good combination at all, Addy.”

Stiles makes a noise with how deeply that offends him and gains my attention with his rebuttal “But it’s the colors of the Mets!”

I snort and wrap the hoodie around me more “I’m not wearing _that_ color blue, but also it makes zero difference when the options are hypothermia and fashion police disapproval, Lyds”

She shakes her head in disappointment and goes back to her skates. I look at Stiles out of the corner of my eye and see him silently laugh before he digs in his bag again. He has my entire attention as he produces another orange item, though it’s of the peanut butter and chocolate variety, and my eyes widen slightly.

Stiles snorts, opening the package and hands me one “Figured you haven’t eaten yet” I smile at his assumption and take off the bottom wrapper of the Reese’s while he offers the other to Lydia, however, she shakes her head no.

After we eat our Reese’s in silence and Lydia finishes tying her shoes, Stiles clears his throat “Okay, um, maybe orange and blue is not the best,” I look at him and he has his eyes cast down to his skates as he continues “Right, you know, um, sometimes there’s other things you wouldn’t think would be a good combination end up turning out to be, like, a perfect combination, you know, like two people together– who nobody ever thought would be together ever.” He looks up and connects his eyes with mine and flashbacks of the Formal come to mind, dancing with him and being in his arms. He moves his eyes between mine quickly, the butterflies starting to gather in my stomach again **_could he mean?_**

Lydia breaks my train of thought as she chimes in “Yeah, I can see that.”

Stiles flicks his eyes over to her “You can?” **_right he meant her_**

I breathe out deeply turning to also face her, though she isn’t looking at us. She hmms in response to his question and nods towards Scott and Ally sitting a few rows in front of us lacing up their shoes “Yeah. They’re cute together.”

A smile falls over my lips looking at them being adorable and laughing with each other on the bench **_I want that_**

“Yeah they are,” I agree, Stiles letting out a huff of aggravation gains my attention as he grumbles “Oh, yeah, them.”

I chuckle and nod, “They are cute.”

Clearly upset that Lydia didn’t catch on to Stiles’ meaning of her and him, Stiles finishes tying his shoes with a little more force that is needed on innocent shoe laces and clips out “Cute. Adorable.”

Lydia gets up from the bench, entering the rink and skates around like a pro on the ice, doing spins that makes me dizzy just looking at her.

Allison helps Scott **_who for enhanced speed and reflexes is shit at ice skating_** around the side of the rink and he falls quite a few times– and being the best sister that I am– I at least _try_ not to laugh **_too noticeably that is_**

I step out onto the rink and I feel like even though I haven’t skated in a while, I have a pretty good hang of things.

That thought immediately flies out the window like a pigeon previously trapped inside a car when I feel my feet moving too far one way and throwing off my center of gravity. I close my eyes and brace for the impact on my ass cheek when suddenly there are hands on my sides and I’m not in pain. 

I squint one eye open before opening the other and see Stiles standing in front of me with an easy smile on his face as he keeps me balanced upright “Hey, I got you”

I chuckle and set my hands on his arms “Thanks– that could of been catastrophic in dress form”

He nods and licks his lips before he tightens his hold on my sides “Just don’t let me fall either.”

I smile and nod once “You got it, here–” I remove my hand from his arm and reach over to grab of one his hands off my waist. He grips onto me and we start to slowly move around the area around us. 

After a few minutes we get the hang of it, like riding a bike, I no longer feel like I’m going to fall on my ass.

Stiles keeps his hand in mine though and I am again reminded of the night of the Formal not that long ago.

I chalked up all those feelings to because I had never danced with someone, however we aren’t dancing now so like **_WTFuck stomach butterflies? The fuck you doing back here?_**

I’m interrupted from my solo mind deduction of the current situation when I see Lydia kneeling on the ice. I come to a stop and Stiles does the same at my side “Lydia?”

She doesn’t look up, instead she starts pawing at the ice like she’s digging in snow.

“Lyd–”

She looks up and screams so loud I jump slightly from the shock of it, raising my hands up to cover my ears. 

I connect my eyes with Stiles and we skate forward as fast as the ice allows until we fall down onto our knees next to her. 

I wrap my arm around her back, setting the other on her shoulder closest to me and try to snap her out of her screaming fest. She doesn’t stop though and her screams add a little whimper on the end **_what the hell did she see in the ice?_**

I look up, to Stiles before seeing Allison and Scott come to a stop at the entry point of the rink. We all share the same _what do we do_ look as Lydia shakes in my arms.

*****

Allison and I head to a table and sit down for lunch. We sit next to each other and Scott is sitting in a seat directly behind Allison, so their backs are facing each other. 

Scott begins talking as soon as we sit down “I know how it looked, but she came up to me.”

Allison connects her eyes with mine before she answers his statement “I’m not jealous.”

“You’re not?” Scott questions with disbelief dripping from his words.

Allison told me in line what she had seen from the hallway between Scott and Erica, and while it wasn’t the greatest to see Erica standing way too close to Scott– she knows that Scott wasn’t interested in anything she was exuding with her new found confidence **_slutbag used to be so nice, too_**

“She’s with Derek now, isn’t she? Like Isaac. You can’t get caught in the middle of this. Don’t you feel what’s happening? My grandfather coming here, Derek turning Erica and Isaac, it’s– It’s like battle lines are being drawn.”

Scott clears his throat “I know.”

Allison shifts in her seat “There’s always crossfire.”

“What am I supposed to do? I can’t just stand by. I can’t pretend to be normal.”

Allison grabs her tray “I don’t want you to be normal. I want you to be alive.” She finishes her words, mouthing sorry to me, which I wave off, and she gets up walking away from us. 

She almost crashes into Stiles who steps back out of her path with concern before he remembers why he was walking so quickly towards us and looks at us. He runs over, dodging the other chairs before he’s setting one hand on the back of my chair and pointing across Scott’s table “Guys. Do you see that?”

I turn around to see what he’s pointing at, however, I just find an empty table which Scott verbalizes “What?– It’s an empty table.”

“Yeah, but _whose_ empty table?” **_lightbulb_**

“Boyd.” Scott and I mutter together before grabbing our things and getting up to walk out of the cafeteria.

Scott opens the door and turns to us “I’m going to go to the ice rink, see if he’s there. You guys go to his house and if he’s not at home, you call me, got it?” Scott questions before he slows down looking at Stiles, I turn my head to look as well and see the hesitation on his face “What is it?” I ask as I come to a stop in between them.

Stiles lets out a deep exhale “Maybe we should let him. Boyd, you know, man? You said Derek’s giving them a choice, right?” He lifts one arm out and looks around to make sure no one is listening.

Scott immediately hates that idea and shakes his head, grabbing Stiles by the arm to continue our walk down the hall “We can’t.”

Stiles huffs “You gotta admit, Erica looks pretty good. You know, the word ‘sensational’ comes to mind.”

I scoff and shake my head towards him “Yea? How good do you think she’s gonna look once the hunters are through with her?”

Stiles opens and closes his mouth a few times before he nods, conceding “All right, all I’m saying is maybe this one isn’t totally your responsibility, Scott.”

“They all are. And you know this thing’s gonna get out of control. That makes me responsible.”

Stiles looks to the both of us before nodding and looking forward “All right, I’m with you guys. And I also gotta say this newfound heroism is making me very attracted to you.” He directs the last statement towards Scott and I chuckle at the look on his face before he shakes his head “Shut up.”

“No, seriously. Do you wanna just try making out for a sec? Just to see how it feels.” Scott pushes him to start walking again and rolls his eyes at me. I chuckle as I fall in step behind them, leaving them to their bromance moment.

***

Stiles and I get to Boyd’s and rush up the steps to his house, Stiles immediately knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell “Hey, Boyd? Hey, Boyd? It’s Stiles and Addy.”

I move to look in the window, but the curtain covering it makes that pretty useless from this side. I turn and take a step back at Erica standing in front of me “Jesus– hey.”

Erica giggles and shakes her head at the two of us “What are you guys doing here?

Stiles turns around as well, stammering “Uh, nothing, we were just looking for, um–”

“Boyd” I finish for him and Erica flicks her eyes to me before Stiles continues with a pitch in his voice “Yeah. Yes– Boyd.”

I roll my eyes and Erica looks back to him moving around slightly “You know what you’re doing right now that’s kind of funny Stiles? You’re only looking in my eyes.”

He flicks his eyes to me before looking back to her and raising his brows “That’s funny?”

She chuckles “Well yeah, because it’s that kind of look where you’re trying not to look anywhere other than my eyes, but you want to, don’t you? You want a nice, long, hard– look.” She finishes all up in his personal space, he swallows thickly and looks up “Not really. No.”

She condescendingly steps back with fake shock on her face “Oh. So it’s just my eyes?”

He looks like he’s sweating with this awkward exchange and I have to try not to laugh as he confirms “Yes. You have beautiful eyes.”

“I have beautiful everything.” She quips back on a glare, Stiles quipping back “And a newfound self-confidence. Congratulations, Erica.” 

He looks to me and I lift an arm out to my side “Well this has been an experience but we really should get going– we can give Boyd the keys back later right Stiles?”

“Ha– yes, yes we can, let’s go” We take a step forward but she stops us, reaching her arm across me and landing her hand on Stiles’ chest, all but growling out “You’re not going anywhere.”

Stiles looks down to her hand and by the look on his face I can see the pain her hand is causing him “Why not?”

She happily lifts her other hand and shows off what she’s holding, stating sweetly “You’re having car trouble” before she punches him in the face, knocking him out. 

I jump as he falls back into the door before dropping to the ground and she flicks her eyes to me. 

I lift my hands in surrender and she looks down to her hand still holding the car part she apparently took out of Roscoe. 

I raise my brows “You know, I really don’t want to find out what it’s like to be punched for the first time by a werewolf, so think we could just talk it out instead?”

She laughs and drops her hand “I always liked you Addy, you were constantly looking out for me even when everyone else was laughing or filming one of my seizures on their phones. I always admired your kindness you have towards everyone unless they give you a reason not to” **_so we’re calling it even then?_**

I drop my hands and smile softly at the human interaction we are having when she continues “The old pathetic seizure filled Erica– she says thank you. The new Erica– she has to unfortunately do this because of who your brother is” **_hold the phone, wh–_**

Before I can process her words immense pain is felt on the side of my head and blackness swallows up my vision and the rest of my thought.

***

“Adds?!– for the love of god, Addy where are you?!” **_Stiles?_**

Letting the voice in my head carry me awake I open my eyes, however, the pounding in my head causes me to groan and slam my eyes closed. 

I set my hands on either side of my head muttering “Fucking bitch” as the memory of ‘new Erica’ invades the sight behind my closed eyelids.

I sit up and see that the blackness I still see around me is because it’s nighttime and I’m in the back of Roscoe. 

I see Stiles pacing behind the jeep and typing on his phone. Like he senses me looking at him, he looks up and his eyes widen before he rushes forward to the back window “Holy shit, Addy– are you okay? I– I need you to open the door, I think Erica locked you in there and took the keys.”

“I’m okay” I nod and immediately regret it as I open the latch with another groan “If she locked me in here, where were you?”

A dark look immediately crosses his face and he shakes his head “Bitch put me in the dumpster in the back alley.”

I might find that funny if I wasn’t convinced a gnome has taken residence on the frontal lobe of my fucking brain **_he’s working hard at building a house with his favorite hammer_**

Stiles opens the back door reaching his hands out for me, I set my hands on his shoulders and he helps me out of the jeep. 

Keys fall onto the ground after me and I bend down to grab them, holding them up to him “Well she didn’t take the keys at least.”

He huffs and knocks my hand holding the keys down to set his hands on the sides of my face over my jaw, turning my head to the side and grimacing at what he sees “Now that’s a bruise…”

I roll my eyes and grimace at the pain that also brings “At least there’s a bajillion youtube videos on how to properly cover anything with makeup.”

He chuckles and gently guides my head back to face forward connecting our eyes and asking softly “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yea– yeah are you?” **_well that sounded breathier than I was wanting_**

The corner of his lips twitch and he lifts his shoulders in a shrug “Pride’s a little hurt but that’s nothing new.”

His hands are still on either side of my face and I can feel his fingers resting against my neck, his thumbs moving ever so slightly against my cheeks– the action sends a shiver down my spine. 

He notices immediately and jumps into action, dropping his hands from my head as he leans forward to grab his duffel bag in the back of Roscoe. 

He pulls out one of his trusted flannels and sets it around my shoulders “You’re wearing grey and I think that’s neutral enough of a color that you’re safe from the fashion police for these colors.”

I laugh and put my arms where they should go to wear the flannel properly “Good, we know how much that means to me”

He returns with his own chuckle and sets his hands in his pockets when headlights shine over us. 

We turn and see the tow truck Stiles called while I was unconscious pulling up behind us.


	16. Abomination

Stiles and I have been at the auto shop that the tow truck took us to for about two hours. The mechanic is currently all up under the Jeep’s engine however he is taking _forever_ for a simple part replacement.

Finally having enough, Stiles opens the door of the waiting area and begins shouting towards the guy “Hey! Hey? Wh– what do you think you’re doing? All I needed was a starter…”

The door slowly closes, effectively leaving me out of the rest of the conversation between the two. 

Movement out of my periph through the window has me jerking my head to the side, my eyes moving around trying to figure out what I saw. 

I cross my arms over my chest and walk over to kneel on a chair to closer examine the body shop on the other side, seeing absolutely nothing I drop my leg from the chair and walk past the other chairs.

Heading for the door, I open it slightly before pushing it open farther. Slimy goo gets all over my hand and I close my mind off to whatever it could be **_a slug claimed the door– that’s all it could be_**

Grimacing from the gag inducing texture, I rub my hand on a cloth I find on a cart just outside the door. 

Once I get it cleared, I look up and see Stiles making his way back over to me. If he were a cartoon I’d imagine steam to be billowing from his ears for how angry he looks.

He reaches forward grabbing the handle of the door, not fully hearing my warning “Sty, wait–” 

Pulling his hand away from the door he looks from me and his hand as he immediately pulls it away from the handle with a grimace “Oh, nice– that’s real sanitary. Quality establishment you’re running here.” He shouts the last bit over his shoulder towards the mechanic. 

I chuckle softly and reach forward to hand him the cloth’s corner I didn’t use “Here”

Stiles grabs it from me muttering “thanks” and we walk back in the waiting room. He stops and leans forward examining a picture on the wall “Figures” he adds on a scoff and walks over to stand in front of the window.

My arm feels like when you lay on it for too long and it falls asleep, and I try shaking it out to wake it up as I follow his line of sight “Big douche energy out there?” I shake my head towards the lacrosse picture on the wall **_because why wouldn’t your picture of your glory days be in the waiting area of your place of work?_**

He snorts and grabs his phone out of his pocket “The biggest, I’m gonna see if my dad can come get us– I’ll probably have to come back in the morning.”

I open my mouth to reply, however I come up short as my entire body now feels like it’s falling asleep and my legs give out before I can give much thought to it.

I collapse flat on my back on the ground with a grunt **_paralyzed– well this is new_**

I hear something clatter to the ground next to my head a few seconds later. Moving my eyes since I am unable to move anything from my neck down I see Stiles holding his shaky hands out in front of him “Stiles–” I try to gain his attention but he’s looking out the window into the body shop now “Uh– Addy do you see that?”

“Not so much–” I attempt to answer but his shouting cuts me off “Hey. Hey! Hey!”

He starts to lean to his side and he lets out a grunt before he collapses onto his forearms on the ground to my left. 

I turn my head to the side, raising my brows at him “How’s it going?”

He widens his eyes as he lays out on his stomach and sets his shaky hand on my arm “What the fuck is this?”

“I have no idea but whatever it is– it’s affective” I fail at my attempt to move my hands and feet more than a little jerk in one direction, but I can at least move now **_at least it wears off quickly_**

He slides forward so he is laying slightly farther up than I am on the ground, and now can see above my head and out the open door to my right “I think whatever Scott and Allison saw the other night is out there, before I fell I saw it swipe its tail behind that guy’s neck and he just collapsed.” 

I turn my head away from him and look out the open door to the body shop. We have a clear view in front of us– though it’s not terribly good news. 

We have a perfect view of the mechanic laying on the ground right underneath the jeep, and we can do absolutely nothing to help him.

There’s a hissing noise that makes my eyes widen and the next sound of metal whirring makes my stomach drop **_watching someone be brutally murdered wasn’t on my agenda for this lifetime_**

“Oh my god” I whisper, feeling tears pool in my eyes and hear Stiles grunt as he reaches to the other side of me towards his phone. His shaky arm hits the top of my head as he attempts to dial 9-1-1 on the screen.

All that can be heard over our quick breaths of panic are the hydraulics lowering the jeep at a slow pace and the cries of help from the mechanic who looks to be in the same paralyzed boat we are in. 

“Addy don’t look, can you move your head still?” I try to answer him, I really do however I just feel absolutely frozen at what I’m seeing 

“Look– Addy, seriously look at me… come on you have to look away– show me your blues, Adds.”

The desperation in his voice finally breaks through and I roll my head from the doorway, looking at the ceiling with a deep breath before I flick my eyes over to Stiles and roll my head on the side to face him. 

I feel the tears that had gathered in my eyes, slide down the side of my face when I look at him.

He grimaces and connects his eyes with mine, knowing what’s going to happen I close my eyes tight even though I’m looking the other way. 

The noise that follows my eyes closing is one I will never be able to describe properly and one I will never forget. I’ve seen plenty of action and horror movies and I just have to say, a person being murdered by a heavy bit of machinery is way worse when it’s real life.

The whirring stops after a final clang when the lift is back on the ground and I take a few seconds before I open my eyes. My gaze instantly connects with Stiles’ before he licks his lips quickly and starts looking around. 

I am able to move more now, so I roll on my side towards the door. I set one hand on the ground and push up onto my other elbow, however I jump out of my skin when a fucking giant ass scaly lizard person jumps down in front of the doorway “Fuck–”

Murder Lizard lets out a high pitched hiss, growl screech noise that makes me jump even more, and next thing I know– it’s gone.

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

*******

It’s raining now as we get outside to be checked over by the paramedics. Luckily we were both completely broken from our paralyzed state after the 9-1-1 call **_not sure how we were going to explain that_**

Mr. S walks over and sits next to us on the tailgate of the ambulance, asking us again what happened.

Stiles sighs and rubs at his hand with the thumb of his other hand “I told you, Addy went to the bathroom and I just– I walked into the garage to check how much longer it would be and I saw the jeep on top of the guy, that’s all.”

He adds a shrug and rubs at his hand a little harder, gaining the attention of his dad “What’s wrong with your hand?”

Stiles shakes head and looks down “Nothing. Can I just get us out of here now?” 

Mr. S flicks his eyes over to me sitting on Stiles’ other side and back to his son, turning off the Sheriff side to try a more dad approach “Look, if there’s something you don’t think you can tell me–”

“You think I’m lying?” Stiles interrupts, lifting his head up to look at his dad quickly who shakes his head immediately “No, of course not. I’m just worried about you. Now, if you guys _saw_ someone do this, if you’re afraid that maybe they’re gonna come back and make sure you both don’t say anything about it–”

“We didn’t see anything– at all. Can we go now please?” Stiles exhales on a deep breath.

I give Mr. S a small smile when he looks back to me and takes a few seconds before he nods and he stands up.

He turns to us, rushing out the next words as he takes steps away from us “Sure, but not in your jeep. We’re gonna have to impound it,” Stiles lifts his brows in surprise, however Noah doesn’t give him a chance to complain “Sorry kid, evidence. I’ll see you at home.” 

I pull my phone out of my pocket to text Scott as Stiles sighs and rubs a hand over the back of his head before he throws it out towards his dad’s retreating form and shouts out “All right, well, at least make sure they wash it.”

I unlock my phone again when I feel it vibrate with a new message “Scott’s on his way,” I say before I pocket my phone and cross my arms to pull Stiles’ flannel around me more.

Stiles shakes his head and looks at his hand again “Why didn’t it hurt us?”

I lift a shoulder and stare at nothing in particular in the distance “It’s almost like it wanted to trap us in there, why else goo the door where we were?”

He scoffs “Probably just wanted us out of the way, or to come back later.”

I shiver at that and see Scott pull up a few seconds later. Stiles gets up and turns to me with his outstretched hand “Jump my fun sized munchkin.”

Throwing him a look, I place my hand in his and once my feet are on the ground I elbow him in the ribs. He grunts and lets out a soft chuckle as he crosses his arm to guard where I hit before falling in step with me.

Reaching the car he opens my door for me, I smile and mutter “Thanks” as I climb in the passenger seat **_butthead to gentleman in 3.8 seconds_**

Once we’re in and settled Scott turns in his seat towards us “You guys okay?”

I turn my head towards Scott but flick my eyes to Stiles and see him huff before answering “Yeah. You were right. It’s not like you. I mean, its eyes were almost like, reptilian. But there was something about them.”

“What do you mean?” Scott looks between us and I turn my head towards Stiles as I fill in what I hope he’s thinking as well “It was almost a familiar feeling”

Stiles nods and looks down before looking back to Scott “You know when you see, like, a friend in a Halloween mask, but all you can actually see are their eyes and you feel like you know ‘em– but you just can’t figure out who it is?”

Scott shifts in his seat ready for the new information, moving his eyes between us “Are you guys saying you know who it is?” **_not exactly_**

I flick my eyes to Stiles, seeing him shake his head and connect his eyes with Scott’s “No, but I think it knew us.”

***

Stiles sits in front of me on the stairs in the hallway of school the next day. 

He clears his throat and continues “I’m so sorry about the other day. I’m trying. We’ll get through this. Uh, I know, because… I love you.”

I lift a hand over my mouth as he squints his eyes towards Scott who sits next to him on the stairs “I love you more than– oh, my God. I can’t– You and Allison just have to find a better way to communicate.” **_this is prime entertainment though_**

Scott groans and throws his head back “Come on, you guys are the only ones that we can trust. Addy talks to Allison and you talk to me– it works, is she coming to the game tonight?”

“Yes! Okay, message complete,” Stiles draws a line with his arm in front of them, muttering “Besides it makes more sense for Addy to just tell _you_ rather than her having to tell me for me to then tell _you_ – stop making it so damn complicated.”

I snort and lean forward in between them, both of them scooting further apart to make room for me “So what happened at the ice rink last night with Boyd?”

Scott shakes his head and looks around before facing us more “I tried to fight off Isaac and Erica, to convince Boyd not to join Derek– but I was too late. Derek already bit him.” Scott looks to his feet and I share a look with Stiles who scoots a little closer to us “What happened with your boss?”

Scott puts a hand on his side and I furrow my brows at the action “He knows _everything_.”

I make a noise and lean forward more “Wh– what do you mean ‘everything’?”

Scott looks back at me “I mean _everything_ about me, Derek, the Argents, the thing that’s running around killing everyone,” he shakes his head before continuing “He thinks that Allison’s family keeps some kind of, uh, records of all the things that they’ve hunted. Like a book.”

I tilt my head to the side as I suggest “He probably means a bestiary.” 

Stiles nod in agreement when Scott turns to me with his brows furrowed “What?”

“A bestiary.” Stiles reiterates and Scott laughs like it’s the silliest thing before he shocks the fuck out of us, smirking like we’re idiots “I think you mean bestiality.” **_Why would that ever be a first thought_**

Stiles and I share a look of _what the fuck_ before he flicks his eyes back to Scott “Nope, pretty sure we do _not_ ever mean that,” he shakes his head before he explains further “It’s like an encyclopedia of mythical creatures.”

Scott’s face clears and he groans through his frustration “How am I the only one who doesn’t know anything about this stuff.”

Stiles softens his face to reassure the loveable dumbass “Okay look, you’re her brother, my best friend, you’re a creature of the night, it’s kind of like a priority of ours to know everything we can.”

I nod when Scott looks between the both of us before he continues “Okay. If we can find it, and it can tell us what this thing is–”

“And who–” Stiles interrupts before we all nod and mutter at the same time “We need that book”. 

Stiles squints his eyes and we all share a look of _did that just happen? **that was weirdly awesome**_

We grab our bags and head up the stairs without saying another word.

***

Allison smirks at us and I already know what’s coming next “I think you mean–”

I lift my hand up to stop her, shaking my head once “No no– we mean _bestiary,_ Ally.” 

Stiles scoffs and flicks his hand between her and the school where Scott is “And the two of you, I don’t want to know what’s going on in your heads.”

Allison chuckles and shakes her head looking down at the table “Okay, um. Can you describe this thing?”

Stiles shrugs “Uh, it’s probably like a– a book…”

“Old, worn from generations of hunters passing it on…” I elaborate while moving my hands out in front of me.

Allison has a look of recognition flash over her face, raising a brow at us as she questions “Like, bound in leather?”

Stiles makes a noise of agreement and turns to run to Scott, however, I grab onto his arm to stop him and answer her “More than likely, yes. Great, ok where would he keep it?”

Allison squints and adds on a shrug “Probably the office he has infiltrated here.”

Stiles looks to me and starts to turn, however, I again stop him “Think we’d be able to get the book easy enough?”

Stiles huffs and sets his hands on the table closer to me “You know– this wasn’t the plan.”

I roll my eyes “Running back and forth across the quad would look more suspicious than if we just hash this out now and fill Scott in later.”

He contemplates that before standing back up and shoving his hands in his pockets facing Allison “Can we get the book?”

“Not without his keys,” She digresses with a grimace.

***

Plan to get Gerard’s keys started with Allison inviting her grandfather to watch the lacrosse game with her. She texted that Gerard had put his keys in his jacket so I suggested pulling the being cold card **_hopefully he’ll be chivalrous_**

I’m waiting behind the bleachers for everything to go down and I smile triumphantly when Gerard shrugs off his jacket and has Ally put it on. She nods ever so slightly towards Stiles waiting off to the side and he shoves his hands in pockets, picture of nonchalant ease as he walks over to the bleachers.

Ally chose the seat right on the end and Stiles is able to walk past and accept the hand off of keys so smoothly he does a little spin at the end of the bleachers where I’m standing.

He turns around to me, smirk in place followed by a quick raise of his brows, I snort and bring him back “Alright 007, that was the easy part– let’s go we don’t have much time.”

Stiles rolls his eyes and sets his hand on my lower back before we fall in step together and head for the school “Maybe he’ll be predictable and the book will be on the bookcase sticking out like a sore thumb because it’s so old.”

“He’s old so I’m sure more than half of his books will be old as well,” I grumble earning Stiles to snort “True, probably has first editions of supernatural lore just hiding in plain sight.”

We share a laugh and continue walking, though once we’re in the parking lot we hear crying coming from a car to our right. 

We look at each other quickly before going around to the driver’s side. Seeing that Lydia is the source of the crying, we rush to the window “Lydia, hey what’s wrong?”

She huffs and rolls up the window, Stiles not letting that deter us and knocks on the window as it goes up “Lydia, come on–”

She shakes her head and looks away from us “Just go away guys.”

“What wrong Lyds?”

She raises her voice, it cracking from the emotion she’s trying to hide from us “Look, I don’t need anyone seeing me cry!”

I soften my face and Stiles leans closer to the window “Aw come on Lydia– you shouldn’t care if people see you cry, all right”

She takes a quick breath in before looking at us, muttering “Why?”

I connect my eyes with hers “Because crying is a sign of strength not weakness, Lyds.”

She licks her lips and moves her head to face forward again, digesting my words for a moment before she lowers the window down and we lean on the window frame of the door.

She takes a deep breath before she looks over “You guys are gonna think I’m crazy” **_literally can’t happen at this point_**

Stiles and I flick our eyes towards each other before he moves his hand still holding the keys in her direction “Lydia if you trust us on anything, you can trust us on this– there is _nothing_ that you can say right now that will make you sound crazy.”

“ _Literally_ nothing” I stress gaining her attention, though mine moves back to the field when we hear the whistle blow and the crowd cheering from the game **_right we’re on a time limit_**

Stiles jabs his elbow in my side nodding his head towards the school before he looks back to Lydia “Uh can you just give us 5 minutes?”

She scrunches up her brows and I frown, quickly rushing out “I know, I’m sorry, there’s just something we have to grab but just stay here–”

“Continue crying– or not crying” Stiles interjects and I stand up, giving him a look as Lydia turns her head to the other side of the car. 

He shrugs his shoulders at the look I give him and he stammers out back towards her “If you want, or whatever works for you, um, but just stay here and we’ll be right back, okay?”

“And then we can talk about anything” I try to save him from her glare before I jerk my head towards the school and we are off in a run.

We get the doors unlocked and finding no luck on the tiny bookcase, we start rummaging through the office looking everywhere we can think of that he’d be hiding it. 

“Book, book, book,” Stiles huffs and grabs his phone “Texting Scott that there’s nothing here.”

I release a breath of frustration and set my hands on my hips “All right, well let’s get the keys back to Allison at least”

Stiles looks up and jumps backwards “Oh m–”

I turn around to see Erica smiling at us “Hello, Addy– Stiles.”

Glaring at her “New _evil_ Erica– how’s it going?”

***

Erica leads us into the building where the swimming pool is with each of her were-grip hands on one of our arms. 

“Ah! Okay ahh” Stiles exclaims as we walk through the doorway and into the pool area, seeing Derek walk up in front of us holding a basketball for whatever reason.

Erica lets go of us and moves to stand next to him as he addresses us “Stiles– Addy.”

“Derek” we mutter in a grumbled unison. 

He nods his head and connects his eyes with both of ours, taking a moment before he’s questioning “What did you guys see at the mechanic’s garage?”

I scrunch my mouth to the side, Stiles finding a comeback quicker than me “Uh, several alarming EPA violations that I’m seriously considering reporting.” 

I smirk and Derek smiles, while Erica humorlessly chuckles at him. Derek punctures the basketball he’s holding and crushes the now deflated ball in between his hands 

“Holy God” Stiles breathes out while I widen my eyes at that unnecessary display.

Derek drops the smile and looks up at us like he won’t mind doing the same to us unless we cooperate “Let’s try that again.”

Stiles shares a look with me and flicks a hand out in front of him “All right, the thing was pretty slick looking. Um, skin was dark– kind of patterned…” 

“Pretty sure it had scales” I mutter while crossing my arms and looking at my feet before looking back up towards Derek and Erica.

Stiles turns his head to me, nodding in agreement before looking back at the pair “Is that enough? Okay, because we really need to–”

Derek lifts his head with a glare, silently telling us to keep going **_would it kill you to be nice to us?_**

Stiles grunts and continues “Um alright, fine, eyes,” he throws his arms up to his sides looking for the right words “Eyes are– um– yellowish, and slitted. Um, has a lot of teeth…” 

I nod with everything he’s saying, remembering it all with vivid detail before I make a noise and raise my brows with a shrug “Oh– and it’s got a tail, too.”

Stiles points across his chest towards me and nods, turning back to them “Are we good?– What?”

Derek and Erica have moved their eyes to right above us and the look on their faces isn’t sitting well with me, especially since Erica looks to be breathing way too quickly for _not_ seeing a terrifying creature with paralytic abilities about to attack us.

I uncross my arms and take a step closer to Stiles when he continues “Wait, have you seen it? You have this look on your faces like you know exactly what we’re talking about.”

Hitting Stiles on the arm when I hear what sounds like claws click on metal I look up in the direction they’re looking. 

We hear a hiss at the same time as my eyes register seeing the creature from last night perched on the railing above us right as it lets out a loud screech down towards us.

We jump and Stiles grabs me, pushing me behind him as we take a few quick steps to stand next to Derek.

Murder lizard jumps from the second floor and lands in front of us. Derek growls in its face right when it knocks Erica across the way and into a wall, knocking her unconscious **_karma biotch_**

Derek pushes Stiles, who knocks into me, and we catch ourselves from falling as he looks back at us and yells “Run!”

We see the tail swipe up at Derek’s back, earning him to turn back around and face the lizard– effectively showing us his back and the thin slice in his neck.

“Oh no,” I whisper and Stiles points at the wound “Derek, your neck!”

The murder lizard hisses and backs away slowly from us while Derek loses his balance and almost collapses.

“Shit” We rush forward and each grab an arm to put around our shoulders “come on.” 

We move with him as quickly as we can down the side of the pool, Stiles exclaiming “Come on– where is it? Can you see it?”

“No– just hurry” I breathe out as we make our way to the other end of the pool and round the edge of the bottom.

“I can smell it– hurry… call Scott!” Derek bellows and Stiles reaches into his pocket to grab his phone. 

In his rush he drops his phone onto the ground and without thinking lets go of Derek’s right arm in order to bend forward to pick up his phones– however the sudden onslaught of Derek’s _full_ weight on my side causes my leg to give out and we tumble over the edge heading for the pool **_wrong day to wear jeans_**

I let out a squeak and just before my head hits the water I hear Derek yell out “Stiles, you son of a bitch–”

Fully submerged, I kick my legs to have my head break the surface as fast as I can, taking a deep breath and diving back down to grab Derek. 

It’s a good thing buoyancy is in the pro-science column, because I can at least get him to the surface **_homeboy Archemedes to the rescue_**

We take a collective gasp of air and I sputter out the water that gets in my mouth from splashing around, wrapping my arm tighter around Derek’s back.

Stiles had jumped in as well and meets us wading in the water. 

He sets his arm around Derek’s back, grabbing onto my arm to help stable us and setting Derek’s arm around his shoulder “Where did it go? Do either of you see it?”

“No.” Derek grunts out as I move his arm around my shoulder better, letting go of his wrist to swipe my arm through the water to keep us up.

“Okay, maybe it took off,” Stiles spits out water in front of him as we continue to wade– though a distant echoing screech can be heard next in the building around us, fully extinguishing any hope we had that it left us.

I connect my eyes with both of them “And maybe not.”

We look around, however, we can’t see anything of the lizard family walking around in the shadows. 

“Think we can we get me out of here before I fucking drown?” Derek snaps and Stiles incredulously asserts “You’re worried about drowning? Did you notice the thing out there with multiple rows of razor sharp teeth.”

“Did you notice I’m paralyzed from the neck down in _eight feet of water_?” Derek challenges on a yell back to him.

I can definitely feel myself getting tired already, however, I try moving my head around as much as Derek’s arm will allow me to move, exhaling out through my short breaths “Okay guys stop. I don’t see it anywhere so let’s move.”

Stiles nods and we sync our free arms to stroke through the water moving closer to the edge of the pool.

Derek turns his head and bellows in my ear “Wait, wait, wait, stop, stop.”

Murder lizard walks out of nowhere up the side of the pool we were headed to, looking right at us and hissing.

We stop our movements towards the edge and watch it as it moves farther up the pool. Stiles’ grip on my arm tightens slightly when he implores “What’s it waiting for?”

***

Seal training is going just great at the moment, my legs are on fire and we’re all panting as we are following the psychotic creature hissing about like a cat laying claim to the house a new kitten is trying to invade.

It rounds the corner of the pool and walks towards the edge, moving its face towards the water before it actually sets its claw in the water.

Once it makes contact though it hisses, retracting its claw out and backing up away form the water like it’s afraid it will be pulled in.

My forehead furrows with that information and Stiles voices “Wait, did you see that?– I don’t think it can swim.”

Murder lizard goes back to stalking around the pool edge hissing every few seconds to let us know it can see us wading in the pool just out of its reach.

Breathless now, Stiles manages to get out “Okay. Okay, I don’t think I can do this much longer.” 

I nod in agreement and follow his line of sight towards his discarded phone on the ground which Derek notices as well and naturally freaks out “No, no, no. Don’t even think about it.”

Stiles rolls his eyes and spits water away from his mouth again “Would you just trust us this once?”

“No.” Derek deadpans and I roll my eyes “We’re the ones keeping you alive, okay, have you noticed that?”

Derek swings his glare over to me as he grumbles out “Yeah, and when the paralysis wears off, who is gonna be able to fight that thing– you two or me?” 

“So that’s why we’ve been holding you up for the past two hours?” Stiles gurgles the words out with the water that keeps getting in his mouth.

Derek drops his head back “Yup.”

I make an aggravated noise in the back of my throat, ignoring Derek and directing my words to Stiles as I jerk my head towards the edge we fell in from “I got him, go get the phone and call Scott.”

Derek flicks his eyes to me “Addy, I get you’re a badass but I’m three times your size– we already fell in the pool once because Stiles let go,” he flicks his eyes back to Stiles and orders “Do not let me go again.”

I huff, the action moving water away from my mouth “I wasn’t expecting all of your deadass weight last time– besides the force you’re putting on the water with your body is equal to the mass of the water it has pushed out of the way– which is making the water help push you up at the same time– I’ve got you, Stiles go.”

Stiles smirks at my reasoning and I feel him squeeze my arm before he lets and he starts to drift to the side. 

Derek notices and all but growls out “I didn’t ask for a science lesson– Stiles you don’t trust me, I don’t trust you– but you two need me to survive, which is why you are _not_ letting me go.” 

Stiles rolls his eyes and starts to swim away from us, Derek bellowing “Stiles! Sti– Addy, I swear to god–”

I tighten my arm around him “Derek shut up, I’ve got you,” I move more water from my mouth and question "You can still move your head right?”

He hesitantly looks over to me “Yes…” 

“Good, spit the water that’s getting in your mouth over your other side because sweet christ dude, I don’t need help getting _more_ water in my face.”

He snorts and turns his head doing as I asked, a smile almost breaking through on his face.

Stiles reaches the edge just as the murder lizard comes over trying to swipe at him– coming up short as Stiles kicks back into the water, phone in hand. He wades a little ways away from the edge as he dials the phone and puts it to his ear.

I close my eyes trying to focus on my breathing and kick my legs in slower swipes, to not get too exhausted too quickly **_it’s not really working but mind over matter right?_**

Stiles’ shouting of “Scott!” gains my attention, snapping my eyes open to him. My head dips bringing water up to my nose before I kick harder to get back up above the water.

Derek sees us lowering in the water ever so slightly again and growls out “Stiles!”

“We’re fine” I grumble, seeing Stiles look over to us. He clenches his teeth at his phone in his hand, before tossing it over to the edge and he swims back over to us.

He gets situated with Derek’s arm over his shoulder and grabs onto my arm around his back again, the sour wolf between us muttering lowly “Tell me you got him.”

Stiles’ grimace makes my stomach drop and I go back to focusing on my breathing and leg kicks.

***

The screeching from the damn lizard echoes around us and breaks through our panting breaths. 

Our heads are all falling down below the water line more frequently and my legs gave up being on fire a long time ago **_just numb now_**

“Guys I can’t– I’m sorry but I can’t stay up any longer, I need something to hold on to” I sputter out and Stiles flicks his head around. 

At whatever he sees he squeezes my arm “Adds– hey, I need you to just give me a bit more. Over there– come on, you got this.”

I flick my eyes over to where he’s nodding to– diving boards with the handles towards us **_I can do that_**

I nod at him and together we kick our legs and swipe our free arms through the water, moving us closer towards the boards.

My legs have zero life in them and it feels like the last few feet are constantly moving the handle farther and farther away.

Completely exhausted and getting more and more water in my mouth and nose the closer we get, I reach up with the last bit of energy I have. 

My fingers grab the handle, however, exhaustion takes over and my hand slips, dropping into the water– the rest of my body following after one more gasp of air.

I’m not under the water for long before I’m being pulled up and tossed over the edge of the pool, landing out of the water with a grunt. 

I feel an arm wrap around me and notice I’m not fully laying on the ground, my chest and head are laying on a _definite_ breathing human being.

Still trying to catch my breath, I open my eyes and see Stiles laying flat on the ground under me, also trying to catch his breath. 

I lift my head up farther, seeing him open his eyes and squeeze his arm around me a little more “We’re alive?”

I nod through a soft chuckle, still panting and trying to catch my breath before hearing Scott roar in front of us. 

Pushing myself up a little more I turn slightly to see Scott crouching down on the diver’s board we were under, ready to defend against the creature who is stalking closer to us.

Stiles sits up with me, holding me against his side while Derek, now free from the paralysis, grabs on to one of the diving boards to hold himself up.

Murder lizard hisses and screeches again before jumping towards Scott. They crash into each other and roll down a little ways from us, each landing in a defensive stance facing the other.

Lizard swings his tail and wraps it around Scott’s ankle and throws him against the wall, effectively crashing him into a mirror and raining broken shards of the mirror to fall onto the ground.

Scott grabs a shard of the broken mirror and holds it up defensively, bouncing on his heels as he waits for the creature to slowly walk towards him.

The lizard stops walking and tilts its head to the side, Scott looks from the lizard to the shard of mirror in his hand a few times before the lizard hisses again and jumps up on the wall. 

Running up the wall and using the metal beams on the ceiling to gymnastic flip through the air, the murder lizard crashes through the skylight window in the ceiling.

We all share a look of confusion with Scott who drops the piece of mirror and sits back on his heels **_what an interesting turn of events_**

***

We head over to grab Stiles’ laptop out of his jeep and after he unzips his duffle bag, he turns and holds out his lacrosse hoodie towards me. 

I look from his hoodie and up to his face, shaking my head to argue about getting it wet when he shakes it once towards me, reading my mind “Addy, you need to get warm and I don’t care if this gets wet in that process” 

I offer a small smile as I grab the hoodie from him, already feeling the warmth on my fingers.

Scott grabs the laptop out of his other hand and plugs in the USB drive that contains the damn Bestiary we were looking for on it. Where was that USB drive you ask? **_on Gerard’s keys– that we had the whole time– yuuuuup_**

Stiles leans forward looking at the screen once the file loads “Is that even a language?”

Opening the bottom of the hoodie, I squint at the pages Scott’s flipping through on the screen “I think it’s Latin–” I mention before setting my arms where they go in the sweatshirt and pulling it over my head **_shocker– it smells phenomenal_**

Scott looks back at me once I’m settled in the warm comfiness of the sweatshirt and points towards the screen “How are we supposed to figure out what this thing is?” 

I shrug and shove my hands in the front pocket, “Translate the Latin and search for the equivalent of murder lizard.”

Derek and Erica walk up then pointing out his correction “It’s called a kanima.”

Stiles scoffs at the new guests to our information party “You knew the whole fucking time?”

Derek looks over to him and shakes his head “No. Only when it was confused by its own reflection.”

I scrunch up my brows as I turn to him “It doesn’t know what it is.”

Derek nods at me “Or who.”

“What else do you know about this thing?” Stiles scoffs and Derek lifts his shoulders as he admits “Just stories, rumors.”

Scott makes a noise and inquires “But it’s like us?” 

“A shape-shifter, yes, but it’s– it’s not right. It’s like a–” Derek looks off to the side trying to find the right word to describe the terrorizing Kanima **_I liked Murder Lizard personally_**

“An abomination.” Stiles finishes, I look over to him and see him look down to the ground on a sigh before looking up and connecting his eyes with mine.

Derek and Erica take a step to turn away from us, however, Scott stops him “Derek? We need to work _together_ on this. Maybe even tell the Argents.”

“You trust them?” Derek sneers through a glare and I shake my head to remind him of his earlier jabs “Nobody trusts _anyone_! That’s the problem.”

Stiles sets his hand on my back while Scott nods and continues “While we’re here, arguing about who’s on what side, there’s something scarier, stronger and faster than any of us, and it’s fucking _killing_ people and we still don’t even know anything about it!”

Derek’s jaw tightens before he starts to turn away again, declaring with each step away from us “I know one thing, when I find it? I’m gonna kill it!”


	17. Venomous

Scott and I are sitting in class waiting for the bell, when none other than Isaac himself comes into the room and sits down in front of me.

I turn my head to the right to look at Scott, seeing him widen his eyes as he looks towards me and the new seat occupant.

Stiles rushes in and sits down in the seat behind Scott “Guys, I just talked to my dad, who just talked to Jackson, and I’ve got really terrible, horrible, very, very bad news…”

Scott turns around to face him while I look back at him and nod my head to indicate the seat in front of me as I grumble “I think we already know.” **_most wanted teenager is no longer wanted_**

After class we grab our stuff and head out into the hall, me falling in step in between Scott and Stiles.

I adjust the strap of the bag on my shoulder while Stiles begins talking as soon as we get past the door “All right, I only found one thing online called a Kanima. It’s a werejaguar from South America that goes after murderers.”

I squint my eyes in thought and look up at him “Should I be alarmed that I’m _not_ even phased to learn that a vigilante werejaguar is a real thing?” 

Stiles raises his brows in agreement as he chuckles and shakes his head.

Scott scrunches his brows and looks around quickly “That thing was _not_ a jaguar.”

“Yeah, and we’re not exactly murderers” Stiles moves his hand between him and I while I cross my arms over the notebook I’m holding against my chest and nod giving Scott a look **_unless you know something I don’t_**

Scott ignores that and looks off in front of us “Yeah, but both of you _did_ see it kill somebody, which is probably why it tried to kill you guys–” I nod while he continues to slowly make the inner freak out start “–and it’s still trying to kill you both–”

Stiles and I simultaneously slow our steps with that information, coming to a stop altogether. Scott doesn’t notice and continues both his train of thought and his steps without us right next to him “–and it probably won’t stop until you’re both dead.” **_hold the door– dead?_**

My mouth opens slightly as I worriedly draw my brows in and turn my head to look at Stiles, whispering out quickly “That’s not true– is it?”

He turns to look at me at the same time, his mouth also open in shock as he looks between me and my brother’s no care in the world retreating back.

Stiles opens and closes his mouth twice at a loss for words before turning back forward and taking a step to follow after Scott, exclaiming “You know, sometimes I really begin to question this ‘friendship’–” he adds with air quotes and I chuckle as I fall in step next to him again on our way to Econ.

We get settled in Coach’s class, Scott and Stiles are sitting in front of me and Jackson comes waltzing into the room. He quickly makes his way over to our side of the room and sits down in the open seat next to me and behind Scott.

Pen in one hand, I open my book and notebook with the other before grabbing my water bottle. I bring the bottle to my lips and start to take a drink, swinging my eyes over to Jackson when he leans forward to address us just above a whisper “Hey Addy, testicle left and right– what the hell is a Kanima?”

My eyes widen and I choke on my water, setting the bottle back on my desk as he gives me a funny look and I cough through my body trying to save my lungs from drowning.

Stiles and Scott turn around quickly with their eyes just as wide to look at me and then Jackson when I raise my hand to let them know I’m good **_damn trachea needs a flap because that’s the fucking worst_**

Coach interrupts us from asking how the fuck he knows that word, when he slaps his hand on his desk at the front of the room causing Stiles and Scott to reluctantly turn back around “All right, listen up– a quick warning before we begin our review. Some of you, like He-McCall, might want to start their own study groups, because tomorrow’s midterm is so profoundly difficult– I’m not even too sure I could pass it. Okay, I need a volunteer at the board to answer the first question. Who’s got it, huh?” A few hands raise in the air and Coach picks one a few rows over “Come on, let’s go, buddy.”

With Coach distracted, Scott and Stiles turn back around to us while Jackson leans forward across his desk and digresses “Paralyzed from the neck down– do you have any idea what that feels like?” **_more than I would like asshat_**

Stiles and I share a look because– yes, yes we do– before he nods towards Jackson and answers him “We are familiar with the sensation.”

Jackson just glares at Stiles as I clear my throat and gain his attention “Wait– why would Derek test you? Why would he think that it’s you?”

Jackson just furrows his brows “How should I know?”

“Wait, do they think it’s Lydia?” Scott rushes out and Jackson shakes his head “I don’t know, all I heard was her name and something about chemistry.”

Coach walks down our aisle and I attempt to shake my head subtly, however, the three of them are oblivious

“Jackson!” Scott and Stiles turn facing forward again as Coach continues lifting his hands out in front of him “Do you have something you want to share with the rest of the class?”

Jackson looks around him before looking back to Coach and stammering out “Um– just an undying admiration for my– my coach.”

I roll my eyes and Coach smiles lightly “That’s really kind of you– Now shut up! Shut it! Anybody else?” at the silence he receives, Coach walks back to the front of the class.

Scott reaches over and pulls Stiles’ shirt to make him lean into the row back into our little huddle “How do we know it’s not her?”

Stiles shrugs him off and argues “Because I looked into the eyes of that thing, okay? And what I saw was pure evil– and when I look into Lydia’s eyes, I only see fifty percent evil.”

Scott looks back to me silently asking if he’s serious as I set my elbow on my desk and snort into my hand **_I mean he’s not wrong_**

Stiles turns in his seat facing the aisle between him and Scott, looking over his shoulder to me as he continues trying to make a point “All right, maybe sixty. You know, but no more than forty on a good day.”

I offer a chuckle and Scott shakes his head “Stiles, that’s not a very good argument.”

I drop my hand and lift it out towards them as I chime in “It’s not the best, but I agree– I don’t think it’s her either.”

Stiles points at me, smirking back to Scott like he’s won since I’m in agreement and states “It can’t be, all right? Lydia’s fine.”

Speaking of Lydia, my eyes move over to her where she is currently at the chalkboard writing something we can’t read all over the board.

She turns around still holding on to the chalk tightly and has her eyes squeezed shut before she begins crying in front of the class **_she’s fine in the non murder lizard type of way_**

Coach says her name a few times before he all but shouts it making her jump and open her eyes “Lydia!– Okay then, anybody else want to try answering? This time in English?”

Lydia looks around at the classroom full of dickbags laughing at Coach’s comment **_sans the four of us_** before she turns around and sees her handiwork on the board. 

Scott turns to us, whispering lightly “What is that, Greek?”

I shake my head, worrying for my friend as Stiles whispers back “No, actually, I think it is English–” he trails off and leans in the aisle a bit showing us his phone.

I look over his shoulder at the screen on his phone where he has taken a photo of what Lydia wrote on the board.

He uses a setting to flip the mirror image of the picture and the words are clear as day now

‘Someone help me’

**_what the hell did Peter do to her when he bit her?_ **

***

Walking into Chemistry, Scott stops Stiles and I just inside the doorway “Derek is not gonna kill her without proof.”

I lift a hand up to adjust the strap on my shoulder, offering thoughtfully “All right, so he tests her like he did with Jackson, right?”

Stiles nods and leans forward “But when and where?”

Like his words summon them, we see Erica and Isaac walk into the room from the door on the other side of the room.

I raise my brows when I take in the looks on their faces, connecting that to the fact that Isaac coming back today can’t be a coincidence, and I lean closer to the guys as I mumble “I think here and now.”

Like the beginning of a race– the smirking Erica and Isaac start to move up the row at the same time Scott, Stiles and I move across the front of the class towards Lydia’s table.

Getting to her first, I sit in the seat next to her while Stiles pulls up a stool to sit on her other side.

Scott takes a seat at the table with Allison to the right of us, however, he scoots closer to the aisle facing me while Isaac and Erica sit at the table behind Lydia, Stiles and I.

I look over to my left and smile at Lydia after she gives Stiles a weird look and leans closer to me “He does know we only work in pairs, yes?”

Stiles sits up straighter with her words and I flick my eyes over to him quickly before looking back to her and smile through my nod.

Mr. Harris walks up our aisle and cuts off any reply I could have pulled out of my ass to give her instead of that she’s being guarded “Einstein once said, ‘Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; And I’m not sure about the universe’–” He stops just behind Stiles and slaps a hand on his shoulder in sync with his next words “–I myself have encountered _infinite_ stupidity.” 

Stiles makes a face and I set my elbow on the table to cover my smile with my hand as Mr. Harris continues “So to combat the plague of ignorance in my class, you’re going to combine efforts through a round of group experiments. Let’s see if two heads are indeed better than one– or in Mr. Stilinski’s case, less than one.”

Stiles offers a sarcastic smile while Mr. Harris directs his words behind us “Erica, you take the first station. You’ll start with–” 

Mr. Harris is interrupted as every guys’ hand– minus Isaac, Scott and Stiles’– raises into the air. 

He looks around the room and rolls his eyes as he quips “I didn’t ask for volunteers. Put your hormonal little hands down– start with Mr. McCall. All right, next two–”

After Lydia gets paired with Allison and I get paired with Stiles we all get to work on the first steps of the project.

After about five minutes Mr. Harris rings the bell on his desk “Switch.”

Stiles sets his hand on my shoulder, moving behind me as he goes to sit with Allison at the table to my right.

Looking over my right shoulder I see Scott slide into the open seat at Lydia’s table behind Allison’s, and I nod at him happy that she’s safe.

I jump in my seat when I hear a loud snapping noise ring out beside me “Aah–” 

I flick my eyes back to the table directly on my right and see Stiles half standing up and shaking out his hand, worriedly looking over to me and down to his injured hand. 

Mr. Harris is standing right beside him with a yardstick in his hand, pointing one end of it against Stiles’ chest as he warns “If you’re trying to test my patience, Mr. Stilinski, I guarantee it’ll be a failing grade.”

I furrow my brow at why that happened, connecting my eyes with Stiles’ worried ones before I feel someone adjust in the seat beside me.

I turn back around to face forward, jumping slightly when I see Isaac sitting next to me **_can we get you a bell or something?_**

His lopsided smile deepens at my reaction and I exhale sharply before deciding to ignore him, reaching across the table to grab the next step of items needed for the rest of the experiment.

He crosses his arms on the desk and leans on his elbows, turning his head towards me and whispering lowly “You know– I never thanked you for helping get me out of jail the other night.”

I don’t stop my pour into the beaker, however, I quickly flick my eyes over to him before I quip “You mean the night you were about to kill me if Derek hadn’t walked in to stop you?” **_possibly a low blow, however he’s not been nice lately_**

His smirk falters slightly before he drops his head forward and turns back to me, seemingly unfazed by my comment “That wasn’t my finest hour– _however_ I’d like to think I wouldn’t have hurt you though.”

“No? You already gained that much control for your first full moon?” I raise a brow towards him and set the empty container down, dropping my eyes back down to the table to look at the list for the next step.

I hear him make a ‘hmm’ noise as he leans closer to me, once again dropping his voice down to a low whisper “Wasn’t having control so much as I remember forgetting the rage I felt with that deputy once I looked at _you_.”

I roll my eyes and reach to the top left of the table to grab the next container I need to measure out, letting out a graceful snort as I absentmindedly reply “Funny it only took becoming a werewolf for someone to notice me…”

“I’ve never _not_ noticed you, Addy McCall” he counters without missing a beat on another lean in my direction.

My eyes flick up in front of me, landing on the chalkboard as I process his words and the meaning behind them. I don’t give him the satisfaction of looking his way and try to seem unfazed as I set the beaker down ** _the fuck do I say to that?_**

“And switch,” Mr. Harris saves the day and I clear my throat while out of the corner of my eye seeing Isaac throw me another smirk and stand up from the table.

Lydia moves to sit with me and I take my eyes off the chalkboard to smile at the familiar face. We get to work on the last steps of the experiment and by what I know the final product should look like– I’m quite happy to see the crystal in our beaker.

Mr. Harris’ voice breaks through the room “Time. If you’ve catalyzed the reaction correctly, you should now be looking at a crystal.”

I use the tongs to grab the crystal from the bottom of the beaker and turn it around in front of us. Lydia and I share a triumphant look when Mr. Harris continues “Now for the part of that last experiment I’m sure you’ll all enjoy– you can eat it.” 

“All you Lyds, my teeth protest any hard candy– here” I smile at her excited reaction and right as I set the crystal on my fingers from the tongs to hand to her, Scott stands up shouting “Addy!”

I jump in my seat and turn my head towards him, including everyone else in the class. 

I see him and Stiles with their classic worried faces looking from me to my hand a few times. 

Looking at Scott like he’s crazy I shake my head and mutter “What?”

Scott looks around and down to Stiles before he looks back to me and takes his seat again “Nothing– sorry, never mind” **_you wouldn’t just shout in class for no reason_**

Stiles shakes his head when I swing my confused gaze to him and I feel Lydia grab the crystal from my hand. 

I turn around to see her take a bite off of it and she smiles around her mouthful at me. 

I return her smile, however, it drops immediately when I feel the familiar venom goo from the other night on my fingers **_how the fuck– Isaac_**

I turn the other way around in my seat and see him smirking at me. 

Well I’m glad I didn’t humor him with responding to his flirty remarks that were obviously just a distraction.

Sending him a glare I turn back to around in my seat, seeing Lydia not phased in the slightest to be touching and ingesting the Kanima venom we apparently had on our crystal **_no way I accept that she’s this thing_**

Looking past Erica and Isaac’s hard looks directed at Lydia, I swing my head around to Scott and Stiles’ table. 

I see that Scott is looking out the window and knowing what paralyzed state I will be in soon I share a worried look with Stiles. 

As soon as the bell rings he’s already out of his seat and reaching out for me “Anything yet?” 

I shake my head and shoulder my bag, linking my arm with his outstretched one in case I crumble to floor in the hallway “No but it was about two minutes last time after I touched the door, let’s go.”

***

Stiles and I walk into Coach’s office for some privacy with Scott and Allison to fill her in on everything she wasn’t informed of during Chemistry class.

Scott closes the door and divulges “Derek’s outside waiting for Lydia.”

“Waiting to kill her?” Allison looks from Scott to me before Scott answers her “If he thinks she’s the kanima, then yes, especially after what happened at the pool.”

I shake my head “It’s not her.”

Scott looks between all of us “Guys, she didn’t pass the test. Nothing happened.”

I cross my arms and walk closer to the desk “Nothing happened with the bite either Scotty. We all know so little about this shit, it’s not crazy to think she could just be immune immune or has supernatural fighting red blood cells, I don’t know.” 

Stiles furrows his brows and steps towards me “How’re you feeling, why– why are you able to still move?”

Allison looks to me quickly “What does that mean, what happened?”

I grimace “Well unbeknownst to me, I touched the venomized crystal with my fucking hand– it hasn’t kicked in yet but it was a smaller amount than the door so maybe it’s just taking longer?”

Stiles shakes his head “Adds, that stuff is pretty instant and it’s been what, ten minutes? We were already on the ground and yours was wearing off in that time frame the other night.” **_I’ve got nothing_**

I uncross my arms and lift them out to my sides “Least of our problems right now, okay?”

Allison nods and turns our attention back to the problem at hand “Addy’s right, it doesn’t matter what we think, because Derek thinks it’s Lydia. So either we can convince him that he’s wrong, or we’ve got to figure out a way to protect her.”

I nod trying to come up with a plan “Well, I really don’t think he’s gonna do anything here,” which Scott agrees with “Yeah, not at school.”

“What about after school?” She points out to Scott who sighs and looks away, earning Allison to continue “What if we can prove that Derek’s wrong?”

“By three o'clock?” Stiles stresses as Ally walks over to lean next to me against the desk and argues “There could be something in the bestiary.”

“Oh, you mean the nine hundred page book written in Archaic Latin that none of us can read? Good luck with that,” Stiles chides and I lift a shoulder to counter “I know Latin, I can try to figure out what it says.” 

Stiles shakes his head and sets his hands on his hips, turning towards me more “I thought you said they were two different languages?”

“I mean yeah somewhat, it’s more the spelling of the words that’s hard to translate, so it just may take me a little longer,” I shrug and look to Scott who nods It’s better than nothing. You guys work on that and uh, I can talk to Derek, maybe convince him to give us a chance to prove that it’s not her– but if anything happens, you guys let me handle it, okay?”

Allison shakes her head “What does that mean?”

Scott leans closer to her “That you can’t heal like I do. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Allison scoffs and stands up to dig in her bag. She pulls out a mini crossbow and clicks it into place before holding it out and smirks at Scott “I can protect myself.” 

I give her an impressed look and go to stand by Stiles when Allison moves closer to Scott “What? Did something else happen?”

Other than Scott being stabbed by your grandfather last night when he went to pick up mom? **_No nothing at all_**

Scott just shakes his head instead and looks to her “I just don’t want you getting hurt. Seriously, if anything goes wrong, you call me, okay? I– I don’t care if your dad finds out. Call, text, scream, yell, whatever. I’ll hear you and I’ll find you as fast as I can. We have until three o’clock.”

She nods and Scott looks to me raising his brows, I give him a nod in return and he turns to head towards the door– however he spins around and raises his arm up to stop the arrow flying towards him just before it would hit his face.

Crossbow in hand, Stiles grimaces and hands it off to Allison “Ah– sorry. Sorry, sensitive trigger on that.”

***

Allison sits with me in the library and sets the Kanima pages she had printed out from the bestiary down in front of me. 

I set my bag by my feet and reach forward moving my pointer finger across the words, I clear my throat “All right, um– ‘Kanima– Like the wolf, its power is greatest at the moon’s peak’,” I look up and see Allison frown at the pages before I look back at the page and keep going “Umm okay hold on–” 

“Take your time Addy” Allison reassures and leans her crossed arms on the table.

I nod and move back over the words one more time before reading them out to her “Okay– ‘Like the wolf, the Kanima is a social creature, but where the wolf seeks a pack, the Kanima seeks a mas–’ I tilt my head to the side, mumbling “No is that?– yeah I think it’s friend," I look up at her and complete the sentence “A Kanima seeks a friend–”

Allison shakes her head, flicking her eyes down to the page “‘A friend’, what does that mean?”

I shrug “Maybe it’s lonely? Or maybe I’m wrong, that word could also be–”

Allison stares at the page and absentmindedly interrupts “Like a teenager.” 

Making a face, I nod at her reasoning when the doors open and we see Lydia and Stiles walk into the library with us.

We grab our things, meeting up with them and Jackson apparently who is helping us convince Lydia we need to move our study group to my house.

Once we move in the hall, Lydia lifts her arm out to us “If we’re doing a study group, why didn’t we just stay in the library?”

Stiles looks around us and I link my arm with hers before answering her “Because we’re meeting up with somebody else.”

Not following our reasoning Lydia continues her questions “Hmm, well, why don’t they just meet us in the library?”

Stiles flicks his arms out in front of us “Oh, that would’ve been a great idea. Too late.”

Lydia halts her steps “Okay, hold on–”

Having enough Jackson grabs her arm from me and makes her feet continue to move “Lydia, shut up and walk.”

They walk ahead of us, making Allison and Stiles share a _here goes nothing_ look with me **_getting her out of school was step one_**

Once we get out to the jeep, Jackson, Lydia, and Allison climb in the backseat while I sit up front with Stiles who gets us to my house in no time.

We all climb out and head up the steps to the front door “If we’re studying with Scott, then where’s Scott?” Lydia continues her questioning of this very weird situation

Stiles leads her up the stairs “Meeting us here, I think.” **_I hope_**

Once we get inside Stiles slams the door– locking the handle, the deadbolt and the chain across the door before looking out the curtain of the side window.

He turns around and notices Lydia’s raised eyebrows, my smirk, Jackson’s stare, and Allison’s trying not to laugh face all directed at him. 

He flicks his eyes around before justifying his reasoning to her “Uh, there’s been a few break-ins around the neighborhood.” 

Lydia nods and looks away, Allison bounces on her feet and I just try not to laugh at the whole awkward situation.

Though Stiles takes it one step farther and grabs a chair to set under the door handle to block the door more. 

Lydia scrunches her eyebrows and raises her hand towards the chair, silently questioning why that was necessary. 

Stiles raises his own brows and clicks his tongue “And a murder. Yeah, it was bad.” **_almost as bad as that excuse_**

Allison and I share a look before looking to Jackson and simultaneously nodding our heads and flicking our eyes up towards the stairs. He rolls his eyes at the hint and sighs out “Lydia, follow me. I need to talk to you for a minute.”

He starts walking down the hall and Lydia scoffs at his retreating form before also going down the hall “Seriously? What is going on with everyone?”

Once they’re out of ear shot I shrug and set my hands on my hips “Well, this could not be going smoother”

Allison snorts and looks out the window on the side of the door opposite of Stiles “Shit guys, he’s here,” she turns and grabs her bow out of her bag and sets it up before reaching her free hand out to me “Here I’ll call Scott, can I have your phone?”

I nod and hand it over before moving over to the window as well, reaching the curtain back I see Derek, Boyd, Erica and Isaac all standing out across the street from the house.

Stiles walks up behind me, leaning over my shoulder to also look out the window. 

“It’s me– you need to get here now. _Right now_.” she urges into the phone to Scott’s voicemail and I look up at him to connect our worried gazes at her words.

It’s been about ten minutes and still no Scott. The trouble foursome have moved so they are now in the front lawn with Isaac and Boyd taking turns leaving the group to report back a few seconds later.

“Oh, jeez, what are you doing?” Stiles’ voice has me closing the curtain and looking at Allison who is standing across the doorway from us in front of the other window. 

She has her phone in her hand and a huge silent debate going on across her face, finally look up at us she sighs “I think– I think I have to call my dad.”

Stiles flicks his hand past my ear to point towards her “No, but if he finds you here– you and Scott–”

“I know,” Allison looks out her window again before shaking her head “But what are we supposed to do? They’re not here to scare us, okay? They’re here to _kill_ Lydia.”

I nod and look from the window we’re in front of and over to her “Plus I’m here so he shouldn’t suspect anything with Scott”

Allison offers me a smile at my small attempt at helping before she sighs and holds her phone tighter.

Stiles goes back to looking out the window and I move around him to start pacing in front of the door when he pipes up “I got an idea,” I look to see him looking from me to Allison’s crossbow “Just shoot one of ‘em.”

Allison raises her brows and whispers out “Are you serious?”

Stiles stands up straighter “We told Scott we could protect ourselves, so let’s do it– or at least give it a shot, right?”

I give him an impressed look and swing my gaze to Allison, nodding at her. She takes a calming breath and nods once “Okay.”

Stiles nods at us being on board and continues his game plan “Look, they don’t think we’re gonna fight, so if one of them gets hit, I guarantee they’ll take off. So just shoot one of 'em.”

I move closer to the window again “Which one?”

Stiles takes a few breaths before he stammers out “Uh– Derek. Yeah, shoot him, preferably in the head.”

I look up at him and Allison voices what I was thinking “If Scott was able to catch an arrow, Derek definitely can.”

He makes an aggravated noise “Okay, uh, just shoot one of the other three then.”

I shake my head after pulling the curtain back “You mean two.”

Stiles leans closer to me so he can open the curtain more “No, I mean three. Where the hell is Isaac?”

Allison steps back from the window to raise her arm holding the crossbow and takes aim, however, a grunt has me turning to her and seeing Isaac throwing her to the ground.

Stiles moves forward, however, Isaac overpowers him and knocks him to the ground before taking slow deliberate steps closer to him. I look around and find the heaviest thing I can find **_good enough_**

Running over I grab the vase and reach up to break it over the side of Isaac’s head, earning him to stumble backwards into the hall.

I rush forward to kneel next to Stiles as he sits up “You watch too many movies to pull a vase smash move,” I chuckle and shrug, “No such thing as ‘too many movies’.” 

“Addy, Stiles– it’s here!” Allison’s voice shouts from upstairs and I hold my hands out to help him up when there’s a roar behind us, causing me to let out an involuntary squeak noise as I fall on my ass next to Stiles. 

We back up slowly at seeing Isaac standing in front of us, and I move my eyes around trying to come up with a plan.

The door behind us that leads to the kitchen opens and Scott rushes forward, jumping over us and crashing into Isaac.

Scott growls, exchanging a few hits before he knocks him out cold. 

Allison comes down the stairs a second later, asking for help to get Erica since Erica caught a venomized arrow she had shot at her **_that’s my bestie y’all_**

Stiles stands up and reaches down to help me up “Addy, maybe what was on the crystal wasn’t even Kanima venom– I mean how would Derek have even gotten it?”

I shake my head at him “It felt the exact same as the other night, I don’t know how he got it– but it was the same venom Sty.”

He throws his hand out towards me, worry and aggravation lacing his words “Then why weren’t you affected, Adds– huh? Erica just caught an arrow with the venom on it and she’s down for the count– so it wasn’t just a special batch at the mechanic’s shop that we touched”

I frown and cast my eyes down to my hand “I– I have no idea.”

Scott walks down the stairs with Erica over his shoulder, effectively stopping our conversation and interrupting the confused glare Stiles is sending my hand.

I walk over and open the door for Scott– he tosses out first Isaac and then Erica before he walks out onto the porch, followed by Allison, me and finally Stiles, until we are standing in a line facing Derek.

Derek looks up from his useless werewolves on the ground in front of him and sighs “I think I’m finally getting why you keep refusing me, Scott. You’re not an Omega, you’re already an Alpha of your own pack.” 

Allison and Stiles share a look with me before Derek continues adding with a cocky smile “But you know you can’t beat me.”

“I can hold you off until the cops get here.” Scott digresses **_checkmate_**

Derek’s smile drops when he hears the sirens in the distance, however shock overcomes all of our features when we hear a hiss coming from up on the roof.

We all look at Scott before we move down the steps of the front porch and onto the lawn turning towards the house.

Immediately we see the Kanima walking across the roof near Scott’s bedroom window. It stops its crawl and turns its head connecting its yellow eyes with our group, before it screams and makes me jump back into Stiles who sets his arm around me **_I’m beginning to think being in his arms will never NOT feel right_**

We watch the Kanima take off from the roof and into the night on its next murder quest.

Derek looks down to Isaac and Erica on the ground and turns to Boyd “Get them out of here.”

Lydia comes waltzing out the front door like she is on a very pissed off mission **_I knew it wasn’t her_**

She stops on the porch and sets her hands on her hips and all but yells down at us from the top of the stairs “Would someone _please_ tell me what the _fuck_ is going on?”

Taking in Lydia standing there, sans the other person who went upstairs with her, I swing my wide eyes from her and over to Stiles– Scott and I muttering on a whisper together “It’s Jackson.”


	18. Frenemy

Allison took a very _silent_ , upset Lydia home while Scott and I hopped in Stiles’ jeep to follow Derek who took off running after the Kanima **_or well Jackson actually_**

Stiles rounds the corner heading down a road that leads us to under the overpass bridges in the more industrial part of downtown.

I’m sitting in the backseat, though I’m leaning forward slightly in between the seats to not miss any of the action. 

Seeing spikes laid out across the road and a closed chain link fence behind them I tap Stiles’ shoulder and he slams on the brakes, also seeing our obstacle course.

We all lean forward with the momentum of the brakes being pressed, Stiles throwing his hand towards the window as he turns towards the passenger seat “Shit, what do we do now?” 

I follow his eyes to where Scott was– however we are met with the closing of the passenger door.

We share a look before I move my eyes to look out the windshield again and watch as Scott jumps over the chain link fence and takes off running. 

Stiles lifts one hand from the wheel towards the windshield “What the fuck plan is that?” **_the adrenaline driven kind_**

I make a noise of agreement as I climb over into the front and get settled in the seat “Scott thinking on his feet.”

Stiles waits for me to get buckled in before he throws the jeep into gear. He sets his hand on the seat behind me to turn around as he reverses and swings the jeep back around to go up the road we came down.

“Scott ran under the bridge, lets go this way.” I point to the right and see him nod before looking left and making the turn once it’s clear of any cars.

Once we get on the main road I see Scott come running out of an alley and I follow him with my eyes “Wait stop stop stop, there’s Scott.” 

Stiles pulls over, parking across the street and down a few blocks from a line of people waiting to go into the ‘Jungle’ club.

We get out of the jeep and walk across the street, coming up behind Scott who is leaning around the corner of a building, I tap him on the shoulder and he jumps out of his skin “Holy shit.”

I raise my hands out towards him “Christ– sorry, I’m sorry. Did you see where he went?”

Scott shakes his head and looks back around the corner “I lost him.”

“What? You couldn’t catch his scent?” Stiles implores and looks around us, Scott not looking at us as he shakes his head again “I don’t think he has one.”

I set my hands on my hips and look around the corner as well “All right, any clue where he’s going?”

“To kill someone.” Scott turns around and deadpans like I’m an idiot **_I’d be lost without your input big bro_**

Stiles raises his brows and tilts his head to the side “Ah. That explains the claws, and the fangs, and all that. Good. Makes perfect sense now.” 

I smirk at his quick wit, however, Scott doesn’t look as appreciative for the humor based on the eye roll so big it makes his head follow suit as he glares over his shoulder at us.

Stiles jerks his head back slightly “What? Scott, come on. I’m one hundred and forty seven pounds of pale skin and fragile bone, okay? Sarcasm is my only defense.”

Scott shakes his head and stresses “Just help me find it.”

“Not ‘it’ Jackson,” I observe when he flicks his eyes to me and nods looking down “Yeah, I know. I– I know.”

“All right, but does he know that?” Stiles ponders before he continues “Did anybody else see him back at your guys’ house?”

I shake my head “I mean, I don’t think so, but he already passed Derek’s test anyway.”

“Yeah, but that’s just the thing. How did he pass the test?” Stiles lifts his hand out in between us with his question, earning Scott to breathe out as he looks forward towards the club again “I don’t know.” 

I shrug “Maybe it’s like an either or thing,” at Scott’s confused face I continue “I mean, Derek said that a snake can’t be poisoned by its own venom, right?”

Stiles nods and speculates “When’s the kanima not the kanima?”

Scott squints his eyes in thought before the light bulb goes off “When it’s Jackson.”

We see the line moving into the club now, though my attention is brought back when Stiles taps my shoulder twice. 

I turn my head back to see him looking above us right before he grabs my arm and starts taking steps backwards from the wall “Uh– dude.”

Scott turns around and follows our steps to come stand next to us just as we all see the literal tail end of the Kanima crawling inside the building where the club is “See that?” 

“He’s inside.” Scott mumbles to my left, earning Stiles to raise his hands towards the building “What’s he gonna do in there?” **_dance and drink his problems away?_**

Scott focuses in front of him and rushes out “I know who he’s after.”

“What, how?” Stiles and I share a confused look before he looks back to Scott and continues “How– did you smell something?”

“Armani.” Scott states like it’s the answer to everything

“Murder lizards hate the smell of Armani?” I ponder earning a chuckle from Stiles and an eye roll from Scott who shakes his head “Danny wears Armani, and he’s heading into the club now smartass,” **_what would Danny have done to piss off Jackson enough to want to kill him?_**

Not wanting to wait in line and potentially _not_ make it inside, we attempt to find a back way into the club. 

We walk up a ramp to a side door and of course find that it’s locked, “Aw, come on,” Stiles sighs pulling on the handle twice before Scott swaps spots with him at the door.

I look around us at our options with Stiles who mumbles his thought process “All right, maybe there’s, like, a, uh– like, a window we could climb through, or some kind of–” he’s interrupted from his game planning when Scott hands him the broken part of the door and he looks at it as he continues “Handle that we could rip off with supernatural strength. How’d I not think of that one?” 

I snort with that and offer him a shrug “I mean it was the least destructive thing to do.”

Scott huffs and opens the door for us, swinging his arm towards it “Seriously– move your sarcastic asses.”

Stiles lifts his arms and we quickly usher inside behind Scott, closing the door as best we can with the handle missing.

We make it inside the club, immediately seeing the packed dance floor and the lights flashing in time with the beat of the music.

I look down quickly and thank Ally for being the real MVP and insisting I wear this dress of hers today. I had paired the three quarter sleeved cream colored dress with maroon leggings and brown ankle boots to give me height, and threw my leather jacket on before we left **_so I’m not completely under dressed_**

Though parts of my anatomy are probably not the most welcomed, which Scott voices a little more bluntly “Guys, everyone in here’s a dude. I think we’re in a gay club.”

We hear a scoff from behind us, Stiles’ sarcastic jab following “Man, nothing gets past those keen werewolf senses, huh, Scott?”

Scott and I turn around and see Stiles surrounded by queens, two of which are rubbing his ear and the other side of his face. 

I have to move my lips inward between my teeth to hide my smile and resist laughing at the look on his face, though Scott fails to hide his own chuckle next to me.

Stiles glares at us and turns a polite smile to the group before walking over, lifting one finger out towards us “One word and I leave you both to walk home.”

Trying our best not to laugh, Scott and I lift our hands up in surrender while Stiles rolls his eyes and walks past us.

We make our way up to the bar and Stiles slaps his hand on the counter, excitedly underage “Three beers.”

The bartender quickly looks the three of us over and smirks “IDs.” **_curse you baby face_**

We hand over our fake IDs to him and receive a raised brow in return “How ‘bout three cokes?” **_they are pretty terrible if I’m being honest_**

Stiles makes an impressed face and smiles at Scott and I, throwing his agreement towards the bartender “Rum and coke? Sure.”

At the look we get in return Stiles nods his head about as he relents “Coke’s fine, actually. I’m driving anyway,” he points to the bartender who rolls his eyes and walks away.

I chuckle as I stand on my tippy toes to set my elbows on the bar leaning on my crossed arms in between him and Scott.

A shirtless waiter walks over to us and hands us the drinks before smirking and pointing to the one in front of Scott “That one’s paid for.”

I look up and see the drink buyer sitting in a chair on the other side lift up his beer and smile at Scott. 

I smirk at Scott’s _awe shucks_ smile as he reaches for his drink and we turn to our left to connect our gazes with Stiles who rolls his eyes immediately “Oh, shut up.”

Scott and I try not to laugh, shrugging through our denial “We didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah, well, your twin synced faces did.” Stiles exaggerates with a jerk of his head on each word.

Scott and I flick our gazes to each other letting out a shared snicker that gets swallowed up by the music as we all turn around and face the dance floor, taking sips of our drinks in the process.

About a minute later, Stiles turns to set his cup on the bar behind us “Hey, I found Danny.”

Scott’s eyes are on the ceiling when he observes “I found Jackson.” 

We follow his line of sight and see the kanima chilling on the ceiling right above, a dancing without a care in the world, Danny.

Scott moves a step ahead of us with his eyes never leaving the Kanima “You guys get Danny.”

I flick my eyes from the ceiling to the back of his head “What’re you gonna do?”

He flicks his claws from his fingers as an answer while Stiles sets his hands on my shoulders muttering “Works for me” before he’s guiding me forward.

We begin to push through the dancing, and not easily moved, bodies “Danny– Danny!” Stiles attempts to get his attention since moving the last twenty feet is proving to be impossible.

The bodies seem to answer his shout by squishing us in return and making our path to Danny that much more difficult.

“Danny!” Stiles gets out once more before a group surrounds us and starts to dance into us, effectively pushing Stiles and I closer together.

One push in particular has me falling forward and connecting with Stiles– who had his feet planted firmly on the ground. 

He doesn’t move with the impact of me crashing into his chest other than to set his hands on my hips to steady me “Whoa, I got you.”

I look down but my eyes don’t make it too far since I’m pushed all up on his front.

I feel my cheeks warm as I look up and lift one hand from his chest to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, my eyes connecting with his. The flashing lights dance over us and I notice him visibly swallow as he looks over my face.

The dance floor is like being in a can of sardines all dancing in sync with each other, however with his hands on my waist, the beat of the music coursing through us and the crowd making us move with them– I can’t help but want to just get lost in the way this feels **_in the way he makes me feel_**

A stream of fog settles over the dance floor breaking our trance, I look up and around us remembering what we were suppose to be accomplishing **_where did Danny go?_**

The next thing I know bodies all around us start falling to the floor and Stiles increases his hold on my hips as we try to see through the fog. 

Following the disappearing bodies there’s a growl and a hiss near us before everyone starts screaming and running off the dance floor.

Stiles drops his hands, instead wrapping one arm around me and muttering “Come on” as he pushes me in front of him and moves us out of the commotion towards the door.

We run outside and I hit his arm pointing towards the trail of blood I immediately see on the ground “If our life was different I’d say let’s go in _any_ other direction besides the ominous blood trail but–”

He lets out a quick breath of air with a chuckle and jerks his head forward. We take off on a slight jog through the parking lot and follow the trail of blood which ultimately gets us to Scott who is hovering above an unconscious **_and very naked_** Jackson in between two cars.

Scott widens his eyes when we walk up and I take a step backwards effectively putting me in the safe eyesight zone behind the trunk of a car “What do we do with him now?”

“We need to get him out of sight” Scott picks Jackson up and we make it over to Stiles’ jeep. 

I open the back and turn the other way **_to keep watch obviously_** as they load him in the back and once he’s situated, Stiles’ grabs an extra jacket to drape over him. 

Stiles and I sit in the front seat while Scott takes off towards the club again to see if he can find Danny.

Stiles sets one hand on the wheel and stares off through the windshield at all the cop cruisers that have come on the scene.

An awkward silence fills the jeep, though I’m not sure if it’s a mutual awkwardness from what happened earlier or if I’m alone with reaching for the awkwardness **_because that’s who I am as an awkward turtle_**

A few minutes later Scott comes running back, effectively saving me from going crazy by over thinking everything. 

I turn in the seat to lean my back against the dashboard, pulling the seat towards me so Scott can climb in the back with the unconscious naked murder lizard in human form. 

“I couldn’t get anything out of Danny” Scott informs as he gets situated in the backseat.

Stiles turns to look at Scott and points at the windshield “Okay, can we just get the hell outta here now, before one of my dad’s deputies sees me?” **_or worse your dad_**

Before Stiles has a chance to turn the key in the ignition his dad’s cruiser pulls up and parks right in front of us. My mouth drops open slightly **_do I have summoning powers because that could come in handy_**

Stiles throws his hands out “Oh, my God. Oh, my _fucking_ God. Could this get any worse?” 

Right on the cue we didn’t ask for– Jackson groans from the backseat next to Scott, earning Stiles to quickly turn around and glare at him as he exclaims “That was rhetorical.”

“Get rid of him.” Scott points past my head towards the windshield and I turn around to raise my brows at him “Get rid of him? We’re at a crime scene, and he’s the _Sheriff_.”

“Do something,” Scott urges with a swing of his arms indicated between Mr. S and Jackson.

Stiles makes a face and throws about his own arms grumbling “Fuck me” as he opens the door and walks towards his dad– who is already walking towards us “Hey” Stiles stops him a couple feet from the front of the jeep.

“What’s– what’s going on?” Jackson grumbles out from the backseat. 

I turn around and connect my wide eyes with Scott while he shakes his hands out in between them and pushes Jackson, who had started to sit up, back down “Jackson– Jackson, be quiet.”

I bite the side of my thumb nail as I watch the interaction between Stiles and his dad. 

Stiles moves his hands around before throwing them out to his sides and his dad shakes his head while looking down at him. Stiles in return looks down before flailing his arms around when Mr. S takes a step towards the jeep.

Jackson moans again and I roll my eyes before turning my head towards him again “Jackson seriously, do us a solid and shut your face.”

Jackson **_with zero solid doing_** sits up more “What’s happening?”

I swing my eyes to Scott who grimaces and makes a fist “Jackson, I’m sorry, but–” He reaches back and punches him square in the face causing Jackson to collapse back into the seat. 

I drop my mouth in shock, a chuckle falling from me as I turn back around to see Stiles and Mr. S frowning at the jeep. 

Scott chuckles out a “Hey” as he reaches forward to wave at them before he sighs and informs me “He believed Stiles’ excuse for why we were here.”

I raise a brow at them, pondering “Which was?” 

“Taking Danny out to get over his breakup.” 

I nod impressed with the excuse, however my heart breaks for the amount of lies we are constantly feeding Mr. S **_I wish we could tell him the truth_**

Mr. S shakes his head at his son, who is walking back to us now, before he waves at us and putting on an _everything is totally fine and not suspicious at all_ face we return his wave. 

Stiles rushes back to us, starts up the jeep without another word and gets us out of dodge.

Once we’re on the road Stiles looks back towards Scott “Uh, what about your guys’ house?”

Scott shakes his head “No way, not with mom there.”

I nod and turn towards Stiles “We need to take him somewhere where we can hold him long enough to figure out what to do with him– or long enough to convince him he’s dangerous.”

Stiles grimaces and scrunches his brows “I still say we just kill him.”

“We’re not killing him!” Scott and I exclaim, earning Stiles to groan in frustration “Guys, fuck– okay, okay,” he sighs and then lifts his head slightly “I got an idea.”

“Does it involve breaking the law?” Scott questions behind us and I turn to look over my shoulder at him as I quip “By now, don’t you think that’s a given?” 

“I was just trying to be optimistic,” Scott grumbles lowly, Stiles shaking his head and muttering “Don’t bother,” before he fills us in on his law breaking plan.

*******

Said plan included stealing a prison transport van, driving it out into the woods of the preserve, putting Jackson in the back and handcuffing him to the chains on the floor **_naturally_**

Also had to clothe him, however, I’ll spare you those visuals that Stiles is still shivering from having to witness.

It’s about half past seven in the morning and we’re standing ten feet from the van, game planning what to do next when we hear Jackson’s booming voice “Stiles! McCall!– I’m gonna fucking kill you!”

I set my hands on my hips, raising a brow towards the pair in front of me “Well sleeping beauty sounds pissed”

Scott snorts “Okay well I should probably head to school, you sure you both want to stay here?”

Stiles grabs his backpack, lifting it up as he agrees “Yeah man, we’ve got food and water. Plus we need to try to talk some sense into Jackson– which Addy will be our best bet at achieving, since she’s the nice one.”

I chuckle with that and nod when Scott turns to me “We’ve got this Scotty, talk to Allison and see if her family has looped her in on what they know, then go see Danny. Maybe he can clue us in on why Jackson would have been after him for his murder spree.”

“Yeah, all right sounds like a plan,” Scott takes a deep breath, and with one last look at the van he nods and takes off towards the car.

We unlock the door to the back of the van and Jackson flicks his eyes to us, turning his head more towards us– his ever present glare in full swing as we open the door wider “Seriously Addy, you’re in on this too?” 

I stay outside holding the door as Stiles climbs in the back and heads for the opposite bench wall of the van, sitting across from him “Addy is here for your benefit so stop looking at her like that. Okay, we brought you some foo–”

“Let me out now!” Jackson interrupts his words by lunging forward causing Stiles to fall back more on the bench he’s sitting on.

I jerk back with the sudden movement and set my hand higher up on the side of the door while Stiles slams his backpack on the bench with a huff and faces Jackson more “You know, I put those pants on you, all right, buddy? One leg at a time. Being all up close and personal with your _junk_ wasn’t exactly a highlight of my day. So don’t think this is fun for me either. You know we’re actually doing you a favor?”

Jackson lifts his handcuffed wrists, flicking his anger filled eyes between us “ _This_ is doing me a favor?”

I make a noise in my throat and nod gaining his attention as I fill him in on his extra curricular activities as of late “Yes, dude you’re– you’re killing people.”

Stiles raises his brows and elaborates “To _death_. Yeah– and until we can figure out how to stop you, you’re gonna stay in here. I’m sorry.” 

He finishes his words by reaching into his bag and pulling out the sandwiches we stopped to get earlier. He holds up the two options in each of his hands “You want the ham and cheese, or the turkey club?”

Jackson moves his deep glaring eyes back and forth between us, ignoring the sandwich choice question “You actually think my parents won’t be looking for me?”

Stiles lets out a soft chuckle and tosses one of the sandwiches at Jackson who catches it easy enough “Uh, well– not if they don’t think anything’s wrong,” He pulls out Jackson’s phone and shows him the open message conversation he created with Jackson’s dad– triumphant smile in place as he regards Jackson’s frustration with that bit of information “Yeah.”

Jackson flicks his eyes from the phone to Stiles to the sandwich and finally to me. 

Once I feel like he won’t lunge at me as well I climb inside the back of the van as well, closing the door to keep the cold morning air out and sit down next to Stiles on the bench.

I attempt to lounge back and set my feet down a ways from Jackson on the bench across from us, however, my short legs don’t make it and my feet flop onto the ground.

Stiles smirks at the action and raises his eyebrows at me as he lounges back– successfully setting his gazelle legs over to rest his feet on the bench.

I roll my eyes and bring my legs up to plant my feet on the bench, bringing my knees closer to my face. 

Leaning my back against the wall of the van I set my hands on my stomach lap I’ve created and see Jackson chuckle to himself, shaking his head as he unwraps his sandwich and begins eating. 

Extending an olive branch, I clear my throat “Do you want some water?”

He flicks his eyes to me, stopping mid chew and nods his head slightly. I drop my legs and dig in the backpack to hand him a bottle, he drops his glare slightly to offer me a small nod of thanks. I return with a small smile and resume my previous position but wrap my arms around my legs once I’m settled.

Jackson swallows and shakes his head as he puts the cap back on the bottle “All right so you guys going to fill me in on whatever you think it is I’m doing?”

I flick my eyes over to Stiles who huffs and crosses his arms over his chest **_here goes nothing_**

***

“Scales? Like a fish.” Jackson looks between us, so far not yelling at us that we’re insane.

Stiles shakes his head “No, more like a reptile. Um, and, uh, your claws have this liquid that paralyzes people.”

I nod letting out a soft chuckle “aaaand you have a tail.”

“I have a tail?” Jackson squints his eyes at us and Stiles, not able to hide his amusement smiles and nods his head "Yeah, you have a tail.”

Jackson makes a face and questions “Mm. Does it do anything?”

Stiles and I share a look, shaking our heads as I answer him “No, not that I know of.”

Jackson jerks forward much in the same way as earlier, lifting his hands towards Stiles with his threat “Can I use it to strangle you?” **_Just when I thought we were getting somewhere_**

I huff and Stiles uncrosses his arms, pushing against the bench to sit up more “Yeah, you still don’t believe us. All right. The night of the semi-final game, what did you do _right_ after?”

“I went home,” Jackson answers without missing a beat and I drop my arms from my legs, questioning “Are you sure about that?” as I set my hands on the bench to push myself back to sit up more, and cross my legs on the bench instead.

Jackson jerks his head back with my question as he jabs “Yes morons. What the hell else would I do?”

Stiles scoffs and informs him on what he actually did “You attacked Addy, me, and Derek at the school, and you trapped us in the pool. You also killed a mechanic– _right in front of us_ , by the way– that was lovely. And one of Argent’s hunters,” Stiles raises his brows and points towards him “Oh, and last night, you tried to kill Danny.”

Jackson jerks his head back “Why would I want to kill my best friend?”

I shrug and cross my arms over my chest “Well, that’s what Scott’s out trying to figure out right now.”

Jackson nods, leaning forward and getting angrier with every words snapped at us “Mm. Well, maybe, what he should be trying to figure out is how he’s going to pay for a lawyer when I prosecute your asses all the _way to jail_!” 

Stiles scoffs and jabs back quickly “All right, well, tell us this– on the night of the first full moon, what happened?”

A dark look of disappointment flashes across Jackson’s face as he sits back against the wall and mumbles to his feet “Nothing– nothing happened.”

***

“Wait Allison hold on” I interrupt and walk back towards the van to fill Stiles in on the unfortunate information Allison is digressing over the phone at the moment **_our luck is utter shit sometimes_**

Stiles is leaning his back against the side of the hood on the van when I walk up behind him– though he obviously doesn’t hear me because he stands up taller looking towards the back of the van and when I come up behind him he jumps back, crashing into the van holding a hand over his chest “Oh– my– God.”

Trying not to laugh at that play out of emotions I clear my throat “They know.”

Alarm flashes over Stiles’ face as he stands up more “What?”

“They know Jackson’s missing,” I clarify as I hit the speaker button on my phone holding it up to him as he shakes his head and lifts up Jackson’s phone “No, they can’t. I’ve been texting his parents since last night– they don’t have a clue.”

Allison cuts through the phone “My grandfather told me his parents went to the police. _They know_.”

Stiles’ mouth drops open as he holds the phone in between his forefinger and thumb, lifting it out in front of him on a gasp “Oh–” he makes a face towards the phone and shakes his other hand at the device like it betrayed us.

I just raise my brows at his display before he shoves the phone in my free hand and runs to the passenger side of the van. I follow him with my eyes before I mutter to Ally “Hang on…”

He opens the door and I walk up to stand next to him as he reaches inside grabbing the radio and turning it up, the voice of a dispatch officer filling the space around us “All available units proceed to Beacon Hills Preserve as instructed. Proceed with caution until Sheriff Stilinski’s arrival,” Stiles connects his wide eyes with mine as the dispatcher continues “Repeat proceed with caution.”

Stiles quickly steps back and helps me climb up into the van before running over to the driver’s side while I hang up with Ally, letting her know I’ll text her an update soon.

Stiles opens the door and gets settled in the seat, grabbing Jackson’s phone from my hand. I follow his actions with my eyes as I buckle up “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere very far from this,” he finishes tapping on the screen before he throws the phone out the window and puts the van in gear.

***

Scott and Allison meet us at the new location to fill us in on everything they uncovered today, including Danny editing a video for Jackson on his tablet– which is now missing from the trunk of his car after the club last night **_because of course it is_**

We all walk away from the van and closer to the bluffs looking out over the city while Scott scratches the back of his head, lifting his free hand out to the side “If Jackson doesn’t remember _being_ the Kanima, he’s definitely not gonna remember stealing Danny’s tablet.”

“Why would he steal the thing if he doesn’t even know what’s on it?” Stiles stops walking and turns towards Scott, the rest of us stopping our steps as well, forming a circle.

I cross my arms as I offer “What if someone else took it?”

“Then somebody else knows what he is,” Stiles grumbles and connects his eyes with mine, throwing his hands out to his side.

“Uh, which could mean someone’s protecting him,” Scott looks in between us as Allison nods “Like the bestiary says, ‘the Kanima seeks a friend’, right?”

I frown and turn to her “Can I have those pages? I want to make sure that I translated it right. I’ve been studying more Archaic Latin techniques because it being a ‘friend’ that it’s seeking makes zero sense for what his actions have been.”

“Yeah of course,” Allison nods and digs through her bag while Stiles squints his eyes at me “You’ve just been studying Archaic Latin in your free time?”

I shrug “It’s proving to be useful to know, so yeah I’ve been trying to learn more.”

He makes an impressed face before shaking his head and lifting a hand out to us with his new thought “Okay, hold on. So, somebody watches Jackson make a video of himself turning into the Kanima, and then just erases part of it so he wouldn’t know? I mean, who would do that?”

Allison hands me her tablet that she had the pages downloaded to as she answers him “Somebody who wanted to protect him?”

Scott nods and turns to Stiles “There’s something else. You said the only thing you found online about the Kanima is that it goes after murderers. What if that’s actually true?”

Stiles moves his hand in a circle around us all with his disagreement “No, it can’t be. Tried to kill all of us, remember? I don’t know about you three, but I haven’t murdered anybody lately.” 

Thinking that over I frown, slightly shaking my head and letting out a sigh “But I– I don’t think that it was actually trying to _kill_ any of us.”

 ****Scott nods turning to Allison “When we were at Isaac’s it just went right past us didn’t it?”

Allison nods “You’re right, it just ran off.”

I turn to Stiles as I thoughtfully add on to what they’re saying “And it didn’t kill us in the mechanic’s garage.” 

Stiles nods his head before countering “Well, yeah, but it tried to kill us in the pool…”

Scott raises his brows, countering “Did it?”

“It would’ve– it was waiting for us to come out,” Stiles looks to me to agree with him, though I make a face after connecting my eyes with him and offer “What if it was trying to keep us in?”

Stiles digests that bit of information before he grimaces “Why do I feel so violated all of a sudden?”

I chuckle softly “Because there’s something else going on.”

Scott nods and continues “We don’t know what it is– we don’t know anything about what’s going on with Jackson, or why someone’s protecting him–”

“‘Know thy enemy,’” Allison murmurs gaining all of our gazes which she notices and she furrows her brow with her explanation “Just something my grandfather said.”

“All right, I got it. Kill Jackson– problem solved,” Stiles lifts his arms out like he solved world hunger and Scott rolls his eyes as he argues “He risked his life for us. Against Peter, you remember that?”

“Yes, but what did we _just_ find out? He got the bite from Derek,” Stiles adds with a humorless chuckle flicking his eyes between us “It’s funny how he just got _exactly_ what he wanted by supposedly risking his life for us, it’s funny.”

I give him an _I’m on your side about it being fucked up_ look **_but we still can’t kill him_**

Scott sighs and voices my inner thought “Yeah, it doesn’t mean he’s not still worth saving.”

“It’s always something with him, though,” Stiles protests raising an arm towards the van behind us earning me to cross my arms and shrug “He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Stiles incredulously flails his arm about “So what, Adds?”

“So, I didn’t either,” Scott chimes in quickly and Stiles concedes with a nod, dropping his gaze to his feet. 

“You remember when I almost killed you and Jackson?” Scott turns to Allison and with her nod he continues “I had someone to stop me. He has nobody.”

Stiles lifts his gaze back up and counters “That’s his own fault.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Scott sighs and I elaborate “Scotty’s right, Sty– if we can save him, we should try.”

Stiles’ face softens as he digests my words and with a huff he nods his head, shoving his hands in his pockets.

A silence falls over us and I see Allison move closer to Scott **_twin wing woman powers activated_**

I clear my throat turning to them and setting my hands on my hips while I shrug slightly “Well I’m starving, why don’t you guys take first watch and we’ll go get food.”

Allison offers me a smile, Scott nods like it’s a great plan and Stiles rolls his eyes as he grumbles “Why can’t we have first watch and they get food?”

I roll my eyes, turning to my right and setting my hands on his upper arms. 

I shake my head at his confused face and turn him around, placing my hands on his back to push him forward into a walk as I reason “Because I need food _now_ unless you want me to turn into the star of a dodgy Snickers commercial.”

***

“Holy shit” I gasp, bringing the tablet closer to my face as I drop my feet from the dash and sit up in the seat.

Stiles jumps though he manages to not swerve the jeep as he exclaims “Don’t do that! You gave me a heart attack– we could have–” he huffs and lets it go, pointing towards me “What is it?”

“I was right– well I mean I was _wrong_ , but my initial gut instinct that I should have listened to was right. We’ve been looking at it all wrong– this changes everyth–”

“Addy!” I look up from the tablet to see him smirk and raise his brows “Hey– focus. What were you right or wrong but now right about?”

I look down at the tablet and back over to him “The kanima doesn’t seek a friend, it seeks a _master_ ” he flicks his eyes from me to the road and raises his brows as he works out “Someone’s not protecting him–”

I shake my head and finish his thought “Someone’s _controlling_ him.”

***

We pull up behind the van and my mouth drops open “For fucks sake”

Getting out of the jeep we walk over to Allison’s car, shaking my head at the sight in the backseat of the sleeping half clothed occupants **_couldn’t have at least gotten dressed?_**

Stiles huffs and knocks on the window making them both jump before he throws a hand over his shoulder “You guys might wanna come take a look at this.”

We turn our backs on the car to give them privacy– once they’re situated and out of the car we rush over to the back of the very _open_ doors of the non occupying Kanima van “I have to tell my father” Allison informs.

Scott lets out a deep exhale of frustration and takes a few steps away from us, the three of us turning in the direction he’s walking in.

“Scott,” Allison urges as we follow his steps “He’s going to kill someone.”

With his back still to us, Scott nods “Okay, tell him. Tell him everything.”

I nod once Stiles looks to me before he clears his throat “Scott, I gotta tell mine too.”

“This is all my fault,” Scott whispers and Allison shakes her head, stepping closer to him “It’s not– but we _have_ to tell them. We’re just a bunch of teenagers, we can’t handle this.”

Scott nods “You’re right”

I cross my arms and connect my gaze with Stiles’ “How’re you gonna make your dad believe all of this?”

He swallows before shaking his head once “I don’t know”

Scott turns around and flashes his bright were-yellows “He’ll believe me” **_solid plan_**

*** 

We get to the police station and walk inside stopping by the door to the back, Stiles turns to the front desk deputy “Can you buzz us in? I gotta see my dad.”

Stiles opens the door once the buzzer sounds to unlock it and Scott sets his hand on the door however none of our feet move. 

Stiles looks back, flicking his eyes between the two of us and I offer him a smile of encouragement, which he nods his head once at before taking the first step through the doorway.

We take a few steps to the open office door, though the next second Stiles stops abruptly and holds his arm out to us. 

I lean around him and my mouth drops slightly open at the sight of a man leaning back on Mr. S’ desk with Jackson _fucking_ Whittemore sitting on the couch next him wearing a deputies jacket.

They both look over to us and if I could magic punch Jackson in his smug face, I would. 

Only way he could have possibly broken free was if he was in Kanima form and he still doesn’t believe us– **_or that we were trying to help him_**

Mr. S turns to face us in the doorway “Scott, Stiles– perfect timing.”

Stiles drops his arm as Mr. S indicates behind him “Have you met Jackson’s father, Mr. David Whittemore?– Esquire” 

Jackson smirks and leans forward “That means lawyer.” **_did you know Jackson means ignorant asshat?_**

I glare at him as Stiles turns back towards me and Scott. I drop my glare, lifting my eyes up to Stiles as I shake my head at him and Scott who returns with a deep exhale and drops his eyes to the ground **_we are so screwed_**


	19. Restraint

“You guys wait in here” Mr. S announces before closing the door of his office a little more forcefully than necessary **_he’s pissed, I get it_**

Stiles sets his hands on the back of his head and turns around to lean on the desk with a huff.

In all the commotion of getting back to the preserve and seeing the van open, I completely forgot to fill Scott and Allison in on what Stiles and I uncovered with the Kanima pages.

I clear my throat and interrupt the quiet of the room as I walk over to them “Scott– there’s something else…”

Stiles drops his hands when Scott turns his head looking expectantly at me, though I don’t elaborate right away. 

Instead I pull out my phone to call Allison– putting it on speaker once she answers and connecting my eyes with Scott’s “Hey, so I translated that page properly. The Kanima doesn’t seek a friend, it seeks a master.”

Scott drops his mouth open in shock and looks to Stiles who nods at him while I continue “Which means if Jackson doesn’t know what he’s doing, then he probably doesn’t know that someone is controlling him.”

Scott stands closer to me “Or he doesn’t remember.”

Stiles nods adding thoughtfully “What if it’s the same kind of thing that happened with Lydia when she took off from the hospital?”

Allison’s voice fills the room “A fugue state?”

I lift one shoulder with a nod before leaning my hip on the desk “He’d have to forget everything… the murder–”

“–Getting rid of the blood,” Allison finishes my train of thought and Stiles sets his hands on the desk next to me “Yeah, he had help with one thing though– the video– and someone else helped him forget that.”

“Whoever’s controlling him,” Scott nods towards us before Allison chimes in “Are you sure Jackson has no clue about any of this?”

Remembering what Jackson told us earlier in the van, Stiles and I shake our heads as he crosses his arms and looks to Scott “He thinks he’s still becoming a werewolf and that being with Lydia somehow delayed the whole thing.” **_Dumbass that he is_**

We all ponder that for a moment before Allison questions “So do we try and convince him he’s not?”

“If it helps us find out who’s controlling him, then yeah,” I answer her earning her to elaborate “Do you think he’ll talk to us after what we did?”

Stiles looks to each of us with a hopeful look as he states “Yeah, it’s us. He’ll talk to us. Right?” **_debatable_**

Mr. S abruptly opens the door, effectively interrupting our conversation and I quickly hang up with Allison. 

He jerks his head to the side, silently ordering us to move and once we step into the hallway I see mom standing with her arms crossed, a hard look on her face as she regards us.

Mr. S turns on his heel next to the doorway and faces us as he directs Scott and Stiles towards an interrogation room with Mr. Whittemore already waiting inside, though I’m stopped when I take a step behind Stiles “Addy you can wait out here while we talk to the boys, Jackson didn’t say you were with them– was that a mistake?” **_a_** **_tiny one_**

I make a noise to answer however Stiles reaches back and grabs my arm out of our parents view– halting my next words with his own “Not a mistake– Addy wasn’t apart of this.” 

I flick my eyes up at him, though he gives nothing away on his face and I look over at Scott who is on his other side and see him shake his head ever so slightly– agreeing with Stiles.

Not wanting to lie further I stay silent and just step out of the way for Mr. S and mom to follow Scott and Stiles into the room **_though I feel like I should be in there too_**

Mr. S clears his throat and breaks the silence of the room “You will not go within fifty feet of Jackson Whittemore. You will not speak to him. You will not approach him. You will not assault or harass him physically or psychologically.”

I cross my arms and lean my head back against the wall, closing my eyes and resisting the urge to make things worse by waltzing in the room exclaiming ‘Jackson’s a murderer that we’re trying to protect’ **_because the puppet has no idea_**

“What about school?” I hear Stiles question causing me to open my eyes when Mr. S answers him “You can attend classes while attempting to maintain a fifty foot distance.” 

Stiles makes a noise and stammers out “Bu– okay, what if we both have to use the bathroom at the same time and there’s only two stalls available and they’re only right next to each other?” there’s a silence that follows before I hear him concede “I’ll just hold it.”

I hear a collective round of sighs before I hear the chairs move and everyone is moving towards the hall where I was waiting.

Mr. S and Stiles are first out the door, the former turning around immediately in the hall towards his son “Do I need to remind you how lucky we are that they’re _not_ pressing charges?”

Stiles flicks his eyes to mine before connecting them with his dad and lifting his shoulders “Oh, come on, it was just a joke.”

“It was a joke?” Mr. S counters, Stiles immediately rushing out his explanation “Yes, I didn’t think it would be taken this seriously. Dad, humor’s very subjective, okay? I mean, we’re talking, like, multiple levels of interpretation here.”

Mr. S crosses his arms, not believing that in the slightest “Uh– huh.”

“Uh– huh.” Stiles mimics as his dad lifts one arm and shakes two fingers back and forth between them “Okay, well, how exactly am I supposed to _interpret_ the stolen prison transport van, huh?” **_that’s probably where we took it too far_**

Stiles throws his arms up in our defense “We filled the tank!”

Mom walks past them pushing Scott the last few steps when he hesitates by Stiles “Move!”

They come to a stop in the hallway just outside where I’m waiting by the door as she steps into mom mode “It’s not just this. Although, a restraining order is a new low that I didn’t think that you would reach quite this soon. It’s everything on top of it. The completely bizarre behavior– the late nights coming home– having to _beg_ Mr. Harris for you to make up that chemistry test that you missed–”

Scott furrows his brows as he interrupts “I missed a chemistry test?”

I drop my head forward as Stiles comes to stand next to me and mom continues “Really, Scott? _Really_?” she shifts on her feet and tries a different approach “I have to ground you. I am grounding you. You _are_ grounded.”

“What about work?” Scott shakes his head once and mom jerks her head back to counter “Fine– other than work… and no TV.”

“My TV’s broken.” Scott shrugs, earning mom to come up with “Then no computer.”

“I need the computer for school,” Scott deducts **_good lord, throw her a bone Scott_**

“Then no, uh–” she trails off flustered and looks around, finally looking over her shoulder to us before she finishes “–no Stiles.”

Stiles steps forward before I can stop him and exclaims “What– no Stiles?”

“No Stiles!” Mom snaps back, throwing up one of her hands and Stiles immediately recoils back next to me. 

I scrunch up my nose trying not to laugh when he sets a hand over his chest taking a deep breath at her outburst and shares a look with me **_don’t poke the bear my doode_**

Mom reaches her hand out to Scott “And no more car privileges. Give me your keys–” when he doesn’t move right away she bellows louder “Give ‘em to me!”

Scott jumps with her command and digs into his pocket, setting them in her hand as soon as he pulls them out.

She struggles to remove the car key from the ring with her frustrated shaking hands, mumbling more to herself “Oh, for the love of God.”

Scott reaches forward “Mom, you want me to–”

“No.” She flinches away from him and fails at trying to get the key off the ring.

“Mom, come on, let me just– mom. Mom!” He sets his hands over hers causing her to take a deep breath and lift her head letting out softly “What is going on with you? Is this about Allison?”

Scott takes a moment and flicks his eyes in between hers before he answers her “Do you really wanna know?”

“Yeah.” She answers and Stiles shakes his head rigorously in the negative column at her questioning when Scott lifts his eyes to him, however mom stops him from answering as she whispers out “Is this about your father?”

Those five words cause me to stiffen and I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding when I feel Stiles set his hand on my lower back.

Scott flicks his eyes to us and I see Stiles out of the corner of my eye quickly nod his head yes.

Mom clears her throat “It is, isn’t it? Okay, you know what, um– we’ll talk about this at home. I’m gonna go get the car.”

She doesn’t wait for a reply and speed walks down the hall. We all follow her with our eyes before she rounds the corner and Scott shakes his head walking over to us “I’m the worst son ever.”

Stiles takes a deep breath, looking across the hall “Well, I’m not exactly winning any prizes either.” 

We turn to face the interrogation room they were just in, noticing that Mr. Whittemore is now yelling at Mr. S and shaking the clipboard with the restraining order details on it towards him before throwing in on the table.

Scott leans against a radiator on the opposite wall, looking to the ground as I lean my head on Stiles’ shoulder “Thank you for covering for me.”

“Always, Adds.”

**** 

Allison and I walk into the Library after I met up with her to transfer the file of pages I translated properly this time onto her tablet.

We were with Lydia so trying to explain what we were doing wasn’t the easiest **_especially not as easy as just telling her the truth– but what do I know?_**

Gerard has installed cameras throughout the whole school, one inconveniently in the Library, so we are trying to be as nonchalant as possible **_since we are now stars of the Real World_**

We stop on the opposite aisle of where Stiles and Scott were waiting for us, looking around to make sure we’re out of view of the camera before I nod to Ally.

I reach out and remove a book off the shelf, creating a bigger gap in the books to see their faces as I turn to face Allison and lean my right side on the shelf.

Allison reaches through the gap and hands the tablet to Scott “It’s everything Addy could translate with Lydia being with us– and to answer your question, yes she was very confused.” **_I think she knows we’re lying too_**

Scott looks up from the tablet connecting his eyes with Allison’s “Yeah, what’d you guys tell her?”

Allison smiles, squinting her eyes slightly “That we were part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures.” 

We smile and shake our heads at our last minute excuse as Stiles’ face drops slightly “I am part of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures.”

Allison and I share a _do not laugh_ face before she faces him “O– oh. Great.”

He smiles at us before realizing she was probably being sarcastic and he flicks his eyes to mine. 

I offer him a small smile **_because I think it’s adorable_** that he returns before Scott looks back to the tablet and chimes in “Okay, does it say how to find out who’s controlling him?”

I shake my head “Not really– but Stiles was right about the murderers.”

Stiles quickly celebrates on a whisper “Yes!”

I smile before continuing “It calls the kanima a weapon of vengeance. There’s a story in there about this South American priest who uses the kanima to execute murderers in his village–”

“All right, see? So maybe it’s not all that bad.” Stiles interrupts before I level him with a look and continue recanting the story “ _Until_ the bond grew strong enough that it killed whoever he wanted it to.”

Stiles’ face drops immediately as he concedes “All bad, all _very, very bad_.”

I smirk and quickly lift my brows up once as an answer while Allison grabs the book from my hand and goes on “Here’s the thing, though. The kanima’s actually supposed to be a werewolf. But it can’t be–” I lift my head to stop her once a lady walks close to us and Scott finishes what she was about to say “Until it resolves that in its past which manifested it.”

“Okay, if that means that Jackson could use a few _thousand_ hours of therapy, I could’ve told you that myself.” Stiles grumbles while he looks between Scott and I.

Allison lifts her head, directing her words to the guys “What if– it has something to do with his parents? His real parents.”

“Yeah, does anybody actually know what happened to them?” Scott looks around at us and I shake my head as Stiles tilts his head to the side “Lydia might.”

“What if she doesn’t know anything?” I counter before Allison sighs “Well, he doesn’t have a restraining order against me, so– I’ll talk to him myself.” 

She nods at Scott as she sets the book back on the shelf, silently making her plan.

Stiles makes a noise and offers “Addy and I will talk to Lydia then.” 

I nod when they all look expectantly at me and Scott shakes his head “Okay, what do I do?”

Allison leans closer to the shelf “You have a make up exam, remember?”

Scott sighs, flicking his eyes to my nod before turning his head to Stiles who also nods **_and you’re not getting out of it_**

Allison smirks and reaches to the shelf below the one we are looking through and sets her hand on his “Promise me.”

Scott grabs her hand, adding his own stipulations to our afternoon of plans “If he does anything, you run the other way.”

“I can take care of myself,” She whispers out strongly and Scott is quick to argue “Allison, if you get hurt while I’m busy with some stupid test, someone’s going to need to take care of me.” 

Stiles and I share a look before Scott continues “If he does anything–”

Allison lifts a shoulder “Like?”

Scott raises his brows as he mutters thoughtfully “Anything– weird or bizarre– anything–”

Stiles shoves his head through the book gap towards our faces, making us jerk back slightly as he interrupts “Anything evil!” 

I smirk at Allison before setting my hand on his forehead and pushing him back through the gap “Ah– Ow!”

***

Scott went to take his test, Allison went to find Jackson, which leaves Stiles and I to find Lydia and ask her about Jackson’s parents.

She walks out of the room after Stiles asks her as much and she shakes her head “I’m not supposed to tell anyone.”

Stiles shares a look with me as we try to keep up with her quick steps “Come on, anyone who ever says ‘I’m not supposed to tell anyone’ is always _dying_ to tell someone, so tell us.”

Lydia connects her eyes with mine and tilts her head to the side, never breaking her stride “Why do you wanna know?”

I make a noise and sigh “We just can’t tell you exactly why at this point in time.”

Lydia stops and clips out “Then I’m not telling you” before continuing on her fast paced walk.

We quicken our pace to keep up and Stiles points past her “But you are telling me that you _could_ tell us something if you wanted– to tell us?”

Lydia squints her eyes “Was that a question?”

“It felt like a question.” Stiles answers hesitantly and Lydia hmms before looking back to us quickly “Well– tell me if this feels like an answer– No.”

Stiles and I stop our steps and flick our gazes to each other frustratedly as she quickens her steps past us.

I share a grimace with him before we continue walking after her, she runs quickly up the stairs and we try to make it through the crowd after her. 

She’s already halfway down the hall when we make it to the top landing area “Lydia!” I lift my arms out as we come to a stop at the top of the stairs in the next hallway ** _that could have gone better_**

Stiles stops next to me “Lydia, come on! Ly– wait!–”

His words are cut off and the next thing I know he’s not next to me anymore– turning in a circle I see him up against the wall with Erica standing in front of him with her hand on his chest “Ow! Ah, ah, hey, Erica.”

I come to a stop next to them and she flicks her eyes in between us “Why are you guys asking Lydia about Jackson’s real parents?”

I lean closer to her “Why are you bringing out the claws on camera?”

Stiles smirks and flicks his eyes to the other end of the hallway, which she reluctantly looks behind us to the camera in the corner pointed directly at our exchange.

Erica retracts her claws from his chest and lowers her hand, earning Stiles to jab sarcastically “That’s right. You wanna play Catwoman? I’ll be your Batman.” 

She doesn’t respond and Stiles pushes off the wall, setting his hand on my arm to guide us past her. We however don’t make it far as her next words stop us immediately “If you’re wondering about Jackson’s real parents, they’re about half a mile from here.” **_you would know something_**

We share a look before we turn back around to her and she continues “In Beacon Hills cemetery.”

She drops that info before walking away from us as quick as she first appeared.

Stiles turns his shocked face to me and I shake my head at the question that crosses his face **_I don’t want to ask her_**

I huff lifting an arm at her retreating back “Like she’s going to just give us _any_ information out of the goodness of her cold heart.”

Stiles makes a face and shrugs “Do we have anything to lose, Adds?”

Thinking that over for a few seconds I roll my eyes and turn to follow her, our quick steps moving down the hallway and we run the last few steps to catch up to her, Stiles rushing out when we fall in step with her “Ok wait– wait– wait– do you know how they died?”

Not faltering her steps once, Erica shrugs and replies smugly “Maybe. If you tell me why you’re both so interested.”

Stiles and I worriedly connect our gazes “Um–”

She doesn’t wait for our answer and instead stops her steps with her deduction “It’s him, isn’t it?”

Stiles widens his eyes at the back of her head “What? Who?”

I shake my head “Him who?”

A look of realization crosses her face even with our super sly misdirection technique as she resumes her steps down the hall “The test didn’t work, but it’s still him. It’s Jackson.”

Stiles drops his mouth open in shock and we rush to catch up with her again **_can she ever not ruin my day?_**

We round the corner behind her in the hallway near the locker rooms and I lift my bag higher on my shoulder as I stress “You can’t tell Derek, okay? There’s a lot more to this that you don’t know about.”

I gain her attention with my words and she slows her steps while Stiles interjects “And just because you got the Alpha bite makeover doesn’t give you a license to go around destroying people.”

She halts her steps fully and turns around facing us with his words “Why not? That’s all anybody ever used to do to me,” she smirks over at Stiles and admits “I used to have the worst crush in the world on you.” **_aaaand awkward_**

I look down to the ground at her confession while she continues “Yeah, you, Stiles.”

I notice water on the ground coming from under the locker room door and tap Stiles on the arm while Erica continues her sharing time “And you never once even noticed me– exactly how you’re not noticing me right now.” 

Erica notices where both of our attentions have gone and turns around at the exact moment the door bursts open and Scott lands on the ground with a grunt **_the fuck now?_**

Shock crosses my face as Jackson comes out next to stand over Scott, attempting to grab at his shirt. 

Stiles and I drop our bags, rushing over to Scott as Erica walks over and grabs Jackson around the waist to move him off of Scott.

“Scott! Guys!” Stiles shouts as we try to pull them apart, which we finally do and Stiles pulls him farther back while I set my hands on his chest “Scotty, _stop_.”

Both of them are wriggling in Stiles and Erica’s arms trying to get back to beating each other up, however, Mr. Harris’ voice booms down the hall as he walks towards us “What the hell’s going on?– Hey! Enough! Enough.”

Scott shoves us off of him and moves to stand against the wall, catching his breath and glaring down the hall at Jackson while Mr. Harris continues “What do you idiots think you’re doing? Jackson! Calm down!”

Stiles moves us over against the other wall as Mr. Harris turns from his left to his right looking at us all “Mr. McCall, you wanna explain yourself?– Stilinski? Ms. McCall?!” **_Too childish to point at Jackson saying ‘he did it’?_**

Still trying to comprehend what actually happened, I’ve got nothing for him so I just shake my head. 

Matt, with Allison’s tablet in hand, flicks it out to Scott “You dropped this.”

However Mr. Harris snatches it and points it at Scott and Jackson “You and you–” he stops and connects his eyes with Allison, Erica, Matt, Stiles and I before he continues “Actually– all of you– detention. Three o'clock.” **_fucking Jackson– pain in my ass_**

***

After school the seven of us walk into the library with Mr. Harris to fulfill our detention for the afternoon.

Stiles, Scott and Erica follow behind me and sit at the table I chose.

Jackson moves to sit at one of the tables behind us, though he points to our table as he sits down “Oh, uh– we can’t be in detention together. I have a restraining order against these tools.”

“All of these tools?” Mr. Harris asks in a bored tone and Stiles clears his throat pointing to him and Scott “No, just us tools.”

Mr. Harris rolls his eyes “Fine. You three, over there.” **_is that your way of calling me a tool? because same to you, teach_**

I lift my hand and he just levels me with a pointed look as he lifts a hand and points to the table next to the one we’re all at.

Not really wanting to be stuck at a table with Erica alone I don’t argue and grab my bag.

I sit down next to Scott who glares behind us and hits his hand on the table when Stiles sits across from him “I’m gonna kill him.”

“No, you’re not.” I cross my arms and lean my elbows on the table

Stiles lifts his hands out like he’s taming a wild animal “Addy’s right, we’re going to find out who’s _controlling_ him and then we’re gonna help _save_ him.”

Scott looks back at Jackson again and shakes his head at both of us “No– you were right, let’s kill him.”

“Oh– no,” Stiles sighs and drops his hands on the table, connecting his eyes with mine as I raise my brows through a grimace **_he’s at instant kill mode_**

Stiles flicks his eyes from me, over my shoulder and back again, dropping his voice to a whisper “Hey. What if it’s Matt? I mean, this whole thing comes back to the video, right?”

Scott lowers his head to rest his jaw on his arm he lays on the table, arguing “Danny said that Matt was the one who found the two hours of footage missing.” **_suspicious, why would Matt be looking at a tape of Jackson?_**

Stiles lifts his hands from the table “Exactly! He’s trying to throw suspicion off himself.”

I make an impressed face looking over my shoulder at the creeper sitting with Jackson and Allison as Scott argues like he could not disagree more “So he makes Jackson kill Isaac’s dad, one of Argent’s hunters, and the mechanic working on your jeep?”

I turn back around as Stiles exclaims “Yes!” and Scott drops his head slightly “Why?”

Stiles looks back to me and over my shoulder again adding on a glare “Because– he’s _evil_.”

I snort with that and rest my chin in my palm as Scott follows his gaze, shaking his head at me and looking back to Stiles “You just don’t like him.”

“The guy– bugs me,” I smirk at his reasoning as he leans back and continues “I don’t know what it is.”

I make a noise and shrug my other shoulder as I argue “I mean he is creepy, just look at his face” Stiles raises his brows at Scott and points at me like I won the case, though Scott just shakes his head at both of us “Any other theories?”

Jackson makes a noise gaining our attentions and we all look back at their table to see Matt look up at him “You okay?”

Jackson stands up, grabbing his bag and announcing “I have to go to the bathroom.”

Mr. Harris follows him with his eyes and stands up “Are you all right? Hey, you don’t look so good.”

“I just need to get some water” comes Jackson’s reply as he walks out of the doors.

Mr. Harris walks out in front of the table and lifts his arms “No one leaves their seats” he states before he turns and follows Jackson out of the room.

Naturally as soon as he leaves Scott, Stiles and I get up to go sit by Erica again “Stiles says you know how Jackson’s parents died” Scott questions as soon as we sit down.

“Maybe” She teases without looking up from her notebook and Scott flips his hands out on the table towards her with zero patience “Talk.”

She looks between Scott and I sitting across from her and closes her notebook looking between the three of us before she surprisingly talks “It was a car accident. My dad was the insurance investigator, and every time he sees Jackson drive by in his Porsche, he makes some comment about the huge settlement he’ll be getting when he’s eighteen.”

Stiles scoffs and turns his head towards her “So not only is Jackson rich now, but he’s getting even richer at eighteen?”

She smirks on a nod towards him “Yep.” **_must be nice_**

Stiles shakes his head and connects his eyes with mine “There’s something so deeply wrong with that.”

Scott and I nod before Erica raises a brow and grabs her laptop “You know what? I could try to find the insurance report on my dad’s inbox– he keeps everything.” **_surprisingly nice of you_**

The intercom breaks the silence of the room “Scott McCall, please report to the principal’s office.”

Scott looks between us before I nod my head towards the door. On a huff he gets up and heads for the office.

Erica types away on her computer before bringing up an accident report and Stiles points towards the screen “Whoa, look at the dates.”

I lean my crossed arms on the table as Erica squints towards the computer “Passengers arrived at the hospital DOA. The estimated time of death– 9:26 P.M., June 14, 1995.“ 

I turn my head over to Stiles as he shifts in his seat to look back across at me “Jackson’s birthday is June 15th.” Erica looks up at me and I raise my brows with a nod confirming that.

They walk back into the library and Mr. Harris starts packing up his bag, which gains our attentions when he zips it up and we all start shifting around as we grab our bags **_finally_**

I reach for Scott’s when Mr. Harris chuckles and walks over towards our tables “Oh, no, I’m sorry. Uh, yes, _I’m_ leaving– but none of you are.”

I set our bags down while he sets both of his hands on the carts on either side of him “You may go when you’re done with the re-shelving. Enjoy the rest of your evening.” He smirks before he walks off **_who hurt him to make him such a douchnozzle_**

I roll my eyes at Jackson and Matt sitting down and head over to the cart to start **_I’d like to get out of here eventually_**

Stiles helps me push one of the carts to one side of the room and down an aisle, Allison walks with us as Scott comes back through the doors and heads over to us.

We fill them in on what Erica found with the accident report and Scott shakes his head “The different days, what does that mean?”

Stiles sighs “It means he was born after his mom died– by c-section. They had to pull him out of her dead body.”

“So was it an accident or not?” Allison whispers between us and I cross my arms as I lean on the go back cart “The word all over the report is ‘inconclusive’.”

Scott raises his brows “Then his parents could have been murdered?”

Stiles nods “If they were, then it falls in line with the kanima myth. You know? It seeks out and kills murderers.”

I flick my eyes to him making a noise in the back of my throat “But for Jackson? Or the person controlling him?”

Scott stands up moving behind me to walk out towards the end of the aisle “We have to talk to him. We have to tell him.” **_we already tried that_**

Allison tries to stop him “He’s not gonna lis–” Scott ignores her continuing his steps out of our aisle, though he stops completely once he gets out in the main aisle.

We all share a look when he tilts his head to the side and walks slowly forward out of our line of sight.

I stand up straight when there’s a loud combination of glass shattering, books crashing and electricity crackling noises coming from a few aisles over **_sounds promising_**

Allison walks down the aisle towards where Scott went, while Stiles and I slowly walk down the opposite end of the aisle trying to see what’s happening.

We hear Scott shout “Erica” and hear her return roar as an answer before the ceiling lights above Stiles and I shatter down on us, as the shelves shake and books immediately fall around us.

I lift my arms to cover my head from the falling debris but feel Stiles wrap his arm around my stomach pulling me backwards with him.

We land on the ground in front of the bookcase and Stiles moves around to cover me instantly. 

Once the destruction settles, we lift our heads looking around us. I set my hands on his arms while he kneels back from me and flicks his eyes in between mine as he looks my face over.

Allison moves out from behind the cart next to us and we see Scott get thrown against the other go back cart at the other end of the aisle– landing on its side with the force and Scott landing on his back on top of it with a deep groan of pain.

Scott sits up and notices us in the aisle as we move closer to him, he moves immediately and kneels down in front of Allison putting his arm out to protect her while Stiles kneels beside him and in front of me.

Stiles shifts on his feet and reaches his arm back to set his hand on my waist once he scoots over for Scott **_I will forever be grateful to have them in my life_**

We’re all breathing heavily– taking in everything that just occurred, however we’re not quite out of the woods as I notice Jackson walking past the tables we were at earlier.

I set my hand on Stiles’ arm that’s not around me to look around his shoulder at Jackson standing awkwardly in front of the moveable chalkboard in the room.

He tilts his head back demon level status, opening his mouth and revealing his fangs before he drops his head to the side to face us– however there’s just a vacant look in his reptile eyes **_puppeteer I’m assuming_**

He lifts his right arm and taps the chalk on the board before he starts swiping it around the board.

The lights around us continue to flicker and Stiles bounces on his feet, tightening his arm around me while we watch the message appear on the board

**STAY OUT OF MY WAY, OR I’LL KILL ALL OF YOU**

Jackson walks away from the ominus board and next thing we hear is glass shattering as he jumps out of one of the windows.

We all take a collective breath before Stiles stands, holding his hands out to me. Setting my hands in his he pulls me up, letting go once I’m on my feet to lift one of his hands towards me to remove debris from my hair. 

I smile in thanks and he clears his throat, dropping his hand from me as he flicks his eyes around us “Everyone okay?” **_physically, totally fine_**

I brush my hands on my legs, offering a small smile and nod while Scott stands and helps Allison up “Yeah– yeah we’re good” he answers before he walks out of the aisle closer towards the board.

We follow suit, however noise down the next aisle has me turning around and immediately seeing Erica seizing on the ground. 

I hit Stiles on the arm and run to her “Whoa, hey, hey, hey, hey!” He shouts gaining Scott’s attention before picking her up off the ground slightly with me “I think she’s having a seizure.”

Scott rushes down the aisle and kneels next to me while Allison rushes down the next aisle over where Matt apparently is “He’s alive.” **_suuuuper good news_**

Scott sits up to look in between the shelf “Hey, we need to get her to a hospital.”

Erica flicks her eyes to me and urges “Derek– only to Derek.” 

I nod at her however Scott ignores her pleas and looks back to Allison “When we get her to the hospital–”

“To Derek– to Derek.” Erica interrupts on a whisper and Allison chimes in “Go.”

Scott makes a noise, running out of our aisle and into Allison’s aisle, Stiles shouting after him “Hey, Scott!” 

I grab Erica’s hand while she continues to shake uncontrollably and when she connects her eyes with mine, I squeeze her hand “We got you.”

She doesn’t seem to be seizing like she used to, however it still doesn’t look like good news, Stiles voicing as much “Why is the venom inducing a seizure now but not the other night?”

I shake my head, offering thoughtfully “The direct contact with her blood stream must be causing the misfire?”

I connect my worried gaze with Stiles who huffs and looks over my shoulder to the bookshelf like he wants to shout at Scott again **_I’ll be that person_**

Turning slightly towards the shelf I stress out “Scott– we have to do something for her!”

A few seconds later and Scott rushes back into the aisle nodding at us. He sets one of his arms under Erica’s legs and the other around her back as he lifts her up and I hold her head steady.

Once we stand up Stiles sets his hands on my back to guide us out of the aisle and through the doors– Scott carrying Erica following quickly behind us out of the library and towards the jeep.

***

We make it to Derek’s subway car lair and he takes Erica from Scott’s arms. He sets her down in the train car shouting at Scott “Hold her up.”

Stiles rushes forward and props Erica up against his chest, with Scott and I kneeling next to them.

Derek looks lost as he watches her writhe in pain and I connect my eyes with his “Is she dying?”

He nods at me lifting one hand out “She might, I– which is why this is gonna hurt.” 

He reaches forward and sets both of his hands on her forearm, twisting them in opposite directions– effectively filling the space with a snapping noise and Erica’s screams of pain following after.

“You broke her arm!” Stiles screams out the obvious at him while he tries to hold her steady.

Scott covers his mouth and I reach out setting my hand on her leg while Derek stammers out “It’ll trigger the healing process. I still gotta get the venom out– this is where it’s really gonna hurt.”

He proceeds to squeeze her arm with such force that it causes blood to gush out onto the ground under where he’s holding her.

Flinching from her screams of pain, I reach out and squeeze her leg in **_I hope_** a comforting way.

Her screams die down and Stiles sits back with her still against his chest. She looks up at him and whimpers “Stiles– you make a good Batman” before she lets out one more sigh and drops her head to the side as she passes out.

He lifts his shocked face to mine and I smile with a small nod in return **_told you_**

We all let out a breath of relief and Derek sets his hands on the floor, dropping his head forward.

Stiles has me help set a blanket under her head so he can get free and we follow Scott and Derek out of the train car.

Scott throws his arms out to his side, directing his words to Derek “You know who it is.”

Derek turns around connecting his eyes with the three of us before exhaling and leaning on a table “Jackson.”

I look from Stiles and back to Derek before crossing my arms “You just wanted Erica to confirm it, didn’t you?”

Derek flicks his eyes to me and nods while Scott looks back to us and faces Derek again “I’m gonna help you stop him– as part of your pack.”

Derek snaps his head towards Scott while I share a look with Stiles, and Scott continues “If you want me in, fine. But we’ll do it on one condition– we’re gonna catch him, not kill him.”

Derek ponders that before he crosses his arms with a smirk “And?”

Scott stands up a little taller before he fills in “And we do it my way.”


	20. Raving

I set the food bags on Mr. S’ desk at the station while Stiles moves a chair over for me to sit down. 

Stiles had stopped by the house earlier asking if I wanted to have dinner with them at the station, and not being one to pass up food that doesn’t come out of a box this evening, I happily agreed.

Once I’m settled in the chair, I hand Mr. S his containers of food and Stiles sets our drinks in front of each of us.

“Thank you,” Mr. S takes his burger in his hands and lifts it to us with his nod of thanks before he takes a bite and immediately scrunches up his face while he glares at the burger, muttering around his mouthful “Oh, what the hell is this?”

I look over the desk at him and hand Stiles his food as he answers his dad “Veggie burger.”

Mr. S flicks his eyes between us “Guys, I asked for a _hamburger_.”

Stiles sets his food container in one hand and lifts the other towards his dad “Well, veggie is healthier. We’re being healthy.” 

I smile when Mr. S swings his eyes in between us and we both lift up our salads pointing to them like they’re the fountain of youth **_lettuce version_**

Mr. S glares and shakes his head at us before opening the containers that usually hold fries **_but we opted for veggies_** “Oh, hell, why are you two trying to ruin my life?”

I shrug gaining his attention “We’re trying to _extend_ your life Mr. S.”

He sets his hands softly on the desk “Addy– kid, for the love of your sweet soul, how many times have I told you to call me Noah?”

I shrug one shoulder and stab my salad with the fork mumbling “Enough that I should probably listen” before taking the bite.

They share a chuckle and Stiles lifts a hand to his dad and points at the food in front of him “Okay? Could you just eat it, please? And tell us what you found.”

Noah flicks his eyes back to Stiles and jerks his head back “No, I’m not sharing confidential police work with teenagers” **_hey now, we have seen some shit_**

Stiles reaches for his drink and sits up in his seat a little, his eyes drifting to the wall behind Noah “Is that it on the board behind you?”

Mid chew, I flick my eyes up to the board as Noah looks over his shoulder at said board and quickly turns back to us lifting his hand slightly up from the desk “Don’t look at that.”

Stiles makes a noise and moves around in his seat, leaning opposite ways of Noah who continues to warn “Avert your eyes.” 

Ignoring that, Stiles just continues to move around taking in as much of the board as he can while I continue to chew and tilt my head whichever way Noah isn’t blocking.

“Okay,” I take a drink and subtly as I can flick my eyes around the board myself which he now notices “Hey– Addy, come on you guys–”

“Just– it’s just–” I widen my eyes in mock innocence and shrug when I connect my eyes with him and admit “I see arrows.”

Stiles hums in agreement “Right, arrows pointing at pictures– just everywhere all over the–”

Noah lifts his hands up off the desk “Okay, okay, stop– fine,” dropping his voice to a whisper Noah mutters “I found something– Mechanic and the couple who were murdered. They all had something in common…”

Stiles furrows his brows and looks over to me quickly as he questions back “All three?”

Noah nods and looks to Stiles “Yeah. You know what I always say. One’s an incident. Two’s coincidence–”

“Three’s a pattern.” Stiles finishes for him while Noah nods and lifts up a finger with each of his next words “The mechanic, the husband, the wife– all the same age. All twenty four.”

I set my salad on the desk before leaning my elbow on the desk beside it “Wait, what about Mr. Lahey?”

Stiles nods “Right– I mean, Isaac’s dad isn’t anywhere near twenty four.”

Noah nods “Which made me think that either ‘A’ Lahey’s murder wasn’t connected or ‘B’ the ages were a coincidence, until I found this–” he reaches over the desk handing Stiles a folder as he continues “Which would be ‘C’. Did you know that Isaac Lahey had an older brother named Camden?” 

I lean over the arm of the chair and Stiles sits back in his chair, moving the open file towards me as he reads the red stamped page of Camden Lahey’s military information “‘Died in combat’?”

Noah lifts a brow and fills us in on why this is important “But if he were alive today, take one guess as to how old he’d be.”

“Twenty four” Stiles and I mutter at the same time while looking up at Noah **_what did a bunch of twenty four year olds do to someone?_**

We get up from our seats and head over to stand in front of the crime board behind his desk.

Stiles comes to stand on my other side and sets his hand against one side of his jaw “Now what if same age means same class– I mean, did you think of that?” He leans forward to look across me at his dad who flicks a hand out “Yeah, yeah. Well, I would’ve. I mean, I– look, I just got Lahey’s file two hours ago.”

“Two hours? Dad, people could be dying,” Stiles snaps beside me and I elbow him in the ribs while Noah counters back “Yeah, I’m aware of that. Thank you” he huffs and looks back to the board.

Stiles shares a look with me, rubbing his side, before flicking his eyes back to the board also muttering “Same class” **_there could be a list to follow of who could be next_**

Seeming to all come to the same conclusion, we all turn and connect our eyes before jumping into gear– Stiles and I are directed to grab the year books the station keeps for convenient times like this while Noah went to grab the transcript files of the kids in school around that time.

We set everything on his desk and start flipping through the files “Okay, this is it. Class of 2006” I lift a piece of paper up and Stiles looks over my shoulder nodding towards his dad “They all went to Beacon Hills.”

Noah nods and hits the paper he was looking at “Including Isaac’s brother.”

Stiles shrugs, trying to work through what this could mean “All right, but so what if they all knew each other, you know? I mean, two of them were married, so maybe they all just hung out.”

My eyes widen and I pull out another piece of paper from the stack of files **_no way_**

Noah shakes his head “Well, they could have had the same classes together. They could’ve–”

I lift the picture I found out towards him, stopping his words as Stiles looks at me “What?”

I flick my gaze to him muttering “Same teacher” before I turn the class picture towards him and he raises his brows, questioning “Harris. They were all in his class?” 

Noah nods “All four. And I don’t know how Mr. Lahey fits in, but this– guys, this is _definitely_ a pattern. All right, give me the 2006 yearbook. These names, we need faces.”

Stiles shifts through the pile of yearbooks pulling out the one we need and begins to flip through the pages “Which ones?”

“Everyone in that chemistry class. If the killer’s not done killing–” Noah trails off and Stiles looks up, connecting his eyes with his dad’s “One of them’s next.”

“Yeah” Noah nods and grabs his phone, dialing a number before his attention is brought to whoever is on the phone “Yeah, it’s Stilinski.”

***

Scott holds the seat so I can climb out of the back of the jeep “There’s got to be some other way to get tickets, right?” He questions through the car door towards Stiles before we close the doors and meet around the front of the jeep.

Stiles lifts his backpack strap higher on his shoulder and swings the other hand out in front of him “It’s a secret show. There’s only one way– and it’s a secret.”

We go to walk towards the school, however, a voice behind us halts our steps “Hey.”

Turning around, I resist the urge to roll my eyes at seeing Matt’s creepy face **_how are you always just there?_**

He moves his eyes between the three of us “Do any of you know why no one’s getting suspended after what happened the other day at school?”

Sharing a look with Stiles I shrug, moving my hair out of the way and lifting my bag higher on my shoulder as I flick my eyes over to Matt “Just forget about it– nobody got hurt.”

Matt furrows his brows at me before sputtering out “Wha– I– I had a concussion.”

Raising my brows and holding my tongue, I turn to my right to Stiles who leans his head forward slightly “Well, nobody got _seriously_ hurt.”

Matt swings his glare over to him “I was in the E.R. for six hours.”

Stiles nods his head in mock concern “Hey, do you want to know the truth– Matt? Your little _bump_ on the head is about _THIS_ high on our list of problems right now” Stiles finishes by leaning over to the side and hovering his hand a few inches from the ground.

I turn towards Stiles as he stands up, covering my smile with my hand and clearing my throat **_laughing would only make things worse_**

Scott rolls his eyes and turns to Matt “Are you okay?”

Matt throws us one more look before he turns towards Scott and answers “Yeah, I’m fine now. So you didn’t get any tickets last night either?”

Stiles rolls his eyes towards me and I snort, however try to cover it as a sneeze, lifting my hand over my mouth as I look behind us towards the school **_giving zero fucks about Matt_**

Stiles pats my shoulder, muttering in mock concern “Gesundheit” and follows my line of sight to fight off his smile before we clear out faces and turn back around to the pair.

With the look Scott is throwing us, I shake my head and lift my shoulders slightly asking him a silent _what_?

He just shakes his head at our antics and implores further with the unwanted guest “Are they still selling?”

“Uh, no, but I managed to find two online. You should keep trying. Sounds like everyone’s gonna be there,” Matt smirks through his answer before walking away.

I scoff and roll my eyes at his retreating form while Stiles tilts his head to the side grumbling “I don’t like him–” I nod before he reaches out and stops Scott from taking a step away from us “Hey, are you sure about this?”

Scott had filled us in on the meeting he had last night with Deaton, Derek, and Isaac on our way to the school. They figured out that there is some sort of bond between Jackson and whoever is controlling him.

A bond like why Jackson can be captain of the swim team but the Kanima wouldn’t get in the water when he trapped us in the pool. Also why the Kanima could kill the husband of that couple Noah told us about, but not the pregnant wife– someone else murdered her **_puppeteer got his hands dirty_**

Deaton– with his whatever he is ability– thinks we can trap both of them with some kind of barrier tonight at the rave because of this new development, which we will hash out later after school with him.

Scott nods at Stiles’ question “Last time, whoever’s controlling Jackson had to kill somebody because he didn’t finish the job, so what do you think he’s going to do this time?”

“Be there to make sure it happens” I answer before they both nod and we walk towards the school.

*******

Arriving at the Vet’s office after school to meet Deaton with Scott and Stiles, I shut the door once I’m out of the jeep and fall in step with them heading towards the doors, continuing our conversation “Wait how did you guys get tickets?”

Stiles and Scott share a wide eye look while Scott holds the door open, clearing his throat “Isaac knew a guy who had three spares.”

“That’s convenient” I smirk at them knowing they’re lying **_whatever as long as we get to go_**

Deaton ushers us into the back room and shows us his plan all laid out on the tables, picking up one item in particular which Scott questions “Ketamine?”

Deaton nods and hands the medicine in a syringe gun out towards Scott “It’s the same stuff we use on the dogs, just a higher dosage. If you can get close enough to Jackson, it should slow him down enough to buy you some time.”

I raise a brow “ _Should_?” **_that’s not reassuring in the slightest_**

We all share a look before he picks up a bottle of black powder looking contents and continues “This is some of what you’ll use to create the barrier. This part is for you two, Addy and Stiles– _only_ you two.”

I nod while Stiles leans forward grabbing the bottle off the table, moving his hand between the two of us “Uh, that sounds like a lot of pressure. Can we maybe find a slightly less pressure filled task for us?”

Scott turns towards us shaking his head at his best friend who raises a hand to his side in question for the look he just recieved.

I chuckle and lean my hands on the table before Deaton points to the bottle continuing on unphased from the exchange “It’s from the Mountain Ash tree, which is believed by many cultures to protect against the supernatural. This office is lined with ashwood, making it difficult for someone like Scott to cause me any trouble.” 

He smirks at Scott who nods his head as I look around the room wondering where the ashwood is **_did he build the vet’s office however many years ago?_**

Stiles clears his throat “Okay, so then what? We just spread this around the whole building and then either Jackson or whoever’s controlling him can’t cross it?”

Deaton nods at him looking between us “They’ll be trapped.”

Stiles looks to me setting his hands on his hips while I stand up from my lean on the table and shrug a shoulder at him “Doesn’t sound too hard.”

“Not all there is,” Deaton mumbles before he continues to urge us with what we need to do “Think of it like gunpowder. It’s just powder until a spark ignites it. You two need to be that spark.”

Stiles jerks his head back, making a noise “If you mean light one of us on fire, I don’t think I’m up for that.”

Scott and I share a _that can be what he’s thinking_ look before we look to Deaton who shakes his head trying not to laugh “Let me try a different analogy. I used to golf. I learned that the best golfers never swing before first _imagining_ where they want the ball to go. They see it in their mind and their mind takes over. It can be pretty extraordinary what the force of your own will can accomplish.”

“Force of will.” I mutter and Deaton nods swinging his eyes from me to Stiles, nodding his head “If– if this is going to work, Stiles, you have to believe it.”

Stiles nods, lifting up his hands and taking a deep breath in a goosfraba type of way before his lips twitch in a small smile “Hmm.”

***

The drive from our house where Stiles had picked us up, until we get to the building the rave is taking place in was a silent couple of minutes ** _like awkward silent_**

We get out of the jeep, walking around the back and Scott voices as much once Stiles opens the back window “You okay?”

Stiles looks between us and nods “Yeah, why?”

Scott shares a look with me and lifts a shoulder “You just didn’t say anything the whole way here.”

“No, I’m fine. Just grab the other bag,” Stiles waves him off and reaches into the back to grab one of the thirteen gallon bags filled with the mountain ash.

Scott shakes his head and takes a step back, indicating for me to take his place “I can’t. Remember Deaton said you guys have to do it alone.”

Stiles rolls his eyes “Okay, this plan is really starting to suck,”

I scoff towards him and set my hand on the other bag “Hey I’m not useless, you know.”

Stiles snorts “I’m fully aware of that Adds, wasn’t taking anything away from you– calm down shortie.”

I roll my eyes with a soft smile, though I furrow my brows when I notice Scott turn and walk past us, mumbling to himself “No– not here, not now,” before he takes off running towards the doors to go inside.

Stiles takes a step after him throwing his arms out “What? Scott! What are we supposed to– plan officially sucks!” he grumbles and throws one of the bags by my feet.

I pick up and move the bag towards the side of the jeep turning back around to face him as he reaches for the other bag. I chew on the side of my lip before I state softly to his back “You’re not fine you know…”

Stiles stops his movements and stands up from his lean in the back of the jeep with an unreadable expression on his face as he looks over towards me standing beside him.

He doesn’t say anything, so I cross my arms and continue “But we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Stiles sighs out a deep breath and flicks his eyes between mine quickly a few times. He jingles his keys between his fingers before he’s shaking his head a few times and looking down to his shoes.

He shifts his weight back and forth on his feet before he lifts up one hand, rubbing behind his head and just when I think he’s going to tell me to forget it he clears his throat “It’s my dad– he uh– that is I–”

He drops his hand and lifts his brows while connecting our eyes again “What I did with the transport van, getting the restraining order– it made his bosses believe him staying in office reflected poorly on the county.”

“So they fired him?” I uncross and drop my arms to my sides feeling like complete shit.

Stiles shakes his head letting out a humorless chuckle and looking down again “Well no– he’s calling it a leave of absence but I–”

Hearing his voice shake with those last words I step forward and set my hand on his upper arm “Hey,” I lean my head forward until he flicks his eyes from the ground and up to mine again “We’re going to figure this out, and they will rue the day that they let their best Sheriff take a leave of absence, okay?”

He nods and sets his hand on mine still on his arm, squeezing it twice as he offers a small smile.

Clearing my throat I look around us “All right well let’s ash this party up” I drop my hand and bend forward grabbing a bag, placing it on the back of the jeep.

Stiles chuckles before he rubs a hand over his face and continues his previous bag retrieval.

We cut one of the bags in the corner and I place the scissors in my back pocket before I grab the first bag and we start walking around the back of the building, in quick deliberate steps to keep the pour of the ash continuing evenly **_easier said than done_**

A little ways after we walk around the middle of the back of the building, my bag runs out and I take the scissors out of the back pocket of my jeans. Stiles rests his bag on his knee while I cut a corner of the bag for him.

Once the bag is cut he continues with the same pace I tried to keep up with as I wrap my bag into a ball and throw it away once we walk past a dumpster.

We make it around the front corner and see his jeep– also the starting point of the first bag’s pour and with a bit left to walk still Stiles suddenly stops grumbling “Oh no.”

“What?” I turn my head and see him lifting his basically empty bag over his hand as he pours the little amount of ash left into his palm **_that’s not what you want to see_**

“We have like fifty feet of ash left and that’s not this” He lifts his hand up to add to the direness of the situation earning me to lift my hands up towards him in response “Ok calm down, let’s just gamepl–”

“Calm dow– Addy _seriously_? We need to call Scott and have him get his wolf ass down here to help because we are alone with not enough ashy gunpowder to get around this monstrosity of a building–”

We turn around with the new noises that fill the night around us which just adds to his freak out as his eyes widen before he connects them with mine “There’s– there’s fucking bullets being fired and werewolves combating down there and I’m just standing here like an idiot with a handful of magical fairy dust, and we don’t have enough– okay?”

Setting my hands on my hips I make a noise in the back of my throat before interrupting him “Hey! Put your golfing hat on and nut up Stilinski,”

He jerks his head back, squinting his eyes at me “Nut up–”

I jerk my head to the side and interrupt him “Deaton said we need to _believe_ , that we were the sparks for the magical supernatural fighting mountain ash to ignite and work okay? So _believe_ with me, we need to imagine–”

Noticing a bumper sticker on a car to our left I square my shoulders and look back to him “Like our good friend Einstein said ‘Imagination is more important than Knowledge’– Okay, just close your eyes and picture it working as we take these last however many feet–”

“Fifty feet” Stiles deadpans, however he closes his eyes regardless.

I playfully roll my eyes and set my hands on his forearms as I prepare to walk backwards “Just move your feet, Sherlock.”

We begin to move while he slowly tilts his hand to let out the ash with every step– after a few seconds he rolls his hand completely to the side, dropping the last remains of the ash and opens his eyes on a huff.

I smirk at his aggravated face and noticing my look he softens his face and flicks his head to the ground. He moves to turn around, looking behind us to see the completed line of ash we just did behind him **_imagination is power_**

His shocked cheeky grin turns back towards me yelling “Holy shit, yes!” He leans forward and wraps his arms around me, lifting me from the ground and into a bone crushing hug.

I let out a little squeak once my feet leave the ground– that turns into a laugh as he spins us once before setting me back down.

Once my feet are back on the ground he sets his hands on my upper arms, adding after his own light hearted chuckle “That– _that_ was all because of you, my dear Watson” **_damn that smile of his is contagious_**

I set my hands on his forearms, shaking my head and chuckling softly “It was you too, I just helped you focus.”

He looks like he wants to argue, though instead he just smiles before he squeezes my arms once. Dropping his hands he laughs and excitedly looks around at what we just accomplished.

The way his eyes are sparkling as he looks from me to the ash barrier and continues to celebrate around us– setting off a car alarm after jumping to sit on the trunk of a car and all– makes me smile as I chuckle at his behavior and it’s in this moment that I’m immediately hit with an earth shattering discovery **_Holy hell I think I’m in love with him_**

His phone alerts him of a text message, breaking him out of his celebratory high and me out of my inner debate– when did I fall in love with my best friend, who is in love with one of my other best friends? This isn’t what this is right? Who am I kidding– that is totally what this is **_my heart is so screwed_**

Pulling out his phone from his pocket, he clears his throat “It’s Isaac, they have Jackson in one of the back rooms inside.”

“Right we should–” I click my tongue and point my thumb over my shoulder towards the door trying not to give away on my face what I just let my mind finally accept what my heart has apparently known for awhile **_gloating bastard organ that it is_**

He nods “Yes, of course– next part of the plan. After you,” he swings his arm out to the side and we hand our tickets to the bouncer at the door.

***

Following Isaac’s directions, Stiles opens the door though he immediately jumps back before he can make it inside “Uh, no, no, no! Just us, it’s just us. Christ don’t freak.”

Isaac offers a look of apology and steps aside for us to walk inside, Stiles closing the door once I’m inside. 

Erica offers me a hesitant smile, which I return, before I notice Jackson passed out in a chair on the other side of the small room we’re in “He okay?”

Isaac smirks at us and walks closer to Jackson “Well– let’s find out” he flicks his claws out of his fingers and moves towards Jackson.

He doesn’t make it far, though, when the still passed out Jackson lifts an arm to set his hand on Isaac’s arm, squeezing at a painful level if the groan and knee buckling reaction from Isaac is anything to go off of “Jesus, fucking chri– oh my god–” he gets his arm free and stumbles back towards us leaning on a desk in the corner next to Stiles, breathing heavily while he holds his injured arm.

Stiles lifts his hand and points between Erica and Isaac “Okay, no one does anything like that again, okay?”

Erica on my right nods her head and takes a step closer to me as Isaac continues to take a few deep breaths “Holy shit, I thought the ketamine was supposed to put him out.”

Stiles scoffs “Yeah, well, apparently this is all we’re going to get. So let’s just hope that whoever’s controlling him just decided to show up tonight.” 

Stiles looks to me and I nod at his statement, earning him to turn to Isaac before Jackson’s demonic like voice fills the room “I’m here. I’m right here with you”

Stiles looks to me before swallowing thickly and takes a few slow steps towards Jackson who has his eyes open and focused on the ceiling **_he’s a big fan of looking possessed apparently_**

He kneels down in front of Jackson and I move to take a step closer to them, however, Isaac moves his arm out in front of me completely halting my steps.

I flick my eyes from his arm, to his face– seeing him shake his head ever so slightly before I turn my attention back in front of me at the pair I was previously headed towards “Jackson, is that you?”

“Us. We’re all here” He answers and Isaac lowers his hand when Stiles looks back towards our wide eyes. 

I nod my head for him to keep going before he turns to face Jackson again “Are you the one killing people?”

“ _We_ are the ones killing _murderers,_ ” Jackson corrects earning Isaac to share a look with Erica before Stiles continues on “ So all the people you’ve killed so far–”

“Deserved it.” The possessed Jackson growls out, earning Stiles to nod his head to the side “See, we got a little rule book that says you only go after murderers.”

“Anything can break if enough pressure’s applied,” Jackson taunts and Stiles reiterates “All right, so the people you’re killing are all murderers then?”

“All. Each. Every one.”

Stiles shakes his head “Well, who did they murder?”

“Me.” **_what the actual fuck are we dealing with_**

Stiles shakes his head slightly, the confusion evident in his voice “Wait, what? What do you mean?”

“They murdered me,” Jackson answers and immediately Isaac stands up from his lean on the small desk and moves closer to Erica and I, protectively moving to stand just in front of us. 

Stiles looks back at us to see me shaking my head at this whole situation before Jackson’s eyes switch from his human ones into the reptile slits and he twitches his head from the half assed lean to a deliberate stare at us before growling out “ _They_ _murdered_ _me_.”

Stiles moves back with the repeated statement and stands in front of me when we see Jackson lift his claw and half scaly arm up from his side, my eyes widen and Stiles stammers out “Okay, all right. More ketamine. The man needs ketamine. Come on” He urges with a move of his arm repeatedly to get Isaac’s attention **_move your ass Lahey_**

“We don’t have any more,” Isaac digresses and lifts the empty bottle in between him and Stiles, the latter grabbing the bottle from his hands “You used the whole bottle?”

Jackson twitches and I grab onto Stiles’ arm with a quick gasp “Guys, he’s moving,” Stiles looks back to me and I nod my head towards Jackson who stands up before letting out the Kanima screech roar with his mouthful of sharp fangs 

“Umm–” Stiles trails off before Jackson does an exorcist style head spasm that has us all let out gasps of terror before I rush out “Okay, out, everybody out.” 

Erica grabs my arm to follow behind her “Go, go, go, go” Isaac shouts behind us. 

Stiles sets his hands on my back and we all rush outside of the room, Isaac last out grabs the door and closes it before we all throw our bodies against the now closed door.

Stiles throws an arm across my stomach and points to Erica on my other side “Okay, find something to move in front of the door–”

Not 0.8 seconds after he finishes his sentence does Jacksanima burst through the wall to our left and takes off running through the building **_could this night get any worse?_**

***

Stiles and I lose Erica and Isaac inside with the dispersing rave crowd, so we make a decision to head outside with the other guests who are also leaving.

We look around and I notice a figure running up the side of the building just down from where Stiles’ jeep is parked. Recognizing the figure as Derek, I hit Stiles’ arm and we head over to the Alpha.

Derek comes to a stop next to us on the other side of the mountain ash barrier and Stiles points to the building “Hey, um, so we kind of lost Jackson inside, but it’s–”

His attention is brought to Erica and Isaac who just ran out of the door but they come to a stop noticing the barrier on the ground down from the walkway they’re on **_it’s actually working, thank you Deaton_**

Stiles smiles at me and lifts both hands out in front of him before doing celebratory hand motions “Oh, my God. It’s working. Oh, this is– we did something” he points to us as Derek looks worriedly between us, his Betas and the building behind them.

I squint my eyes at his face and lift an arm towards the building “Why aren’t you excited? This means Jackson’s definitely still inside…”

Derek takes a moment, his eyes moving around the building before his eyes widen and he mutters “Scott.”

“What?” Stiles flicks his head to me and back to Derek who turns to us quickly, demanding “Break it.”

“What? No way” Stiles counters looking down to the barrier and Derek has zero patience for that as he shouts in his face while pointing towards the building “Scott’s dying!”

Stiles drops his hands and jerks his head back “Okay, what? How do you know that?”

“Oh, my God, Stiles, I just know!” he turns to me quickly, pointing towards the ground and pleading with his eyes towards me “Addy, break it!”

I flick my eyes between both of them quickly before kneeling one knee on the ground and connecting my hands side by side before pulling them apart in a whoosh above the line– instantly making a break in the line.

Derek rushes past as soon as the line is broken and I set my arm on my knee and twist around to look over my shoulder at Stiles. 

He frowns, letting out a huff as he looks from me to the broken ash line “We still did something.”

“We did,” I offer him a smile and small nod before swinging my worried gaze to the building, my heart beating like crazy wondering if Scott’s okay and if Derek is going to get to him in time.

***

Derek comes coughing out of the building ten agonizing minutes later, dragging Scott with one of his arms around his shoulders.

I gasp and Stiles looks from me to where my eyes are focused before he hops off the steps he was sitting on.

“Oh my god, Scott!” I take a step to rush forward but Derek just shakes his head “Addy, open the back.”

Stiles and I run around to the back of the Jeep, opening the door for Derek and Scott to fall into. We move their legs out of the way and close the door.

Stiles moves to the passenger door, opening it for me and setting a comforting hand on my shoulder “He’ll be okay, let’s get him to Deaton”

I nod at him and climb in the seat, buckling up as he runs around to his side and heads towards the mysterious Vet who’s not just a Vet.


	21. Party Guessed

I’m in the kitchen dancing about as I clean up from the lunch I just ate **_yay spring break and the living’s easy_**

I hear a few quick knocks on the front door and set the clean skillet on the back burner of the stove to head to the door.

I smile when I see the birthday girl through the side widow and I reach for the handle, immediately shouting “Happy cake day!” when I open the door.

Her face breaks out in a genuine smile and she leans forward to hug me “Thank you sweetie– clear anything you might be doing because I need my two best friends advice on all the items in the shopping bags in my car.”

Stepping back from her I frown slightly “Why didn’t you have Ally and I go shopping with you?”

She just lifts a shoulder “Mom wanted to spend some time with me this morning.”

I nod and point over my shoulder “I was just finishing cleaning up so I’m totally free, let me grab my bag.”

She sets her hands on her hips and steps out onto the front porch so I can lock the door “I got you and Allison something to wear also”

I throw my keys in my bag and turn around to her, a grateful smile lifting the corners of my mouth “Seriously, you spoil me way too much, Lyds.”

“Nonsense, lets go” She states, looping her arm in mine as we make our way down the steps and to her car.

***

Luckily Allison’s dad opened the door to let us in and we head up the stairs to her room to find her sitting at her desk when we walk in.

Lydia lifts the bags in her hands and shimmies them softly “Clear your schedule. This could take a while.”

Allison stands up and walks over to her bed where Lydia is already digging through one of the bags. 

Ally shares a look with me before she chuckles “How many outfits do you plan on wearing tonight?” 

I return her chuckle as Lydia scoffs “It’s my birthday party. I’m thinking host dress, evening dress, then– after hours casual,” Lydia hmms like it’s the perfect plan **_and not at all weird for a party that’s not a Gala_**

Ally absentmindedly brings up “I noticed that you didn’t send out any invites.” **_she never does_**

“It’s the biggest party of the year, Allison. Everyone knows,” Lydia jabs and holds up one of the dresses.

I slowly swing my head to Ally and lift my brows once causing her to smile and shake her head before she continues “I was wondering if maybe this year things, you know, might be different.”

“Why would anything be different?” Lydia absentmindedly states as she lifts another dress up and I lift a shoulder gaining her attention “Just ‘cause things have been off lately.”

Ally nods and adds “Things and people– like Jackson.”

Lydia looks over to her and narrows her eyes slightly “What do you care about Jackson?” **_careful_**

Allison flicks her gaze to me before tilting her head to the side towards Lydia “Do you know if he’s coming tonight?”

“Everyone’s coming,” she states like it’s the most obvious thing in the world before grabbing a light rust red dress “This one’s American rag. Mm, I love it. For me, not either of you” 

We offer her smiles when she turns to us and hands me a maroon dress with a lace bodice of the same color **_how can she always pick the perfect dress for me_**

“This is effortlessly chic and paired with your leather jacket and those shoes will be flawless” she points to a shoe box and hands me the dress before bending forward and lifting out a floral dress holding it up to Allison “This one’s material girl. It’s for you. Mrs. Argent. What do you think of this one?”

I flick my eyes up from the dress in my hands to Lydia’s face before I turn my head to the side and stiffen slightly at seeing the attempted murderer herself standing in the doorway.

Once we got a barely alive Scott and Derek to Deaton’s last night, Derek informed me of the situation he found Scott in **_all thanks to this wretched woman_**

She was killing him _slowly_ with wolfsbane– and she almost succeeded had Derek not heard Scott’s last ditch effort roar and had me break the ash line ** _I’ve never loathed someone more_**

I offer her a glare as she flicks her eyes from me to Lydia quickly before settling them on her daughter “Oh, it’s lovely– Allison, uh, can I grab you for a moment to talk? Just the two of us” she reaches up and nervously touches her shoulder. 

Allison looks from us and over towards her mother shaking her head once “Um, can we do it later?”

“Actually, uh, to be honest, sooner would be– would be better,” she reaches up to her shoulder again **_curious_**

Lydia quickly turns to the doorway “Party’s at ten.”

Victoria nods “Um, will you be around before then?”

Allison rolls her eyes “I think so.”

“You think so,” her mom stresses to receive a proper confirmation of their future conversation

“I don’t know,” Allison quips back and shakes her head in a _leave me alone_ way a few times at her mother.

I shake my head with the thought of feeling bad for her and grab a necklace walking over to hold it in front of the dress in Allison’s hands “You think so?” She turns from her mom to me and questions while Lydia nods, pointing to the dress in her hands “Here you’re going to need a slip with this dress.”

Allison nods as Lydia grabs another bag “Oh, I guess that black one would fit. All right, here you go,” Lydia grabs another necklace to hold out but immediately retracts her hands “No, it’s too much.”

Allison looks down and shakes her head “I think I like it.”

“You like it?” Lydia offers the necklace up again

We all share a chuckle and Allison looks between us before settling her eyes on Lydia “Yeah, no, I do– and Happy Birthday by the way.”

I smile at Lydia as she shakes her head and grabs her third dress for the night “Oh, thank you. I actually appreciate that.” We all share a chuckle as we look through jewelry to pair with the dresses **_I’ve missed this_**

***

After hashing out the dress plan for the evening Lydia dropped me off at Stiles’– I had gotten a text just before we were leaving from him asking for detective help with the yearbook he got from the station of the 2006 victims’ year.

I walk into his room and immediately see him scouring through the yearbook on his desk “Knock, knock.”

He looks up and sighs a breath of relief “Thank Christ, I need your eyes.”

“I mean I’m kind of partial to the whole seeing the world around me but–”

The closing snap of the yearbook is the interrupted response I receive from a none impressed Stiles **_not in a mood for jokes got it_**

Chuckling with the look he throws me, I grab the other chair and sit down next to him at the desk “Alright gimme the book, grumpy butt.”

He hands over the yearbook and I start to scan through it while Stiles sits back in his chair and rubs his hands over his face, lifting them to rest on the back of his head.

After a few minutes Noah walks up to the open doorway leaning in “Hey, what are you two up to?”

I look up at him as Stiles drops his hands on the desk “Homework.”

Noah nods and continues on his walk down the hall– for about two seconds and then he’s back in the doorway “It’s spring break.” 

I flick my eyes to my right at Stiles who just lifts his hands, causing Noah to give him a look and walk farther into the room noticing the yearbook in my hand “What do you think you guys are doing?”

“Oh, just satisfying our ever present curiosity.”

Noah reaches across Stiles to close the book in front of me “Hey, I didn’t mark where I was–”

He lifts a hand towards me “We brought Harris in this morning for questioning,” he nods his head forward before softly correcting “ _They_ brought him in.”

Stiles looks over to me quickly before turning back to his dad “And?”

“And they’re working on a warrant to arrest him for the murders,” Noah informs and I sit up straighter in the chair “Wh– for all of them?”

Noah nods, looking between us “Enough of them.”

Stiles lifts a hand off the desk “With what proof?”

“You guys remember the couple at the trailer?” with our nods he continues “Tire tracks nearby match Harris’ car.”

“Wha– that’s not enough,” Stiles sighs and turns to me, grabbing the book from my hands and as he starts flipping through the pages again.

Noah again reaches over and closes the book before continuing “The same car was also seen outside the hospital where the pregnant wife was killed. It’s got some bumper sticker on it, a quote from Einstein.”

Noah connects his eyes with both of us as I shake my head “Wait, what quote?”

“Something about imagination and knowledge” He shakes his head and I feel my stomach drop as I nod and mutter “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” 

Noah nods and Stiles turns his wide eyes to me as I continue “Yeah– we uh, we saw the same car parked outside the rave.” **_where another girl was murdered last night_**

Noah flicks his eyes between us “That means you’re witnesses. You’re both gonna have to give statements.”

Stiles sits up from his slouch in his chair “But, what about the concert promoter, Kara? She wasn’t in Harris’ class, right? I mean, what does Mr. Lahey have to do with Harris?”

“It doesn’t matter. The tire tracks put Harris at the site of three murders. That’s damning evidence.”

Stiles scoffs and opens the book again “No, it’s not enough.”

Noah stands up from his lean on the desk and flicks his hand out to his son “I– I thought you hated this guy.”

“I don’t hate him, all right? He hates me– and, you know, if he’d killed them all, then yeah, lock the psycho up. But there’s something missing– there’s gotta be something missing”

“Hey. Hey– you guys don’t have to solve this for me,” Noah tries to reassure us however my eyes have landed on the page Stiles had stopped on **_hoooooly shit they’re all there_**

Stiles sighs softly “No, I have to do something–” I gasp and slap my hand on the page gaining his attention from his dad as he turns in his seat towards me “What is it?”

“Guys look at the swim team– specifically–” I tap my finger on the picture of the coach twice before Stiles takes in a quick breath “Dad, the coach– it’s Isaac’s dad.”

***

After the discovery of Isaac’s dad and the swim team having _all_ of the victim’s so far, Noah dropped me off at home on his way to the grocery store– with one more statement of us leaving it alone for now.

Scott wasn’t home yet so instead of filling him in on the swim team findings I go about getting ready for the party this evening.

After accentuating my waves with some salt spray and a few curls thrown in with a small curling wand I get changed into the dress Lydia picked up for me **_which I’m in love with by the way_**

Pairing the maroon lace dress with grey ankle boots and my short leather jacket I leave Scott to get ready and head downstairs for Stiles to pick us up.

I’m just walking down the hall from the kitchen when Stiles opens the front door, letting himself in “Hey– Oh– oh my god–” he mutters lowly and halts his steps with his hand still on the door handle **_I thought I looked alright_**

I frown looking down at my outfit “What is it?” looking back up to Stiles, I see him close his mouth and shake his head.

Clearing his throat he lets go of the door handle and swings his arm out through the door for us to get a move on, not saying a word.

Scott chuckles, moving from the bottom of the stairs over to his friend and places his hands on Stiles’ shoulders “Ha– nothing, we just feel underdressed.”

Stiles nervously returns the chuckle and swallows thickly before nodding once with a lopsided smile at Scott’s statement.

I roll my eyes and grab my phone and keys off the entry table, putting them in my jacket pockets before moving a hand in a circle in front of me “Nonsense, this is because I’m besties with the dress providing birthday girl,” I turn to them and smile “Besides you guys look great.” 

They return my smile with soft chuckles before I walk past them, out the door and down the steps towards Roscoe **_let’s get this party going_**

***

Arriving at Lydia’s, we set her presents inside at the designated table and start walking around the mostly _empty_ house **_this is new for a Lydia party_**

Stiles looks back as we make our way through the hallway from the front foyer area “Have you seen Jackson anywhere?”

Scott shakes his head “No. Seen Allison?”

I shake my head as I look around “No, but we should probably tell her what we found.”

Scott looks back at me before connecting his eyes with Stiles’ “I’m still kind of not sure what we found.”

We walk out of the hallway and into one of who knows how many living rooms and Stiles clears his throat “Well we figured out it has something to do with water. You know, the fact that all the victims were on the swim team, the way the kanima reacted around the pool.”

“So whoever’s controlling the kanima really hates the swim team?” Scott offers with a _not believing that_ shrug.

I shake my head and point to Scott as we cross through one set of french doors into the backyard “ _Hated_ the swim team. Specifically, the 2006 swim team.”

Stiles nods and continues speculating “So it could be another teacher. Maybe like a student back then. I mean, who are we missing though? What haven’t we thought of?”

Before we can think of an answer, Allison walks up and hesitantly smiles at Scott as she states “Uh, Jackson’s not here.”

Stiles sets his hands on his hips and looks around the yard “Yeah, no one’s here.”

My eyes follow his statement noticing the very empty pool, and fairy light decorated backyard around us **_there isn’t even music playing_**

Scott raises his brows offering “Maybe it’s just early.”

Stiles nods and digresses with a deep sigh “Or maybe nobody’s coming because Lydia’s turned into the town whackjob.” 

We notice Lydia standing across the pool near the outdoor fireplace with a drink tray in hand looking beyond sad at the non existent turnout. 

Allison turns back towards us “Well, we have to do something, because we’ve completely ignored her for the past two weeks.”

“She’s completely ignored us for the past _ten_ years” Scott counters with a point to the three of us **_truuue but she is our friend now_**

Stiles makes a noise and moves his hand in a circle indicating the three of us “I prefer to think of it as us just not having been on her radar yet.” **_why do you have to be infatuated with her?_**

Scott just shakes his head and looks back to Allison, continuing like Stiles didn’t say anything “We don’t owe her a party.”

Allison furrows her brows, looking between us “What about the chance to get back to normal?”

“Normal?” he squints his eyes in confusion earning me to nod and shrug a shoulder “Ally’s right, she wouldn’t be the ‘town whackjob’ if it wasn’t for us.”

Scott looks back and forth between us before sighing and grabbing his phone out of his pocket “I guess I could use my co-captain status to get the lacrosse team here.”

Stiles nods, also grabbing his phone out of his pocket “Yeah, I also know some people who can get this thing going. Like, _really_ going.”

Allison shares a look with me before turning back to Stiles “Who?”

“I met them the other night. Let’s just say they know how to party.” **_yaaaaass_**

I chuckle and nod at Allison when she looks expectantly at me before I raise a brow towards Stiles “You got the Queen’s numbers?”

Stiles flicks his eyes to mine before looking back to his phone grumbling “I don’t know how but they put them in my phone somehow”

I smirk and sing song “You’ll see” at Allison who still looks confused but chuckles at my statement regardless.

***

Everyone that Scott and Stiles texted showed up and now the party is actually looking like a proper party **_definitely more like it_**

Lydia walked over and handed drinks to the three of us, before she walked over to Allison across the pool from where we are stationed and hands her one as well.

Stiles, being the only one of us drinking at the moment, lifts his cup towards Scott “Are you gonna apologize to Allison or what?”

Scott leans his head back flicking his eyes from us over to Allison “Why should I apologize?”

Stiles clicks his tongue “Because you’re the guy. It’s, like, what we do.”

I snort and shake my head when Scott connects his eyes with mine “But I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Stiles scoffs and lifts his drink towards Scott again “Then you should definitely apologize. See, any time a guy thinks he hasn’t done anything wrong, it means he’s _definitely_ done something wrong.”

Scott shakes his head interrupting this amazing lesson in the boys way of thinking and scoffs “I’m not apologizing.”

Stiles grimaces “Is that the full moon talking, buddy?”

“Probably– why do you care, anyway?” Scott flicks his eyes up to Stiles who huffs “Because, Scott, something’s gotta go right here. I mean, we’re getting our asses royally kicked, if you haven’t noticed. People are dying. I got my dad fired. You’re gonna be held back in school. I’m in love with–” He clears his throat sharing a wide eyed look with Scott that has me furrowing my brows and lifting my drink to my lips ** _I can’t be sober if he’s going to declare he’s in love with someone else_**

He clears his throat again before he continues on “An– and if on top of all that, I gotta watch you lose Allison to a stalker like Matt, I’m gonna stab myself in the fucking face.”

Noticing a new face across the pool I stand up straight, dropping my hand with my drink down to my side before muttering to him “Don’t stab yourself in the face.”

Scott follows my line of sight standing up quickly as Stiles looks over to me “Why not?”

“Because Jackson’s here,” Scott and I mutter as I connect my eyes with Stiles’, watching him widen his before we both turn forward to look across the pool towards the french doors from the house that Jackson just stepped through.

We see Lydia hand Jackson a cup before he takes a drink and never moves his glare from staring right at the three of us.

***

Lydia has changed into her _full swing of things evening_ royal blue dress as she continues to be the doting hostess and pass out drinks to everyone.

I wave her off when she attempts to place another drink in my hand **_I’ve already had three and I’m feeling it_**

She just levels me with a smirk “Addy, take a night to be as carefree as your waves that we are all jealous of.”

I smile and shake my head “You know Lyds, it’s _your_ party– why aren’t you doing more fun things than making sure everyone continues to have a drink in their hand?”

She raises a brow at me and successfully places the cup in my hand “Addy dear, he’s already upset you aren’t listening to him– I’d drink up.”

My smile drops and before I can ask her what the hell that meant she’s gone as quick as she arrived “Lydia? Lyd–”

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Stiles suddenly walks up, blocking my view of the pool where Lydia just was. 

He opens his eyes a little wider as he stands in front of me, and I just shake my head not really knowing how to describe what she had said **_who is ‘he’ and the fuck is he pissed at me for?_**

I see Scott on the other side of Stiles frowning down at the cup in his hand and take a step towards him “Scotty?”

Stiles turns his head towards Scott widening his eyes again as he reaches out and sets a hand on his shoulder “You feeling okay?”

Scott shakes his head, taking a few steps away from us mumbling “It’s not the moon. It’s different”

I walk with him into the house but lose him in the crowd as soon as we get inside **_how are you that stealthy when you’re drunk?_**

Turning back and forth trying to see which way he went, I let out a deep huff of frustration as I’m failing to find him or Stiles. 

Hearing a low thrum in my ears I take a deep breath and grab the side of my head, deciding to head back outside for fresh air when movement on the other side of the room catches my attention.

Spotting Stiles finally, I take a step towards him though I immediately halt my movement when he stalks towards me with quick deliberate steps. 

The music seems to have been sucked out of the room and all I can hear is my heartbeat in my ears.

He reaches me and sets his hands on my hips, digging his fingers into my skin as he backs us into a wall just away from the crowd.

I make a noise in the back of my throat from the sudden action though my question to ask what he’s doing dies in the back of my throat as he slams his lips onto mine.

Shock completely takes over my body and my hands are frozen on his chest, it takes me what feels like minutes, however it’s probably only a few seconds to respond.

Moving our lips in sync I lift my hands to his shoulders, moving one to around the back of his neck– though the movement makes him disconnect our lips. 

I open my eyes slowly to see him looking at me like he has no idea who I am “You’re not her– this isn’t right.”

Stiles shakes his head once and drops his hands from my sides “This will never be right” he states before he takes a step away from me **_what the fuck just happened?_**

I take a step to follow him, however he gets swallowed up by the crowd who has gathered to look at the interaction between us– the action immediately makes the music slam back into my ears as I hear a low thrumming around in my ears again.

Dropping my mouth open with the noise, I set my hands on either side of my head. Feeling like I’ve come out of a daze, I close my eyes which causes the tears that had gathered to fall down my cheeks.

Opening my eyes again, I take a deep breath and look around at the drunken dancing and partying without a care in the world people all around me– paying no attention to me **_was that all in my head?_**

I set my hand on the wall next to me and follow the wall towards the door though before I get there I crash into someone, who immediately sets their hands on my shoulders “Addy?”

Shaking my head to clear the cloud that still seems to be over me, I lift my head to see that it’s Scott before I drop my eyes to the floor.

He bends forward towards me slightly “Addy– hey look at me”

I suck in an audible breath and connect my eyes with his. He frowns and sets his hands on my face, rubbing the tears away with his thumbs.

I set my hands on his forearms as he reassures soothingly “Hey whatever you saw, whatever you’re _still_ seeing– it’s not real okay? Trust me– it’s _not_ real” **_well the heartache it left behind feels pretty real_**

After the realization last night, I’m not super appreciative for the complete mind fuck that just occured. Though my mind imagines Stiles to be a pretty damn good kisser **_wonder if that’s true– I mean fuck me of course it’s true, have you seen his lips?_**

Not really able to form words at the moment, I offer Scott a nod before he exhales and brings me in for a hug, kissing the side of my head.

He lets go of me and leads me outside to the backyard again, handing me a bottle of water from one of the party ice buckets “Have you seen Lydia?”

I shake my head taking a drink as I look around the pool “Not since she last gave me a tripping balls inducing drink and said I pissed someone off.”

Scott jerks his head back slightly turning towards me “Who could you have pissed off?”

I shrug making an _I have zero inputs to that question_ face at him before turning to my left and gasping softly at what I see **_wonder what he’s seeing_**

I hit Scott on the arm “There’s Stiles” I nod my head over to the side of the pool where he’s sitting down. He looks completely drunk off his ass as he tilts his head back and forth against the brick wall he’s leaning against.

I grab a bottled water from the table next to us and we walk over to him. Kneeling down next to him, I try shaking his arm “Stiles, look at me. Hey, drink some water.”

Scott kneels in front of him as well, urging his friend “Stiles, drink it. Something’s happening, and we need you to sober up right now– come on, Stiles.”

Danielle walks over to Stiles’ other side and leans forward into our view “What do you think you guys are doing? You want to sober him up fast, that’s not the way to do it.”

Scott shares a look with me and raises his brows to her “You can do better?”

She scoffs and grabs Stiles’ arm pulling him towards her “I can do best, boy.”

Pulling Stiles completely towards her, she steadies him with her other hand and dunks his head completely in the water of the pool.

Scott and I drop our mouths open in shock at the action before she lifts Stiles back up to how he was previously sitting **_that’s one way to do it_**

I stand up with the splash of water he brought back with him as he sputters out the water all over his face and tries to take deep breaths.

“Whoo!” Danielle chuckles “How do you feel?”

Stiles blinks his eyes quickly and stammers out “Like I might have to revisit my policy on hitting a girl.”

I share a look with Danielle who wipes a hand over her face and removing the water as I cross my arms and chuckle out “He’s sober.”

***

We split up to cover more house ground and try to find Lydia **_she was way too adamant about everyone having drinks to not be up to something_**

Trying to push my way through the crowd I crash into to Stiles who steadies me as he informs “Hey, I couldn’t find her.”

I shake my head “Me either–” he sets his hand on my back as we walk away from the crowd and out the french doors onto the back patio.

Not being able to look at him for too long before what happened earlier comes crashing back into my mind, I keep looking away and around us– which he apparently has enough of because the next thing I know he clears his throat and mutters “I saw my dad– he was blaming me for mom dying…”

I frown and connect my eyes with his “You know that’s not true”

He nods and looks down to his feet as he shuffles them before he looks back to me “Didn’t make it seem less real though– want to talk about what you saw?”

I make a small noise and shake my head “Ha, no– no I’m good” I clear my throat and look behind us when I feel him gently set a hand on my arm “Adds–”

I flick my eyes back to him and take a deep breath “It was nothing, promise.”

Stiles makes a face and nods towards me “Come on, you seem more fidgety than I’ve ever seen you, was it– was it bad?” **_not the first part_**

“It was just something I’ve known all along– just in an acted out version” I grumble with a shrug and he jerks his head back on a frown “Well that’s vague”

I offer him a smile and slight chuckle “It felt real, but I know it wasn’t– that’s all that matters.”

Scott rushes over, successfully interrupting this conversation that I’m one hundred percent not ready to confess to him about.

Stiles looks over to me before he sets a hand on his shoulder “Hey, we couldn’t find her and dude– anyone who drank that shit, they’re freaking out.”

I feel my cheeks warm at what _exactly_ that drink elicited out of my fucking brain as Scott looks around us “I can see that.”

We see people dancing with plants, making out with other people, jumping in the pool fully clothed, screaming and excitedly moving around the whole backyard.

I clear my throat “What the hell do we do?”

Scott shares a look with us before turning around “I don’t know, but we gotta–”

“I can’t swim! No, no, no, no, stop, guys! I can’t swim!” We look back the other way and see two guys each holding an arm of someone as they throw him into the pool– who is screaming before he hits the water “I can’t swim!” **_who still throws people into a pool?_**

He breaks through the surface of the water, still sputtering out through screams “I can’t– I can’t–” It all happens so fast, however, it’s after he’s _still_ splashing around that I think we all register his words to be true **_he really can’t swim_**

I take a step towards the pool halting my steps when I see Jackson come out of nowhere to lean over the side into the pool pulling the guy– who turns out to be Matt– out of the water “I got you.”

Matt grunts as he gets his legs out of the water before he stands up with Jackson’s help, to then glare at everyone standing around staring at him “What are you looking at?”

Looking at the non able to swim Matt standing next to the one hundred percent Kanima Jackson, I widen my eyes with the realization **_no fucking way_**

I take a step towards Stiles “Guys–” they look over towards me before a soaking wet Matt interrupts me as he walks over, stopping his steps to look harder at Scott before he pushes in between Scott and Stiles, walking past us and into the house.

We turn to face the direction he just walked while I step closer to them and mutter half in disbelief still “It’s him– he’s the puppeteer.” 

Scott and Stiles share a look before they flick their heads to me, Stiles opens his mouth though he is interrupted when we hear sirens in the distance and someone shouting behind us “The cops are here. Party’s over!”

Everyone runs through the yard, screaming and shouting obnoxiously as they are trying to disperse as quickly as possible **_draw more attention to you– that’s great_**

People knock into us and Stiles sets an arm around me nodding his head at Scott before we head out the side gate to the front yard.

Once we make it out past the front lawn we come to a stop at seeing a glaring Matt standing in the street, facing us.

Stiles sets his arm across my stomach, as Scott moves to stand in front of us protectively. 

I set my hand on Stiles’ outstretched arm as we see the Kanima move over on the ground to hover defensively near Matt’s legs like a damn house pet– even wraps his tail around his legs protectively and everything **_I knew I didn’t like him for a reason_**

Matt continues to visibly breathe harder, like he’s good and pissed off, looking over at us before a mob of people run in front of us and the next second he’s gone.

They drop their arms from my front and we all share worried looks. I set my hands on my hips and turn towards Stiles “Well that’s a fucking twist– let’s go tell your dad”


	22. Fury

As soon as we get to his house from Lydia’s, Stiles brings out his yearbook to show his dad Matt’s picture as he fills him in on our conclusion to Matt being the murderer **_since he isn’t in the know about Jacksanima yet_  
**

Noah sets a hand on his hip and flicks his not believing eyes between the three of us, before he points to the open yearbook on the desk “So this kid’s the real killer?”

“Yeah,” Stiles scratches the side of his face before he looks up to see his dad shaking his head at him “No.”

“Yes!” Stiles stresses like he can’t believe his dad didn’t believe us right away, earning Noah to cross his arms now as he gets the serious dad look on his face and repeats “No.”

Stiles stands up to accentuate his next words “Dad, come on. Everybody knows that the police look for ways to connect victims in a murder, okay? So all he had to do is, like, look through their transcripts and figure out which class they all had in common,” he finishes and looks back to Scott and I, both of us offering a nod of encouragement towards him **_Matt’s at least a smart sociopath_**

“Yeah, except for the fact that the rave promoter Kara wasn’t in Harris’ class.” Noah counters causing Stiles to raise his hands in a surrender and tilt his head to the side “All right, okay, you’re right, sorry. Then I guess they dropped the charges against him?”

Noah points a finger towards his son’s face before relenting “No, you know what? They’re not dropping the charges– but that doesn’t prove anything.”

Stiles makes a noise like he wants to continue arguing, however, Noah turns his head towards us “Do you two believe this?”

Stiles throws his hand up muttering “Oh” and turning his back towards us before Scott chimes in with a nod “Addy figured it out, so yes– we do.”

I nod at Noah and continue “It’s really hard to explain how we know this, but you just _have_ to trust us Mr. S– we know it’s Matt.”

Noah softens his face at my words as Stiles points back to me and continues “Yeah, he took Harris’ car, okay? Look, he knew that if a cop found tire tracks at one of the murders, and that if enough of the victims were in Harris’ class, that they’d arrest him.”

Noah sighs and drops his eyes to look at the desk again “All right, fine. I’ll allow the _remote_ possibility, but give me a motive. I mean, why would this kid want most of the 2006 swim team and its coach dead?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Stiles raises his hands and we all look to him **_we hadn’t talked about a motive yet what do you got?_**

At his dad’s raised brows he continues “Our swim team sucks! They haven’t won in– like– six years.” **_ah so zero clue on a motive, that’s what I thought_**

Scott and I share a look as Noah sighs and Stiles continues on through clenched teeth “Okay, we don’t have a motive yet.”

I cross my arms and quickly offer “But I mean, come on, does Harris?”

Noah flicks his eyes over to me and sighs looking between us “What do you want me to do?”

Stiles excitedly turns to Scott and I, raising his brows as Scott leans forward slightly connecting his eyes with Noah’s “We need to look at the evidence.”

Noah shakes his head and moves his hand to accentuate his next words “Yeah, that would be in the station– where I no longer work.”

“Trust me, they’ll let you in,” Stiles offers with slight urgency to get this to happen, however, Noah just raises his brows, stammering at his son and points to him “Trust you?”

Stiles jerks his head back and points over his shoulder connecting his eyes with mine “Trust– trust Addy?”

I smile and Noah offers a slight nod of acceptance of that offer “Addy I trust.”

 ******* ****

Once we arrive at the police station the lady deputy at the counter is proving to not want to solve a murder case as she deadpans “It’s two in the morning.”

Noah lifts his hands on the counter “Believe me, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t extremely important”

As Noah tries to convince her to let us in Stiles leans closer towards Scott and I whispering “We look at the hospital stuff first, okay?”

“Why?” Scott scrunches his brows and looks between us, earning me to shrug and turn to him “Because all the murders were committed by Jackson, _except_ for one, you remember?”

“The pregnant girl, Jessica,” Scott nods while Stiles continues “Yeah. Since Matt had to kill her himself, somebody from the hospital could’ve seen him.”

After a moment of hesitation she nods ever so slightly and Noah sighs in relief “Thank you” he looks back over his shoulder at us stating “Guys” and begins walking towards the door to the back **_here goes nothing_**

She buzzes us through and Noah opens the door while Stiles grabs it to hold it open for Scott and I to walk through.

Once Noah goes to retrieve the evidence, we get him to agree to first set up the security video from the hospital to play on his computer from that night.

Noah is sitting in his chair, Stiles is leaning his hands on the desk, I’m standing just behind Noah in between them, and Scott is off on the other side of Stiles leaning his hands on the desk as well. 

We’re about ten minutes in through the footage, when Noah lifts a hand to lean against his mouth “I don’t know, guys. I mean, look at this. There was a six car pileup that night, the hospital was jammed.”

Stiles lifts one of his hands towards the screen “All right, just keep going. Look, he had to have passed one of the cameras on that floor to get to Jessica, okay? He’s gotta be on the footage somewhere.”

“Oh, hold on, stop!” Scott points to the screen, we all turn to look at him as he continues “Did you see that? Scroll back.”

Noah does as instructed and we see a definite back view of Matt walking down the hall. Stiles points to the screen informing his dad to as much “That’s him! That’s Matt!”

Noah freezes the footage and squints his eyes at the screen after we all look expectantly at him “All I see is the back of someone’s head.”

“Matt’s head, yeah,” Stiles agrees and moves his hands to imitate his next words “I sit behind him in history. He’s got a very distinct cranium, it’s weird.” 

Stiles looks at me, shaking his head when he sees the smirk I’m throwing him with his imitation of what a cranium is before Noah quickly turns to look over his shoulder at his son “Are you crazy?”

Stiles sighs and points back to the screen “All right, fine, then look at his jacket, huh? How many people do you know who wear black leather jackets?”

“Millions, _literally_ –” Noah deadpans and points over towards me “Addy is wearing one.”

Stiles stands up from his lean on the desk to glare at my jacket in all its proving his argument wrong glory. 

He squints his eyes as he looks me over and after a few beats lifts an arm out to me, clearing his throat “Addy’s is shorter and not at all murder-esque”

I tilt my head to the side, squinting my eyes at him “Thank you?”

He just smiles and nods as Scott points to the screen again “Okay, can we scroll forward? There’s gotta be a shot of him coming at one of the cameras.”

We all nod and Noah switches to a different hallway camera which Stiles points at right away “Right there! Stop, stop! See, there he is again.”

“You mean there’s the _back_ of his head _again_.” Noah counters with a shake of his head

I lean forward in between their shoulders “Okay, but look. He’s talking to some–”

I trail off as Scott finishes for me “He’s talking to mom.”

 ******* ****

Mom’s voice fills the room “Guys, you know how many people I deal with in a day?”

Scott sighs and fills her in on his details “This one’s sixteen– he’s got dark hair, looks like a normal teenager.”

Stiles crosses one arm across his chest and lifts the other hand over his mouth shouting towards the phone on the desk “Yeah, he looks evil.” 

Scott levels him with a look as I elbow him in the ribs, which causes him to drop his crossed arms and grumble lowly towards me “Could you at least alternate which ribs you jab with your bony ass elbow, because dammit woman I still have a bruise on that side.”

I offer a smirk and shrug as an answer before Scott grabs my attention “Okay, mom, Addy’s gonna take a picture and send it to you” lifting my phone from the desk I snap a photo of Matt’s yearbook photo and send it to mom as Scott continues towards his phone “Did you get it?”

“Yeah,” she confirms with no other information which Scott doesn’t have patience for and moves his arms about as he asks “Do you recognize him? Do you remember him?”

“Yeah, I did. I mean, I remember I stopped him because he was tracking mud in the hall,” we all share a raised brow look **_that’s something_** before she continues “Guys, what’s going on?”

“It’s– it’s nothing, mom. We’ll explain later. I gotta go,” Scott hangs up with her and Noah jumps into gear grabbing a folder and looking through the files we’ve spread out “We’ve got shoe prints alongside the tire tracks at the trailer site–”

I lean my hands on the edge of the desk in between Scott and Stiles “And if they match, that puts Matt at the scene of three murders. The trailer, the hospital, and the rave.”

Noah grabs another piece of paper and interjects “Actually, four. A credit card receipt for an oil change was signed by Matt at the garage where the mechanic was killed.” Noah finishes as he stands up, which causes Stiles to step back closer to me.

He quickly looks over at me and then back to his dad “When?”

Noah looks between us and nods “A couple hours before you two got there.”

Stiles takes in an audible breath “All right, dad, if one’s an incident, two’s a coincidence, and three’s a pattern, what’s four?”

“Four’s enough for a warrant.” Noah nods at us as Stiles does a celebratory fist jab to his side **_I can’t believe we were right_**

Noah lifts a hand over to Scott and I, adding “Scott, call your mom back, see how quick she can get here. If I can get an official ID, I can get a search warrant. Addy, go to the front desk– tell them to let your mom in when she gets here.”

I nod already on my way to the door muttering “On it” and head down the hall to the front desk. 

I come around the side of the door and see the door open and the waiting area completely empty **_I wanna say bathroom break but that’s not our luck_**

Being the stereotypical murder movie star I secretly am– I clear my throat and look nervously around me “Hello?”

I take a step towards the front desk, though I immediately halt my steps when I see the very not so much alive lady deputy from earlier covered in blood come into view on the floor behind the desk **_well that’s not what you want to see_**

Tears well in my eyes as I cover my mouth with my hand as I try to control my breathing. I drop my hand back down to my side when I notice her gun holster empty, which just points to all things bad for being in this building right now.

Swallowing thickly I make a move to turn around to run back to the office, however, I only make it as far as a foot pivot when I come face to face with the end of the barrel of a gun and Matt’s smirking face tilting to the side of it.

He flicks the gun to the side and grabs my arm twisting me around to face the door I just came through “Move– now.”

I close my eyes, letting out a shaky breath as I take a hesitant step forward towards the door. He sets the gun up against my back and leans closer to me “Addy, just do what I say and I won’t shoot you in your leg” **_that will definitely make me move slower dumbass_**

I offer a nod and take slightly quicker steps– still not a fast pace though because the last thing I want to do is put three people I love closer to this psycho holding a gun.

Listening to my gut that Noah can handle this little shit, I round the other hallway and come just in view of the doorway to Noah’s office.

Stiles snaps his eyes to me and immediately stops talking to his dad when he sees the terrified look on my face. 

At his reaction Noah and Scott turn towards me as well causing three sets of eyes to widen when I clear the doorway and Matt’s gun holding hand follows me into the room.

Stiles jerks to take a step towards me, however Noah quickly reaches over to grab his arm as he lifts up his other hand **_like every cop movie has shown to deal with a hostage situation_** “Matt? It’s Matt, right?”

Matt pushes the gun into my back again and forces me to almost fall as I take quick steps from the momentum of the push farther in the room.

Stiles succeeds in coming forward this time to set his hands on my arms and pulls me against him. 

He moves us over by the desk and stands in front of me, my hands gripping onto his arms as Noah continues “Matt, whatever’s going on, I guarantee you there’s a solution that doesn’t involve a gun.”

Matt humors him with a nod of his head “You know, it’s funny you say that, because I don’t think you’re aware of just how right you are” **_where is his murder lizard partner in crime?_**

“I know you don’t wanna hurt people,” Noah adds calmly, earning Matt to move his hand that’s holding the gun around carelessly “Actually, I wanna hurt _a lot_ of people– you four weren’t on my list, but I could be persuaded– and one way is to try dialing someone on your cell phone, like Scott is doing.” 

Stiles and I look over to Scott, immediately seeing him close his eyes in just caught shame while Matt continues on “That– that could definitely get someone hurt. Everyone. Now!– come on” He points the gun towards the table for us to set our cellphones on top of– which we begrudgingly do as he demands.

Next he asks for handcuffs and has us follow Noah into the holding cell area that, funny enough, we sprung Isaac free from last month.

There’s a bench against one side of the wall with metal hooks to attach the handcuffed prisoners to– which is exactly where he forces Noah to sit down and has Stiles handcuff his dad to said metal hook “Tighter!” 

I flinch from Matt’s outburst and Scott sets an arm around my back, resting his hand on my shoulder and squeezing twice. I reach up and set my hand on top of his as a thank you.

Noah looks from Matt and up to his son “Do what he says, Stiles.”

Stiles sighs, though he does as his dad asks before he walks back over to us. Matt pushes Scott’s shoulder and gets us to move out of the room, walking around the corner and down the hallway. 

Scott stops walking which causes me to bump into him and Stiles to bump into me, immediately setting a hand on my waist to steady us. 

I look up at Scott whose wide eyes are staring through the doorway we stopped in front of. I follow his line of sight and my mouth drops open at the three deputies’ bodies that are littered on the floor of the hallway to our right. 

There’s blood covering them and all over the walls, which makes the body count for the evening entirely too high.

“What, are you gonna kill everyone in here?” Scott rushes out as Stiles moves closer to me to make room for Matt who comes to a stop in the doorway with us.

He smirks at Scott and looks down the murder scene hallway “No, that’s what Jackson’s for. I just think about killing them, and he does it.” 

Stiles’ grip on my side tightens to keep me in front of him as Matt pushes him to get us moving down the hallway again **_what’s with all the pushing? You already have the upper hand with the gun_**

Once we get back into Noah’s office, Matt points his gun to the desk as he sits down in one of the chairs “Get rid of everything they have on me– now.”

I roll my eyes and walk over to the desk grabbing files to hand to Scott to put through the shredder by his feet as Stiles moves behind me to the computer and selects all the digital files to be erased. 

He clicks around the keyboard and mouse before sighing “Deleted– and we’re done. All right, so, Matt, since all the people you brutally murdered deserved it because they killed you first– whatever that means– I think we’re good here, right?” 

Matt just tilts his head to the side as Stiles looks to me and Scott before continuing “So I’ll just get my dad, and we’ll go, you know? You continue on the whole vengeance thing– enjoy the kanima.”

Headlights light up the room from the window and Matt smirks towards us “Sounds like your mom’s here, McCall twins.”

Stiles drops his head forward connecting his eyes with mine as Scott snaps “Matt, don’t do this. When she comes to the door, I’ll just tell her to leave. I’ll tell her we didn’t find anything. Please, Matt–” 

A noise near the side door closer to Noah’s office that leads to the lobby interrupts him and Matt takes that as his cue to chuckle humorlessly “If you don’t move– now, I’m gonna kill Addy first while the both of you watch, then Stiles, and finally your mom.”

Stiles stands up with those threats and moves closer to me, setting a hand on my back to reassure me that we are somehow going to get out of this situation.

Matt stands up and, much the same as before, pushes Scott to move forward– followed by me and Stiles taking up the spot in between Matt’s gun and me.

Scott slows his steps when we make it out of the hallways near the side door and Matt urges Scott once he comes to a stop on the other side of Stiles “Open it.”

“Please.” Scott sighs out with a shake of his head, earning a frustrated Matt to lift his gun and point it right at me as he grits out through clenched teeth “Open– the– _fucking_ _door_.”

Scott widens his eyes and reaches for the door slowly, taking a moment before he takes a deep breath and opens the door. 

Immediately we see Derek standing on the other side and Scott breathes “Oh, thank God–” 

Derek lifts his eyes to us, however, the next second he falls forward and lands on his back at our feet, revealing Jackson in his half Kanima form standing where Derek was.

He drops his claw hand down to his side as he walks in through the doorway and changes his eyes from his human ones to the yellow reptilian slits.

Matt walks over to bend forward over our new guest as the paralyzed Derek flicks his eyes up to us “This is the one controlling him? This kid?” 

I offer a nod through my grimace before Matt bends forward blocking our view of Derek, as he taunts down to him “Well, Derek, not everyone’s lucky enough to be a big, bad werewolf.”

Stiles turns his head to share a look with Scott and I as Matt stands up and continues on “Oh, yeah, that’s– that’s right. I’ve learned a few things lately. Werewolves, hunters, kanimas. It’s like a fuckin’ Halloween party every full moon. Except for you two– Addy and Stiles,” I raise a brow at him as he squints his eyes at us and implores on a lighter, more curious tone “What do you two turn into?”

“Abominable Snowman,” Stiles points to himself and then to me “And a Winter Fairy– but, uh, it’s more of, like, a wintertime thing, you know– seasonal.” 

I move my lips inward between my teeth to not laugh, Matt however flicks his eyes behind us and jerks his head to the side.

That jerk of the head apparently was a signal to his Kanima pet because Jackson swipes his claws out hand across the back of Stiles’ neck. 

He grunts with the initial slice and begins to fall forward “Hey!” Scott and I mutter, however Jackson lifts his claw hand, wagging a finger back and forth at us as a warning to not move.

Scott sets his hands on my arms to pull me back away from the claw as Stiles continues to fall muttering “You bitch,” before he lands on top of Derek who grunts “Get him off of me.”

Matt bends forward over him again “Oh, I don’t know, Derek. I think you two make a pretty good pair– it must kinda suck, though, to have all that power taken away from you with just a little cut to the back of the neck. I bet you’re not used to feeling this helpless.”

I flick my eyes to Derek as he answers “Still got some teeth. Why don’t you get down here a little closer, huh? We’ll see how helpless I am” **_top notch threat my friend_**

“Yeah, bitch.” Stiles so helpfully adds though it’s muffled with Derek’s shoulder.

Headlights light up the windows again and I close my eyes as Matt adds on a psycho cheery note “Is that her?” He stands up again and turns to face Scott “Do what I tell you to and I won’t hurt her. I won’t even let Jackson near her.”

“Scott, don’t trust him!” Stiles bellows before Matt glares down to him and grabs his shirt to flip him off of Derek and onto his back on the floor. 

As soon as Stiles is flat on his back Matt lifts his foot and places it down across his neck, adding enough pressure that Stiles’ eyes widen and his face starts to get red “This work better for ya?”

I grab Scott’s arm and he turns to shout at Matt “Okay, just stop! Stop!”

“Then do what I tell you to.” He bellows through his glare towards us and we nod “Okay. All right. Stop!” Scott urges and Matt finally listens– lifting his foot off of Stiles’ neck, who sputters and takes a deep breath once his airway is free.

Matt points from Stiles and Derek, up to me and then addresses Jacksanima “You, take ‘em in there,” he points to the office before he pushes Scott’s shoulder adding “You– with me.”

Jackson looks at me and takes a step forward, though I quickly lift my hands to stop him as I scoot out of his reach– keeping aware to not step on Stiles as I walk back into Noah’s office on my own accord **_not ruining my jacket with your venom, douchenozzle_**

Jackson moves Derek into the room with me first before he moves Stiles and drops him near me as well.

Jackson stands in front of the door to guard us and I kneel down next to them, Derek quickly flicking his eyes over to me “Addy, grab–”

A gunshot rings through the hallway and I stand up when I hear mom’s screams fill the halls of the station “Mom?!”

“Addy! Stiles! What happened?” comes Noah’s worriedly shouts from the other room.

I rush forward though Jackson, quick as ever, stops me as he lifts his clawed hand a millimeter from my face as Derek grunts out “Addy– don’t!”

I flick my eyes from the venom dripping claw to his eyes and I level him with a glare “Move Jackson– I know you’re in there somewhere and if you keep me from helping my mom– I will figure out a way to kill you.”

He doesn’t react to my threat besides tilting his head to the side, however my eyes widen over his shoulder when I see Scott and Matt walking up behind him.

Scott shakes his head “Mom’s okay Addy, he put her in the cell next to Noa–”

“He fucking shot you?!” I screech flicking my eyes from Scott’s bloody side to his face before I turn my glaring eyes to the psycho who just rolls his eyes and pushes Scott forward past Jackson into the office with us “Addy stop looking at me like he isn’t going to heal– after you, McCall.”

“You still _shot_ him in front of our _mom_ , are you insane?” Matt just chuckles before Scott sets a hand on my shoulder squeezing it once to silently tell me to stand down as he walks past me and farther into the office **_you’re calm why?_**

He turns towards Matt and leans against the desk “The evidence is gone. Why don’t you just go?”

Matt scoffs “You– you think the evidence mattered that much, huh? No, no, I– I want the book” **_go to a library_**

Scott shakes his head “What– what book?”

“The bestiary,” Matt quips, earning me to quickly flick my eyes to share a look with Stiles and Derek as Matt continues “Not just a few pages, I want the entire thing.”

I turn my head to him crossing my arms “Well we don’t have it– it’s Gerard’s.”

Scott nods and looks from me to Matt as well, continuing “What do you want it for, anyway?”

Matt begins to pace and he grumbles “I need answers.”

“Answers to what?” Scott questions and adjusts his hand on his wounded side before Matt stops his steps and lifts the side of his shirt “To this.” 

We all widen our eyes at the same scaly pattern Jackson’s human form has right before he turns full Kanima growing on Matt’s side from his ribs to the top of his waist **_and the twists just keep on coming_**

Matt moves to pace outside the office, telling Scott to text Allison saying to bring the Bestiary to Derek and him at the station **_Allison is going to know right away Scott wouldn’t say that_**

Scott smiles softly towards me before following him and leaning against the doorframe as he pulls his phone out to appease the psycho.

Stiles gains my attention when he whispers to Derek “Hey. You know what’s happening to Matt?”

I look down to them and notice as a look of recognition flashes over Derek’s face “I know, the book’s not gonna help him– you can’t just break the rules, not like this.”

I kneel next to Stiles’ shoulder, adding on my own whisper “What do you mean?”

Derek looks between us and answers “Universe balances things out. Always does.”

Stiles flicks his eyes from me and back over to Derek “Is it because he’s using Jackson to kill people who don’t deserve it?”

Derek nods ever so slightly and adds grimly “And killing people himself.” 

“So if Matt breaks the rules of the Kanima, he _becomes_ the Kanima?” Stiles marvels on a half whisper now as I lift my eyes from his and over to Derek as I nod through my answer “Balance.”

Derek nods slightly at me and Stiles scoffs “Will he believe us if we tell him that?”

“Not likely” Derek quips causing me to look over at the trio standing near the door quickly before connecting my eyes with theirs again and speculating “Okay, he’s gonna kill all of us when he gets that book, isn’t he?”

“Yep” Derek deadpans and Stiles rolls his eyes “All right, so what do we do? Do we just– do we just sit here and wait to die?”

I set my hand on his shoulder as Derek breathes out “Unless I can figure out a way to push the toxin out of my body faster. Like triggering the healing process.”

My eyes follow his arm to see his clawed fingers digging through his jeans into his thigh **_better than me unsuccessfully breaking his arm I guess_**

Stiles notices my eyes widen at the sight and turns his head to his other side causing him to inhale sharply “Wha– oh, what are you doing? Aw, gross.”

Leaving him to do _that_ I look over the door and jump slightly at seeing Jacksanima looking at us with his head tilted to the side. 

I pay no attention to him as Matt’s loud voice in the next room gains our attention from Derek’s self healing triggering “You know, I– I feel sorry for you, McCall, 'cause right now, you’re thinkin’, ‘how am I gonna explain this when it heals?’ And the sad part is, you don’t even realize how _incredible_ it is that you actually are healing. 'Cause you know what happens to everyone else when they get shot? They die.” **_still zero reason to shoot him and traumatize our mom, you asshat_**

“Is that what happened to you? You drowned, didn’t you?” Scott guesses and Matt mumbles lowly “He shouldn’t have let them drink.”

I jerk my head back with my confusion as Scott asks my inner question “What– who– Matt, what do you mean?”

“Lahey! He shouldn’t have let them drink” I furrow my brows and look down to Stiles who shakes his head as best he can when we hear Scott again “What, _who_ was drinking?”

“The swim team, you idiot! I didn’t know what was happening. I didn’t know they had just won state, and Lahey, he’s letting his favorites come over to have a couple drinks to celebrate. Who cares if they’re seventeen, right?”

Scott takes a moment before he gently questions “Were you at Isaac’s?”

“He had this first edition Spider-Man, or was it Batman? And we were gonna make a trade. But then I’m over there and I hear music and everyone’s having a good time, and I see Sean– he throws Jessica in the pool, and then– and then Bennett goes in and–”

“Bennett? What– the hunter?” **_wrong facts to focus on Scotty_**

Matt continues on without answering his question “And then Camden. Isaac’s jarhead brother, he grabs me. He thinks it’s funny.”

“They threw you in.” Scott voices sadly and Matt frantically fills us all in on what happened “I– I yelled that I can’t swim, but nobody listens. I go under and I swallow water, and no one cares. And I see these bodies underwater. I– I see Jessica’s got her hands down Sean’s board shorts. Tucker’s grabbing Kara. And I’m drowning. I’m dying, and they’re laughing. All of a sudden, I was just– I’m lying by the pool. And Lahey is right there, right above me, and he says ‘You tell no one!’ He says, ‘you tell no one! This, this is your fault! You don’t know how to swim? What little bastard doesn’t know how to swim? You say nothing! You tell no one! No one!’– And I didn’t. I didn’t tell anyone.” **_yes that was an awful experience but it doesn’t justify murdering otherwise innocent people_**

“And I would see them at school, and they wouldn’t even look at me. I’d wake up in the middle of the night. I’d gasp for breath. And my parents, they thought I was an asthmatic. They– they– they even gave me an inhaler. They didn’t know that every time I closed my eyes, I– I was drowning. You know about that little white light that they talk about, you see when you die? Well, I didn’t see anything. Just darkness. Everything was dark. But then– then came the Argent’s funeral, and everything changed.”

I frown with all of that information and share a look with Stiles and Derek as Matt continues “I was taking some photos, and then, purely by accident, Lahey gets in one of the photos. I look down at the screen on my camera, and I just had this unbelievable rage that fills up inside of me, and I just– I look at him, and I– I wanna see him dead. And the next day, he actually was. You know, Einstein was right. Imagination is more important than knowledge. It was like something out of Greek mythology. Like– like the furies coming down to punish Orestes– you have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?”

“Was– was he the guy who stabbed out his eyes?” I drop my head forward with Scott’s question and Matt snaps back at him “God, that’s Oedipus, you dumbass! The furies are deities of vengeance. Their tears ran of blood, and they had snakes for hair. If there was a crime that had gone unpunished, the furies would do the punishing. Jackson is my fury. You know, when I saw him the next night, it was like this bond had been cemented between the two of us. I knew he had killed Lahey for me, and I knew he would do it again. So I went to Tucker’s garage. I even paid for an oil change. And guess what. He didn’t even recognize me. So when he wasn’t looking, I took a shot of him from my camera. And in a few hours, he was dead– so I took more pictures. All I had to do was take their picture– and Jackson would take their life” **_probably the last thing Jackson wanted to accomplish with the bite from Derek_**

Having enough with story time Stiles flicks his eyes from me to Derek “So is that hypothetical situation we talked about getting any _less_ hypothetical?”

“I think so. I can move my toes” Derek says with a hopeful tone, though Stiles crashes that hope as he rolls his eyes and informs “Dude, I can move _my_ toes.”

The next thing I know, the power goes out all around us and the emergency lights on the fire alarms start flashing while the alarm itself starts blaring around the station **_all good signs naturally_**

“What is this? What is this? What’s happening? What’s going on?” Matt exclaims in the next room as Scott stresses just as worriedly “I don’t know.”

Next thing we hear are quick and loud shots of gunfire that are attacking the side of the building, blowing out windows all around the next room. 

I flinch and lean down closer to Stiles who turns his head towards me “Addy– Jackson’s distracted you have to run.”

“No” I answer back quickly and keep my eyes on the doorway waiting to see what’s going to happen next. 

Stiles makes a noise of aggravated disapproval as he urges “Adds seriously _go._ ” 

Not answering right away I just turn my head to face him, momentarily distracted by how close that brings us, before I focus and shake my head at him “I’m not leaving you.”

Derek grunts and starts to sit up, I raise my head towards him with my shock filled eyes “Holy shit it worked,” he swings his eyes to me and smirks before he nods his head to Stiles “Grab his arm.”

I lift Stiles’ arm around my neck, holding onto his wrist once I get his arm situated on my shoulder just when Scott comes rushing into the room, dropping on the ground in between Derek and Stiles.

Derek nods to us shouting to Scott “You guys take him! Go!”

Scott wraps Stiles’ other arm around his shoulder and we get him up from the ground. I hesitate and look down at Derek who’s using a chair to support himself onto a kneel on his slow get up from the ground.

Noticing my pause, he shakes his head at me “I’m fine Addy– you guys go somewhere safe” I nod towards him and we get moving out the door and down the hallway.

We hear Jackson moving behind us and we quicken our steps continuing to close and lock the doors we pass through behind us– though he just continues to kick them open and gain on us **_why don’t you go attack who shot the building?_**

Heading towards one last door, that thankfully isn’t made of the thin wood and glass panel, I feel a sharp swipe against the back of my leg and I stumble through the doorway letting out a closed mouth scream that I try to muffle with Stiles’ shoulder. 

Of course he hears me and he snaps his head in my direction “Fuck, Addy–”

I clear my throat and tighten my hold on him, quickly interrupting him “It’s nothing, just move guys.”

As soon as we clear the doorway Scott turns and closes the door– locking it as soon as it’s closed. Not hearing the sounds of Jackson trying to break through, finally we all take a collective breath and move through the room.

We quickly make our way into an interrogation room and I lean against the table next to the chair that Scott places Stiles in as he mutters “Don’t move.” 

I snort and Stiles flicks his eyes up to Scott making a face that screams _really?_

Scott just lifts his hand out to him, shrugging “I– you know what I mean, man.”

He lets go of the back of Stiles’ head and it drops backwards, though he’s able to lull his head over to the side to look at us.

Taking a deep breath in, I lean farther against the table to keep pressure off my leg ** _fuck this stings_** as Scott walks in front of me “Let me see– was it your back or your leg? I know he got you before we made it through the door”

Shaking my head I set my hand on his arm, squeezing once “I’m fine Scotty go help Derek, or make sure mom and Noah are safe, or– or figure out who’s shooting at the station– take your pick at our mountain of bigger problems than a little scratch on my leg right now.”

Scott shares a look with Stiles before I see Stiles’ eyes flick down to my left leg and he grunts “Scott either rip the sleeve off my flannel or take the whole fucking thing to tie around her thigh.”

Scott looks down as well and widens his eyes at the traitorous blood on the ground, reaching over he gets a handful of the flannel sleeve and rips it towards us.

I set my hands on his shoulders as he kneels down and wraps the material around my thigh twice before knotting it **_yup good amount of pressure there wolfy_**

He stands back up and sets his hands on my arms to lean me back against the table, I offer him a smile and nod “All set– go be the hero mom needs.”

He looks like he doesn’t want to leave, however, at the mention of mom he nods and runs out the door, quickly closing it behind him.

Stiles moves his non paralyzed arms now and sits up higher in the chair “You should have ran…”

I scoff and tilt my head to the side at him “And something worse than a scratch could have happened to you if I had– I told you I wasn’t leaving you and I meant it.”

He gets a hard look on his face as he shakes his head and moves his eyes down to my leg. He opens and closes his mouth twice before he takes a deep breath in and releases it “Venom should have definitely knocked you on your ass by now with a scratch like that– so are you ready to entertain the idea that something else is happening with you?”

I swallow thickly, looking down to my thigh and nodding slightly with his words “I know it has to be something,” I whisper into the room looking up to connect my eyes with his “I just don’t know what.”

He softens his face, though he’s interrupted from whatever he was about to say when we hear shouting down the hall.

He moves to stand, though he still looks paralyzed from the waist down, so I move forward to steady him from falling “Addy I can’t just sit here with my dad out there”

I nod, moving to wrap my arm behind his back “Okay then let me help you–”

He just shakes his head interrupting me “No, you’re already hurt– just please stay here”

I drop my arm and step back from him “What are you going to army crawl the whole way out there?”

He makes a face like that’s _exactly_ what he’s going to do and I roll my eyes “For christ sake, the paralysis is wearing off so I can help you move just fine on my own.”

A hard look passes across his face as he tries again “Addeline would you just–”

I huff just as angrily to interrupt “No Mieczy–”

He clenches his teeth, all but growling out “Fucking A woman don’t you first name me–”

“You first named me first!” I counter lifting my arms to my side causing Stiles to groan and throw his head back “Fine! Fine let’s go” he swipes an arm towards the door and I walk over to his side.

He places his arm around my back, resting his hand on my waist once I rest my shoulder under his arm for him to rest against.

“You’re way too tiny for this to work” he grumbles as I wrap my arm around the middle of his back “Would you just trust me.” 

We take steps towards the door and I open it before maneuvering us through it and he braces his other arm against the wall as we move down the hallway “My trust in you was never questioned, Adds.”

I look up to him quickly with those words before we round the corner, however; I set my other arm against his stomach and pull us backwards slightly at the scene before us.

Noah is laying on the ground– out cold– as the fully transformed Kanima is fighting an Alpha’d out Derek in front of the cell mom is still locked in. She screams as Derek and Jackson crash into each other in front of her **_there will be zero explaining this_**

Matt runs out of the room and hesitates in front of us as soon as he sees us leaning around the corner. 

Stiles grips my side tighter and I return the action with my arms still around his middle, however Matt just looks back behind him, reaching out and setting keys in my hand before taking off down the hall towards the side exit door **_coward_**

Derek growls and charges at the Kanima again before he responds by grabbing the bars of the cell and kicking his legs into Derek’s chest– knocking him back into a wall and knocking him out.

Murder lizard takes it a step too far and climbs on the bars of the cell now to hang upside down towards mom. He moves slowly and lowers his legs to be right side up as he grips onto the bars harder and hisses at mom.

My grip on Stiles tightens as I feel someone run up behind us, however my guard drops significantly when I see Scott grab my shoulder as he runs past and into the room. 

His wolfed out self runs up behind the Kanima and jabs his clawed hand into its back lifting him off the bars and throwing him across the room away from mom.

Scott kneels down with the force of throwing the Kanima back with another punch, however his back is to mom who gratefully takes in a breath at seeing her son in front of her.

Derek roars and rushes forward to chase after the Kanima who bolts out of the room and down the other hallway.

Mom gasps and grabs onto the handles “Scott, are you okay? Scott?”

Scott looks up over at us and I offer him a small nod **_she needs to know after what she just witnessed_**

He drops his eyes to the ground before he turns to the side towards her and slowly stands up to face her. 

We see mom gasp and step away from the bars slowly shaking her head and lifting her hands up over her mouth “No–” she continues to step farther and farther into the cell where we can only see her outline from the moon outside.

Scott looks down with her reaction and rushes out of the room and down the other hallway from where we are waiting **_that wasn’t the best reaction_**

“Well that could have gone smoother” Stiles sighs out and I offer a humorless chuckle before dropping my head to the side to rest on his shoulder.

He moves his arm reassuringly against my side and squeezes once “Come on, let’s get them out of here.”

I nod and brace him, even though I notice his feet are moving properly now– he’s still shaky with his steps, so I keep my arm around his back as we walk into the room.

Mom rushes to the front of the bars again when she sees us “Addy, please tell me you found the keys.”

“I’ve got them mom” I answer her and help Stiles kneel down to his dad’s side before I stand up to unlock the cell, which mom rushes forward and wraps me in a tight hug as soon as I do.

She pulls back slightly and keeps her hands on my upper arms as she makes a noise of hesitance. Ultimately she furrows her brows at me and connects our eyes “Did you– did you know about your brother? Are– are you, in twin solidarity, also going to transform into something that isn’t human?”

I snort and chuckle lightly at her “Yes I knew an no– no twin solidarity changing, I’m human still.”

Stiles, with his hands on his dad’s shoulders, looks up to share a look with me **_at least I think I’m still human_**


	23. Battlefield

Shouldering my bag Monday morning **_day two after hostage station night_** I head out of my room at the same time as Scott. 

I open my mouth to say ‘morning’ however mom’s door clicking shut sounds down the hall gaining our attentions. Scott flicks his eyes back to me and I nod my head down towards her door.

He takes quick steps past me, over to her door and knocks softly “Mom?– Mom, we’re gonna have to talk about this eventually.”

I come to a stop just behind him, moving my eyes from her door to the back of his head ** _she hasn’t said anything since that night_**

Scott sighs and continues talking to her door “Okay. I’m going– I love you” at the continued silence I set my hand on his shoulder and he looks over at me. I offer him a small smile and jerk of my head towards the stairs.

***

It’s been a couple of days being back at school, Friday to be exact, since the police station attack. In that time we have found out that Gerard, Chris and Allison were there that night– also the ones who shot out the windows.

Allison had joined forces with them and according to Scott looked beyond ready to kill Derek when he ran into her in the hall at the station after he left the room with us.

Her mom died the night of Lydia’s party– which explains why we couldn’t find her when we were searching for Lydia.

Everyone around town and school are saying that her mom committed suicide, but she was actually bit– by Derek the night she was trying to kill Scott **_poetic justice– or just plain sad– haven’t decided yet_**

With their family being what they are, their code basically forced her hand to kill herself since being a werewolf was a zero percent option. Hard to feel bad when she almost killed Scott, however Allison is my best friend so my heart is with her side of this being all sorts of fucked up.

Speaking of Derek– Isaac, Erica, and Boyd are all ‘missing’ and the school is calling them runaways that we need to contact an adult if we see them anywhere. They’re really in hiding though since Gerard has made it his mission to kill them.

Someone– strongly believed by us to be Gerard– killed Matt by drowning him in the river about a mile from the station **_also poetic justice but I feel less sad about it_**

Once the police linked Matt to the murders they searched his house and found the stalker lair of his room and his fantasy relationship with Allison.

Noah informed Stiles, who naturally told me, and my stomach churned at the discovery. I’m just grateful he will never be able to harm her or anyone else ever again.

Lydia has been around though she won’t talk to anyone about her party or what happened, or why she basically drugged the entirety of the party population– because she doesn’t remember.

Noah was reinstated as the Sheriff and all was okay for the time being, though my gut says that even with Matt gone– we’re not out of the woods of something else happening in regards to the Kanima **_that we still have no idea how to kill or cure with its manifest destiny crap the bestiary talks about_**

I close my locker, immediately jumping back when I see Stiles just casually leaning against the locker next to mine “Holy sweet jesus, why didn’t you say anything?”

He just shrugs and fidgets with his lacrosse stick “A lot on my mind I guess, just wanted to see how you were holding up” he raises his brows and nods towards my jean covered leg.

I nervously tuck a piece of hair behind my ear as I answer him “I’ve had more stitches put on me in these last few months than the entirety of my life, but it’s healing alright I guess– mom has to clean it and bandage it for me because of where it’s at, but luckily it wasn’t very deep.”

He nods and goes back to tying the knot on his net “Has she said anything since–”

I shake my head and lean my back on the lockers next to him “No which makes everything just ten times worse that she won’t even ask questions– Scott’s dying to talk to her, or make her see that he’s still him,” I sigh and close my eyes “I don’t really know what he’s hoping to accomplish by talking to her– I think she just needs some time though.”

He chuckles, causing me to open my eyes and see him turn towards me, leaning one shoulder on the lockers “It has to be pretty fucking end of the world level freak out to see your son all wolfed out.”

I offer my own chuckle “After watching him be shot AND then taunted by a swamp monster wanna be– damn we’re lucky she’s even still sharing a house with us” he smiles and makes a noise of agreement at my statement before letting out a sigh.

Resting the back of my head on the locker I tilt my head to the side towards him “How’re you holding up?”

He shakes his head and looks to the floor quickly “I’m fine”

At my raised brow response he makes a noise in his throat and continues “Yeah, well aside from the not sleeping, and the constant, overwhelming, crushing fear that something _terrible_ is about to happen.”

“Hyper-vigilance” I offer with a nod, before facing forward and continuing “The persistent feeling of being under threat.”

He sighs and leans his back onto the lockers again, facing forward with me and clearing his throat “But it’s not just a feeling, though. It’s– it’s like it’s a panic attack. You know, like I can’t even breathe.”

“Like you’re drowning?” I mumble softly and keeping his head on the lockers he looks over at me whispering “Yeah.”

My lip twitches with a sad smile and I turn my head towards him as he clears his throat “What if this gets worse Adds, what if it’s agony now and then– then it’s just hell later on?”

I bring my notebook up against my chest and cross my arms over it, shrugging a shoulder “Well we can always think about something Winston Churchill said ‘If you’re going through hell– keep going’.”

He chuckles and offers a lopsided smile before he stands up from his lean “See, there was a reason I felt I needed to come to you first– I don’t feel the need to go to the guidance counselor anymore.”

Offering his elbow out towards me I chuckle, pushing my back off the locker and link my arm with his as we walk out to the parking lot “I mean I’m not very wise, so she may be able to help more.”

He just shakes his head continuing to look forward “You’re the wisest person I know, Addy McCall.” 

***

Walking up the stairs I hear the voice of none other than Gerard coming from Scott’s room. I quicken my steps reaching the door and gasp at what I see before me.

Scott freshly showered staring at Gerard sitting casually and smirking back at him, the Kanima on the ceiling in the corner by the window holding mom around her neck by its tail **_he’s the new master, greeeat_**

Gerard chuckles “As you can see dear McCall twins, there’s been some interesting developments lately. I think we should catch up.”

Scott and I look at eachother and back to the Kanima who hisses over mom’s grumbles for breath.

Scott flicks his claws out of his hand and Gerard clicks his tongue “Come on, Scott, let’s be realistic about who’s got the upper hand here.”

“Let her go” Scott eerily whispers out earning Gerard to smirk “Can’t do that. But let her live?– that’s up to you.”

“What do you want?” I take a step farther into the room and get a Kanima hiss directed at me, however my eyes never waver their glare at this psychotic geriatric pain in my ass.

Gerard smirks flicking his eyes from me and over to Scott “I want to talk to your brother who hasn’t been answering his phone.”

My head flicks to Scott seeing him close his eyes with that cat out of the bag information.

He sighs, opening his eyes and connects them with Gerard “Let her go, and we can talk about whatever you want”

Gerard stands up and walks closer towards the corner mom is dangling in, however he stops at the end of Scott’s bed “I want the same thing that I have always wanted– I want Derek and his pack.”

I cross my arms and look between the two who have obviously been conspiring for quite some time **_why didn’t Scott tell me?_**

I shake my head as Scott furrows his brows “You have them all in hiding. How am I supposed to know where they are?”

“I think with the proper motivation, you could draw them out. And if you hadn’t noticed, I now have a fairly impressive means by which I can motivate people.”

He looks back towards his pet **_who is very good at hissing on command_** before he continues “Why do you think I’m able to control him?– Oh, you two know the myth– the Kanima is a weapon of vengeance.”

I scoff and turn towards him “This is about Kate?”

Gerard flicks his eyes from Scott over to me and nods once “I didn’t just come here to bury my daughter. I came to avenge her” he states before the Kanima drops mom and crawls on the ceiling out of the room, and down the hall with Gerard walking slowly after him.

Scott and I rush forward towards mom, I set my hands on her shoulders as she leans forward and coughs trying to catch her breath.

“Are you okay?” we mutter and she sits up setting her hands on the floor as she shakes her head “Oh, I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know what that thing was or even what you are Scott, but whatever he wants, just give it to him.”

Scott looks to me and shakes his head “Mom, it’s not that easy.”

“Do what he wants– just give him what he wants,” Mom shakily counters and keeps her eyes on the floor in between the three of us.

“I don’t know if I can” Scott digresses and I lean my head on mom’s shoulder. She hiccups and sets her hands on both of ours.

*****

“Addy wait!” I hesitate on the bottom step of the stairs and turn around slowly to see Scott at the top of the stairs.

I haven’t talked to him since Gerard crashed into our life last night. He was at work earlier so it was easy to forget as I got ready for the Championship game tonight **_seeing’s how I can’t ignore him forever, might as well hear him out now_**

He looks surprised that I stopped and moves his mouth like he’s debating what he’s going to say.

I let out a soft sigh as I turn back around and reach over the banister for my jacket on the hook “Look Scott–”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about working with Gerard” he rushes out interrupting my words.

I stop my movements and flick my eyes up to him before I continue with putting my arms in the sleeves, reaching both hands back to move my hair out from inside the jacket.

Dropping my arms back to my side I let out a soft sigh and shake my head “I’m not mad so much as I’m upset you didn’t feel like you could tell me– I thought that we were a team–”

“We are!“ he bellows and then grimaces with his outburst before he tries softer “We are, Addy that has nothing–” he sighs and walks down the last few steps until he’s on the one above me.

Reaching forward he sets his hands on my shoulders and continues “I just need you to trust me– trust that I have a plan and I will tell you soon.”

I shrug and offer a sad smile “I’ll always trust you, Scotty.”

He nods and drops his hands from my shoulders “Jackson is playing tonight.”

I jerk my head back with that information bomb “What, how do you know that?” **_what is Gerard planning with his psycho little pet?_**

“Isaac came by the vet’s office earlier– he also informed me that him, Erica, and Boyd are leaving tonight during the game.”

“I can’t believe he’s playing like nothing happened the other night and I also can’t believe they’re leaving Derek like that”

He shrugs his shoulders “I guess they’re– trying to find a new pack away from the threat here.”

I furrow my brows and offer a scoff at that “Isn’t that complete opposite of what it means to be in a pack? Just running away and finding someone new instead of standing your ground and fighting for the people you already have?”

Scott just smiles and I bring my hands up to rest on my hips, raising a brow at him “What?”

Never dropping the smile he just shakes his head and shoulders his lacrosse bag before nodding towards the door “Nothing, lets go. Stiles is almost here”

***

I’m waiting outside of the locker room waiting for the players to all be changed and ready for the game when mom walks up to me “Hey sweetie” I stand up from my lean on the wall “Hey, did you need Scott?”

She nods just as Danny walks out of the locker room “Coast is clear, Addy.”

I look over to him and smile “Thanks for looking out for my innocent eyes” he chuckles, shaking his head as he walks back inside.

I look back to mom and nod my head towards the door “Come on”

“He’s cute” she whispers towards me and I can’t help the chortle that follows “I’m not his type mom, trust me.”

She shrugs her shoulders as we walk farther into the room and stop behind Stiles.

Coach interrupts our search for Scott as he makes a noise with his loudspeaker before he brings up the mic to talk into it ” _Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will be joining others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind–_ “

I resist the urge to laugh at mom’s face as she scrunches her brows and looks around us “What?”

Coach continues before I can say anything ” _Mankind– that word should have new meaning for all of us today_.“

Mom reaches forward and taps Stiles on the shoulder, pointing to coach as soon as he turns around “What the hell is he talking about?”

Stiles raises his brows in hello towards me before he sighs and answers mom ‘He does this every year.”

Mom scoffs and looks between us “Seriously?”

I nod while Stiles sighs “Yeah”

“ _We are fighting for our right to live_.”

Everyone around us chants “Yeah!” as mom shakes her head “Wait, is this?”

I chuckle and nod towards her “Yup– it’s the speech from Independence Day.”

Mom mhmm’s like it was on the top of her tongue, nodding her head as Coach continues ” _But as the day the world declared in one voice_ – “

Stiles looks back to us adding “It’s Coach’s favorite movie.”

” _We will not go quietly into the night_!“

“He doesn’t know any sports speeches?” mom ponders through her shock at what she’s hearing for a lacrosse pep talk speech and Stiles shakes his head “I don’t think he cares.”

” _Today we celebrate our Independence Day_!“

Everyone answers his speech with a “Yeah!” before we see Gerard set his hands on Coach’s shoulders and walks up to stand next to him “Well spoken, Coach.”

Mom takes a step back when she hears his voice and I set my arm around her to rest on her upper back, reaching my other hand across my front to rest on her elbow closest to me as he continues “I might have chosen something with a little more historical value, but there’s no denying your passion. And while I haven’t been here long, there’s no denying my pride in having a winning team for this school. I know you’ll all be brilliant tonight, even with only one co-captain leading you. Now, I’m your principal, but I’m also a fan. So don’t think I’ll be content to watch you merely beat this team. Get out there and murder them.” **_your morbid side is showing there principal_**

“You heard the man. Asses on the field!” Coach shouts earning another round of all the players shouting “Yeah!”

I keep ahold of mom’s arm to lead her out of the locker room through the crowd of lacrosse players around us.

We succeed in not getting trampled on, and head for the bleachers once we get on the field. Mom sits next to Noah and I sit next to her, making sure I’m far enough forward in the seat to not bump my war wound on the back of my thigh **_thanks for the memories Jackson_**

***

Sitting on the bench, getting padded up and waiting for the game to start, Scott looks over to Stiles “Your dad coming?”

“Yeah, he’s already here” Stiles points over his shoulder turning slightly on the bench and immediately smiles at the sight of Addy sitting with her mom and his dad.

“You seen Allison?” Scott gains his attention and he faces forward towards the field again clearing his throat “No, you seen Lydia– anyone been able to ask her why she spiked our drinks at her party?”

Scott shakes his head “She’s avoided Addy all week besides to say ‘she doesn’t remember’, so we still have no idea.”

Stiles doesn’t like that answer however he decides to take advantage of finally getting to talk to Scott, after not really being able to all week since the night at the station “You know what’s going on?” he sighs out while Scott shakes his head “Not yet.”

“It’s going to be bad, isn’t it? I mean, like people screaming, running for their lives, blood, killing, maiming kind of bad?” Stiles lays all his fears at the feet of his best friend who nods slightly “Looks like it.”

“Scott, the other night seeing Addy get hurt like that, and my dad getting knocked out by Matt all while I can’t even move, it just– I want to help, you know, but I can’t do the things that you can do. I can’t–”

“It’s okay– hey what happened to them wasn’t because you can’t do what I can do, you’ve still been able to protect them” Scott tries to comfort his friend who turns to look at him with a grimace “We’re losing, dude.”

Coach walks up hearing the tail end of the conversation and slaps Stiles on the shoulders “The hell are you talking about? Game hasn’t even started. Now put on your helmet and get out there. You’re in for Greenberg.”

Stiles raises his brows looking around them “What? What happened to Greenberg?”

“What happened to Greenberg? He sucks– you suck slightly less.” Coach offers before Stiles swings his equally terrified and astonished gaze forward towards the field “I’m playing? On the field? With the team?”

“Yes, unless you’d rather play with yourself.” Coach offers with a chuckle to lighten the mood except the spastic teen misses the rhetorical tone, adding without missing a beat “I already did that today– twice” Stiles states like it’s not too much information before he widens his eyes towards his friend “Not– not about _anyone_ in particular or anyth–”

Scott snorts and shakes his head looking to the ground as Coach furrows his brows never needing to hear this information from anyone especially one of his students “Get the hell out there!”

“Ah–” Stiles grabs his gear and runs onto the field as Scott watches his friend with pride in his chest at him finally getting to play.

Though his smile dies as soon as he hears a new voice enter his ears “Scott, can you hear me?”

Scott looks around until he connects his eyes with Gerard’s on the sideline of the field who smiles before he continues “Ah, you can. Good– then listen closely because the game is about to get interesting. Let’s put a real clock on this game, Scott. I’ll give you until the last thirty seconds. When that scoreboard clock begins counting down from thirty, if you haven’t given me Derek, then Jackson is gonna kill someone. So tell me, Scott, who’s gonna die tonight? Should it be your mother, who so bravely came out to support you? Or the Sheriff, your best friend’s father? Or how about your pretty twin sister who managed to survive the attack of an Alpha?”

Scott looks back at his family and resists the urge to punch the principal in front of everyone with that threat. 

Taking a deep breath he closes his eyes as Gerard’s voice once again sounds in his ears “Or maybe one of these innocent teenagers with their whole life ahead of them? Or should I do everyone a favor and kill that ridiculous coach? It’s up to you, Scott. But you are going to help me take Derek down. Because if you don’t– I’ll have Jackson rip someone’s head off right in the middle of the field and drench everyone you love and care about in blood.”

***

“Oh, no. Why is my son running out to the field?” Noah gains our attention from our newly acquired popcorn. 

I look over at him and then onto the field, a smile instantly settling on my face **_Stiles finally gets to play_**

“Because he’s on the team?” Mom offers like it’s obvious, earning Noah to nod and reiterate on a mumble “He is– he’s on the team”

I clear my throat looking back to him “Coach put him in the game on purpose.”

Noah looks to me and swings his wonder filled eyes back onto the field standing up and celebrating “He’s– he’s on the field. My son is on the field!” he shouts, earning everyone around us to look over and wonder why he’s celebrating that information **_he’s a proud dad, leave him alone_**

Noah looks around at all the eyes on him and slowly sits down. Mom smirks and grabs the popcorn bag from me to cover her chuckle.

The refs start the game with a blow from their whistle, and the players fight for the ball. Someone throws it towards Stiles, who catches it without really moving or trying to. Even from here we can see his shocked excited smile– right before he gets tackled to the ground.

I jerk back with the noise of the colliding bodies and grimace into my hands **_fuck that had to hurt_**

Mom drops her hands forward setting the popcorn bag by her feet as she sits back up and reassures “He’s probably just warming up.”

I nod hesitantly as we watch the next play and Stiles attempt to pick up the ball with his net however before he can get a good angle to lift it up– more players from the other team crash into him

I flinch and clear my throat “Oh, I mean he’s gotta just be a little nervous– plenty of time to turn it around.” I try to reassure before the next play gears Stiles up to catch a throw, except instead of him catching it– the ball bounces off his helmet and the crowd boos at the action.

Noah, with his elbows on his knees, drops his head to cover his face with his hands as mom and I share a grimace.

My eyes are drawn from the less than ideal game happening when I spot Isaac sitting by Scott **_thought he was leaving?_**

They exchange a few words before Isaac finishes getting padded up and goes onto the field.

There’s a minute left in the second quarter and we’re down by four **_not ideal but not terrible either_**

The whistle blows and we get the ball, everyone starts cheering before Isaac slams into our own guy who had the ball.

We all groan with the impact and Coach screams “Lahey!– Ramirez! You’re in.” Ramirez gets up and heads to the field though it’s not long before the next play is under way and Isaac _again_ pummels one of our own guys.

Coach’s groans of frustration can be heard from here as he shouts “Murphy. You’re in.”

I set my elbows on my knees and bring my hands up to cover my mouth “Scott–” when he turns around I mutter as discreetly as I can “Is there a good reason he’s taking out our own guys?”

Scott grimaces and nods his head before I ask “He making it so Coach has to ignore your academic ban and put you in?”

Another grimace nod from him and I offer my own return nod “Okay then” I drop my hands and sit back in my seat to see mom looking at me.

“He can hear you?” she whispers and flicks her eyes between us. I offer her a nod and she makes an impressed face **_that’s progress, people!_**

I smile towards the field though it drops immediately with the next round of events of Isaac crashing into three players in a row.

Mom and I flinch back into each other, gasping through our sympathy pain for them **_I want Scott to play too but damn dude_**

Coach stands up shouting and pointing towards the field “Lahey! Seriously, what the hell is your problem?”

The whistle from the refs sounds yet again, however, before Isaac can continue his _using up everyone on Coach’s bench to get to Scott_ plan, Jackson runs up and tackles him to the ground.

We all stand up with the action because that sounded even more brutal than the previous ones.

Scott stands up as well and rushes onto the field dropping next to Isaac and exchanges a few words with him **_it’d be great to have the werewolf hearing at a time like this_**

EMT’s run onto the field and load Isaac up onto a stretcher and walk him off the field as Coach walks up and shoves a helmet into Scott’s chest followed by a lacrosse stick **_finally_**

Mom rushes from the stands muttering “Stay here” to me before running up to Scott. She sets her hands on his arms and talks with him for a few seconds. 

She immediately runs back over to the seat in between Noah and I, setting her arm around me once she’s settled “I’m really grateful you have been able to be there for your brother while this has been happening– I’m proud of you both, and I don’t even know everything you’ve been through.”

I lean my head on her shoulder “Thanks mama– I know Scott wants to tell you as much as you want to know.”

She just nods and squeezes my shoulders once before dropping her hands back onto her lap as the whistle blows.

***

The other team is relentless with tackling our guys to the field, however we have managed to stay in the game– scoring enough to head into the 4th quarter with a fighting chance.

There’s ten minutes of the game left and the score is 9-4 them.

The play ends with Scott and Stiles getting tackled to the ground. Once Scott stands up he rushes off the field and if I hadn’t have just watched him literally land on the ground I would have missed his departure **_where is he going?_**

***

We score three more times bringing the numbers up 9-7 with five minutes left of the game.

The whistle blows and Coach looks around his empty bench before he stands up yelling around him “McCall! Where’s McCall?”

The other team knocks one of our guys down, signaling the end of the play. I set my elbows on my knees and bring my hands up over my mouth, my nerves are going crazy between the game and the unknown of what’s happening and why Scott took off from the game.

The players still on the field get set up before the whistle blows again and they all run at each other.

There’s one guy on the other team in particular that is knocking three guys around him down. Everyone is so focused on him that no one is paying any attention to the ball that is still in play.

Said ball rolls on the ground and lands right at Stiles’ feet as everyone on the other side of the field start asking each other where it’s at **_pick it up_**

Stiles looks around him and notices the very open pathway in between him and the goal– not thinking about it for another second, he scoops up the ball into his net and starts shuffling backwards before he turns around to properly run towards the goal.

He begins shouting as soon as he sees everyone notice him and the newly acquired ball in his net “Oh, oh, oh!”

His screams intensify the closer he gets to the goal and Noah drops his head to set his hands on the sides of his face muttering “Oh, crap.”

I shake my head answering him “No– he’s got this.”

Stiles reaches the goal though instead of shooting it into the net immediately he stops and turns around noticing the other players running at full speed towards him **_why isn’t he shooting it?!_**

Coach stands up raising his arms up and voicing as much “Stilinski! Shoot it– shoot the ball! Shoot it, you idiot!”

Not being able to stand it either I clench my hands together as I also shout towards him “Shoot it, Sty!”

Stiles jumps into gear, turning around just as the other players reach him and sets up to reach his arm back– launching the ball straight into the goal.

We all stand and cheer as his first goal of the evening brings our score to 9-8 with four and half minutes left of the quarter.

Stiles’ excited voice can be heard from the field and it instantly brings an even bigger smile to my face ”I scored a goal! I scored a goal!”

He raises his arms and looks towards us seeing us all in the stands, smiling and cheering him along.

Next play begins with two minutes on the clock now, someone throws to Stiles who catches easily and this time he takes off running towards the goal again, even doing a pivot turn to dodge a player before setting up and throwing the ball towards the goal, scoring effortlessly and tieing the game up **_this is incredible_**

We all stand up to cheer even louder, though Noah’s shouts can be heard over everyone’s around us.

Stiles excitedly fists bumps his lacrosse stick around as he screams out his celebration as well. I share a chuckle with mom as we watch him move around the field **_could he be more adorable?_**

The next play gets under way and Stiles, again, gets the ball and immediately takes off down the field, not even hesitating to shoot the ball as soon as he’s in front of the goal.

He scores easily, bringing the score 10-9 us– causing everyone in the crowd to stand up to cheer and celebrate the incredible last three goals and end of the game.

Since he basically just scored the winning goal as there’s less than a minute on the clock now, every one of our players rush forward to all huddle around Stiles as we watch the last forty seconds tick down on the clock.

He breaks off from the huddle and swings his eyes over towards us, smiling at his dad before his eyes move over to mom and finally land on me.

As I’m clapping and sporting my own face splitting smile towards him, it feels like time slows down as he looks at me and I notice the smile on his face change slightly.

If I had blinked I would’ve missed it– it was the excited one I usually seem him wear anytime he wins a board game or laughs at a funny movie, however when he connects his eyes with mine it changes to what I can only describe as one of complete awe. 

I’m beyond grateful to be in this moment sharing the celebration for everything he just did for not only the team but for himself in his first starting lacrosse game. 

I always want to see him this happy, and I’m ready to fight any situation that takes this kind of joy from him **_holy shit I’m head over heels in love with him_**

I always have been, I know that now. Everything I’m feeling in this moment is everything I have felt since we were little and I had no idea what love even was. I locked everything away and never thought of it again when Scott first mentioned Stiles’ crush on Lydia when we were in middle school. That hurt more than I cared to admit at the time, still doesn’t feel great even now. But I want him to be happy, no matter what that means for me.

Our trance is broken as soon as the whistle blows to signal the end of the game and the celebrating crowd gets even louder once the score board buzzes with the clock at zero.

In the middle of us all cheering the lights all around the field go off and mass chaos ensues with everyone running every which way in the crowd and on the dark field.

Mom grabs my hand and we rush towards the field dodging everyone we can as mom and I shout “Scott! Scott, where are you?” “Scotty!”

Scott crashes into us setting his hands on each of our arms “Mom, mom, Addy– are you guys okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine, we’re fine. But somebody is hurt. Somebody is down on the field,” mom announces and my stomach drops with that information as I look towards Scott “Where’s Stiles?”

He just shakes his head at my question “He must have went to find his dad”

I nod trying to convince my gut that that’s a plausible reason as to why we never crashed into him **_either I’ve become too used to him always being there when there’s danger or it’s not a good sign we haven’t seen him_**

“Get out of the way. Move. Back off! Move,” we hear Coach state in a panic as we rush over to where there’s a crowd huddled around someone laying on the field **_please don’t be Stiles, please don’t be Stiles_**

“Jackson!” Lydia comes running up to the group before we get there shouting “Jackson! Jackson, what’s happening?”

“Can we get a medic over here? We’re gonna need a medic!” Coach shouts as mom pushes through, dropping to Jackson’s side immediately and placing her ear on his chest **_sorry Jackson, but thank goodness it’s you_**

Scott and I come to a stop at the front of the group as mom looks up towards Coach “He’s not breathing. No pulse.”

“Nothing?” Coach confirms again and mom shakes her head digressing “Nothing” before reaching to lift up the bottom of his jersey and we all gasp at the bloody scene of his abdomen “Oh–”

“Oh, my God. There’s blood. There’s blood.” Lydia gasps out next to us and I set my hand on her arm, squeezing once to let her know I’m here.

She sets her hand on mine as Scott turns towards me and I now notice Isaac standing just behind us, nodding his head towards Jackson “Look”

“He did it to himself” Isaac confirms after we notice Jackson’s bloodied claw hand **_what the fuck is Gerard’s play here?_**

Mom wastes no time in starting chest compressions as she looks up to a hysterical and crying Lydia next to me “Get down here. Get down here and hold his head– tilt it up!”

Lydia drops down and listens to mom’s instructions as she continues to do chest compressions and we wait for the EMT’s to get over here.

“Stiles. Where’s Stiles?” Noah gains my attention as he walks up and pushes through the group looking from Jackson on the ground and moves around in a circle looking at all the players near us “Where– where’s my son?” **_no no no no_**

Walking quickly over to him, he jumps when I set my hand on his arm “Mr. S, what do you mean? He– he didn’t come find you when the lights went out?”

He looks like he’s on the verge of freaking out as he shakes his head “No Addy– I have– no I haven’t– where’s Stiles?” 

A knot forms in the pit of my stomach at him not being here, at not seeing him since before the lights went out **_he wouldn’t have just left us, this can’t be good_**

I feel like I can’t breathe as I’m going through all the emotions and scenarios of where he can be when I feel hands on my shoulders causing me to jump slightly.

However I’m able to take a deep breath when I hear Scott’s voice next to my shoulder “We’ll find him”

I offer a slight nod as my response since I don’t trust my voice at the moment **_we have to_**

I look sadly over to watch as Noah continues to turn around in circles, walking near the other side of the group before finally yelling louder than his previous mumbles “Where’s Stiles? Where the hell is my son?!”


	24. Master Plan

Mom went with the EMT’s to the hospital with Jackson’s body, so I got left with the car since I needed to stay behind to give my **_literally no help_** statement about Jackson.

I’m leaning against the wall across from the locker room waiting for the deputies to be done getting statements from Scott and all the other players.

Noah walks up and breaks me out of my inner freak out at having no idea where Stiles is “Addy will you–” he nods his head towards the door into the room and I clear my throat “Yeah–” I push off the wall and walk with him inside “Yes of course.” 

Scott and Isaac walk over and come to a stop next to us as Noah looks at his notepad “I’ve got to meet with the medical examiner and try to figure out what happened with Jackson. I’ve got an APB out on Stiles–”

I cross my arms over my front with those words, I feel like a weight is sitting on my chest **_and like I still can’t breathe_**

Scott reaches over and sets an arm around my back, resting his hand on my upper arm as Noah lifts his head up to look at us “His jeep is still in the parking lot, so that means– well hell, I don’t know what that means,” his voice breaks and tears fill his eyes when he looks back up at me “Um– look, if he answers his phone, if he answers his emails, if any of you see him–”

I nod at what he’s implying, and Isaac surprises me by offering the words I can’t form “We’ll call you.”

Scott nods at Isaac before he looks back to Noah and offers “Look, he’s probably just freaked out from all the attention or something” couldn’t be further from the truth and we all know it, but we let it slide since he is trying to help reassure a freaked out dad “We’ll find him” Scott finishes.

“Yeah” Noah nods and flicks his eyes from Scott to me and sets his hand on my other shoulder “I’ll see you, okay?”

I offer him a reluctant smile and nod before he squeezes my shoulder and he walks over to where his deputies are with some of the other players.

Scott drops his arm from around my back as Coach walks up to us pointing to him “McCall. We need you on the team, okay? You know I can’t put you on the field next season if you don’t get your grades up.”

Scott nods “Yeah, I know, Coach.”

“All right. I mean, I– I know I yell a lot, but it’s not like I hate you guys. Well, I kind of hate Greenberg, but, you know, that’s different. It’s Greenberg,” he chuckles softly and we all offer him return smiles before he continues “I’m just saying we– I need you on the team. Get your grades back up.”

“I will” Scott declares and I know he means it– fortunately so does Coach, who offers him a smile before walking off “I know.”

We look around the empty locker room as Scott ponders “Is that everyone?”

Isaac steps forward while I look around the other aisle of lockers in the corner, turning back to offer him a nod as I hear Isaac confirm “I think so.”

Before he’s even done responding Scott rips off the door to Stiles’ locker as I step back and set my hands on my hips “We knew the combination you know”

Scott shrugs and grabs a few items, reaching over to hand one to Isaac who scrunches his brows “You’re gonna find him by scent?”

Scott nods “Yeah, we both are.”

Isaac takes the item from Scott and raises his brow at him “But how come you get his shirt and I get a shoe?” I snort and Isaac raises his eyes from the shoe and over to me, shaking his head at me with a soft smile “Shut up”

Scott hits him on the arm and looks over my shoulder **_what now?_**

I furrow my brows and turn around, shock crossing my features at seeing Derek standing off to the side of the room “We need to talk” he states like the brooding master he is.

Before we can ask about what **_since it will be taking a back seat to what we’ll actually be doing with finding Stiles anyways_** Peter _fucking_ Hale walks out behind him and states “ _All_ of us”

“Holy shit” Scott and I mutter as I widen my eyes at the very _not_ dead ex-alpha in front of us.

Scott shakes his head and takes a step forward at the new guests “What the hell is this?”

Derek raises his brows and condescendingly tilts his head back and forth “You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the Sheriff’s station” **_misunderstanding shots fired_**

“Okay, hold on. He– he threatened to kill Addy and our mom so I had to get close to him– what was I supposed to do?”

I flick my head towards him with that development **_now I feel bad for being upset, great now guilt is added to my already shitty feeling of the evening_**

Peter raises his arm “I’m gonna go with Scott on this one. Have you seen their mom? She’s gorgeous.”

Derek, Scott and I level him with a glare and mutter “Shut up”

Isaac leans over towards me and chimes in “Who’s he?”

Scott sighs and answers first “That’s Peter, Derek’s Uncle. Little while back, he tried to kill us all,”

I click my tongue and add with a raised brow “Almost succeeded with Lydia and I the night of the formal. Later that same evening we set him on fire, aaand Derek slashed his throat.”

Peter just smirks at us and raises a hand with a little wave “Hi”

I roll my eyes as Isaac stands up straight beside me again, muttering “That’s good to know.”

Scott and I turn our attention to Derek inquiring “How is he alive?”

Peter tilts his head to the side “They’re exceptionally good at that– it’s fascinatingly freaky.”

I flick my eyes over to him as he chuckles and Derek sighs “Guys look, the short version is he knows how to stop Jackson– and maybe how to save him.”

Scott looks over to me and I raise a shoulder before flicking my eyes over to the family duo “Well, that’s very helpful except Jackson’s dead.”

Peter widens his eyes as Derek flicks his head my direction “What?”

“Yeah, Jackson’s dead. It just happened on the field,” Scott digresses as Derek and Peter share a look.

Isaac looks to me before he makes a noise in the back of his throat and looks back to Derek “Okay, why is no one taking this as good news?”

Peter sighs “Because if Jackson is dead, it didn’t just happen– Gerard wanted it to happen.”

Derek shakes his head and turns to his side towards his uncle “But why?”

Peter clicks his tongue and walks closer to us “Well, that’s exactly what we need to figure out and something tells me the window of opportunity is closing– quickly.”

***

We’re just walking inside the burned Hale house with Derek and Peter when my phone rings. I pull it out of my back pocket and see Noah’s contact picture of him, Stiles and I last summer. Swallowing the lump in my throat I hit the green button and clear my throat “Hey Mr. S…”

“Addy, he’s home. He’s okay– well he says he’s fine but kid– I– I think you should come talk to him” Noah rushes out as soon as I answer the phone.

Tears instantly well in my eyes and I look up at Scott as I answer Noah in a shaky voice even to my ears “He– he’s okay?”

I can hear the smile in his voice with his next words “He’s okay kid. Can you drive over, or do you need me to come pick you up? I think– I think he’d really like to see you.”

I’m already nodding even though he can’t see and Scott sets the keys in my hand as I answer Noah “I’ve got the car, I’m on my way.”

“Okay kid, drive safe, I’ll see you soon.”

I end the call and Scott softens his face as he nods and sets his hands on my shoulders “Go, I’ll keep you posted.”

Stepping forward I hug him and turn to walk out the front door.

***

Noah opens the door before I even make it up the front steps and envelops me in a hug as soon as I’m walking through the doorway.

He pulls back and I set my hands on his arms, offering him a nod before I start up the steps.

I reach Stiles’ closed door, hesitating before taking a deep breath, and raise my hand up to knock twice.

Hearing his voice, though not really being able to make out what he mumbled on the other side of the door, I knock again.

I hear the door knob rattle before the door is being swung open at the same time I hear “Dad, how many times do I have to sa–”

His eyes widen slightly and I finally feel like I can breathe for the first time in however many hours “Addy–”

Hearing his voice say my name when I was beginning to think I never would again, I don’t even think twice before I jump forward on my tippy toes and wrap my arms around his neck, crashing my body into his.

He doesn’t even budge, just takes a shocked audible breath in as he wraps his arms around my waist and tightly hugs me back. 

He drops his head into the crook of my neck and I can’t help the tears that pool in my eyes and the sniffle that follows as I tighten my arms around him **_which of course he hears since his ear is right there_**

He pulls back, keeping one arm still around my lower back as he furrows his brows and lifts his other hand up to the side of my face **_swoon level 10 reached_**

Completely oblivious to my inner freak out he moves his thumb under my eye wiping the tears that fell **_do you hear the sound of my slow death because oh.my.god._**

Seeming to come back to himself he clears his throat, drops his arm and takes a step back from me. He lifts his hand that was on my face up behind him to rub his neck “How did you–”

I shrug clearing my own throat “Um your dad called me”

“He did? Yeah, of course he did” he sighs and rubs the side of his face, which I now take in the sight of his cheek and busted lip. I gasp softly before frowning “What happened?”

“Oh, uh– yeah, no, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine” he finishes lying through his teeth and sets his hand on the side of the door near his head.

I raise a brow and scoff softly at his nonchalance “Seriously what happened?”

“Addy drop it, do you want to come in?” he steps back and motions inside with his other arm, earning me to cross my arms and shake my head “Not unless you’re going to stop lying to me and tell me what happened.”

He jabs his tongue on the inside of his cheek before shaking his head “I’m not lying.”

I scrunch my face up as I jerk my head back slightly “My ass you’re not. You’re not fine Stiles and you don’t need to be, just talk to me–”

“It was Gerard okay,” he answers and throws his hands out to his sides “As a message to Scott.”

Shock crosses my face and I drop my hands to my side as he turns around with both his hands behind his head **_geriatric pain in my ass is on my list now_**

He walks into his room and sits down on his bed dropping his hands onto his lap “He has Erica and Boyd set up on some electricity torture device– I couldn’t– I couldn’t help them before he did this,” he lifts his hand to the side of his face and connects our eyes as I walk farther inside the room.

I feel my phone go off but I ignore it as he looks up to me again and continues “One of his goons grabbed me and then took me back to the school for Roscoe. From what I gathered as we walked through the house, Gerard has Allison brainwashed into helping him on his vengeance plan and her dad is trying to figure out what’s going on with him.”

I hear his phone beep on his desk I lean back against and I reach over to hand it to him noticing the number next to Scott’s name “Oh– you have seventeen missed messages from Scott.”

Stiles reaches forward and sets the phone face down on his bed, letting out a sigh “I know.”

I lean against the desk again and set my hands on either side of my hips “You’re ignoring him?”

He shakes his head “No–” he sighs and looks off in front of him “No, not really.”

Accepting that answer I clear my throat “So you probably didn’t see the message that Peter is alive then?”

Stiles flicks his head over to me so fast I’m surprised he doesn’t develop whiplash “I know I’ve had a long night but did you just say Peter?”

I nod as he continues “Is alive?”

Nodding at him again, he squints his eyes and clarifies through his disbelief “The Peter we turned into an actual human kabob and Derek throat slashed in front of us is _alive_?” **_the very one_**

I chuckle and nod offering a “Yup” popping the ‘p’ and everything.

Stiles shakes his head muttering “Holy shit,” before I point to him “That’s _exactly_ what we said when he showed up.”

“McCall twin moment?” He offers a lopsided smile which I playfully roll my eyes and mutter “You love it” before I feel my phone go off again.

Deciding to see what’s happening I huff as I lean forward to grab it out of my pocket, widening my eyes immediately at the message Scott sent.

“Ha– umm you’re going to want to hear this– Jackson’s in some kind of transparent casing made from the venom coming out of his claws…”

Stiles widens his eyes towards me “That sounds sufficiently terrifying”

Another message comes through and I make a noise before tilting my head slightly “He’s also apparently starting to move” **_because why not_**

Stiles raises his arms to link his hands behind his head before he tilts his head back and closes his eyes, mumbling to the ceiling “Just wanted one night.”

I’m pulled from answering him when another message comes through and I stand up from my desk lean “Scott and Isaac are taking Jackson’s body away from the hospital morgue because according to Derek and Peter he’s in Kanima Beta form and is about to change into something even more terrifying with wings?” 

I flick my eyes up from my phone, making a ‘huh’ noise before squinting my eyes and looking back down to continue reading the message “Wonder if that’s a typo– anyways Peter and Derek are talking about needing Lydia because she may be able to get through to Jackson to change him back.”

I huff and put my phone back in my pocket before shrugging “The last bit sounds made up.”

Stiles scoffs and grumbles “And the other half sounds like a fucking nightmare.”

I nod and point over my shoulder at the door “I need to go get Lydia before–”

Dropping his hands he stands up and takes a step towards me “What do you mean– you’re going?”

Drawing my brows inwards, I shake my head slightly “Well yea they need help and we–”

“No, we– _we_ don’t need to do anything,” he scoffs and shakes his head “Jesus Adds, that’s the problem you– you don’t care about getting hurt. You’re constantly throwing yourself in these situations– _life threatening_ situations by the way– and you don’t even think twice about it.”

Not giving me a chance to say anything, he throws his arms up to his side before pointing to his chest and continues “But you know how I’ll feel if something happens to you? I’ll be devastated,” he licks his lips angrily, his eyes flaring with how worked up he’s getting “And if you die, I can’t– I will literally go out of my fuckin’ mind. Death doesn’t happen to you, Addy. It happens to everyone around you, okay? To all the people left standing at _your_ funeral, trying to figure out how they’re supposed to live the rest of their lives now without _you_ in it!”

I move my eyes back and forth between his, completely speechless at everything he’s saying **_how did this turn into being yelled at?_**

He scoffs once more and flicks his eyes down to my leg “Is your leg even healed from the last dangerous situation you refused to leave?”

I make a face and jerk my head back slightly as I attempt to defend myself “That was– I wasn’t just going to leave you–”

He doesn’t let me finish as he steps even closer towards me again and points to his cheek “And look at my face, huh? Come on, you actually think this was meant to hurt _me_?” He jabs towards his face again and I can’t help the jerk back my body does to get away from his anger **_anger I know isn’t directed at me in a harmful way but it’s still all up in my personal space_**

Stiles’ face drops immediately at my reaction and he steps back from me raising his hands softly “Adds, I’m so sorry. I–”

I shake my head and lift my hands up to stop him from coming forward again, releasing a humorless breath that could be mistaken for a chuckle “I may do things that aren’t ideal in your mind, but I wasn’t just going to sit back and do nothing when someone I–” **_am desperately in love with_** – “I care about was in danger. If I can help I’m going to, and you don’t have to like it but you damn well better respect my decision.”

He swallows hard, though he doesn’t look like he wants to argue so I continue “Now– I may want to go home and sleep for a week but my brother is currently risking his life to save a douche canoe and I can’t just leave him to do this alone, so I’m going to help. That’s just who I am, and I have a car and Lydia is my friend who will hopefully listen to my crazy pleas over that of Derek and Peter,” he moves to say something, however I’m on a roll “So you can either stay here and continue to be pissed off at our supernatural life we were thrown into, or you can come and help me. That choice is yours but what you don’t get to do is continue to yell at me for doing something _you_ would do if this were any other day.”

I don’t wait for a response as I cross his room quickly and walk out the door towards the stairs.

Behind me, I hear him shout “Adds wait!” as I pass Noah in the hallway– though I shake my head when he lifts a hand towards me to probably ask what’s going on **_ask your idiot son, I’m out_**

***

I put the car in reverse and set my hand on the back of the passenger seat to back out of the driveway. 

Foot on the brake I turn around to face forward and set the car in drive when Stiles runs up and slaps his hands on the hood of the car. 

I gasp and jump back into the seat muttering “Fuck me sideways,” before I huff and roll down the window “Are you literally insane?!”

Out of breath he shakes his head slightly and walks to the window setting his hands on the frame “Probably”

I scoff and he quickly continues “I’m sorry okay? I meant a lot of it–”

At my glare he raises his hands “I meant a lot of it _however_ I’m not here to tell you what to do. Your bravery is what makes you a total badass and it’s honorable how deeply you care and put people above yourself. I won’t ever like it and I’ll be scared as hell every second of it, but you’re my best friend Adds, and I will respect your decisions always– including this one.”

I narrow my eyes as I take in the sincerity of his words. 

He doesn’t waver from his intense stare and the moment he switches his honey eyes to puppy dogs I cave like I always do, letting out a huff I nod my head “You coming with me then?”

He shakes his head and pulls his keys out of his pocket nodding towards his jeep with a wink “No I’m driving you– come on slowpoke” **_back to my Stiles just like that_**

***

Somehow Lydia didn’t take much convincing on the phone call to her house and she hopped into the jeep with us no questions asked as soon as we pulled up.

Almost to the address Scott texted I turn in the seat towards Lydia who’s sitting in the backseat “So how much of all of this do you know?”

She shakes her head, answering honestly “Just pieces, most of it is like a dream”

“A dream Peter has been invading?” I implore gently and she makes a noise before she nods and turns her head to look out the window.

I turn to face forward again and Stiles offers a sad smile that I return **_what has he been putting her through?_**

We can’t find a way into the warehouse that Scott said they’d be in, however we see a plausible option, and I nod at Stiles’ silent question.

Stiles takes a deep breath “Okay, you guys hold on to something!” he exclaims right before we crash through a boarded up door entrance and drive straight into Jacksanima **_and the fates of perfect timing smile down upon us_**

Everyone’s shocked faces turn towards us sitting in the jeep as Stiles excitedly turns to me and opens his eyes “Did I get him?” 

Scott smiles offering a c _an’t believe it_ chuckle over at us right before the Kanima jumps on the hood and Lydia and I let out surprised shrieks as Stiles jerks back into the seat with a “Whoa!”

Murder Lizard hisses towards Stiles who screams before setting his hands on my arm and guides me out of the jeep. 

I lean the seat forward and Lydia climbs out before Stiles instantly grabs my side and we all run over towards Scott **_or well I thought all of us_**

Once we reach Scott, making note of the body of Gerard laying a few feet away surrounded by black goo, I try turning around with Stiles’ arm still around me and look over his shoulder when I hear “Jackson!– Jackson”

We see him jump down from the hood and land in front of Lydia who stayed by the fucking jeep, he raises his arm and I step forward **_not making it anywhere with their bodies in the way_** “Lydia!”

Stiles pulls me back into his chest as Scott sets his arm in front of us stating softly “Wait”

She ignores my shouts and instead just closes her eyes and lifts up her hand. Which causes him to stop his movements as he tilts his lizard head to the side to examine the key in her hand.

Lydia opens her eyes, taking terrified quick breaths in as he transforms from full on Kanima to Jackson features with the added scaly pattern on his skin and hand claws still.

He moves his claw from defensive strike mode to curious reach towards the key in her hand as his eyes change from their yellow slits to his normal eyes.

He grabs the key from her and holds it in between them, seeming to come back to himself and takes a few steps away from her.

As he’s taking steps away from her I notice Derek, grunting in pain on the ground to our left, flash his eyes to their Alpha reds before he stands up.

At the slight nod from Jackson, Derek rushes forward and Peter pulls a Spider-Man metal bar flip out of the shadows and rushes forward to slash his claw hand into Jackson’s back at the same time Derek slashes his claws into Jackson’s stomach.

Scott takes a step forward as I jerk back into Stiles who moves to stand on my side with his arm around my back.

We hear Lydia gasp as they lift Jackson into the air by their claws still connected to his body. Jackson lets out strangled gurgle noises before they set him back onto the ground and retract their claws.

They step back away from him, causing Lydia to rush forward and catch Jackson on his wobbly legs before they kneel onto the ground together.

Jackson, through strangled breaths, looks her in the eyes and manages to get out “Do you– do you still–”

Lydia gasps to interrupt him “I do,” she nods before whispering quickly to him “I do still love you. I do, I do still love you. I do– I do still love you, I do.”

Jackson closes his eyes and drops forward against her, his head falling on her shoulder as she continues to sob and we hear the clink of the key landing on the ground.

I let the tears fall for my friend who is losing the love of her life, and as I bring my arm up to wipe my face with my jacket sleeve Stiles pulls me closer against him, setting the side of his head on top of mine.

I notice Allison move beside Scott and they link their hands together, bringing a sad smile to my face.

We watch as Lydia lays him down and the remnants of any Kanima qualities disappears from his skin completely **_back to looking like the Jackson we’ve always known_**

“Where’s Gerard?” Allison breaks the silence around us and we all look every which way of the warehouse, finding that other than the pile of black goo on the ground there’s no sign of his body.

“He can’t be far.” Chris informs as we all share a _you’ve got to be kidding me_ look **_why can’t anyone stay dead?_**

Lydia stands up, wiping her face before she turns around towards us– taking a second before she scrunches her face up when a new round of grief crashes over her.

Allison and I silently agree to move together to take steps towards her, however, our movements halt when we hear the scratching of claws on the ground.

All of our eyes widen at the realization that the only person near the ground to make that noise is Jackson ** _again with the not staying dead_**

Lydia shares a wide eyed look with us before she turns around and gasps softly towards his body laying otherwise perfectly still.

I feel a hand wrap around my elbow and pull me back slightly as we see Jackson open his werewolf blues **_same as Peter’s now and Derek’s before he was an Alpha– what makes them blue?_**

Next he sits up and moves to stand up slowly from his hunched over posture. Once his back is fully straight he lifts his transformed wolfed out face towards the ceiling and roars for the whole city to hear.

As soon as his roar ends he leans forward before he stands up and is transformed back into Jackson. 

He moves his shocked eyes from his hands and over to Lydia, they share a couple shocked gasps before she runs forward and launches herself into his arms. He immediately wraps his arms around her and hugs her back with just as much fervour.

While they share their reunited and not dead anymore hug, we all share shocked and worried faces for how the hell that just happened.

***

It’s the last weekend before the last week of sophomore year **_this school year has lasted forever_**

I’m laying on my stomach across my bed reading a book with the window open and a soft summer breeze coming through perfectly when there’s a knock on my door “It’s open”

Looking over towards the door, I close my book when I see Allison open the door and hesitate by it.

I smile and sit up crossing my legs on the bed “Hey, how are you holding up?”

She shakes her head and bounces on her feet “I wish you all would stop being nice to me when I was a complete awful psycho–”

“Hey” I stand up and move over towards her “Ally, no one can blame you for what Gerard made you believe. You just lost your mom, in a pretty fucked up way I might add. You needed comfort and Gerard twisted that. What he did doesn’t make you any less than the amazing best friend you have always been to me. I will always be here for you, even when you tap into those intense Argent genes you have”

She chuckles and wipes the tears that fell while I was talking with her sleeve.

She clears her throat and fidgets with her fingers “I broke up with Scott.”

I nod looking to the ground quickly before connecting my eyes with hers again when she makes a noise “And– well my dad is highly suggesting we go to France to stay for the summer away from everything.”

“That sounds like the perfect getaway for you guys” I offer her an understanding look before she nods and squints one of her eyes towards me “I was wondering if you wanted to come with us?”

I raise my brows and point to my face “Me? There’s no way I could–”

“Everything’s already covered and my dad already has a ticket, you just need to say yes” she rushes out and pleads with her face.

I let out an unbelievable chuckle, smiling softly as I shake my head “I just– and don’t take this the wrong way but why me?”

Ally smiles and grips onto my forearms “Because of everything you just said. I _need_ my best friend this summer and she deserves a getaway to France just as much as I do.”

“What about Lyds?” I draw my brows inwards and Ally is already nodding with the plan apparently in place “Lydia is going to meet us in July for a few weeks. She wants to be here for Jackson with his newly acquired werewolf lessons from Derek first”

I chuckle with that bit of information before shaking my head slightly “Well I need to talk to my mom–”

“Mom says yes, I’ll get your passport out of the safe” we hear from the hall and I make a noise “I–” as I turn around at the sound of mom’s interrupting retreating voice echoing down the hall. 

Turning back towards Ally we share a chuckle **_holy shit we’re going to France_**

********

Getting to the field Stiles hops out of his jeep and walks to the back, opening the door and looking to Scott “So you really think Allison’s gonna come back to you?”

“Yeah, I know she is. What about you and– uh… Lydia” Scott raises a brow as he humors his friend who rolls his eyes and drops his lacrosse stick onto the back of his jeep “I know you _know_ , you don’t have to keep saying Lydia,” Stiles sighs out harshly and turns to his friend “How long have you fuckin’ known?”

Scott barks out a laugh and offers his friend a nod “That you’re helplessly in love with my sister? A long time, man. Why don’t you just ask her out already?”

“You’re seriously okay with this?” Stiles scoffs and raises his arm out to his side at his friend’s complete lack of freak out “Aren’t brothers supposed to _not_ be okay with shit like this?”

Scott just shrugs, smiling as he answers without missing a beat “I couldn’t pick a better person for her if I tried, dude.”

Stiles’ shocked face makes him chuckle before he continues “Well you have all summer to build up the courage to _finally_ fucking tell her since she’s leaving with Allison in a few days.”

Stiles’ face drops as he’s reminded of her excited text this morning when she told him “She’s really going for the whole summer?”

Scott nods and squints his eyes off to the other end of the field “Not sure how we’re going to get on without her.”

Before he can get too upset at not seeing Addy’s face everyday, Stiles clears the emotion from his throat and points to the field “Yeah, okay. Why don’t you just get into the goal and help me make team captain like you promised there, big guy.”

Scott decides to let him be and walks off towards the goal, once he reaches it he makes a face and turns back to Stiles “Hey, you know what I just realized? I’m right back where I started.”

“What do you mean? Stiles furrows his brows as he sets up his lacrosse stick

“I mean no lacrosse, no popularity, no girlfriend. Nothing,” Scott lists off causing Stiles to drop his arms “Dude, you still got me.”

Scott raises a brow “I had you before.”

“Yeah, and you _still_ got me. Okay? It’s a life fulfilled”

Scott chuckles and humors his friend “Very.”

“Now remember, no wolf powers,” Stiles states as he lifts a ball from the ground and into his net and Scott nods “Got it.”

“No, I mean it. No super fast reflexes, no super eyesight, no hearing– none of that shit, okay?”

Scott nods at his list and tilts his head to the side, hitting his lacrosse stick on either side of the goal posts to rile them up “Okay. Come on.”

Stiles nods and gets set up to make the shot before looking back to Scott “You promise?”

Lopsided smirk in place, Scott rolls his eyes “Would you just take the shot already?”

Reaching back Stiles sets up and launches the ball at the net right before Scott’s werewolf eyes shine their bright yellow 

“I said no wolf powers!”


	25. Tattoo

I got back from France with Allison earlier today, we were supposed to be back a few days ago but there was a storm where our layover was in Chicago. So a couple flight delays later here we are, however; Lydia insisted since she hasn’t seen us since her visit in July that we all had to hang out immediately.

What can I say about France other than it was gorgeous, I ate my weight in croissants and other delectable baked goods, and had one of the best summers of my life filling our phone camera albums with pictures of our adventures.

Allison is in a somewhat better place now, she came to terms with losing her mom the way she did and she has finally forgiven herself for the things she did last year under the influence of her grandfather. 

Her, Lydia, and I are closer than ever after experiencing all that France had to offer **_mom was right girlfriends really are amazing_**

Lydia knows everything about the supernatural world now **_or at least as much as we know_**

She was peeved to be out of the loop, though at the same time she somewhat understood why we were trying to keep her safe **_or at least she does now_** so long as we never keep anything from her ever again.

I spent the majority of the time with Ally and her dad, their vacation home was unfuckingreal, and they treated me like one of the family. 

I kept in touch with mom as much as I could with the time difference and her work schedule **_emails were our best friend_**

Scott emailed and actually talked about books, which shocked the hell out of me. However it was amazing to get to bond with him over something new and a subject I’m crazy about. He made a promise to mom and I that this year was going to be different and I have a great feeling that he’s telling the truth. Biggest good sign being that he’s read more books this summer than he has in his whole life _and_ he signed us up for PSAT practice study weekends.

I kept in touch with Stiles more than anyone though, even took him to the Eiffel Tower **_thank you facetime_**

Not seeing him in person for so long has done nothing for my feelings, just made them intensify if anything **_self pity sigh_**

Lydia scoffs bringing me back to the car conversation as she makes a right turn from the stop sign “It is not a group _date_. It’s just a group _thing_.”

Allison chuckles “Do they know it’s a group _thing_? ‘Cause I told you that I’m not ready to get back out there” she finishes with a look over her shoulder to me sitting in the backseat and I give her a supportive nod.

I see Lydia roll her eyes in the rearview mirror “You two were in France and didn’t do _any_ dating– for four months?”

I shake my head when she looks at me “Why would I date anyone in France?”

She laughs lightly “I’m not surprised you didn’t, since you have someone here.”

I widen my eyes and look up to her, leaning forward to rest my elbows on each of their seats “What? I– I do not.”

She snorts “Puh-lease, you know I have eyes right? And I have perfect vision– though even blind I would be able to see it.”

I groan and drop my forehead onto my arms that are crossed in between their seats **_am I that obvious?_**

Allison saves me _after_ she lets out a soft chuckle “What about you Lyds– did you date anyone this summer? I mean, after–”

“Do not say his name” She lifts her hand to point a finger at Allison’s face as I lift my head up from my arms.

I smile softly though she can’t see it as I hesitantly ask “Is he okay? I mean, did everything work out?”

Lydia tilts her head to the side “Well, the doctors looked like total idiots when he turned up alive, but everyone got over it. And yes, Derek taught him the werewolf 101, like how _not_ to randomly kill people during a full moon.”

Allison turns her head towards her smirking “So then you’ve talked to him?”

“Uh, not since he left for London immediately after I got back from visiting you guys” Lydia grumbles, earning Allison to share a smirk with me as she corrects “You mean since his dad moved him to London.” 

“Whatever, he left. And seriously, an American werewolf in London? Like, that’s not gonna be a disaster” Lydia jokes before I turn towards her “So you’re totally over him?”

Lydia makes a noise and immediately jabs “Would I be going on a triple group date if I wasn’t?”

At Allison’s and my shared wide eyed expression and soft chuckle at catching her in her lie, Lydia rolls her eyes “Yes, it is a triple group date– it’s not an orgy. You’ll both live.”

“I don’t want to go on a date with anyone” I grumble while she comes to a stop at a red light. She looks over her shoulder “Oh sure you do sweetie, just with a certain brown haired, brown eyed–”

“Alright, seriously am I that obvious?” I interrupt with a huff and they share a silent look before failing at containing their laughter **_I’m friends with you why?_**

I furrow my brows and through their laughs Allison clears her throat “No– I mean to us? We’ve been able to see for–”

Lydia laughs to interrupt her and turns back towards me “The longest time, seriously Addy why haven’t you told him?”

I scoff and look down to my lap picking at the non existent lint on my frayed jean shorts and mumble “Because he’s in love with someone else.”

Lydia’s turn to scoff now as she turns forward again “If by someone else you mean _Addeline_ , then you’re correct my dear, blind friend.”

Allison softens her face and turns to look at me “Can you really not see– oh, my god. Oh my god,” she widens her eyes out Lydia’s window and ducks down in her seat “Oh, my god. Oh, my god, I can’t see him– not now.” 

I share a frown with Lydia in the rearview mirror before turning to my left and seeing none other than the blue jeep with Scott and Stiles looking at us.

I smile when Stiles does his signature head nod lopsided smile as a hello through the window **_I’ve fucking missed that smile, pictures don’t do it justice_**

“Lydia go! Just go!” Allison urges quickly and ducks in the seat to get out of view as Lydia points to the front window “But the light.” 

“Hey!” I hear Stiles shout before Lydia sighs and steps on the gas effectively speeding through the red light intersection.

Lydia and I look over to Allison when she sighs “You all right?”

She nods before she looks through the back window and I follow suit noticing Stiles slam on the breaks in the middle of the street and Allison sigh out “Lydia, stop. We need to go back and talk to them.”

Lydia slams on the breaks as well and I turn to look out the window again “They stopped too. Why would they stop?”

Lydia scoffs “It’s Stiles and Scott. Do you really wanna try applying logic to those two?” **_good point_**

I turn back to look forward and see Allison as she shrugs offering softly “Maybe we should go back.”

My eyes move from her to the front window when I see movement and my eyes immediately widen at the crazy ass deer that is bee lining quickly straight for us “Holy shit–”

The fucking thing doesn’t swerve away from us like any self preservation animal would do, no it uses the headlights as a beacon to run straight towards the car and crashes its body into the windshield eliciting screams from the three of us.

I raise my arms to cover my face from the broken glass flying inside the car and the dead deer face now entirely too close for my liking.

I finish screaming with a cough and reach for the door handle, falling out of the car and trying to stop my panting breaths like I just ran a mile.

Once I land on the ground I feel arms reach down and lift me up “Addy, Adds– hey look at me”

I lift my eyes from the ground, taking quick breaths and swallowing once as I cough again. I set my hands on Stiles’ arms that are holding me up and connect my eyes with his concerned ones before he asks quickly “Are you ok?”

I shake my head and close my eyes for a moment before opening them and connecting them with his again “It came right at us”

He looks me over again muttering “Are you hurt?”

Still out of breath I swallow thickly “I don’t think so, no I’m– ahh–” he interrupts me by moving his hands from my arms up to the side of my face and turns my head to the side “You– you are hurt– you’re bleeding.”

Stiles moves one hand up to tuck my hair behind my ear and sets his hand on the side of my neck near my shoulder as he keeps inspecting my face **_and now I can’t breathe for another reason_**

I make a noise as he tilts my head back further “Stiles, I’m ok–” I try to turn my head back to face him but he keeps my head steady as he continues to talk to himself “It’s not bleeding too badly but I have–”

“Sty!” He snaps out of looking at the side of my forehead and flicks his eyes to mine. I set my hand on his forearm in front of my face and lower it as I slowly turn my head to face him fully again as I stress “I’m _okay._ ”

He flicks his eyes in between both of mine a few times, swallowing and nodding once before wrapping his arms around my back and pulling me into him for a bone crushing hug **_I missed you too_**

I feel him lean his head onto mine before he mutters into my hair “You just got back and you already almost died.”

I set my arms around him to return the hug and laugh softly “It’s good to see you too.”

He chuckles as we hear Scott ask Allison if she’s ok and her reply that she is before Lydia snaps “Well the _single_ person is not okay! I’m totally freaking out you guys!”

Stiles and I pull apart and don’t look at each other as he clears his throat and I see him out of my shoe examination reach up to rub behind his neck.

I shake my head and swing my eyes to her **_thanks Lyds_** before I hear him make a noise and I remove myself from the awkward and step over to look in the window of the car.

Tilting my head to the side I notice the side of my forehead that indeed has a slight cut in it ** _at least I can move my hair to cover it_**

My eyes move from my reflection to the deer and I move to walk around the front though I’m stopped by arms pulling me into another hug. I let out a chuckle and wrap my arms around him “Hey Scotty.”

He pulls back, setting his hands on my shoulders and gives me a lopsided smile “Welcome home party not what you expected?”

I give a playful scoff before I shake my head and look over my shoulder at the deer “Why would it just run right into us?”

Scott’s face drops and he moves past me and over towards the body as I follow him and continue “I saw its eyes right before it hit us– it was like it was–”

“Like it was crazy” Lydia fills in on a huff and comes to a stop next to me as Stiles walks up on my other side. I see him lean towards the side of my forehead again out of my periph and I lean away mouthing “I’m okay.”

He rolls his eyes before we see Scott set his hand on the deer’s body “No it was scared–” he flinches slightly “Actually it was terrified.”

****

The next morning I walk into the bathroom to see Scott doing pull ups on some device that is now attached to the top of the door frame. I scoff lightly “You know I’m back so you have to share the bathroom again.”

He hops down and chuckles “Sorry, old habits.”

“Old habits? It was a couple of months!” I rub my finger in the corner of my eye still trying to wake up.

He smiles and shakes his head before a ding on his computer gains his attention. He turns towards the computer and nods before reading the cause of the ding “Ephemeral– lasting for a short time– transient– momentary–”

He looks down to his arm muttering “Ephemeral” before he looks back over to me and reaches up to take down the makeshift pull up bar.

I cross my arms and nod towards his room “Preparing for the PSAT’s?”

Scott sets the bar on the ground and sets his hands on his hips when he stands up right again and smiles towards me “You proud?”

“Little bit” I chuckle and close the door on his side to get on with my shower and getting ready for the first day of junior year.

****

I throw my hair into a side braid with a few lose shorter strands to frame my face on the other side.

I nod my head at my maroon slightly oversized sweater, black skinny jeans and white converse outfit in the mirror before I grab my bag and head downstairs to wait for Stiles.

Scott got, or I should say mom somehow lost her mind and let Scott get, a fucking motorbike over the damn summer.

So I’m flying solo on the need a ride everywhere train, since mom needed the car this morning.

Opening the door once I hear the jeep pull up, I head down the steps after locking the door and rush up to the passenger door “Thank you for picking me up.”

I set my bag on the floor and get settled in the seat, buckling up as Stiles sets his hand on the gearshift “Always, Adds. Can you believe he actually got a motorbike?”

I snort and shake my head as he pulls back onto the road “Not even a little bit, it is awesome though.”

He nods and I turn my head towards him, noticing his longer locks in the light of the day **_like damn, he’s never allowed to cut his hair again_**

I notice him look at me from the corner of his eye and lets out a nervous laugh “What?”

Snapping out of my stare I turn back to look out the windshield “Nothing– your hair looks good longer.”

“Wha– really?” he mutters as he lifts one hand off the wheel to run his fingers through the front portion, which is similar to the nervous habit he had when he’d rub his hand over his buzz cut **_however fuck me this is completely different_**

Instead of panting like a cat in heat, I offer him a genuine smile “Yup, umm do– do you like it longer?”

He just shrugs and looks at me quickly before looking to the road again, a smile lifting the corner of his mouth “Yea– I think I do.”

****

We’re walking down the hallway and Scott brings up asking for help with his tattoo problem **_wait the WHAT problem?_**

I close my eyes as I stop walking and slap my arm out across his chest causing him to stumble before coming to a stop with Stiles walking back to us.

I make a noise and shake my head once before opening my eyes “Tattoo? What tattoo– why wasn’t I in the know?”

He goes to answer, however, I lift my hand off his chest and point towards him “Better question _why_ wasn’t I there with you?! We had a plan to get matching tattoos when we turned eighteen!”

He shares a look with Stiles who offers a grimace as an answer before Scott raises his arms to his sides in surrender “I wanted you there too, but with your flight being delayed and you not getting here until last night, I ran out of days before school. It didn’t work if that makes you feel better”

“You would have hated it anyways– it wasn’t the matching tattoo plan” Stiles offers and Scott drops his arms to glare at him.

I cross my arms and make a face “Makes me feel a little better,” he sighs happily at my anger fading away, though I roll my eyes and continue “What do you mean it didn’t work?”

Scott shrugs “After the guy finished with it, he bandaged it up and we left. But in the jeep it started burning, pretty painfully I might add, and then it just faded away” he shoves his hands in his pockets before he continues “Derek might be able to help”

Stiles jerks his head back “You wanna ask Derek for help? Why, why?”

I shrug and drop my arms to my side “He’s got the triskele tattooed on his back.”

Stiles narrows his eyes at me causing me to make a _what_ face as Scott nods and continues “So there _has_ to be a way to do it without healing, right?”

“Probably yeah” I offer as Stiles scoffs “Okay, yeah, but still, doesn’t he have his hands a little full?” he points out has his hands gesture towards the bulletin board next to us with Boyd and Erica’s missing persons fliers attached to it.

Boyd and Erica had escaped with the help of Chris letting them go from Gerard’s torture dungeon– except now they’re really missing **_no one has seen them in months_**

We nod towards him but share a look when the principal’s voice from the office we stopped next to interrupts us “Look, these are the applications for the career advisor. I need them sorted.” 

We take a few steps closer to the open door and look down the hallway as he continues “And whatever happened to the library while I was gone, I want it cleared up,” he grabs and holds up the sword that Gerard used to terrorize the werewolves last year “And _what the hell_ is this?”

The three of us share a wide eyed look before Stiles sets his hands on our backs and turns us around muttering “Go, go, go.”

****

We walk into English class and I see an empty seat by the window so I head straight for it, while Stiles moves to sit on my right and Scott moves to sit on the other side of Stiles.

Lydia and Allison walk in and Lydia sits in front of me while Allison looks at the last empty seat– in front of Scott. 

She shares a look with Lydia and I as she twists on her toes and points towards the seat, directing her words to Scott “Is someone–?”

Moving my lips between my teeth, I share a look with Stiles trying not to laugh as Scott stammers out “No, no, no, no. No, it’s all you, all yours. Uh, it’s totally vacant.”

I snort and look down to my desk as she finally sits down and Stiles gives him a thumbs up.

All of our phones ping or vibrate with a new text message **_what now– I’ve had enough weird thanks_**

I pull my phone out of my bag and hear a new voice walk into the room and start to read the message we all just received “The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds and the tranquil waterway, leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under an overcast sky, seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness,” obviously our new teacher smirks and leans against her desk as she continues “This is the last line to the first book we are going to read. It is also the last text you will receive in this class. Phones off, everyone.”

We all share a look before we listen and put our phones away and begin class.

New teacher’s name is Ms. Blake and she gets us to work quickly to begin outlining the first chapter of the book.

Our principal walks in a couple minutes later and shares some whispered words with Ms. Blake before she nods and looks up “Mr. McCall?” She indicates for him to come up to the class with her nodding towards his bag. 

Scott shares a look with us before he packs up and follows her out of the room **_what could he of possibly done so quickly?_**

Stiles crosses his arms and shares a furrowed brow expression with me to what that could be about. 

I shrug and he drops his eyes to the ground under Lydia’s desk, his body twitches forward as he sits up and points to her feet “Hey, Lydia. What is that? Is that from the accident?”

I lean forward and to the side to see what he’s talking about, seeing a bandage on her ankle as she shakes her head and looks at us “No. Prada bit me.”

“Your dog?” Stiles whispers towards us as I set my elbow on the desk and lean my chin in the palm of my hand.

“No, my designer handbag,” she deadpans before conceding like it was a ridiculous question “Yes, my dog.” 

Stiles rolls his eyes towards me as she goes back to working on the paper on her desk. I snort into my hand before I lean forward near her more “Has she ever bitten you before?”

She looks over her shoulder at me leveling me with a look before she shakes her head and makes a noise in the negative column **_well guess we aren’t done with weird things_**

I sit back and look over at Stiles who leans closer to our aisle “Okay. What if it’s, like, the same thing as the deer? You know, like, how animals start acting weird right before an earthquake or something?”

Making a noise in the back of my throat I lift my hand off the desk “Meaning what? There’s gonna be an earthquake?”

Stiles raises his brows and stresses “Or _something_. I just– maybe it means something’s coming. Something bad.” 

Lydia scoffs and looks over her shoulder at us “It was a deer and a dog guys, stop reaching for something that isn’t there.”

I make a face at the back of her head before I turn back towards Stiles “What’s the thing your dad says about threes?– One’s an incident, two’s a coincidence, three’s a–”

There’s a loud thump on the window next to us that interrupts my words, we jump and I quickly flick my head over to face the window and see a blood marking. 

Dread completely fills my body as I turn back towards Stiles to finish what I was saying on a whisper “…Pattern.”

He widens his eyes and moves them from me and over to the window, causing me to turn around as well.

Ms. Blake slowly walks over to stand in front of one of the windows as we see a massive swarm of birds flying right at the building.

Everyone starts to shift in their seats, trying to see out the window before there are multiple thuds of the fucking birds just crashing into the windows.

We all flinch back with the noise before it intensifies and we hear the glass start to crack until finally the birds successfully crash through the windows and start flying around the room.

Screams and cries of pain fill the room as we all start ducking and trying to dodge the birds as they attack us and Ms. Blake starts shouting “Get down, everyone!”

I drop down to the ground trying to cover my head with my arms as I feel them pecking painfully everywhere on my body **_this is an actual nightmare_**

Stiles hops over my desk and crouches down next to me, throwing his arms over me. He pulls me into his chest and moves us under the desk as we hear her continue to shout to get down over the chaos the birds have brought.

After the longest minutes of our life, the noise finally dies down and I slowly raise my head from his chest, setting my hands on his arms as he slides his hands down my back and rests them on my waist. 

We raise from our crouched position and look over the desk at the classroom, noticing all the feathers and dead birds scattered all over the floor.

Stiles shakes his head and moves his hands from my waist, resting them on the sides of my face as he lets out a deep exhale, sharing our silent question **_what the fuck is happening with the animals?_**

He moves his eyes around my face before whispering “You okay?”

I nod and move one of my hands up towards his hair, removing some feathers before clearing my throat and dropping them on the ground “Of course I’m okay, you just turned into a human shield for me– are _you_ okay?”

He chuckles and softens his eyes, lifting one of his hands to also remove feathers out of my hair “I’m good, Adds.”

****

Ms. Blake calls for an ambulance to tend to the injuries the digusting birds left behind **_disease carrying bastards_**

Mr. S showed up as well with a few deputies to take statements and see what happened while we look over and see our terrified new teacher leaning against her desk with a far off look in her eyes. 

Stiles walks over and clears his throat “Ms. Blake? You okay?” he reaches forward and she flinches back causing him to turn his hand palm up towards her as he continues to reach towards her hair pulling out a feather “Uh, sorry, just– that” he smiles softly and walks over to lean against a desk with me.

He pulls out his phone and sends another text to Scott, when he sighs through his frustration, I turn my head towards him and frown “You’re bleeding now.”

Stiles looks up and over to me before he shakes his head and looks back to his phone “I’m fine.”

Rolling my eyes, I lean closer to him “I’m going to officially demand you pay me five bucks every time you say you’re fucking fine.” 

When he snaps his head over to me, I throw him a smirk and hop off the desk. I walk over towards Ms. Blake’s desk to look through a first aid kit the paramedics brought and left for us to use.

I grab some alcohol wipes and a small band aid since the cut is near his hairline and walk back over to Stiles. 

Needing to be as close as I can, I maneuver to stand in between his legs. The action causes him to suck in a breath as he drops his hands down to his sides and sits up straight to make room for me in his space.

I rip open the alcohol wipes and set my other hand on the side of his jaw, tilting his head towards me as I reach forward with the wipe.

Stiles makes a noise as his eyes follow my hand and I stop my movements, connecting my eyes with his, offering gently “Yes it’ll sting but it’s better than getting a disease.”

“Fine” he huffs, my brows instantly raising as I try to fight off my smile and he rolls his eyes “Doesn’t count, I didn’t say _I was fine_.”

I snort through a chuckle and nod “Fair enough” before I go about dabbing the wipe on his head, he closes his eyes with a quick hiss causing me to offer a slight grimace “Sorry.”

He opens his eyes as he shakes his head and lifts one side of his mouth before I grab the band aid, unwrap it and place it as best I can over the cut and not in his hair.

I lower my hands, watching as Stiles moves his eyes back and forth in between mine, swallowing thickly before he clears his throat “Thanks.”

I smile offering a little nod as Noah walks up to us and sets his hands on our shoulders, successfully breaking our staring contest as I jerk back “You guys okay?”

I nod and take a step to the side to stand next to Stiles now as he answers his dad “Addy patched me up, we’re good.”

Noah smiles at me and nods before he moves past us over to Chris and Allison “Mr. Argent, you wouldn’t have any insight into this, would you?”

Widening my eyes I swing them from Stiles’ shocked face and over my shoulder to Allison, seeing her dad nervously smile “Me?”

“Yeah. All this bizarre animal behavior, it’s– you must have seen something like this before, right?” Stiles flicks his eyes between me and his dad in complete shock at what his dad is asking **_did they tell him while I was in France?_**

I flick my eyes back to Stiles silently asking with my narrowed eyes and head nod in his dad’s direction if he _knows_ , but Stiles just shakes his head as Chris continues “I’m not sure why I would or why you would think I would…”

Noah makes a noise “I’m sorry. I– I could’ve sworn I overheard Stiles talking with Addy about how you were an experienced hunter a couple months ago.”

Chris chuckles softly and looks over at us, seeing my scrunched up nose grimace at that information he overheard before looking back at Noah “Ah, right. Well, not anymore.”

Noah nods and reaches out towards Allison “You all right?”

She nods and he walks back over towards us causing Stiles to lift his hand towards his dad, sharing a look that couldn’t say how not cool that was more if he tried.

Stiles tries Scott again and sits up straighter when the call apparently gets answered as he rushes out “We got a serious problem at school. Ms. Blake’s class–”

Stiles huffs from being interrupted before connects his eyes with mine and continues “Well, no, pretty sure this qualifies for immediate discussion.”

I furrow my brows as he rolls his eyes and answers Scott “Derek’s house? What the hell are you doing at–”

He pulls his phone away from his ear and glares at it before huffing and looking to me “Guess we’re leaving, I’ll meet you at your locker in a few minutes okay?”

I nod though my focus is on the floor and he sets his hands on my upper arms, gaining my attention “Adds?”

I offer him a smile and clear my throat “Yeah, I’m okay– see you in a minute.”

He scoffs, hops off the desk, and leans closer to me to whisper near my ear “You’re going to have to pay me _back_ the five bucks every time you say you’re fucking okay” he winks before he walks towards the door **_touché_**

***

After I grab my things I walk over to Allison and Lydia to wait for Stiles, leaning against the locker beside them. 

Lydia opens her locker and looks in her mirror on the inside of her door “Is it me or is Beacon Hills turning into more like beacon for the totally bizarre and supernatural?”

Allison and I chuckle as I answer her “Maybe that’s how the city got its–”

“Where’s Scott McCall?” We flinch back with the new voice _right_ beside us and notice a new chick **_very not in tune with personal space_** as she turns her attention to me “You’re Addy, right?– his sister…”

Allison furrows her brows and looks between us “Yeah she is, how do you know tha–”

“Where’s Scott?” Ms. Rando stresses as she interrupts her and I shake my head “He had to leave.”

Allison clears her throat, looking between us as he elaborates “He was supposed to be back in class–”

Again with the interrupting, rando chick reaches out and grabs my forearm causing me to gasp as she stresses “Is he coming back?”

“Hey, easy with the physicality, sweetheart–” Lydia points towards my arm her words cut off as she instead gasps since new chick also reaches out and grabs her arm.

My mouth falls open in pain when she begins to squeeze our arms and take a few deep breaths as she looks over our shoulders.

She lets go and continues to stare off behind us before turning and leaving. Allison, Lydia and I share a look and also look behind us to see two new faces **_twins actually_** who brood our way before they turn and walk out of sight.

Allison takes steps in the direction rando chick went as Lydia and I bring our arms up, she adds a scoff “Ugh. Well, she bruised me.”

I nod and look from her arm over to mine, agreeing as my eyes take in the purple forming bruise “Yup– me too.”

Chris walks up and sets his hands on our shoulders, nodding towards the end of the hall “Come on, let’s get you girls out of here. School can wait another day.”

We offer him grateful smiles, though I don’t have time to decline when Stiles walks up and sets his hand on my back “Oh actually I’ve got Adds.”

I wave bye to the girls and Chris who nods and offers an understanding smile as he steps out of the way for us to walk down the hall towards the door **_he’s actually a great guy and father now that Gerard is out of his head_**

****

At Derek’s house now, he sits down with Scott and flashes his Alpha reds as he looks at his arm “Yeah, I see it. It’s two bands, right?”

Scott nods at him as I look at Stiles who crosses his arms, making a face like he has no idea why Scott would pick that. 

I chuckle towards him as Derek leans back pondering to Scott “What does it mean?”

“I don’t know. It’s just something I traced with my fingers” Scott answers softly and reaches forward and makes the marking in the dust on the table against the corner of their chairs. He uses one finger to do the first circle and then two fingers to make a bigger circle around the smaller one **_interesting_**

Derek looks from the table, to me and back to Scott “Why is this so important to you?”

Scott looks up to him “Do you know what the word ‘tattoo’ means?”

Stiles leans forward towards them and answers “To mark something” he stands back next to me and smirks with a wink when I look over to him **_can you stop winking at me before I die on the floor, thanks_**

“Well, that’s in tahitian. In samoan, it means ‘open wound’.” Scott corrects and I raise my brows once with the new knowledge.

Derek moves his surprised eyes from us back to Scott who continues and looks over his shoulder at me “I knew I wanted to get a tattoo when we turned eighteen. I’ve always wanted one with you Addy– I just decided to get this one now for myself, to make it kind of a reward.”

Derek raises his brows and voices all of our shared question “For what?”

Scott turns back to face him, answering immediately “For not calling or texting Allison all summer. Even when I really wanted to, even when it was so hard not to sometimes, especially when I was talking with you Addy and I knew she was either right there or in the next room. I was trying to give her the space she wants. Goin’ four months later, it still hurts. It still feels like a, uh–”

“Like an open wound” Stiles finishes and I share a sad look with him before Scott turns to look at us and nods “Yeah.”

Derek nods and looks between us before grabbing something and warning Scott “The pain’s gonna be worse than anything you’ve ever felt.”

“Ah, that’s great,” Stiles makes a noise and nods to the ground while Scott doesn’t miss a beat, nodding once “Do it.”

Derek smirks and lifts up something that was by his foot **_is that a blow torch?_**

He flicks something across the top and the bright blue flame bursts from the end.

Widening my eyes, I flinch back as Stiles drops his crossed arms down to his side “Oh, wow. That’s a– that’s a lot for me,” he points past us and starts to walk around Derek while he continues “So I’m gonna take that as my cue– I’m just going to wait outside– Adds?”

Derek reaches out and stops him with his hand on his chest and pushes Stiles back to where he was standing as he points over towards me “Nope. You can help Addy hold him down.”

“Hold him down?” I raise my brows when Derek turns to look back at me, giving a bigger smirk and shake of his head “You held me up in a pool for hours, you can definitely hold him down for a couple of minutes.”

I make a noise in the back of my throat, arguing in defense of my none muscles compared to Scott’s were-strength “That was different! There’s no buoyancy to hel–”

“Addy, again with the science lesson,” Derek interrupts and nods his head towards Scott “Just hold his shoulder while Stiles holds the other.” 

I huff and roll up the sleeves of my sweater to my elbows before linking my fingers together and setting my palms on each side of his shoulder. 

Stiles does the same and Derek’s brow twitches before reaching out and grabbing Scott’s wrist **_oh my god_**

“Holy shit” Stiles mutters before Derek moves the flame closer to Scott’s bicep. I feel Scott start to twitch, as he fights the urge to run away from the pain he’s about to endure. 

The flame hits his skin and the smell and noise are enough to make want to throw up all over my stupid brother.

Scott can’t hold in his screams anymore and moves out of our grip causing Derek to flick his eyes up to us and bellowing “Hold him”

Stiles and I regroup our footing to put more of our weight on Scott’s shoulders who just continues to scream louder and louder before he transforms and lets out his roar into the burned house around us.

Scott eventually passes out from the pain and Derek finishes on the other side of his arm while Stiles and I take a step back. 

I clear my throat and step outside for some fresh air, I lift my arm up to scratch the side of my head when Stiles follows me out onto the porch and softly grabs my arm “Where did you get this?– is it from last night, or with the fucking bird fiasco?”

I turn my arm in his grasp, examining the darkening bruise before I shake my head “No I got it right before we left school actually. This girl came up asking if I was Scott’s sister and where he was.”

He frowns and looks back to my arm touching the side softly “Did she not like your answer?”

I chuckle before also frowning at the weird events “Not really but she grabbed mine and Lydia’s arms, squeezed them painfully and had a stare down contest with the new twin students who were down the hall and then she just disappeared– leaving us with marks that are getting worse apparently.”

He sighs and sets his hands on his hips “And you’ve never seen her before?”

I shake my head when he connects his eyes with mine and he lets out a deep breath before frowning at my arm again.

***

Scott gasps awake and looks down to his arm, before looking up at us excitedly “It worked.”

He puts his other shirt back on and walks with us towards the door as Stiles scoffs softly “Well, it looks pretty damn permanent now.”

Scott sighs and rubs his hand over the new marking “Yeah. I kind of needed something permanent. Everything that’s happened to us– everything just changes so fast. Everything’s so, uh– ephemeral.”

Stiles shares an impressed face with me before turning towards Scott “Studying for the PSATs?”

“Yep.” Scott nods and I chuckle as Stiles also nods “Nice.”

I cross my arms and shake my head at his arm “I can’t believe you got a tattoo before me”

Scott shakes his head and shrugs “We’re still on for our plan when we turn eighteen.”

“The plan was to get our _first_ tattoos _together,_ asshat” I grumble at his back and Stiles chuckles, however Scott, with his hand on the door, ignores me and turns his attention to it. 

He opens it wider and looks at it funny before addressing Derek “You painted the door.”

He looks past my shoulder into the room we were just in “Why’d you paint the door?”

Derek looks between us, muttering adamantly “Go home, Scott.”

“And why only one side?” Scott flicks his claws from his fingers and moves towards the door, before he starts scratching away at the paint with one finger.

Derek walks towards us snapping “Scott”

Though he doesn’t stop and apparently notices something because Scott takes both hands now and scratches the shit out of the newly painted door until there is a black marking fully visible now.

I share a look with Stiles as to what the marking is before Scott looks back at us and over at Derek as he deducts “The birds at school and the deer last night–just like the night I got trampled by the deer when I got bit by the Alpha. How many are there?”

Derek drops his glare and sighs out “A pack of 'em,” shock crosses our features and Stiles throws his head back slightly before Derek confirms “An Alpha pack.”

Stiles looks from me and over to Derek questioning “All of them? How does that even work?”

“I hear there’s some kind of a leader. He’s called Deucalion”

I shake my head gaining his attention “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Derek scoffs “Because you guys were focusing on living your lives this summer and you _deserved_ to do that, Addy.”

He closes his eyes before letting out a sigh and connecting his eyes with ours “We know they have Boyd and Erica– Peter, Isaac, and I have been looking for him for the last four months.”

I cross my arms and look over to him “Let’s say you find them. How do you deal with an Alpha pack?”

Derek looks from me over to Scott stating “With all the help I can get.”

Stiles nods agreeing surprisingly when Scott looks back to us, though we are interrupted from saying anything when Isaac’s voice from the other room gains our attention “Where is she?”

We share a look before turning around the corner and see Isaac sitting up on the table he was previously laying on “Where’s the girl?”

We all share a furrowed brow look before Derek nods his head towards him “What girl?”

****

Allison and her dad had moved from their massive house into a penthouse apartment before we left for France. We came up with ideas for her to decorate her room and everything over the summer, and tonight we are helping her pick paint colors for her walls.

We’ve taped some of the sample cards on the wall and are comparing them to key pieces she wants for her decorations.

Lydia holds up one in particular stating “This one, it’s perfect.”

Allison nods her head towards the color in my hand “Mm, I don’t know. I’m still thinking maybe a shade of blue…”

I lift my arm holding up the blue card to the wall, seeing Lydia tilt her head as she examines the color as well before we hear Allison gasp behind us “Guys, look.”

I look over my shoulder at her, seeing her eyes looking right at our arms. I follow her line of sight and take in a quick breath at the bruise markings on Lydia’s and my arm lining up together perfectly to make a symbol of sorts.

I’m not even surprised if rando chick had magical bruising powers for giving us a message ** _but what does it mean?_**


	26. Chaos Rising

Seeing Allison’s picture of us in front of the Eiffel Tower light up my screen, I smile as I swipe the green call button and put the phone to my ear “Hey what’s up?”

“Hey, so I really can’t stop thinking about the markings on your arms being some sort of a pattern, it has to mean something– is Scott there?– Can we talk to him about this?”

Looking down to my other arm I sigh softly “I agree the pattern looks almost familiar, I just can’t place it– but Scott isn’t here. Um Stiles was taking him out tonight”

“Where was he taking him, can we meet them? I feel like this is important…”

Well that’s a loaded question since Stiles was taking him to Heather’s birthday party after running into her and her offering to introduce Scott to a bunch of her friend’s from her high school ** _to get over you my dear sweet friend_**

Keeping that to myself though, I puff my lips out before answering “Umm let me call Stiles and see where they’re at and if–”

“Okay great, be ready because we’re almost to you” She rushes out and hangs up before I can even respond **_well this could be interesting_**

I call Stiles and he picks up after a few rings “Hey, regretting not coming with us?”

Setting the call on speaker, I rest it on my tall dresser and pull my light green henley long sleeve shirt over my head “Yea I wasn’t going to interrupt boys night, and besides it’s not like I needed to be there to see my brother shacking up with someone who isn’t the love of his life”

“Well that just killed my buzz, now I need another drink Addy– thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” I singsong before I hear his chuckle and I continue “Aren’t you driving, why are you drinking?”

“I was joking don’t worry– so what’s up if you aren’t calling to tell me how horribly bored you are?”

Not wanting to ruin the night for them I shake my head even though he can’t see me, and step into my jean shorts pulling them up “It’s– you know what it’s nothing–”

“Addy, wait hang on–” I hear the party noise get quieter before hearing a door close and his voice comes back on the line “Okay now cut the shit, what’s wrong?”

I chew on the side of my lip before I huff and lay it all out there “Allison wants to talk to Scott about Lydia’s and my arm bruises. She says it’s important– and she can’t stop thinking how it’s a message that we need to de-code somehow, aaaaand she’s on her way to pick me up so we can meet you and Scott, _since_ I didn’t tell her what you two were actually doing for the evening.”

He chuckles and I can hear him take in a breath before he sighs out “Okay, well I’ll see you soon.”

I slip on my grey converse, before I grab my jacket and walk out my bedroom door to wait downstairs “Seriously? You’re not bummed we’re crashing your night over something that may be nothing?”

“No the party is lame anyways, Heather disappeared and her friends weren’t exactly gaining Scott’s attention anyways. Plus this may not be nothing– so please come rescue us, I’ll text you the address.”

***

I open the door once I see Allison pull up from the front window, closing and locking it before I run down the steps, getting in the backseat and offering my hellos as I get buckled up.

Allison and Lydia turn back to look at me “They fine to meet us?”

I adjust in the seat moving my eyes between theirs “Yea I got the address for where they are.”

Not missing a beat Allison nods “All right where is it?”

I hesitantly look up to her and point to my arm “You really think Scott’s going to know what this is?”

She shakes her head once “No but he might know someone who does,” she answers honestly before Lydia makes a noise and turns to her “How are you so sure that it means anything at all?”

“Because that girl wasn’t just looking for Scott. It’s like she needed to find him– like she _had_ to– and that means something.”

Lydia shares a look with me before I nod towards Allison “All right then let’s go.”

***

We pull up to Heather’s house and I send Stiles a text letting him know we’re outside. 

Him and Scott walk out a minute later and we get out of the car as soon as they close the front door to meet them over on the walkway.

Scott looks between us before he turns his attention to Allison “This isn’t the talk we were gonna have, is it?” **_not so much_**

She shakes her head before clearing her throat and stating “We need to show you something…”

She turns to Lydia and I who share a look before we pull up our sleeves and set our arms together in front of the guys.

They step forward and Scott furrows his brows while he reaches out to set his hand on my arm, at the face he makes I lean forward slightly “It’s a familiar symbol right?”

He nods as Stiles bends forward more and shrugs “A little, possibly. I mean, but from where?” **_That’s the million dollar question_**

***

The next day at school, we convince Derek to come and look at Lydia’s and my arms on our lunch break.

Once we’re settled in an empty classroom we bring them together in front of Derek and he crosses his arms as he examines the markings.

After a few seconds, he shakes his head and lifts a shoulder “I don’t see anything.”

“Look again” Scott urges and Derek snaps back, throwing a glare at Allison “How is a _bruise_ gonna tell me where Boyd and Erica are?” **_pump the brakes_**

Stiles scoffs and I see him drop his arm off his knee to point to us “It’s the same on both sides. _Exactly_ the same Derek, come on”

“It’s nothing” Derek deadpans without even looking back at him.

Lydia shrugs and drops her arm from mine stating “Pareidolia– seeing patterns that aren’t there. It’s a subset of apophenia.”

I swing my gaze to her, getting a smirk and shrug in return from her as Scott turns to Derek “They’re trying to help.”

Derek scoffs and points towards Allison and Lydia “These two. This one, who used me to resurrect my psychotic Uncle– Thank you,” he makes a face towards Lydia like that ‘thank you’ means _anything_ else than the words usually mean, before he turns his anger towards Ally and continues “And this one, who shot about thirty arrows into me and my pack.” **_I mean last year wasn’t ideal for anyone really_**

Stiles, sitting on the desk behind us, makes a noise of disagreement causing my eyes to lift to his as he makes a face “Okay, all right, now, come on. No one died, all right? Look, there may have been a little maiming, okay, a little mangling, but no death. That’s what I call an important distinction.”

Allison flicks her eyes to Derek and whispers to him with a condescending nod “My mother died.”

“Your family’s little honor code killed your mother– not me.” Derek quips before Allison scoffs and sets her hands on her hips “That girl was looking for Scott. I’m here to help him, not you.”

Wanting to break the glare contest I take a step towards him “Derek– what if she’s the girl Isaac was talking about? What if she did leave this as a clue?”

He sighs as he swings his eyes to me and lets me continue, which I do with a point to my arm and then over to Lydia “This makes a symbol or logo or _something_ – and it may be the only chance we have at finding Erica and Boyd”

Derek just glares at me “Do you even have the slightest idea of how crazy that sounds Addy? Why would she leave a clue on two teenager’s arms huh? Why wouldn’t she have just _told_ you where they were if she had any fucking idea? You all are so desperate to help– find something else” He grumbles before he turns to leave and Scott walks after him.

I frown before I turn and go lean against a desk dropping my sleeve back over my arm.

Allison walks over to me and sets her arm around my shoulders “I’ll look up logos in my free period after this okay?”

I nod and drop my head onto her shoulder **_I know we’re right_**

***

After lunch we walk through the quad to the other building where Econ is.

Stiles sighs before questioning “Okay, what would a pack of alphas want with Erica and Boyd?”

“I’m not sure it’s them they want,” Scott disagrees immediately and Stiles raises his arms with his next line of questioning “Okay, what, like Derek? Like they’re recruiting?”

Scott ignores him and stops to turn, keeping all his attention on the backs of the new twins **_Rando chick looked at them the same way_**

I share a look with Stiles as he furrows his brows and says louder “Hey, Scott. You coming?” he raises his arm out to get his attention and Scott turns back towards us. I raise my brows in question at him and he nods as he begins his steps towards us again.

We make it into Econ and I take a seat behind Danny while Stiles sits on my left and Scott sits behind me.

Coach slams his book on the desk before he starts his lecture “The stock market is based on two principles. What are they?” he looks expectantly around the room before pointing towards me on a sigh “Yes, McCall, you can go to the bathroom.” **_I don’t need to go to the bathroom_**

He points towards the other side of the room asking “Anybody else?” before I hear Scott clear his throat behind me “Uh, no, Coach, I know the answer” **_ah that McCall, naturally_**

Coach takes 0.4 seconds to start laughing hysterically, however; he clears his face of any humor and raises his brows “Oh, you’re serious.”

Scott laughs lightly before answering “Yes. Risk and reward.”

I look over my shoulder to give Scotty a _way to go_ smile as Coach’s shock couldn’t be higher “Wow! Who are you? And what have you done to He-McCall?” He smiles and walks down our aisle stopping beside me and pointing to Scott “Don’t answer that. I like you better. Trying to get on your sister’s level– yeah I like you better.”

He nods before patting my shoulder as he turns and walks back towards the front of the room inquiring with a raise of his hands “Does anybody have a quarter? A quarter”

“Yep.” Stiles shifts in his seat to dig in his pocket, however as he brings his hand out of his front pocket something else flies out and lands in the aisle between our desks **_is that?_**

My eyes widen as Coach bends down to grab the _legit_ condom that flew out of his pocket and hands it out towards him “Stilinski, I think you, uh– you dropped this. And congratulations.”

Stiles **_red face_** Stilinski grabs it from his hand and shoves it back in his pocket as I, being completely speechless, move my eyes to the chalkboard and lean back in my seat. 

However I clearly can see him turn slightly to look at the side of my face, and he turns more to share a look with Scott behind me when I don’t acknowledge this situation I’m currently occupying.

I don’t budge from staring a hole in the chalkboard as I try to pay attention to what Coach needs with a fucking quarter and not the overwhelming kick to the gut that Stiles may be with someone else.

I always thought I just had to wait for him to be over Lydia, and now there’s just someone else in the equation? Someone else he’s possibly _sleeping_ with? How do I handle this? How does anyone handle this kind of shit? **_this is why there’s cat ladies_**

Periph visual shows him look at me again but I clear my throat softly and sit forward in my seat while Coach continues “Risk and reward. Put the quarter in the mug, win the reward,” he grabs a mug off his desk to lift in the air before he sets it on the ground and stands back up to look at us “Okay, watch Coach.”

I lean to the other side of Danny to see Coach kneel one knee down on the ground and blow on the quarter, before he sets up and throws the quarter forward. It hits the ground once and bounces up to finally land in the mug.

We all clap as he stands up with his celebration and hands the quarter off “That’s how you do it. Okay– Danny. Risk, reward.”

Danny grabs the quarter from Coach’s hand, however he hesitates and lifts his hands with his question “What’s the reward?”

Coach throws his arms out and comes up with “You don’t have to take the pop quiz tomorrow.”

“Coach, it’s not a pop quiz if you tell us about it,” Danny informs causing Coach to roll his eyes as he reaches out and grabs the quarter out of his hand “Danny, you know, I really expect more from you at this point. Really.”

He takes a step towards my desk “Ok, She-McCall” he sets the quarter on my desk and continues “Risk, reward. The risk: If you don’t put that quarter in the mug, you have to take the pop– the– the quiz. And– and you have to write an essay. Risk, more work. Reward– no work at all. Or choose not to play” He stands up, backing away from me and lifting his hands up to his sides.

“But isn’t this just chance?” Scott pipes up behind me and Coach swings his eyes to him shaking his head “No. You know your abilities, your coordination, your focus, past experience– all factors affecting the outcome. So what’s it gonna be, Addy? More work, no work, or choose not to play?”

I smirk at Scott and his ‘abilities’ before I grab the quarter off the desk and stand up walking to the front of the desks “That’s the spirit!” Coach claps a few times to pump me up as I stand over where he did.

I make sure my clothes are situated as I kneel down and set the quarter in between my thumb and index finger. I make a move motion towards the ground twice before I let the quarter go. It hits the ground once and flies towards the mug, hitting the edge and falling inside the mug with ease **_fuck yes bitches_**

Everyone claps as Coach pretends to wipe a tear “I’ve never been more proud, my dear.”

He bends down to reach into the mug and retrieves the quarter as I head to my seat smiling at Scott as Coach looks around the room “Who’s next? Who wants the quarter?”

Stiles looks around before smacking his hands on the desk excitedly and stands up as I sit down. 

“There ya go! There’s a gamblin’ man!” Coach claps a few times after he hands the quarter to Stiles and continues “Come on! Step up, step up. All right, Stilinski.”

Stiles walks up and gets set up where I stood before we hear the door open.

Looking over we see Noah walk through the doorway and he zeros in on his son **_can we have one day?_**

Coach turns around muttering softly “Stiles.”

Not paying attention Stiles continues to aim for the mug “Yeah, Coach, I got it.”

“Stiles.” Noah tries this time and Stiles finally looks up to see his dad looking at him expectantly.

He follows his dad out into the hall and I turn to Scott who nods before focusing his hearing out in the hall.

Surprise crosses his face before he leans across his desk, closer to me to whisper “Heather’s missing, they put an APB out on her, asking if Stiles knows anything because–”

As he trails off, I raise my brows and Scott sighs before dropping his eyes to his desk and muttering even quieter “Because he was the last person to see her according to her friends.”

I nod hearing him loud and clear as I turn back around and start doodling on the corner of my paper.

I feel sick to my stomach to put that bit of information together with what flew out of his pocket. Did I seriously miss my chance with him? He’s not pursuing Lydia anymore and now he’s already got someone else? Did this happen while I was in France? Have I just been reading into everything too much? Maybe he really won’t ever see me as more than a friend **_this fucking blows_**

I look up to the front when there’s another tink noise sounding in the room and see Danny celebrate landing the quarter in the mug while Coach exclaims “Yes! Reward! Okay, who’s next? Greenberg, put your hand down. You don’t have a chance.”

***

After class as we’re walking through the hall Stiles runs his theory by us and Scott shakes his head “So you think they kidnapped Heather to turn her?”

Stiles raises his arms and looks between us “Derek says it’s easier to turn teenagers.”

I make a noise “Right but what would a pack of alphas need with a beta?”

Stiles sighs “I don’t know guys and honestly I don’t care. All right? It’s Heather, we’ve known her since we were three. Our moms were all best friends before mine died, all right? We used to take fuckin’ bubble baths together– we gotta find her guys.”

Pushing my hurt feelings down I nod towards him “Okay well then we need Isaac to remember.”

Stiles shakes his head “How? Peter and Derek couldn’t do it. Either of you know any other werewolves with a better trick?”

Scott makes a face and stops walking, causing us to step back towards him as he lifts his hand out “Maybe not a werewolf. But someone who knows a lot about ‘em.”

***

We meet Derek and Isaac at Deaton’s after school. Derek, Scott, Stiles, and I go about dumping bags of ice in a large metal tub filled with water in the back operating room.

Deaton crosses his arms and directs his next words to Isaac “Obviously, it’s not going to be particularly– comfortable. But if we can slow your heart rate down enough, you’ll slip into a trance like state.”

“Like being hypnotized.” Isaac walks over with Deaton following him until they’re standing next to us around the tub.

“Exactly. You’ll be half transformed. It’ll let us access your subconscious mind.” Isaac kneels down on the side across from where I’m standing with Derek and looks at the ice water a little reluctantly **_can’t blame him_**

I look over to Deaton “How slow does his heart rate need to be?”

He swings his eyes over Scott’s shoulder to me and nods “Very slow.”

Derek huffs and leans his palms on the side of the tub “Okay, well, how slow is very slow?”

Deaton makes a face and nods “Nearly dead.”

Isaac sets his hand in the water and retracts it almost immediately with a hiss before looking up to Deaton “It’s safe, though, right?”

“Do you want me to answer honestly?” Deaton smirks down to him and Isaac shakes his head as he looks back to the water “No. No, not really.”

We turn around when we hear rubber gloves snapping and see Stiles with his arm completely covered with the glove down to his elbow. He looks from his arm over to us and his face drops his little kid smile “What?”

I move my lips in between my teeth to hide my smile as Derek just raises his eyebrows as enough of a reason to stop playing around.

Stiles rolls his eyes and snaps the glove off, throwing it on the floor as he walks over and comes to stand next to me towards the end of the tub.

Isaac stands up and exhales deeply, gaining Derek’s attention “Look, if it feels too risky, you don’t have to do this.”

We all nod in agreement as Isaac moves his eyes around to all of us, before looking back to the water and nodding. He lifts his arms up to grab the collar of his shirt to pull it up over his head and turns to set it on the table behind him.

He exhales one more time before grabbing the edge and swinging one foot over, before the other one and finally he lowers himself into the freezing ass water.

He gasps a few times with the cold before Scott and Derek set their hands on his shoulders and immerge him down in the water.

Stiles, Deaton and I step back as the water splashes over the sides and towards us.

Isaac is under for a few seconds before his wolf transformed face shoots back up out of the water and he roars into the room.

Scott and Derek push harder on his shoulders and Deaton nods “Get him back under.”

Stiles and I move forward and each push down on a leg and his stomach to help keep him down in the freezing water as well.

Isaac fights us all and sets his hand on the edge as he grunts and kicks about in the water causing Deaton to helpfully add “Hold him.”

“We’re trying!” Derek bellows next to me before him and Scott finally get enough pressure to keep Isaac under the water.

We feel Isaac stop fighting us finally before he floats to the top with his eyes closed and his mouth and nose resting above the water line.

As soon as he breaks the water line we hear him take a breath of air.

Deaton raises one finger telling us all to wait as he leans forward and connects his eyes with all of ours “Now, remember, only I talk to him. Too many voices will confuse him and draw him out.”

Derek and Scott are still bent over towards the top of the basin with their hands on his shoulders, while Stiles and I at the end stand up from our lean and we offer our nods to him.

I cross my arms over my chest as Deaton uses a calm voice “Isaac? Can you hear me?”

Shivering from the cold but otherwise hypnotized, Isaac answers just as calmly “Yes. I can hear you.”

Scott looks over to us with his obvious surprise and I raise my brows once quickly for my reply as Deaton continues “This is Dr. Deaton. I’d like to ask you a few questions. Is that all right?”

“Yes.”

Stiles uncrosses his arms and leans forward on the edge as the Vet continues “I want to ask you about the night you found Erica and Boyd”

We hear thunder and see lightning light up the windows around the room before his next question “I want you to remember it for me in as vivid detail as possible, like you’re actually there again.”

“I, I don’t wanna do that,” he shakes his head and the lights around the room start flickering causing us all to look worriedly around the room before we hear his scared voice again “I don’t– I don’t wanna do that. I don’t wanna do that.”

He starts moving more around in the water immediately causing Stiles and I to reach forward and grab ahold of his legs again. 

Scott and Derek resume holding his upper body as Deaton reassures under the intensity of the flickering lights above us “Isaac, it’s all right. Just relax. They’re just memories. You can’t be hurt by a memory.”

Still thrashing in our holds, Isaac mutters “I don’t wanna do that.”

“It’s all right,” Deaton continues to use his calm hypnotic voice and Isaac adds a quieter “I don’t wanna do that.”

“Relax. Relax– good” Deaton succeeds in calming Isaac’s body to be still again. 

We all bring our hands out of the water again and I shove them in my sweater pockets to keep them warm as Deaton continues “Now let’s go back to that night. To the place you found Erica and Boyd. Can you tell me what you see? Is there some kind of building? A house”

“It’s not– it’s not a house. It’s stone. I think marble,” Isaac works out through another shiver and Derek looks up to Deaton who nods “That’s perfect. Can you give me any other descriptors?”

“It’s dusty, so empty. Like an abandoned building?”

More thunder sounds outside before we hear Deaton’s voice “Isaac?” the lights flickering intensifies and Deaton stresses again “Isaac?”

“Someone’s here. Someone’s here.” Isaac reaches out and grabs onto Scott’s arm and we take a step forward again.

“Isaac, relax,” Deaton urges as calmly as he can, however, Isaac continues to look like he’s fearing for his life “No, no, no, they see me, they see me!” 

He splashes around in the water and screams out before Deaton leans even farther forward towards him “Just memories. You won’t be hurt by your memories. Just relax– relax.”

Those relaxes seem to do the trick and Isaac’s body again stills in the water.

He lets his hand fall from Scott’s arm and the edge of the other side of the bath earning a nod “Good” Deaton reassures as Scott stands up from his lean and the Vet continues “Now tell us what you see. Tell us everything.”

We can see Isaac’s eyes moving back and forth behind his closed eyelids before he opens them and states “I hear him. He’s talking about the full moon, about being out of control when the moon rises.”

“Is he talking to Erica?”

Still shivering he wrinkles his forehead with his frown as he stammers out “I think so, I can’t– I can’t see her, I ca– I can’t– I can’t see either of them.”

“Can you hear anything else?” Deaton pushes and Isaac answers quickly “They’re worried.They’re worried what they’ll do during the moon.They’re– worried that they’re gonna hurt each other.”

Derek sighs and shakes his head before he looks up to Scott “If they’re locked in together on the full moon, they’re gonna tear each other apart.”

“Isaac, we need to find them right now. Can you see them?”

“No,” Isaac murmurs and Deaton tries again “Do you know what kind of room it is? Is there any kind of a marker? A number on a door? A sign?”

Isaac gasps and shoots forward to sit in the water, his eyes are open and locked on me however he looks a million miles away as he whispers “They’re here.”

Stiles and I share a look before he looks behind us and shrugs.

Isaac leans back in the water and is locked in his terrified vision he is currently living through “They– they–”

“It’s all right” Deaton interrupts, however, Isaac jerks to the side with his disagreement “No– they’re here–”

“Just tell us–”

Isaac jerks to the other side as he gets more and more worked up “They see me. They found me. They’re here!” he finally shouts out before Derek has had enough “This isn’t working. Isaac, where are you?” he urges as Isaac answers just as strongly “I can’t see them. It’s too dark!”

“Just tell me where you are.” Derek tries again before Deaton flicks his head towards him “You are confusing him.”

“I can’t see!” Isaac cries out but Derek tries again “Isaac, where are you? Just tell me where you are.”

“His heart rate– he could go into shock,” Deaton tries again as I feel my breathing quicken with everyone shouting around me.

I get this intense feeling all of a sudden and the noise in the room is too much. I feel like I can’t breathe and I close my eyes to focus on taking deep, calming breaths.

I set my hands on the sides of my head trying to reign in my calm and not freak out. There’s this feeling building deep in my body quickly moving all over that has my nerves on fire, there’s too much noise– too much _everything_. I just need it all to stop.

Right before I think I’m at my breaking point, Scott breaks through the noise around me as he shouts “Derek, let him go!” and Derek returns with his own growl towards the icy werewolf “Isaac, where are you? What did you see?!”

The feeling fades and I open my eyes to see Stiles with his full furrowed brow expression directed at me as he takes a step towards me with his unasked question **_ok but what the actual fuck was that?_**

“A vault! It’s a bank vault!” Isaac shouts, causing me to jump as we’re brought back to what we’re here for. Though the next words he mutters, bring the dread feeling I haven’t really lost lately back quickly.

He shoots out of the water again and the trance is broken, there’s life in his eyes again as he looks forward and states “I saw it! I saw the name” he exclaims before setting his hands on the edge and attempts to get out of the water.

Scott and Derek reach forward to grab his arms and help him out of the bath as he gasps out through the cold while I walk forward and hand him a towel we set aside for him.

He nods in thanks towards me as I step back next to Stiles, crossing my arms in front of me while Isaac wraps the towel around his shoulders and states “It’s, uh– B– Beacon Hills First National Bank. It’s, um– it’s an abandoned bank, and they’re keeping them locked inside, inside the vault”

Lightning lights up the room again and it’s right at that moment that Isaac notices the frowns on all of our faces.

He shakes his head looking around before connecting his eyes with Stiles’ and muttering “What?”

“You don’t remember what you said right before you came out of it, do you?” Stiles offers and Isaac shakes his head “No.”

He swings his eyes over to me when I clear my throat and softly fill him in “You said when they captured you that they dragged you into a room and that– that there was a body in it.”

“What body?” He looks expectantly at me and then Deaton before Stiles steps forward to answer his question “Erica– you said it was Erica.”

The lights come back on and Isaac finishes drying off before putting his shirt on and sitting on one of the tables against the wall.

Derek shakes his head and walks a few steps away before crossing his arms and turning back to us quickly “She’s not dead.”

Stiles scoffs and points over his shoulder to Isaac “Derek, he said, ‘there’s a dead body. It’s Erica’– Doesn’t exactly leave us much room for interpretation.”

“Then who was in the vault with Boyd?” Derek counters causing me to shrug after I cross my arms in front of me again “Someone else, obviously.”

“And maybe it was the girl on the motorcycle. Okay, the one who saved you?” Scott offers with a look towards Isaac who in return shakes his head “No, she wasn’t like us and whoever was in the vault with Boyd was.”

Stiles moves his hand around with his next words “What if that’s how Erica died?– They, like, pit them against each other during the full moons and see which one survives. It’s like werewolf thunderdome.”

I make a face and turn towards him “Or Fight Club”

Stiles playfully rolls his eyes like I betrayed him “First rule, Adds.”

“Right my mistake,” I nod and look back forward to see Derek as he flicks his eyes between Stiles and I.

Not saying anything to our banter he closes his eyes on a sigh before opening them as he turns to Scott “Then we get them out tonight.”

“Be smart about this, Derek. You can’t just go storming in.” Deaton offers his advice with a look back towards the Derek who nods with his disagreement “If Isaac got in, then so can we.”

I make a noise before offering “Okay but he didn’t get through a vault door, did he?”

“We need a plan,” Scott steps forward gaining our attentions, however, Derek is still in debate mode as he connects his eyes with him “How are we gonna come up with a plan to break into a _bank vault_ in less than twenty four hours?”

“Uh, I think someone already did,” Stiles pipes up next to me and I turn to see him with his phone in his hand before he reads an article “‘Beacon Hills First National closes its doors three months after vault robbery.’ Doesn’t say here how it was robbed, but it probably won’t take long to find out.”

“How long?” Derek raises a brow before Stiles looks over to me adding a chuckle before he looks back to him “It’s the Internet, Derek– Okay? Minutes.”

I smirk at his confidence before Scott and I head with him back to his house to do some research on this robbery.

***

“Hey, time to wake up– guys!” 

I jerk awake, my feet sliding forward and smacking the back of my legs on the floor as my back hits the bed behind me.

Furrowing my brows and squinting my eyes, I take in the light of day shining through the windows and watch as Scott almost falls out of the rocker chair he fell asleep in.

I hear papers rustling behind me and look around the edge of the bed to see Stiles sit up with a piece of paper attached to his face **_I don’t even remember falling asleep_**

I stretch my legs out in front of me and lift my arms above my head to stretch my back against the bed **_sleeping on the floor was a terrible idea_**

Noah chuckles looking between us before he states “I got to get to work. You three get to school.”

“Dad! Heather?” Stiles stops his dad from walking away before he sighs sadly shaking his head once “No, nothing yet,” he smiles softly before continuing on his way down the hall.

“Ten hours and nothing” Stiles states as he gathers up some of the papers we printed out.

“We’re gonna find something” I offer and bring my legs back up, setting my elbow on my knees to rub my eyes with my fingers, softly getting the sleep out of them.

“Finding something doesn’t make Erica any less dead or Boyd any less about to be dead,” Stiles throws over his shoulder at me as he picks up more papers.

“Well, we still have time.” Scott offers just as positively as me which makes Stiles scoff towards him “Is this whole, like, ‘remain Addy level optimistic in the face of complete and utter disaster’ thing a part of the ‘be a better Scott McCall’ program?”

I glare while Scott jerks his head back a bit and looks down, adding “Uh, not if it doesn’t work.”

Stiles softens his face with a sigh “No, it works.”

I widen my eyes at a piece of paper by my foot that must have printed when we were asleep.

Quickly I stand up and hand it over to Stiles who also widens his eyes shouting “Oh, dad! Dad? Dad!” and takes off out the door after shoving into Scott’s hands the article covering the robbers being arrested by none other than Mr. S.

***

Mr. S surprisingly filled us in on all the details he could remember of the robbery and after school we gather all the blueprints from City Hall of the bank, before we head over to Derek’s new loft to meet everyone to go over the plan.

Scott and Derek stand around the table with us while Peter sits over on the stairwell in the corner **_he’s here why? Not sure_**

I help Stiles lay the plans on the table, he grabs a sharpie and uncaps it before pointing towards areas on the plans that he circles with his words “Okay. You see this? This is how they got in. It’s a rooftop air conditioning vent. Leads down inside into the wall of the vault, which is here. Okay? One of the robbers was lowered into this shaft– now, that space is so small, it took him about twelve hours to drill into that wall, which is stone, by the way. Then throughout the rest of the night, they siphoned the cash up to the guys back on the roof through that one little shaft in the wall. Boom,” he finishes with a tap of the pen on the blueprints before he recaps it.

“Can we fit in there?” Scott looks up to him as Derek sets his hands on the table and Stiles nods “Yes, we can, but very, very barely– and they also patched the wall, obviously, so we’re gonna need a drill of some kind. I’m thinking maybe a diamond bit–”

Derek shifts on his feet and drops his head forward as he interrupts “Look, forget the drill.”

Stiles moves his hand forward with the interruption and turns towards Derek “Sorry?”

Derek lifts his eyes from the table to look our way “If I go in first, how much space do I have?” 

Stiles looks over to me and down at Scott, brows raised, before turning back towards Derek on his other side “What do you– what do you think you’re gonna do, Derek? You gonna punch through the wall?”

Derek stands up from his lean and crosses his arms across his chest and smirks “Yes, Stiles, I’m gonna punch through the wall.”

“Okay, okay, big guy. Let’s see it. Let’s see that fist. Big, old fist. Make it, come on. Get it out there. Don’t be scared. Big, bad wolf” Stiles indicates towards Derek who rolls his eyes and uncrosses one arm, lifting it to make a fist with his hand “Yeah, look at that,” Stiles continues by grabbing around his wrist with one hand and putting his open palm a little ways away from Derek’s fist “Okay, see this? That’s maybe three inches of room to gather enough force to punch through solid con–”

Derek interrupts his words and snaps his fist forward, connecting with Stiles’ palm causing his arm to fly back onto the table with tremendous force.

Stiles lets out a cry of pain as Scott and I stand up straighter with our shock directed at Derek.

We both lift out our arms towards him as a _was that necessary_ question, earning an eye roll in return as Stiles steps away from us farther into the room muttering quickly “He could do it.”

“I’ll get through the wall. Who’s following me down?” Derek looks to us and over to Peter who chimes in “Don’t look at me. I’m not up to fighting speed yet, and honestly, with Isaac out of commission, you’re not looking at very good odds for yourself.”

“So I’m supposed to just let them fucking die?” Derek counters before Peter continues “One of them is already dead.”

“We _don’t_ know that” Derek reiterates through clenched teeth.

Stiles walks back to the table standing next to me and holding his hand with a grimace before Peter elaborates “Do I have to remind you what we’re up against here? A pack of alphas. All of them, killers. And if that’s not enough to scare your testicles back into your stomach, try to remember that two of them combine bodies to form one giant Alpha I’m sure Erica and Boyd were sweet kids. They’re gonna be missed.”

“Could someone kill him again, please?” Stiles looks over to us with his request.

I smirk, shaking my shoulders with my silent laughter, before we hear Peter again “Derek, seriously? Not worth the risk.”

Derek ignores his uncle and looks across the table “What about you?”

Stiles whose focus was on the table at the time of the question just shrugs “Yeah, if you want me to come–”

“Not you.” Derek deadpans

“Got it,” Stiles nods towards the table and lifts his thumb over to Scott before looking up over to him.

Scott shrugs “I don’t know about Erica. But if Boyd’s still alive, we have to do something. We have to try,” he finishes with a look over to Peter before facing forward again, though he’s got a far off look on his face.

Feeling like he’s holding something back, I add “But?”

Scott looks from me and over to Derek “Who’s the other girl? The one locked in there with Boyd?”

***

Derek and Scott left to head to the bank, leaving Stiles and I at the Loft with unfortunately Peter.

Standing in front of the window looking at the city’s lights and the full moon just taunting us, I sigh as Stiles uncrosses one arm to chew on the side of his thumb nail before he starts his nervous rambling “I can’t take waiting around like this, you know? It’s nerve racking. My nerves are racked. They’re severely racked. _Racked_.”

I look over to him and reach my hand out to set on his arm that’s still crossed over his chest. He looks over to me quickly and I soften my face squeezing twice, however Peter beats me to saying anything “I could beat you unconscious and wake you when it’s over.”

Stiles rolls his eyes and turns towards me **_effectively ignoring the pain in the ass sitting on the couch_** “You think Erica’s really dead?”

I lift a shoulder about to answer when Peter’s voice pipes up from the couch again “You think I really care?”

I scoff and cross my arms over my chest as I turn around to face him “Can you at all be civilized and care about something other than yourself? Or are you just content at making everyone around you miserable?”

Peter opens his eyes immediately before he gets up and walks towards me as he tilts his head to the side “I’m very curious why nothing happened to you, Addeline.”

Stiles quickly steps around my side, coming to stand in front of me as he raises his hands out in front of Peter to stop his steps “What does that mean?”

Peter smirks at him before he flicks his eyes over Stiles’ shoulder to look at me “I know how far it takes for the claws of an Alpha to trigger a turn Addy, trust me when I say the fact that you didn’t turn or die is _very_ curious– very curious indeed” he finishes with narrowed eyes before walking back towards the couch **_98% sure something happened, just not sure what– but you don’t need to know that_**

Stiles waits a minute to make sure the threat has passed before he lowers his arms and turns around towards me again.

I drop my glare from Peter’s direction to connect my eyes with Stiles who sighs and sets his hands on his hips “I just– I don’t understand the bank, though, okay? Wha– like, why wouldn’t they chain them up in some underground lair or something? They’re an Alpha pack, right? So shouldn’t they have a lair?”

“They’re werewolves, not bond villains,” Peters quips _almost_ earning a laugh from me but Stiles snaps his fingers “Wait a sec– wait a sec. Maybe they’re living there. You know? Like, maybe the bank vault reminds them of their little wolf dens.”

“Wolf dens?” I snicker with a raised brow towards him, earning him to nod “Yeah, wolf dens,” he turns from me to throw an arm out towards the other occupier of the room “I mean where do you live?” 

Without missing a beat, Peter states “In an underground network of caves hidden deep in the woods.”

“Like Batman” I whisper and Stiles excitedly turns from Peter and over to me before looking back at him “Whoa, really?”

“No– you two are something else. I have an apartment downtown” he smirks through his chuckle.

I roll my eyes as Stiles scoffs “Okay, fine, but still, that just proves that there’s something up with the bank. And why wait around for the full moon, huh? Why not just kill them whenever they want to?”

Closing his eyes once more, Peter rests the back of his head against the back of the couch and offers with a wave of his hands “Maybe they think it’s poetic.” 

“They’ve already had _three full moons_ to be poetic” Stiles stresses, looking to me as I shrug and implore comically “Maybe that type of concrete is werewolf kryptonite.”

Stiles makes a contemplative face, though is stopped from saying anything as Peter grumbles “And here you two have only had one full hour to be so annoyi–” he trails off, his eyes flicking over towards me quickly.

Stiles exhales deeply “No, go ahead, finish what you were saying. We’re annoy– I’m annoying. What were you gonna say there?”

“What are the walls made of?” Peter never wavers his eyes from me as he sits up and gets off the couch, walking over to the table near us.

Stiles shares a look with me before looking up and around the loft, pointing to the ceiling “What? Uh– I don’t know, like, wood and brick or–”

“No, the vault, the vault, the walls, what are they made out of?” Peter corrects and starts moving through the papers.

Stiles nods his head towards the table and we walk over watch as he sorts through the blue print papers, looking for the construction materials as Peter mumbles “Where would it say that? Doesn’t say anything. Where– where would it say the materials, the type of stone?”

Stiles points to him before turning to dig through his backpack “Oh– oh, hang on. Yeah, here, hang on. Here,” he sets a massive stack of papers on the table and points towards it “It’s gotta be in there.” 

We each reach out and unclip the stack to each grab a handful and start flipping through looking for the materials.

“There, that’s it,” Stiles points at the paper, shoving it towards my face and I read where he’s pointing, stating with a frown “Hecatolite.”

Stiles looks to me and then over towards Peter “Is that awful? That sounds awful.”

Peter flicks his head to us “Get 'em on the phone. Call them. Now!” he snaps and Stiles jumps into gear to dig in his pocket for his phone “Okay, why?”

He looks at me as he digresses “'Cause Boyd and that girl aren’t gonna kill each other. They’re gonna kill Derek and Scott– they haven’t felt the moonlight in months because that mineral stops them from being able to, it scatters the moonlight.”

“Kryptonite” I whisper earning a nod from Peter **_okay but I was joking_**

Stiles dials the phone and puts it to his ear before resting his hand on my shoulder. His body jerks and he immediately puts it on speaker to rush out “Scott! Scott! No, listen to me, okay? Look, you gotta get outta there. Look, the walls of the vault are made with a mineral called hecatolite. It scatters the moonlight.”

“What does that mean?” Scott’s hesitance can be heard next and I lean closer towards Stiles to answer him just as frantic “Scotty, it keeps the moonlight out, okay? They haven’t felt the full moon in _months_ – you guys _have_ to leave, now!”

Peter tries a different analogy “Okay, think of it like the gladiators in the Roman colosseum. They used to starve the lions for three days, making them more vicious, more out of control. Deucalion has kept them from shifting for three full moons, diminishing their tolerance to it.”

“Scott, they’re gonna be stronger–” Stiles begins and Peter jumps in quickly “More savage, more bloodthirsty, Scott, they’re the lions. They’re the starved lions, and you and Derek just stepped into the colosseum.”

We just hear silence and Stiles looks between us as he shouts “Scott? Hey, Scott! Scott!” **_answer us dammit_**

Scott’s voice bellows ”No. No! Wait!” before we hear two werewolf roars crackle over the phone. 

I gasp and grab Stiles’ arm stepping closer to the phone like that will bring me closer to help Scott.

Stiles sets his free arm around my back and brings the phone closer to his mouth “Scott? Scott, are you hearing this? Scott!”

The call ends and he shares a worried wide eyed look with me before I feel Peter also set his hand on my other shoulder **_what do we do?_**


	27. Fireflies

Peter drops his hand from my shoulder and reaches into his pocket when his phone goes off. 

He looks up to us as he answers and brings the phone up to his ear “Derek, what happened?– wait wait wait, did you say Cora?” 

I share a look with Stiles who shrugs and Peter moves away to start pacing next to us as he listens to whatever Derek is filling him in on **_you could at least put him on speaker for the non enhanced hearing people of the room_**

About a minute later, he hangs up and walks towards the door, however, we are right on his tail “Okay what happened?”

Peter grabs his coat and goes about putting it on as he fills us in “They’re alive, barely. They were locked in a mountain ash barrier inside the vault with Cora and Boyd but the Argent girl showed up and broke the seal, much to Derek’s fury for her not to.”

“Allison– wait who’s Cora?” I question coming to a stop next to him at the door while he adjusts the collar on his coat.

Peter nods and continues “Now they’re trying to chase after Boyd and Cora– Derek’s sister, who is _not_ dead by the way– since they escaped from the vault and are running rampant in their much bigger Colosseum. Which now consists of the entirety of the Beacon Hills population. It’s going to be a long night kids, grab your coats.”

“Hold on, what is the plan– to _literally_ chase after two werewolves who can’t even be reasoned with?” Stiles’ states before it sounds like his voice is fading and the same feeling I had last night at Deaton’s overcomes by entire body again. 

My nerves feel on fire and there’s too much around me, everything is too much. I set my hands on the sides of my head, closing my eyes as I focus on taking deep, even breaths **_my anxiety has never been this bad before_**

I open my eyes when I feel hands on my forearms and see Peter’s furrowed expression, he moves his mouth, though I can’t hear him over the noise in my head that is increasing.

Stiles pushes forward, trading spots with Peter, and reaches out to wrap his hands around my wrists. I feel him squeeze them before he shouts “Addy!”

Just like the other night his voice breaks through the noise and everything clears. The thumping in my head stops and he lowers my hands from either side of my head slowly.

Stiles slides his hands from my wrists and grasps my hands in his as Peter makes a noise and points towards me “What the hell was that?”

I take a deep breath connecting my eyes with Stiles’ worried ones as he rubs his thumbs soothingly on the back of my hands, answering Peter “Whatever it is, that’s the second time it’s happened to her in twenty four hours.”

Peter looks fascinated as he moves his eyes back and forth between mine, crossing one arm over his chest and lifting the other to rest against the side of his mouth “I couldn’t connect with your mind, but that doesn’t mean I was wrong” he mumbles absentmindedly and I share a look with Stiles who furrows his brows and takes a step towards him “What– what do you mean you weren’t wrong? Wrong about what?– Peter!”

“Hmm” Peter snaps out of his thinking face and looks between us and our raised brow expression before he just shakes his head “Just focus on what you hear Addy, don’t shut it out.”

I make a face towards him “Are you impersonating a terrible fortune cookie– because what does that–” Peter looks to his phone interrupting my words as he turns to walk towards the door.

Stiles makes a noise and looks from his retreating back, over to me and back to Peter before shouting “What the actual fuck does that mean Peter, do you know what’s happening to her?”

Peter sets his hand on the door and looks over his shoulder at us “Listen to your gut Addy,” he states before he’s closing the door, leaving Stiles and I more confused than ever.

***

We make it downstairs and into Roscoe when Scott texts me the address where they’re meeting Isaac near the preserve to start their search. 

Stiles starts up the jeep and I look over to him, setting my phone in my lap and pointing towards the windshield “Okay so head this way and make a right on Burton street,” he nods before I turn to look out my window, chewing on my thumb nail.

Stiles weaves onto the street and clears his throat before making the turn I previously advised “Are you at all on to what Peter might have meant?”

I give him the next set of directions before I shake my head “No, whatever is happening– it’s not a listening to my gut type of situation. Everything gets too loud and I can’t handle the pressure in my head. I thought it had to do with the shouting when we were at Deaton’s and my anxiety was just going haywire but you weren’t yelling just now– that was a pretty calm delivery of your question to Peter.”

Next set of directions before I set my elbow on the window frame and rub my forehead and continue with a huff “I mean the situation is stressful with everything happening and what we just learned about Boyd and a not dead sister– but I don’t know. I mean they were two different situations, conversations, people– but the feeling was the same”

He shifts in his seat and looks over to me quickly “What was the feeling?”

I hesitate before I turn to look at him, he flicks his eyes from me and the road twice before I digress “So overwhelming I needed to scream”

***

“Ok pull in to park here” I point and sit forward in the seat.

Stiles looks between me and the parking lot before making a noise “I thought we were meeting them at one edge of the preserve?”

I furrow my brows and look over to him “We are–”

“Wha– Addy this is the pool” he lifts his hand from the steering wheel to indicate out the front window.

I move my eyes from him to look out front, opening and closing my mouth a few times at a complete loss for words. 

Reaching over, I unlock my phone and open the directions from the address I put in, immediately frowning at what I see “I don’t understand how I read them wrong, I could have sworn I knew _exactly_ where we were going… but we’re nowhere where we should be right now.”

He lifts a shoulder “I mean technically you knew where you were going, just not to Scott.”

I lift my hands up from my legs “Well what does that mean?”

He hesitates and then sighs before reaching for his door handle “Maybe it’s tied to whatever happened earlier, something told you to come here Adds– I fucking hate saying he could be right, but Peter said to listen to your gut.”

He moves to get out of the jeep and I reach across to grab his arm “Seriously what are you doing?”

Stiles gets out, closes his door and sets his hands on the window frame “Get your ass out of the car.”

“Stiles– Sti– Stiles!” I loudly whisper towards him attempting to stop his steps but does he listen? **_No– are you shocked?_**

I get out of the jeep and meet him in front, shoving my hands in my jacket pockets before we walk through the gate into the pool. We see someone standing by the edge of the pool, before they turn around quickly and I furrow my brows at who I see “Lyds?”

She gasps before quickly walking towards us “What are you guys doing here?”

I share a look with Stiles before I shake my head “I– well I can’t really give you an answer on that, we just kind of ended up here.”

She jerks her head back and moves her lips to the side “Addy– what do you mean?”

I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly before filling her in “I was following directions to the preserve, except I wasn’t aware I wasn’t _actually_ following them– and then we ended up in the parking lot.”

“Me too” she states so softly that if it wasn’t the middle of the night and completely quiet around us I wouldn’t have heard her.

I set my hands on her upper arms “Lyds what do you mean ‘you too’?”

She flicks her eyes between Stiles and I before taking a breath “I woke myself up by screaming hysterically, I have this horrible headache and I left my house to go to the store to get some more tylenol– however I ended up here even though I _know_ I was headed for the store.”

Softly squeezing her arms once before I drop my hands, I look over my shoulder at Stiles who makes a face and steps forward pointing to her “Is that blood?”

I look down to her hands and she moves them around on the towel she has “Umm yes– there’s a uh– a body over there.”

“A body?!” he states before walking over to the lifeguard chair, gasping and taking a step back once he sees what Lydia was talking about. He brings his hand up to rest over his mouth before walking back over “Are you okay, what happened?”

She nods a few times “I’m okay, but that over there is not okay– he was like that when I got here” she points over to the chair and visibly shivers.

I move my worried look between them and Stiles nods “Yeah, all right– I’m gonna call my dad”

Lydia shakes her head and drops the towel on the ground near us, setting her hands on her hips “I already called 9-1-1.”

Stiles widens his eyes like she’s insane “You called the police before you called us?” he shares a look with me as I cross my arms in front of me, lifting one hand over my mouth to hide my smile.

Lydia jerks her head back and makes a face “I’m supposed to call you first when I find a dead body?”

She swings her eyes to me silently asking if he’s serious **_he’s completely serious_**

“Yes!” He shouts into the otherwise silent night around us. 

Lydia rolls her eyes and I snicker into my hand before clearing my throat and Stiles digs in his pocket for his phone “This had to be them– we gotta call Scott, tell them Boyd and Cora were over here.”

I nod, though I frown at the swimming pool sign and then over to the body in the chair, Stiles notices and sets his hand on my arm causing me to jump “Hey, hey, hey it’s okay– what was that look for?”

I shrug “We’re nowhere near the direction Scott and Derek were headed earlier– how did they make it over here so fast?”

Stiles sighs and shakes his head like he’s got nothing and he taps on his phone. He steps closer to me, setting his arm around my back as he lifts his phone up to his ear to call Scott, talking as soon as he answers “Hey, it’s uh– hard to explain but, well we found a dead body at the community pool.”

He nods before he continues and turns towards the guy in the chair “Yep. Throat ripped out, blood everywhere. It’s like the fuckin’ shining over here. Two little twin girls come out of the woods, start asking us to play with them forever and ever, I’m not gonna be surprised”

I snort and cross my other arm over my chest as I look down to the ground and back up to Stiles when he scoffs “Make sure it was them? Scott, who else is going around ripping throats out?” 

At whatever Scott says Stiles rolls his eyes to look back at me and sighs even harder before dropping the phone down to his side and stepping closer to the body.

Nodding his head once he brings the phone back up to his ear “Unless his purity ring deeply offended anyone, it had to be them Scott. His throat is slashed like we’ve seen certain other werewolves do way too many times.”

He finishes the call with a “Okay– yea see you soon” and we see the flashing lights of some deputy squad cars pull up. 

We walk towards the main entrance, seeing Mr. S immediately “You kids okay? What are you doing here?”

Stiles shoves his hands in his pockets, though it’s Lydia that chimes in first “Oh, I forgot my bag earlier in the changing room, so I came to get it and that’s when I saw the body– called you first before I called Addy who was with Stiles to come wait with me.”

I try to hide my shock at her lie on the spot and smile softly to Noah when he looks at his son and I. 

He nods and then reaches in his pocket to take our statements as an ambulance, coroner, and some other cars pull into the parking lot shortly after.

***

We follow Lydia home and offer her a wave when she gets out of her car to head inside her house.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Stiles turn to look at me and open his mouth before he faces forward again. 

I huff and look at him “Go ahead, ask your questions you’ve been dying to ask since we got to the pool and saw the body.”

“Wha– I’m not– I haven’t been dying to ask anything. I– nope no questions here for Stiles. Nothing.”

I scoff “Did you forget who you’re sitting in this jeep with? I know you, plus I can see it all over your face” I finish with a circle hand motion with my hand towards him earning a contemplative frown before he offers “Maybe my face just has, like, a naturally interrogatory exp– expression, my dear Watson.”

“Well, your interrogatory expression is getting on my nerves, Sherlock,” I huff and immediately soften my face towards him, adding softly “I have no idea what happened– why we ended up at the pool, or why Lydia was there first with seemingly the same reasons for getting there as we did.”

Stiles taps his hand on the wheel “Right but the last time something like this happened with her–” 

“I know– Peter. I mean that could explain Lydia being there but why would Peter bring her to a dead body– and me for that matter?”

He shrugs and slaps his hand on the steering wheel “I don’t know, maybe he knew Boyd and Cora were over there and wanted someone to find him?”

I give him a look and he sighs setting his elbow on the steering wheel to scratch a finger over his bottom lip in thought “Yeah, you’re right, he’s not that decent of a person” **_but also how would Peter know they killed someone_**

I shake my head and chuckle before I hear my phone ring, I furrow my brows at the screen and lift it to my ear answering “Mom?”

“Honey, I wouldn’t ask you to do what I’m about to if I didn’t think it was incredibly important– are you still with Stiles?”

I look up to Stiles who drops his arm and furrows his brows before I answer her “Oookay– yes I’m with him, what do you need us to do?”

“Come down to the hospital…’s morgue. There’s something with the body you guys found that I need to show you guys.”

I close my eyes and hear her let out a soft sigh at my silence “I know honey, but something is happening and I don’t think it was of the werewolf side of the supernatural okay?” she whispers the last part and I swallow thickly before nodding “Okay– yeah of course, we’ll be right there.”

***

We walk up to the doors and Stiles waits a step for me to move in front of him as we walk through the sliding doors of the hospital. 

He sets his hand on my lower back and we walk up to the nurse’s station where mom is standing.

We come to a stop at the counter and she closes the chart to look at us “Hey guys” 

“Hey” Stiles answers as I smile towards her.

She steps away from the counter pulling each of us by our elbows and links her arms with ours as she falls in the middle of us “Over here. And if either of you tell anyone that I showed you this, I swear to God, I will kill you painfully and slowly.”

Stiles lifts his wide eyes from the ground and over to me before looking down to her “Why do you want to show us a body we’ve already seen– pretty up close and personally I might add?” 

She turns towards him and looks over her shoulder before whispering “Because you haven’t seen everything.”

We walk into the morgue and see two sheet covered bodies laying on the metal tables in the room. 

Mom walks over to the supply table and gets a pair of gloves on before walking over to one of the bodies and lifting the sheet down to expose the head of the guy we found earlier “See this around his neck? That’s a ligature mark. That means that he was strangled with something, like cord, rope–” 

Stiles makes a noise, interrupting her “Ah, okay, wait a second. What kind of werewolf strangles someone? You know, that’s not very werewolf-y…” he trails off and makes a face that has me scrunching my mouth to the side to not laugh at.

Mom smirks as well when she swings her eyes my direction and nods “My thoughts exactly– and then there’s this,” she walks around towards the guy’s head and tilts it to the side, causing Stiles and I to shudder with our disgust **_clearly I won’t be following her footsteps in the medical field_**

Stiles drops his head to the side and scrunches his face up “Holy jesus– man, what is that? Is that brain matter? Yeah, it’s brain matter, of course.”

Mom offers a look saying she’s sorry, however, she continues nonetheless pointing towards the back of his head “See the indentation? He was hit in the back of the head, hard enough to kill him. In fact, any _one_ of these things _could_ have killed him. I mean, someone _seriously_ wanted this poor kid dead.” **_dead threefold_**

She looks towards the door whispering the last one and Stiles makes a face as he works out “All right, so then this couldn’t have been Boyd or Cora, you know? They wouldn’t have done all that. So maybe this is just one murder. I mean, maybe it’s just a random coincidence.”

Mom covers him with the sheet again, immediately shaking her head as she digresses “I don’t think it was just one,” I look over to her “How come mom?”

She nods towards the table behind us “Because that girl over there, she’s got the exact same injuries.” **_girl? oh no_**

Going with my gut of who I think is under the sheet, I attempt to stop her “Mom–” however she’s already pulling back the sheet, continuing with her train of thought “The M.E. said this one wasn’t just strangled. Whoever did it used a garrote, which is a stick that you put through the rope, and you just kind of keep twisting, and– Addy– guys?”

I raise my tear filled eyes from Heather’s face up to mom and she gasps softly “Oh, my God, did you two know her? I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think” she quickly covers her face back up with the sheet and I clear my throat “That was Heather, mom, from–”

“Oh my god, Jodie’s Heather?– from when you were little?” we offer her nods of confirmation before Stiles’ broken voice fills the room “I was– I was at her party the other night. It was her birthday.”

I reach out and place my hand in his, feeling him slide his hand to the side as he intertwines our fingers. 

He squeezes my hand once as he reaches his other arm up to wipe over his eyes and mom sets a hand on his shoulder “Okay, we need to call your father, ‘cause you’re a witness.”

Stiles nods before his face changes from sadness to holy shit in 2.9 seconds as he looks from Heather over to the guy we found tonight and back to me, squeezing my hand harder and bringing his free hand up to rub over his mouth.

He moves his eyes between Heather and the other guy once more before I share a look with mom who hesitantly states “Stiles?”

He swings his eyes between the four of us again before he turns from me and back to face mom as he stammers out quickly “Has anyone else been through here tonight? Any– any other bodies, or even anybody missing?”

“What is it?” I question and he looks over to me again “I– just trust me” I nod and he turns to look expectantly at mom who scrunches up her brows and looks at the body in front of us “Uh, no, no bodies, but, um–” 

“What?” Stiles offers softly, earning a slight shake of her head from mom who looks like it couldn’t be connected to this but still fills us in “Two girls. They brought the first one in, Caitlin, for a tox screen, and then I overheard that her girlfriend, Emily, just disappeared. I mean, they were out in the woods and–”

“Nobody’s found her yet?” Stiles interrupts and mom shakes her head and connects her eyes with mine “I don’t know.” 

“Okay, first one,” Stiles begins earning mom and I to correct him “Caitlin.”

Our correction earns me another hand squeeze from him as he pauses before he continues “Okay. Is she here? Is she here right now?” 

“I think so,” Mom incredulously answers with his persistence for the information “Okay, where?” Stiles states and pulls me with him as he moves to go and find her, however, mom lifts up her hands halting our steps “Okay, okay, wait. Just wait a minute–”

“I have to talk to her,” He stresses and mom raises her brows “Why?”

“Because I think I know what’s happening.”

I’m not sure if it’s the urgency and confidence in his voice or the look on my face telling her to trust him, but mom moves her eyes back and forth between us before she nods and tells us to follow her.

***

Reaching Caitlin’s room, mom asks if she’s up for talking to us about what happened to her tonight and she hesitantly nods after looking between Stiles and I. 

Mom stands guard by the door and nods back towards us that the coast is clear.

Caitlin bends her head forward slightly and keeps her eyes on her hands in her lap “We weren’t doing anything that bad. I mean, I’ve camped out there plenty of times,” she begins to tell us as mom comes to stand next to me and Stiles crosses his arms in front of him “Right, but why tonight?”

“We wanted to be alone for one night. Emily lives with her mom, and I have three roommates. Not exactly romantic settings, you know?”

I smile softly even though her eyes are still cast downward “How long have you two been together?” 

“Three months,” she answers earning Stiles to offer “And you wanted to make it romantic.”

I lift my head towards him before I hear her next words “Yeah, you know, because–” Caitlin trails off and Stiles raises his head slightly, knowing he’s right “Because it was her first time.” 

She makes a face and lifts her eyes to us “They’re gonna find her, right? Aren’t they?”

I drop my eyes not wanting to answer that, however, it seems like even she knew it was rhetorical because she lowers her eyes as well and takes a deep breath in. 

***

Stiles calls Scott and mom lets us wait in the hallway near the morgue for him to get there so we can fill him in on our terrifying discovery after researching the way they were killed **_someone’s murdering virgins– which is zero good news for me_**

I lean against the wall and Stiles comes to lean next to me once he’s off the phone “Scott’s on his way.”

I nod and cross my arms over my chest casting my eyes to my shoes as I offer softly “I’m sorry about Heather.”

He nods and I see him tilt his head to the side “You knew her too.”

“Right but I mean you _knew_ her knew her so–” I trail off, instantly regretting bringing it up.

He looks over to me quickly, wide eyes in full force as he chuckles nervously and looks back to the ground “Oh earlier– yea no that wasn’t– I didn’t– we didn’t– jesus christ…”

I raise my brows at his stammering before he clears his throat and turns towards me “When I was on the phone with you and needed to get away from the noise, I went into the basement because it was the closest door to me. When I was walking around the aisles of the ridiculous amount of wine her parents have, I saw that on the floor and just picked it up– couldn’t tell you why now that I’m saying those words, probably thought it wouldn’t be good for her parents to find that on the floor,” **_such a considerate friend_**

I look over to him as he reaches up to rub behind his neck and continues “After I got off the phone with you I heard some guy telling his friends that Heather bailed on him after telling him she didn’t want to be a seventeen year old virgin– I rolled my eyes at what he was implying at the time but now–”

He moves his eyes over towards the door of the morgue and I uncross my arms, reaching out and setting my hand on his arm “Hey you couldn’t have known– and what happened to her was completely out of your hands.”

He nods and sets his hand on mine, taking a minute before he looks up and connects our eyes again “I just don’t want you thinking that I– that we–”

I chuckle softly and drops my eyes to the floor, interrupting him “Shouldn’t really matter what I think though right?”

He stands up straight from the wall and squeezes my hand again muttering “No, Adds–” 

Scott running down the hallway interrupts whatever he was about to say “Okay what the hell happened, how did you find a dead body and what was so important I had to get here so quickly?”

He sets his hands on his hips and looks expectantly at each of us as he swings his eyes between us.

Stiles drops his hand, takes a deep breath and nods towards the door “Come on, we need to show you something.”

***

We pull the sheets down to uncover both Heather and the guy’s heads and point to their wounds just like mom had, before we also tell him about the missing girl as well.

Once we’re done Scott takes a minute before he raises his scrunched up brow expression from the table towards us “So Boyd and Cora might not have killed anyone?”

Stiles reaches forward and covers Heather’s face again stating “You’re gonna wish they did.”

Scott widens his eyes and looks between us pondering hesitantly “Why?” 

“We’re still researching it so we’re not exactly sure yet but the other girl who was out in the woods, Emily? Eventually they’re gonna find her. She’s one of them. Emily, Heather– the guy we somehow found at the pool. All three were virgins…”

Stiles pauses and I look to him before I connect my eyes with Scott’s and continue “And they’re all gonna have the same three injuries– strangled, throat slashed, head bashed in. It’s called the threefold death.” 

Scott shakes his head looking between us “So if these aren’t random killings, then what are they?”

Stiles shares a look with me and shifts on his feet before stating grimly “Sacrifices– human sacrifices.”


	28. Unleashed

I’m all changed into my black leggings and dark grey long sleeve henley with our red Nike tank over it that we have to wear for our cross country practice.

I’ve got my arms crossed and one leg bent to have my foot rest against the wall I’m leaning against outside of the locker rooms while a few of us girls wait for the guys to be done changing as well for practice **_that’s super early in the morning for whatever reason_**

They follow behind Coach a few minutes later, walking out of the locker room with the rest of the guys and I see Scott smirk my way as he jabs Stiles in the ribs with his elbow, earning a glare in return and words that I’m too far away to hear.

I push off the wall and fall in step in between them as we all head outside “What are you two talking about?”

“Literally nothing” Stiles rushes out through clenched teeth directed towards Scott who rolls his eyes “I was just filling him in on the guy who disappeared and left his dog and car at the clinic last night”

I look at each of them before turning my head to the right to look at Stiles “Why does that earn you a jab in the ribs?”

I hear Scott snort and look back to see him shake his head “Stiles was asking if the missing guy was a virgin…”

I look between them, noticing Stiles move his mouth with silent angry words towards Scott before I lift my hands “Well was he?”

They shrug and Stiles shoves his hands in his pockets “If whoever is doing this is still going after virgins, I think it deserves a higher level of freak out– however _Scott_ doesn’t.”

Ever great with words, my brother scoffs “Well _Stiles_ also thinks that everyone should be cashing in their V-cards just because three random people died who happened to be virgins.”

I tilt my head to the side towards him “Well– I mean it could be four now”

Stiles points to me as Scott rolls his eyes and stresses “He’s just missing” earning a scoff from Stiles who adds “We can presume he’s dead– and he might have been a virgin. So we need to do something, or let people know or– I don’t know _something_ ”

I shrug “I mean we can’t really cause a ‘I don’t want to die’ mass hysteria orgy– that wouldn’t be ideal.”

Scott snorts and Stiles looks between us “I didn’t say we needed an orgy– _however_ maybe we should be making sure people we care about aren’t in harm’s way…”

Isaac steps closer to us and clears his throat “Umm does someone need to make sure _you’re_ safe, Addy?”

Scott and Stiles stop walking grumbling at the same time “Dude, what do you think you’re doing?”

“You do realize that’s my _sister_ right?”

I chuckle at their faces before connecting my eyes with Isaac’s smirking face at him successfully riling them up and keep walking forward “I’m good, Lahey.” 

I may not want to die in a gruesome sacrificial way and he may be cute **_however he’s not the one I want to cash in my V card to_**

Walking ahead of them, I’m barely able to hear him mutter lowly through a chuckle “What? Not all of us are idiots, Stilinski.” 

I furrow my brows and quickly look back over my shoulder, seeing Scott trying to hold in a laugh as he looks to Stiles– who is just glaring at the pair as they move to continue their steps after me **_well that’s an interesting reaction to have_**

I turn back around as we come to a stop at a tree that was deemed a designated starting line. I check to make sure my running shoes are tied before we hear the shrill sound of Coach’s whistle and we all start running along the path, hearing him shout behind us “Pace yourselves! Come on!”

Scott steps to the side and reaches his arm out, stopping Isaac who shouts “It’s them” and pushes Scott’s arm off of him as he takes off running past us and after the alpha twins **_what did the psychos do now?_**

Scott rushes after him just as fast leaving the rest of us mere mortals to run at a normal speed down the path through the woods.

Stiles falls into a decent speed run with me muttering through his breaths “Fucking hate running” **_our bodies needing cardio was created by monsters_**

I nod as we make our way around a bend, however I immediately feel my feet lose their footing as the same feeling in the loft crashes over me and my mind fully takes in what my eyes are seeing on the tree in front of me. 

I feel a scream bubbling up and it comes barreling out of my throat with no hope of stopping it as my feet stop running, causing other people to stop around us.

Stiles grabs my arms and supports me with one hand on my arm next to him and his other arm around my back as my scream dies and I suck in a shaky breath. He pulls me into his side and I bring my hands up to cover my mouth at the scene before us.

Everyone comes to a stop around the tree, murmuring to themselves about the definitely dead guy leaning forward only by the rope around his neck, covered in blood from his throat being slashed.

Shaking my head at yet another dead body, I mumble behind my hands “Seriously what’s happening, Sty?”

He tightens his hands on each of my arms and turns us away from the tree, keeping his arm around me he drops his other arm to grab his phone out of his pocket bringing it up to his ear “Dad?– I am at practice. But we found something on the trail– another dead body.”

***

“Addy! Are you okay we heard you–” Scott and Isaac run up and come to a stop next to us, Scott’s words dying on his tongue as their mouths both drop open in shock at the scene before us.

Stiles looks across me towards Scott and nods towards the tree “It’s him, isn’t it?”

Scott nods as Stiles squeezes my arm once before dropping his hand and walking forward “That’s not a rope, Scott it’s a dog leash” **_what a resourceful murderer_**

Scott’s eyes widen though we are stopped from responding when Noah runs up yelling for us all to hear as he waves his arms with his commands “Hey, get out of the way. Get back. Get this area cordoned off before they trample every piece of evidence!”

Deputy Tara, who runs up after him, raises her arms out to her sides and turns to the group “Back up! Everyone back!”

Noah connects his eyes with ours before looking back to Deputy Tara and Coach “Get these kids out of here!”

Stiles steps forward and sets one hand on his dad’s shoulder and points the other one towards the tree “Dad, just come here. Look, look. Look at it. It’s the same as the others, you see?”

Noah looks between us and sighs “Yeah, I see that. Do me a favor huh– take Addy away from this and go back to school, yeah?”

Stiles tilts his head with his annoyance at being ignored, however, softens his face when he looks over to me and nods **_obviously the look on my face for finding another dead body is alarming them_**

Stiles walks up beside me again as Noah turns around “Coach, can you give us a hand here?”

“You heard the man. Nothing to see here. Probably just some homeless kid,” Coach reaches for an excuse that will offer the least interest from us, however it just earns a throat clear from Scott “Coach–”

“Yeah?” he turns towards him and Scott looks to the ground as he digresses “He was a senior.”

“Oh,” he sighs and brings his hand to cover his mouth before he continues “He wasn’t on the team, was he?”

We all drop our _that’s your take away_ heads to the side and Stiles raises an arm towards him however a new scream gains all our attentions as a girl runs up on the other side of the tree “Kyle! Oh, God, Kyle! Oh, God!”

I draw my brows in sadly as a new wave of sadness punches me in the gut for Ashley seeing the state of her boyfriend. Deputy Tara wraps her arms around Ashley and pulls her to the side as Noah ushers us away “Go on. Go. Go.”

We move out of the way and walk a little ways before Isaac pipes up next to me “You see the way the twins looked at him?”

I shrug looking up to him as we continue our steps “Yeah, you mean like they had no idea what happened?”

Isaac looks down to me “No, no, they knew”

Stiles scoffs on the other side to me, directing his annoyance across to him “The kid was strangled with a garrote, all right? Are we the only ones recognizing the lack of ‘werewolfitude’ in these murders?” he finishes with an arm movement between me and him.

Isaac scoffs looking between us “Oh, you think it’s a coincidence they turn up and then people start dying?”

We come to a stop and Stiles throws an arm out to his side “Well, no, but I still don’t think it’s them.”

Isaac moves his eyes to me and I shrug a shoulder “Neither do I– between the motive being nothing like any werewolf we’ve ever seen and their faces just now, there’s no way they know what’s happening– they looked just as scared as us.”

Stiles points to me in a _thank you_ way before Isaac rolls his eyes and chimes in “Scott?”

Stiles and I cross our arms while Scott moves his head, connecting his eyes with all of us before Isaac continues “How ‘bout you?”

“I don’t know yet” Scott shrugs earning a scoff from Stiles as he raises his brows and steps back before shaking his head “You don’t know yet?”

I look expectantly at Scott, clearly showing who’s side I’m on and Scott tilts his head towards us pointing at Isaac “Well, he’s got a point. Seriously, guys, human sacrifices?”

Stiles drops his hands to his sides and makes a face like he can’t even believe this is so difficult to understand “Scott, your eyes turn into yellow glow sticks, okay? Hair literally grows from your cheeks and then will immediately disappear, and if I were to stab you right now, it would just _magically_ heal, but you’re telling me that you’re having trouble grasping human sacrifices?” he finishes on a rushed whisper looking around us.

Scott sighs and looks to Isaac as he relents “That’s a good point too.”

Isaac rolls his eyes and looks between us “I don’t care. They killed that kid, they killed the girl that saved me. I’m gonna kill them too” he finishes before he walks off away from us.

***

Standing in the hallway a little ways off the door to the office, I cross my arms as I begin to pace in front of Stiles who is sitting on the bench against the wall “This is a bad idea Stiles, why do we have to bother the poor girl? Sacrifices– I mean everything usually comes in threes right? So there has to be another grouping we just need to figure out what it is.”

He rolls his eyes “What like people who own little dogs?”

I level him with a look and he stands up stopping me from pacing with his hands on my upper arms “Look Adds, maybe you’re right and maybe he was a virgin okay, point is we _need_ to know to cross off that variable– which unfortunately means being a little intrusive–”

“And _a lot_ inconsiderate” I grumble to my feet before we hear the door open and see Deputy Tara walk Kyle’s girlfriend, Ashley, out into the hallway from the office murmuring softly “Wait, right here okay?” Ashley nods and lets out a sigh when she’s left alone.

Stiles hits my arm with his elbow and I huff before we take the few steps to be closer to her **_this is so going to end badly_**

Stiles clears his throat “Um, hi, Ashley. Hi. Could we talk to you just for one sec? Sorry. I just need to ask you something really quick–”

I lean forward interrupting him and gaining her attention “It’s gonna sound really unbelievably insensitive, so I apologize in advance– but I promise there’s a point, so just bear with us okay?”

She furrows her brows, looking between us before she ultimately nods softly.

Stiles takes a deep breath and rips off the band aid “Um– was Kyle a virgin?”

“What?” She jerks her back slightly, furrowing her brows in confusion, flicking her eyes in between us as Stiles clarifies “Your boyfriend, was he a virgin, or did you guys– you know what I mean–”

Catching on to what he’s getting at shock crosses her face just before she gasps and slaps him right across his face.

I offer my scrunched nose grimace to the ground and shuffle on my feet as Deputy Tara walks over glaring at us and sets her hands on her shoulders. 

Deputy Tara turns her around moving a few steps with her before Ashley stops and looks over her shoulder, connecting her sad eyes with mine “No– he wasn’t a virgin.”

Noah walks over to us and sets his hands on his hips furrowing his brows as he looks at Ashley’s retreating back and back to us before connecting his eyes with Stiles “Have you completely lost your mind? I’ve got _four_ murders, Stiles. You see those men in there?” he points to the window into the office moving our attention to the suits as he continues “That’s the FBI. They’re pulling together a task force to help because it looks like we’ve got a full blown serial killer on our hands. You get that?” he whisper yells the last part as he looks around us.

Stiles huffs and looks up to him “Yes, dad. I get that”

He softens his voice and looks between us “As much as I appreciate your guys’ help last year with that case, I just– what are you two doing?”

I share a look with Stiles, hearing him huff before muttering lowly “We’re trying to find a pattern dad”

***

Stiles rushes up to walk with me after lunch “Boyd’s back at school and he knew Kyle from Junior R.O.T.C.” **_never would have guessed_**

“Bonding with Boyd at lunch I see” I state through a chuckle, however, he is on a roll with his thought process so I buckle in for the idea train “You know that there’s a temple in Calcutta where they used to sacrifice a child every day? That’s _every day_ a dead baby, Adds, every day! Hey, you want to know what today is? It’s dead baby day. Oh, no, wait, that’s _every day_ , because every day is dead baby day, yay!

I look at him with concern before Lydia walks up and falls in step with us sharing a look with me “Why in the world are you yelling at her about dead babies?”

Stiles looks up from the ground and throws his arms up to rest his hands behind his head “Because Scott’s dealing with the Alpha twins– they got Isaac in trouble with lunch detention somehow, I didn’t get the full story.”

Lydia stops our steps and looks back to him, at her confused face I furrow my brows “You don’t know about the twins?”

“Alphas?” She questions with a tilt of her head and Stiles nods like it’s obvious which set of twins he’s talking about “Ethan and Aiden.” 

Lydia nods “Oh, yeah. Yeah, I knew about them,” she offers on a higher pitch voice and we all start walking again **_she had zero clue_**

Stiles **_ever the oblivious_** keeps up with his fast talking “Okay, okay, good. So look, after what you said earlier Adds, it makes sense for the murders to be coming in threes– Ancient people love things in threes and sacrifices are very ancienty” **_not just a pretty face folks_**

Lydia shares a look with me and I offer a chuckle before turning to him “So– what are you thinking– first it was virgins, then what?– because little dogs can _not_ be the common factor.”

Lydia snorts and turns to us “Little dogs? What the hell are two going on about?”

I shrug and shake my head though Stiles fills in the blanks “The guy we found on the trail, he was at the vet’s office with Scott last night and he had a little dog so–”

“I have a little dog” she states and Stiles makes a face that has Lydia stop her steps and drop her arm to her side as she looks between us. 

“I’m not getting rid of my dog,” she states quickly before she starts walking again and Stiles rushes behind her “Would you just think about getting rid of your little dog?”

Lydia laughs humorlessly and looks over her shoulder “No”

“Stiles she’s right, besides we cannot discern a pattern by a single data point, so we have to figure out what else was apart of his everyday life that other people had in common with him”

He flings his arms out in front of us to accentuate his next words “Wha– okay, so what, we’re just supposed to wait around for someone else to die, then? We’re just supposed to sit there and watch them die? Just wait for them to wither up and die right in front of us?

Lydia tilts her head to the side “Wither?”

He scoffs and clarifies with even more arm movements “You know what I mean– die, in just a hideously awful, strangulating, head bashing, throat cutting kind of way.” ** _very nice visual thank you_**

Lydia shrugs and offers softly “Maybe it’s not your guys’ job. You said it yourself, they were strangled with a garrote. That’s a human thing to do, so– maybe just leave the figuring it out part to someone human.”

“You mean someone like my dad?”

“No, I _mean_ your dad. The Sheriff!” She states with an eye roll before we hear the bell ring and she’s off down the stairs towards her next class **_waiting for the Sheriff is a very human thing to do_**

Stiles lifts his arms out to his side and sets them on his hips as he turns to look at me and shakes his head “That’s not– my dad doesn’t have all the variables either, he thinks this is a serial killer.”

I shrug and look at my phone for the time “Okay well we know someone else who does have the information for this kind of stuff…”

Recognition crosses over his face as he mutters “Deaton.”

****

Stiles parks in a spot out front and we walk up to the door to the Vet’s office. He reaches forward to open the door for me, and I offer him a smile of thanks before we walk inside.

Deaton looks up and checks his watch with a soft smile “You two are out of school early.”

Stiles nods “Yeah, free period, actually. Um, we were just headed home to see my dad. He’s, uh– you know, I guess you probably heard people are kind of getting murdered again. It’s his job to figure it out,” he nervously states and Deaton smirks “I gathered as much from the ‘Sheriff’ title.”

Stiles chuckles softly before continuing “Yeah, um– you know, but it gets kind of hard for him to do his job when he doesn’t have all the information. And we all know he’s missing pretty much half the story here, right? So then we started thinking, and we remembered someone who _does_ have a lot of information. Someone who always seems to know more than anyone else around here– you.”

Deaton’s face slowly got more serious the more and more Stiles talked and once Stiles is finished, Deaton turns to walk in the back and we follow after him.

I attempt to defuse the situation from an interrogation, crossing my arms and adding “All these symbols and things we’ve been dealing with– the triskeles, the bank logo, the Mountain ash– all of it is from the Celtic druids.”

Stiles makes a noise of agreement as we walk in the back exam room and chimes in as Deaton leans his hands on on the metal table “And anyone who has ever looked up human sacrifice before knows that the druids had a pretty big hard on when it came to giving one up to the gods.”

I jump slightly when the music in the office begins over the speakers **_who knew Deaton was a classical guy_**

Deaton looks between us before Stiles also leans on the metal table on the other end and continues his thought process “You ever hear of the lindow man? 2,000 year old body found in England? He was found strangled, head bashed in, throat cut. Threefold death. They also found pollen grains in his stomach. Guess what favorite druid plant that was.”

Deaton stands up from his lean and reaches forward to the glass jars in front of him. He opens one in particular and holds out the contents to us stating “Mistletoe.”

Stiles huffs and looks to me quickly before looking back to Deaton and the plant in his hand “We’re just telling you everything you already know, aren’t we?”

Deaton puts the contents back in the jar and looks to the table earning an aggravated response from Stiles “Then why aren’t you telling _us_?”

“Maybe because we’ve spent every moment of the last ten years trying to push something away. Denying it– lying about it– becomes a pretty powerful habit.”

I shrug accepting that way of thinking before I continue gently “All right, so the person who is doing this– are they a druid?”

Deaton makes a face and shakes his head “No. It’s someone copying a centuries old practice of a people who should have known better. Do either of you know what the word ‘druid’ means in Gaelic?”

We shake our heads muttering “No” before Deaton nods and continues “‘Wise oak’ The Celtic druids were close to nature. They believed they kept it in balance. They were philosophers and scholars– they weren’t serial killers” **_why is the music so fucking loud?_**

“Yeah, well, this one is,” Stiles states and I close my eyes with a deep breath before opening them and looking to the ceiling trying to find the speakers “What music do you have playing doc? Do the animals like it that loud?”

Deaton and Stiles share a look of confusion before looking back to me and Stiles steps closer to me “Addy– what do you mean, what music?”

I make a noise and look between them pointing above me “The piano classical music that’s incredibly lou– wait, you don’t hear that?”

Stiles swallows thickly and sets his hands on my arms “Adds, there isn’t any music playing…” 

I move my eyes in between his before I feel my phone vibrate and I pull it out of my pocket seeing Lyd’s contact picture of her, Ally, and I from our beach day in France. I answer the call and set it up to my ear “Hey Lyds– can I call you back I can’t really–”

“You need to get to the school, someone else is missing” She rushes out quickly and I look up to Stiles with my wide eyes “Wait– what? Who’s missing?”

She takes in a shaky breath “Not just missing, Addy– I think the music teacher was taken.”

“The– the music teacher?” I whisper and look up to Stiles who widens his eyes and nods his head towards the door.

***

We get to the school with Deaton following behind us, and walk into the music room where Lydia is sitting in a chair nervously tapping her foot against the floor.

She stands up as soon as we walk in the door and grabs a phone that was sitting on the piano, reaching it out to us and hitting play.

A type of chanting opera of deep voices beings to fill the room from the phone recording and Deaton grabs it out of my hands and restarts it. 

He furrows his brows and stops the chant, looking over to Lydia “Can we get a copy of this?” 

She nods and takes the phone out of his hands as I walk over to Stiles who is searching through the teacher’s desk. He looks up over to Deaton “Hey, doc, any help would be, you know, helpful.”

Deaton smirks and nods thoughtfully “Each grouping of three would have its own purpose, its own type of power. Virgins, healers, philosophers, warriors–”

I gasp softly as I reach into the drawer and lift a picture up as Stiles moves his eyes from it, to me and back over to Deaton “Wait, wait, wait, wait. Warrior, could that also be like a soldier?”

Deaton nods “Absolutely.”

Stiles grabs the picture and sets it on the desk as I look over to Deaton and tell him “Kyle was in R.O.T.C. with Boyd.”

Stiles nods and closes the drawer before setting his hands on the table “That’s got to be it. That’s the pattern.”

“Where’s Boyd?” Deaton urges and Stiles reaches into his pocket, grabbing his phone and stepping a few steps away to make the call “He’s probably home by now. I’m gonna try and get him on the phone.”

I can’t get Harris’ name out of my head and I look over to share a look with Lydia, who must come to the same conclusion of someone else in a close vicinity who fits the pattern **_the dread gut feeling is a dead give away to us being right_**

Deaton looks to us and raises a brow “Addy– Lydia? Something wrong?”

Lydia shakes her head “No, it was– I mean– there’s just someone else with a military connection at the school.”

Stiles drops his phone from his ear “There’s probably tons but who are you guys thinking?”

I look over to him and offer a shrug “It’s sitting right on his desk– the West Point Honor Code”

***

We walk into Harris’ empty classroom and start searching around his desk for clues. Deaton picks up the plaque I told them about and makes a noise in the back of his throat before setting the sign back on the desk “This is just one of many possibilities– he could have simply left for the day.”

Stiles scoffs and lifts up a briefcase that was behind the desk by our feet “Yeah, well– not without this.”

Deaton shares a look with me like Stiles has a point before I reach forward and start flipping through the papers on the desk. 

I see a red ‘D’ and ‘A’ on two before I see letters that don’t match with proper grading techniques. I lift one up as Stiles notices and grabs another earning Deaton to question towards us “What?”

Stiles turns the paper in his hands around “This test is graded ‘R’.”

Deaton furrows his brows and walks over to us as I also turn my paper around to him “This one’s got an ‘H’.”

Deaton grabs both out of our hands and sets them on the desk in front of us, moving the other papers with the red letters around before setting his hands down “Guys, you remember how I told you ‘druid’ is the Gaelic word for ‘wise oak’?”

Stiles steps closer to me and mutters “Yeah” as I nod towards Deaton who tilts his head to the side

“If a druid went down the wrong path, the wise oak was sometimes said to have become a dark oak. There’s a Gaelic word for that as well– Darach.”

****

Scott and I are sitting in his room as he attempts to do his homework, however me being a great influence sister– I insist he fills me in on the happenings of the day with Isaac and the twins.

“So Isaac got set up and took the blame for Aiden beating up Ethan, earning him some lunch time detention where he was locked in a supply closet and almost attacked Allison?”

“Yeah– they didn’t just want to get us angry. They wanted to get someone hurt– so we paid them back the favor of at least the anger part…”

I shake my head and cross my legs on the bed “Edge of my seat here, Scotty”

He chuckles and swings around in his chair “We took apart one of the bike’s main components and Isaac rode the other into the school, to set up Aiden with it in the hallways– which worked because he got expelled for a few days.”

We share a laugh before I shake my head again “I wish I could have seen their faces”

Scott nods and taps his pencil on the desk “It was worth it– though they met up with us after school and transformed into their massive bodied alpha.”

I stand up with a gasp “You’re going on about bikes in hallways and you were attacked?!”

He raises his hands “Hey we’re okay, they didn’t get a chance to _actually_ attack us– Deucalion showed up and stopped them. Sliced their cheeks with his walking stick and everything” he finishes with a hand motion across his own cheek.

I furrow my brows and cross my arms over my chest when we hear a knock on the door. Scott offers over his shoulder “Come in, mom.”

Isaac opens the door instead of mom and clears his throat softly “I was wondering if I could ask you guys a favor.”


	29. Frayed

My head bounces off the window and I take a quick intake of breath as I wake up and look around me– still sitting next to Stiles, on the bus to our cross country meet. 

Scott is sitting in front of us with his back against the window and his face still looks like he’s slowly dying **_couldn’t have been asleep for long then_**

“Morning sleepy beauty” I can hear the smile in his voice before I move my eyes to his and offer a soft chuckle “How long was I out?”

I sit up from the slouch I was sleeping in while Stiles makes a noise as he thinks that over “Not long, we’re not in Beacon anymore but this road is too bumpy for this shitty bus.”

Scott groans and gains our attentions as Stiles leans forward with the iPad he’s holding hitting the seat with his lean “Yo, Scotty. Hey, yo, Scotty? Still with me?”

Scott opens one of his eyes and looks over the seat to us “Yeah, sorry. Uh, what’s the word?”

Stiles looks quickly down to the iPad before stating “‘Anachronism’.”

“Something that exists out of its normal time,” Scott sighs out earning a nod from Stiles “Nice. Okay, next word– ‘incongruous’.”

Scott furrows his brows “Um, can you use it in a sentence?”

“Yes. Yes, I can. It’s completely _incongruous_ that we’re sitting on a bus right now, on our way to some stupid cross country meet after what just happened– incongruous.”

I chuckle towards the window noticing the dark grey clouds directly in the distance we are heading **_yay running in the rain_** as Scott huffs and closes both eyes again “Out of place, ridiculous, absurd.”

Stiles nods and pulls the iPad up closer to his face “Perfect. Okay, next word. Um, Darach– Darach, it’s a noun–” he trails off before looking at me out of the corner of his eyes. I snort and shake my head before he flicks his eyes to look over the seat hesitantly.

I smirk at the face Scott makes with both eyes directed at his best friend who shrugs “We have to talk about it sometime, okay? And we’re gonna be stuck in this thing for, like, five fucking hours, so why not?” 

Scott closes his eyes and leans his head back on the window earning a sigh from Stiles who looks back to the iPad and clears his throat “Christ, fine next word– ‘Intransigent’.”

I snort as I jab cheerily “Hmmm don’t need an example for that word do we, Scotty?”

He glares as he answers the definition “Stubborn, obstinate.”

Stiles chuckles as the bus rattles obnoxiously after going over what I can only assume was a dead body, earning a painful groan from Scott who leans his back forward off the window.

Stiles and I lean forward with our hands on the seat with our worry “Oh, buddy, you okay? We shouldn’t have come. I knew it. We should _not_ have come” Stiles finishes with a point of his finger in the air, however Scott chimes in just as quickly “We had to– there’s safety in numbers.”

“Yeah, well, there’s also death in numbers, okay? It’s called a massacre– or bloodbath, carnage, slaughter, butchery, wow, that’s–” he argues before Scott groans again.

Stiles hands me the iPad to get up out of our seat “All right, Scott, I’m telling coach that–”

“No. No, no, no. I’m alright” Scott reaches his hand out and Stiles stops his steps in the aisle, throwing one arm over the seat towards him “Well, you don’t look all right– would you just let us see it?”

“I’m okay” Scott shakes his head and pulls at his shirt and I roll my eyes “Just let us see it, Scotty.”

Scott looks over the seat towards me before looking over at Stiles and lets out a sigh as he reaches for the hem of his shirt muttering “Okay…”

I stand up to lean my elbows on the back of the seat as he lifts his shirt and turns his body towards the seat slightly. I gasp softly, uncrossing my arms to cover my mouth with my hands as we see the massive slash that expands over his whole side near his ribs.

The slashes are still just as fresh as last night– I mean they aren’t bleeding excessively however, with supernatural healing abilities it’s still at festering wound status.

“Oh, dude–” Stiles shares a worried look with me and sits down next to me again as Scott sits up against the window again and lowers his shirt “I know it’s bad, but it’s because they’re from an Alpha– it’ll take longer to heal.”

I sit down again as well and make a noise gaining his attention before nodding my head towards the front of the bus “How come Boyd and Isaac are fine then?”

Scott just closes his eyes, shaking his head and muttering towards the window “I can’t believe he’s dead. I can’t believe Derek’s dead.”

 ** _Soooo story time_** – Scott went to visit Allison and confront her about being at the school the night that everyone was chasing down Boyd and Cora. He found one of her arrows at the scene, which was curious since her and her father made a pact to stay _out_ of the supernatural business. Chris also broke the pact that night as well when he helped Scott and Isaac trap the moon relapse wolves with his sound emitters.

Scott figured out when he was leaving in the elevator that the Alpha pack is living in the penthouse suite in the apartment building that Allison and her dad are living in– one apartment below the pack.

Him and Isaac went last night to avoid the attack on Deucalion that was being put together with the help of Peter and Cora to just kill him.

As soon as Scott and Isaac met Deucalion at the rundown building, he stated Scott wasn’t alone and Derek walked out of the shadows with Boyd and Cora not far behind.

It went over just about as great as you can imagine– Deucalion had his band of misfits all there as well **_including a chick who hates wearing shoes over her toe claws_** and an all out fight ensued between them.

Deucalion ordered for Boyd to be killed and to release Scott, Cora and Isaac. Deucalion gave Derek an ultimatum to either kill Boyd and join their alpha pack or to continue to fight and die with them all. 

Before a decision could be made, explosion light arrows were shot all around them and Allison came to the rescue for them to get the upper hand and all start fighting for their lives again.

The alpha, called Ennis, attacked Scott across his ribs and moved on to fight Derek as Scott was on the ground from the wound. 

Ennis and Derek were fighting near a ledge and Scott crawled over, slicing the back of Ennis’ calf. 

As a result, him and Derek fell down through a massive hole in the floor and onto an old broken escalator at the deserted mall building. Scott looked over the edge seeing Derek on the escalator, with his eyes open and not moving in the slightest.

I can’t really fathom him actually being dead at this point in time **_so I’m not doing it_**

Coach makes the shrill noise come from his damn whistle and sets his hand on the seat in front of the kid who is known for _always_ being car sick **_why he comes with us I still don’t understand_** “Two of you, back in your seats. Jared, again, car sick? Every ti– how do you even get on the bus? Look at me. No, don’t look at me. Look at the horizon. Keep your eyes– keep your eyes on the horizon,” he points over his shoulder earning a nod from Jared before Coach looks back to us and furrows his brows “He-McCall, not you too.”

Scott opens his eyes and leans forward from the window slightly with a grunt “No, coach, I’m good.”

Stiles sets his hands on the seat and looks over before pointing down to Scott’s shirt “Hey, Scott, you’re bleeding again. And don’t tell me that it’s just taking longer to heal, okay? Because I’m pretty sure that _still bleeding_ means _not_ _healing_ – like, at all.”

“He’s listening” Scott ignores Stiles and nods towards Ethan sitting a couple rows up with Danny.

I set my hands on the seat and lean forward as well whispering “Is he gonna do something?”

Scott shakes his head “Not in front of this many people.”

Stiles scoffs and points towards the seats a couple of rows up from us “Okay, well, what about the two ticking time bombs sitting right near him?”

I follow where he’s pointing towards Isaac and Boyd as Scott shakes his head and states pretty confidently “No, they won’t. Not here.”

Stiles looks quickly to me before inquiring “Okay, well, what if they do? Are you gonna stop ‘em?”

Scott nods and looks to us just as confidently “If I have to.” 

All of a sudden the bus brakes to a hard stop and we all surge forward with the action. I set my hands on the seat to brace myself and look to Scott who grabs his side and groans again.

There’s bumper to bumper traffic in front of us, which is just super great for the amount of werewolves that are on this bus in close proximity to each other.

Scott sits forward and starts to move, though I reach over the seat and set my hand on his shoulder “Scott? Where are you going?”

Never moving his eyes from the front, Scott barely gets out “Boyd– he’s gonna do something…”

Stiles swings his eyes from us to Boyd and back to Scott as he jerks his head back sightly “Okay, what? How do you know?”

“Look at his hands,” we lift our eyes over and see Boyd grab the seat in front of him with his were-claws on display.

Scott shakes off my hand and Stiles’ attempt at stopping him as well before he moves up the aisle at a slow and in complete pain pace before he reaches Boyd and sets his hand on Boyd’s claws all out hand.

He mutters words that are too soft and far away for us to hear earning Stiles and I share a worried look. 

Flicking our eyes back to the front of the bus, we see Scott close his eyes and make the move back to us. 

He sits down and leans his back against the window again, grunting the whole way before Stiles leans forward “Crisis averted?”

“Mm-hmm,” he answers before I reach into my bag and hand him a water, which he nods his thanks and takes a drink.

Stiles nods and points towards the enemy wolf on the bus “Okay, good. 'Cause we got another problem. Ethan keeps checking his phone, like, every five minutes. It’s like he’s waiting for something, you know, like, a message or a signal of some kind. I don’t know, something evil though, I can tell. I have a very perceptive eye for evil, but you guys know that.”

I snort through a chuckle, however I add a smirk and nod my head in confirmation when Stiles swings his gaze my way **_I see zero lies Sherlock_**

Scott mumbles “I don’t like him sitting with Danny,” earning a noise of agreement from me “Yeah, neither do I.”

Stiles nods and digs in his pocket, bringing out his phone and taps away on it muttering “I’m gonna see what he’s waiting for…”

“What are you doing?” I nod towards his phone and receive a shrug before his response “I’m gonna ask.”

He hits send and we all look over to Danny, who shifts in his seat to grab his phone before he looks over the back of his seat towards us. 

Stiles smiles and points towards his phone, earning an eye roll and a shake of his head in the negative from Danny, who turns back around in his seat.

Stiles sends another message, receiving a ‘no’ text from Danny– earning a scoff before Stiles begins to type furiously sending a ‘just do it’ back to him.

Danny again shakes his head no and turns back around before he sends his own message back of ‘NO. I like this guy. What’s wrong with you?’ **_fairpoint but Ethan is one part of evil twin, Danny_**

Stiles sends another message exclaiming importance before we see Danny shake his head towards his phone and shift in his seat to obviously pocket his phone.

Stiles raises his hands out with his outrage before he sends twenty plus messages to the poor dude.

Danny turns his head and shares a few words with Ethan before the werewolf in question turns around quickly, connecting his eyes with ours at the same moment we all duck behind our seats **_super inconspicuous if you were wondering_**

Still bent forward with my chin resting on my knees, Stiles is slouched closer to me and huffs “Well, that wasn’t very subtle” **_whaaaaat?_**

We all sit up and through Scott’s groan of pain Stiles receives another message from Danny stating someone close to Ethan is sick and may not make it through the night.

I lean closer to him to read the message and look up to Scott “Ennis?”

Stiles shares a look with me “Okay, so does that mean, uh–”

“He’s not dead,” Scott finishes Stiles’ thought with a shocked shake of his head to learn Ennis didn’t die in the fall.

“Not yet.” Stiles clarifies and pockets his phone **_so Derek may be alive also?_**

Coach gains our attentions as he walks back over to the throw up time bomb “Jared, I’m warning you. I’m an empathetic vomiter. You throw up, I’m gonna throw up right back on you and it will be _profoundly_ disgusting” ** _holy gross visual_**

“Please don’t talk about throwing up. It’s not good” Jared shakes his head back and forth

“I might throw up on you just to make a point, Jared” Coach deadpans and Jared shivers “It’s not good. It’s not good” he barely gets out through holding in his gag **_you do it, I’ll do it too_**

Coach rolls his eyes and looks up to us “Now the rest of you, don’t think we’re gonna miss this meet because of a slight traffic jam, a minor tornado warning– Jared. We’re gonna make this thing. Nothing’s gonna stop us!– Stilinski, put your hand down.”

Stiles raises his hand off the seat in front of us, talking regardless of being dismissed “You know, there’s, like, a food exit about a half a mile up. I don’t know if we stop and then maybe–”

“We’re not gonna stop,” Coach shakes his head before Stiles tries again “Okay, but if we stop–”

Coach just blows his whistle with as much anger as he can before flailing his arms “Stilinski! Shut it! Seriously! It’s a little bus! Stop asking me questions!”

Stiles huffs and sits back in the seat, covering his mouth with his hand “I hate him– Did you call Deaton?” he flicks his eyes over to Scott who has his eyes closed again as he rests the back of his head on the window “I keep getting his voice mail.”

“We could call Lydia and Allison,” I offer grabbing my phone out of my bag which causes Scott to furrow his brows towards me “How are they gonna help, they’re back in Beacon Hills?”

“Aaand my phone is dead” I huff setting it back in my bag as Stiles nods and grabs his phone filling Scott in with a shake of his head “They’re not. They’ve been following us for hours. Pathetic.”

Stiles places his phone against his ear and rolls his eyes at whatever was said on the other side “I know you guys are right behind us. Put me on speaker– Okay, look, Scott’s still hurt.”

Scott closes his eyes and I frown towards him before looking over to Stiles who continues “No, he’s not healing. I think he’s actually getting worse. The blood’s turning, like, a black color.” **_just like when Derek was shot and his body couldn’t heal itself_**

“What’s wrong with him? I don’t– do I have a PhD in lycanthropy? How am I supposed to know that?” I chuckle and turn towards the window before I hear him scoff “Yeah, I’ve been trying.”

Stiles moves in his seat with his frustration “Reason? Have you met this guy?” **_reason is not Coach’s middle name_**

Stiles hangs up and points to me “ _Your_ friends– I swear…”

I shrug with a smirk right back at him while I point out “Your friends too.”

He grumbles under his breath before he pulls himself up with the seat and walks up towards the front of the bus “Coach, it’s five minutes for a bathroom break, okay? We’ve been on this thing for, like, three hours–”

Whistle blow in his face before he continues “It’s sixty miles to the next rest stop–”

Another whistle shrill and he tries again “Being cooped up for hours is not good–”

_Whistle_

“You know, our bladders aren’t exactly–”

_Whistle_

“Coach, this is–”

_Whistle_

“Can you–”

_Whistle_

“Please”

_Whistle_

“Let me talk! I’m–”

_Whistle followed by a laugh_

“Every time–”

Longest whistle blow **_not appreciated for this confined space_** before Coach jerks his body “Get back to your seat, Stilinski!”

“ _OKAY_!” Stiles doesn’t even hold back his frustration to the last two minutes of whistle blowing interruption. He turns around moving his hand over his face and shrugging towards my frown.

Coach mutters “Jared, keep your eyes on the horizon”

I see Stiles sigh and move his eyes quickly to the side before he flicks them to me and turns back towards Jared sporting a thinking face that one hundred percent shows what his next move is **_checkmate Coach_**

I sigh with an eye roll “Jesus christ this is going to be bad”

Scott looks over the seat watching as I stand up and open the window, maneuvering on the seat to put my head out of the window as much as I can to avoid being an empathetic vomiter **_as Coach put it so wonderfully earlier_**

Stiles successfully got Jared to do the dirty work of getting the bus pulled over at the rest stop.

We all file out of the bus as quickly as our gagging and coughing will allow and as best we can with Scott’s arms around both mine and Stiles’ shoulders. 

Lydia and Allison meet us on the walk way towards the bathroom as we hear Coach shouting behind us “Jared, you suck! Hey, somebody grab some towels or a mop– or a new bus.”

Walking into the bathroom we make sure the coast is clear before we walk Scott inside and lean him against one of the walls and sit him down.

He lets out a painful groan with the action and I set my hands on one of his shoulders “Sorry, Scotty.” 

Scott breathes deeply and shakes his head as Stiles stands up and Allison kneels down to lift up his shirt. 

It’s gotten so much worse and I suck in a sharp breath as I hear Allison gasp before muttering “Oh, my God– why didn’t you tell us?

Scott croaks a “Sorry” before Allison drops his shirt back down, and looks to me quickly before looking back to him “Okay. Just give us a second, okay?”

We stand up, walking over to Stiles and Lydia as Allison lifts her hands out “This shouldn’t be happening. I’ve seen him heal from worse than this.”

I cross my arms over my stomach and feel Stiles set his hand on my back as he answers her “Okay, what do we do then? Do we just call an ambulance?”

“What if it’s too late? What if they can’t help?” Allison rushes out through her worry

I shrug just as worried “We gotta do something.”

Lydia turns to me “You know, it could be psychological.”

Stiles looks across me towards her “What do you mean, like, psychosomatic?”

“Somatoformic” she states with another look to me and I furrow my brows in thought as Stiles stutters “Som–”

I nod with Lydia’s thought, coming to the same conclusion as her as I turn my head towards him and fill in “A physical illness from a psychogenic cause” Stiles levels me with a look that screams _get to the point_ and I offer softly “Yes, it’s all in his head.”

Recognition crosses his face and he nods “All in his head? Because of Derek– he’s not letting himself heal 'cause Derek died.”

I nod as Allison runs a hand through the top of her hair and licks her lips, looking back towards Scott “So what do we do?”

Lydia starts digging through her purse before pulling out what she was looking for and offering “Stitch him up–” she looks around at us and defends “I’m serious.” 

Allison raises her brows letting out a deep exhale as Lydia looks to all of us and I shrug a shoulder as I agree, my voice cracking with the emotion of Scott being hurt “She has a point– it’s all in his head anyways. Maybe all he needs to do is just _believe_ it’s healing.”

Stiles sighs reluctantly and moves his eyes to me, pulling me closer into his side and nodding towards them.

We go about getting paper towels and setting up an impromptu medical station for Allison who grabs the lighter I was holding out to her and puts the needle in the flame.

We pull Scott’s shirt off him as gently as we can and toss it in the garbage. Allison looks over to us informing “He’s gonna need another shirt. Where’s his bag?”

Stiles looks over to her and stands up “Um, I’m gonna get it. I hate needles anyway, so– uh, do you know what you’re doing?” he points towards her and she lifts her eyes into the mirror to look back to us “Yeah, my father taught me.”

Stiles turns towards me and back to her “I mean, how fast are you gonna– I mean, the bus, like, the bus could leave.”

Allison quickly looks back over her shoulder, connecting her eyes with mine “Well, you just make sure it doesn’t leave.”

He sighs looking at Scott completely worried, I step towards him and set my hand in his “I’ll help– come on.”

Stiles flicks his eyes to mine and squeezes my hand twice before pulling me towards the door. Lydia takes a step after us smiling softly “I’ll stand watch while she patches him up.”

I smile towards her mouthing ‘thank you’ which she offers a nod and leans against the wall with her arms crossed in front of her.

***

Stiles and I walk towards the bus after bringing them another shirt for Scott, watching everyone mulling around and waiting to come up with an excuse should Coach tell us all to get on the bus with Scott and Allison still not being back.

Isaac and Boyd walk up causing Stiles to stand up a little straighter from his lean against the bus. Isaac smirks and looks to me “Where’s Scott?”

I share a look with Stiles who nods slightly before we fill him in on Scott’s injury and stitch session going on in the bathroom.

Isaac and Boyd see red based off the looks they sport before they turn around with growls and head right towards Ethan.

I step forward, however, Stiles grabs my arms and pulls me back against him “We can’t stop them, Adds” **_we can’t let them kill someone in front of the cross country team either_**

Isaac reaches his fist back and punches Ethan right in the face and I jerk back into Stiles’ chest with the action, watching as Ethan falls to the ground– though otherwise he doesn’t fight back in the slightest. 

Isaac continues to punch him over and over as they gain a circle of everyone watching the scene unfold before we hear Scott behind us “Stiles– Addy what’s happening?”

Stiles looks over his shoulder, turning us to see Scott with his arm around Allison’s shoulder and looking better.

Stiles raises a hand towards the circle of bodies “They went after him. We told 'em what was happening with you and they just went after him.”

Scott already starts to walk towards the circle questioning “Who– Boyd?”

He gets his answer, however, when Coach starts shouting as he himself makes his way towards the group “Isaac, Isaac, Isaac! Back off! Stop.”

Scott drops his arm from Allison and pushes through the crowd bellowing “Isaac!”

Everyone stops and looks to Scott– including Isaac who stops his movements immediately, standing up from his lean over Ethan and drops his fist to his side as he connects his eyes with Scott’s.

Isaac flicks his eyes from Scott’s face, down to his side, and back up offering a little lopsided smile to seeing Scott on his feet and not in pain anymore **_Lyds is a genius_**

Danny rushes forward to a panting and bloodied Ethan on the ground and we all look between Isaac and Scott. 

I share a look with Stiles and he shakes his head before looking back at the pair **_Scott screamed it like a command– and Isaac listened_**

***

Stiles’ voice gains my attention from spacing out the window once we’ve been back on the road for a little bit “All right. Let’s go over this one more time. So it’s the sacrifices, right? Everything has to do with them and someone who thinks he’s, like, a dark druid of some kind.”

I nod and clear my throat “Or actually _is_ a dark druid– or as Deaton calls it a Darach.”

He nods and scratches at his chin with the back of his fingers.

Lydia turns around in the seat in front of us and tilts her head to the side “You know– some ancient cultures sacrificed people in preparation for battle.”

“A supernatural battle sounds absolutely terrifying since we have zero powers to help” I grumble earning a chuckle from her and a noise from Stiles who moves to start talking, however, I raise my hand in a stop motion to halt his words as I offer my own “Finding two dead bodies and having an idea of the next two missing ones is on the zero battle fighting usefulness level.”

Lydia makes a face of agreement towards him as he makes a noise in the back of his throat and nods his head towards me once “Fine– so we got Alpha werewolves against a dark druid…”

Lydia and I mutter “Yeah” before she sits forward again and I frown towards him. 

He notices and softens his face, immediately reaching over and setting his hand on my leg, gaining my attention **_and seven heart palpitations_** while he mutters “Hey– we’re going to figure this out, Adds. We’re 2-0 right now” he winks and moves his eyes towards the front of the bus. 

I smile softly at the side of his face before being brave and decide to lay the side of my head against his shoulder, letting the rocking of the bus **_and his fucking hand still on my leg_** lull me to a somewhat content sleep.


	30. Motel California

Opening my eyes after my arm is shaken softly, I lift my head off of Stiles’ shoulder noticing his soft smile before I sheepishly look out the window **_I used him as a human pillow for who knows how long_**

I take in the darkness of the night outside of the windows and the bus pulling off the road into the parking lot of one of _those_ Motels.

The Motel Glen Capri sounds like an alright name but it definitely gives off the _this is where you go to clean up after a murder_ type of vibe.

The bus comes to a stop and after getting a head count Coach heads for the door and mutters over his shoulder “Stay here while I get the rooms sorted.”

We all stand from our seats and stretch before grabbing our bags to wait for him to come back.

Zoning out the window across the aisle to our right towards the motel, I feel a jab in my side “You okay?”

I shake my head and look to my left, connecting my eyes with Stiles’ as I whisper “I don’t like this place.”

Understanding crosses his face before he grimaces as he also looks out the window “It is pretty creepy.”

Before I can say it’s more a feeling of complete dread versus just how the place looks, Coach comes back towards the bus and waves his arm for us to unload outside.

We wait for everyone towards the front half of the bus to deboard before we make our way to the front, down the steps, and through the group waiting outside.

Taking in the full scene of the rundown building, the feeling that overwhelms my entire body is what I imagine death to feel like. I feel cold and immense sadness **_something terrible happened here_**

Scott comes to a stop next to me and I see him shrug out of the corner of my eye “I’ve seen worse” **_true I’m sure the Bates Motel was worse_**

Stiles stops on my other side and leans forward to talk across me towards him “Where have you seen worse?”

Coach blows his godforsaken whistle again making me jump and the dread feeling slowly fades “Listen up– the meet’s been pushed till tomorrow. This is the closest motel with the most vacancies and least amount of good judgment when it comes to accepting a bunch of degenerates like yourselves. You’ll be pairing up– choose wisely.”

He holds out the handful of room keys, shaking them once before everyone starts grabbing a key as he continues “And I’ll have no sexual perversions perpetrated by you little deviants. Got that? Keep your dirty little hands to your dirty little selves!”

I chuckle towards him as I grab a key and take a few steps away to wait for Allison and Lydia.

Stiles grabs a key from Coach and walks over with Scott, showing me their 213 key before leaning closer to me “Drop your bag and come to our room alone please, I need to talk to you guys” he looks between Scott and I.

I offer a smirk “Thinking about your suspects for who the Darach is while I was asleep, Sherlock?”

He scoffs, setting his hands on his hips “Of course, Watson.”

Scott and I share a chuckle before I offer him a nod “Give me five minutes and I’ll be there.”

Scott looks back towards Allison and Lydia who are making their way closer to us. He smiles softly, setting his hand on my shoulder and offers a reassuring squeeze before following Stiles to their room.

I turn on my heel and hold up the room key “You guys can take the beds, I have a feeling I won’t be able to sleep here” I state, earning a chuckle from Allison as she shakes her head softly “We can share a bed” **_still won’t be able to sleep_**

She moves her eyes over her shoulder and turns around “Lydia?”

I follow her eyes and step closer to Lyds as she shakes her head and moves her eyes every which way around the building in front of us “I don’t like this place…”

I cross my arms and look between them, not wanting to look behind me at the building again just yet “I don’t either– I can’t shake this feeling like something bad happened here” **_or is going to happen here_**

Allison tries to lighten the mood “Come on guys– I mean I don’t think even the people who own this place like this place,” she looks between us and sets her hands on each of our arms “Okay? It’s only for a night.”

A feel an involuntary shiver run down my spine at her words, finally looking over my shoulder and muttering quietly into the space around us “A lot can happen in one night, Ally.”

***

We find our room 217 and I slide the key into the lock, opening the door to a pungent stale cigarette smell that hits us right in the face **_smells like a Casino_**

Deeming the table a safe enough surface we set our bags on it and find the light switch, which does nothing for making the room look better.

Allison sighs and sets the ‘non-smoking room’ sign down on the dresser **_hard enforced rule obviously_** and moves to check out the bathroom, coming out a second later “Well that isn’t absolutely terrifying so I’m going to take a shower unless either of you want one first?”

I shake my head as Lydia goes to see for herself, turning on her heel and making a hmpf noise “It’s passable but the towels smell just as bad as the room– I’ll go get new ones,” and she’s out the door before we can argue **_plus they’ll all be the same more than likely_**

Allison shares a chuckle with me before setting her hand on my crossed arms, breaking my staring contest with the door “We’ll be out of here before you know it okay?”

I smile and nod slightly “Ah-yeah– umm Stiles said he needed to fill me in on something so I’ll head over there if you’re sure you’re okay to be alone.”

She nods and steps back towards the bathroom “I’ve been showering on my own for years– besides Lydia will be right back.”

“Right– okay then, I’ll get snacks on my way back” I grab some money out of my bag for the vending machine and head out the door, down the hall towards room 213 that Stiles and Scott are waiting in.

I hear “Come in” as soon as I knock and once I open the door and close it behind me, I notice Scott and Stiles laying on the end of each of the beds with their feet resting on the ground **_two peas in a pod_**

I grab a chair from the desk and set it in between both sets of feet, sitting down with my legs crossed on the seat.

I hear Stiles let out a sigh, holding up his hand as he states “All right, so I have four.”

“Four?” Scott and I question before Scott elaborates “You have four suspects?”

Stiles bounces his knees as he answers “Yeah, it was originally ten. Well, nine technically, I guess– I had Derek on there twice.”

I chuckle and see Scott raise a hand off his stomach “So who’s number one– Harris?”

“Just because he’s missing doesn’t mean he’s dead,” Stiles argues before Scott offers a scoff towards the ceiling “So if he’s not dead, our chemistry teacher is out secretly committing human sacrifices.”

“Yeah, I guess that just sounded way better in my head” he concedes before I offer “Well, what if it is actually somebody else from school?”

Stiles moves his head to look at me, opening his mouth however he is cut off by Scott “Yea– I mean you guys remember Matt? We didn’t know that he was killing people?” **_the fuck we didn’t_**

I make a noise of disagreement as Stiles sits up with his betrayal shocked face “Excuse me? I’m sorry, what?” He stands up completely and never wavers his eyes from Scott “I– yes, we did. I called that from _day one_ , actually.”

I nod when Scott sits up, moving to lean back on his elbows as he connects his eyes with mine before looking back to Stiles and elaborates “Well– yeah, but we never really _seriously_ thought that it was Matt.”

Stiles makes a noise before scoffing “I was serious. I was quite serious, actually. _Deadly serious_ – Addy was the only one who listened to me and that’s because she also saw him as the murderer he was!” **_true story_**

Stiles moves his eyes to me and I offer a nod of agreement before Scott ignores it all and inquires “Who were the other three?”

Looking like he wants to argue more, Stiles pauses a moment before he lets it go and continues with his list “Derek’s sister, Cora. No one knows anything about her, and she’s Derek’s sister– next, your boss.”

I raise my brows with the accusation as he points towards Scott, earning him to sit up with his confusion “My boss?”

“Yeah, your boss. I don’t really like the whole Obi-Wan thing he’s got going on, you know. It freaks me out.”

I laugh and set my elbow on my knee to rest my chin in my hand as Scott looks between us, completely lost.

Stiles notices the look and makes a face, lifting his hand out to my poor sheltered brother “Oh– my– god. Have you _still_ not seen Star Wars?”

I shake my head and set my hands in my lap “Seen it, he still has not.”

Stiles offers his breathy chuckle pointing towards me as Scott rolls his eyes with a smirk “I swear, if we make it back alive, I will watch the movie.”

“Just makes me fucking crazy,” Stiles grumbles to his feet before I clear my throat and look at him “Who was the last one?”

Stiles connects his eyes with mine and looks like he doesn’t want to say, earning me to raise my brows in question for the long silence before he sighs and moves to sit back down again “Lydia.”

Ready to argue with him, he notices and lifts his hands up in surrender “Adds, she was totally controlled by Peter, and she had no idea, so–”

I scrunch my brows together and drag out “Sooo by that logic I should be a suspect on your list as well, because I have no idea how I found those bodies either, Sty.”

I shrug making a bring it face at him, earning him to jerk his head back and make a noise. He quickly looks over to Scott for help, however he just receives a head shake and hand surrender to leave him out of it **_twin solidarity thank you_**

I never waver my eyes from Stiles, earning a sigh from him before he offers “Addy we _know_ you’re not killing people in some ancient sacrifice ritual.”

“And I _know_ Lydia isn’t either,” I counter earning a groan of frustration from him “Okay– but we can’t deny the Peter situ–”

I stand up interrupting him “Peter said and I quote ‘I couldn’t get in your head, but that doesn’t mean I was wrong’ okay? Peter knows what we are– which has to be the same thing or really fucking similar based on our experiences lately. He used Lydia to be resurrected from the fucking grave because he couldn’t get in my head for whatever reason– what would he have to gain from sacrificing virgins and warriors?”

“Addy–”

“No, okay just no. Someone else is doing this Stiles– I _know_ it. I’d believe Matt came back from the fucking dead and is messing with us again, before I’d ever believe Lydia or one of the Hale’s was doing this.”

“Okay–” he swallows thickly, taking a second before offering a nod through a contemplative frown “Then it’s Harris.”

Scott and I chuckle at his attempt at lightening the mood and I shove my hands in my sweatshirt pockets “Harris went missing after the first round of sacrifices– I mean we did get a couple of new teachers before the sacrifices started, we should start there”

They nod before letting out sighs and falling back on the beds in perfect synchronization **_I’d say they were the twins if I didn’t know any better_**

I chuckle and head towards the door “I’m heading for the vending machine– either of you want anything?”

Scott sits up on his elbows again and shakes his head “I’m going to grab a shower and head to bed I think.”

Stiles stands up and checks his pocket for his wallet, walking towards me “I’ll come with you”

I offer a small smile and reach for the door handle, he sets his hand on the edge of the door above my head to keep the door open as we walk out and I call over my shoulder “Night, Scotty.”

Scott smiles with a little wave as he walks over to his duffle bag before the door closes the view into their room.

Stiles and I walk down the steps leading us to the ground floor, taking a left next to the staircase where the vending machine is once we get to the bottom.

We see Boyd standing in front of the glass, trying to decide what to get and Stiles makes a noise before his greeting of “Yo.”

Boyd doesn’t acknowledge us, instead he looks pretty zoned out as he lifts an arm to punch in “201” on the keypad with his finger.

Stiles shares a look with me before smiling at Boyd’s choice “Ha– hey that was the same thing I was gonna get.”

I smile at the peanut butter crackers choice before the metal ring keeping the items in place moves slightly but then ultimately gets stuck without dropping the food. 

Stiles makes a noise “Oh, hang on. You know what? I got a patented method for this…” 

He hands me his money, sets his hands on my shoulders and has me take a few steps back before he looks to Boyd again “Don’t worry…” 

He positions his feet on the ground better and raises his arms up to rest on the top of the vending machine, however, before he can re-enact his hospital hulk smash party trick– Boyd punches his hand forward, lightning quick, and breaks the front glass panel of the machine.

Shock crosses my features and my eyebrows say hello to my hairline with the action **_that’s one way to do it_**

Stiles slowly lowers his arms and takes a step back towards me as Boyd **_still a zoned out mute_** reaches inside and takes some food items before he just walks away.

Stiles turns around and shares the same shocked look I’m sure I’m sporting before he looks around us and nods towards the machine “Well, since he made it easy…”

We grab a few items and I run a couple of dollars into the machine to make up for it before I grab another Reeses bar.

Stiles smiles and raises his arm out to me as I shrug and walk over to him “What?” I question, earning him to shake his head and set his hand on my back as we move towards the stairs “You’re too good for this world, Addy McCall.”

***

Stiles opens his door, however, just waits by it as I make my way past him and a few doors down towards mine. 

I open my door and smile down towards him watching as he offers a little wave before we each walk in our rooms.

I close the door and see Lydia packing up her bag and Allison standing by one of the beds. I set the snacks on the table and walk over to Ally, furrowing my brows with Lydia’s quick actions “What’s going on?”

Lydia makes a noise and walks over to us “This motel has had _one hundred and ninety eight_ suicides”

“Jesus that’s a lot” I look between them and Lydia just makes a face as she crosses her arms “I just heard a couple shoot themselves next door.”

“What?!” I exclaim and Allison holds up her hands “Okay okay, but it wasn’t in real time.”

“Real time?” I question earning a shake of the head from Lydia “That doesn’t matter! You know, there is something seriously wrong with this place– get your stuff Addy, we need to leave.”

Allison tries again to calm the situation “But they were _suicides_ , not murders, and it’s not like this place is haunted, right?”

I look to Lydia, seeing her shrug “Maybe it is. You know, I bet that couple made their suicide pact in that _very_ room. Maybe that’s why they’re renovating. Maybe they’ve been scraping brain matter off the wood paneling.” **_Holy brain matter, what did I miss_**

“What the fuck is happening?” I cross my arms and Lydia looks to me “Did you get any weird feelings when you walked past the room next door?”

I chuckle humorlessly “Lyds, the feeling like we just walked into a graveyard hasn’t left since we got off the bus.”

Allison rubs her hands through her hair and nods “Okay well maybe we should find out about the room next door.”

***

We walk into the office, however instead of the lady Lydia told us about we see a sign stating ‘Be back at 6am’.

Lydia sighs and points to the sign “Well, there goes that.”

Noticing numbers on the wall I point to it “What’s that?” Lydia flicks her eyes over before looking back to me “Their framed commemoration of all the suicides that have occurred in their time of business I told you about”

I make a face at that “Weirdos– but didn’t you say the sign said 198 earlier?”

Lydia flicks her head to me and back towards the sign “It was 198. I swear to God it was 198.”

I set my hand on her shoulder “Hey, we believe you.”

Allison shakes her head slightly “Okay, what does that mean, that there’s been three more suicides?” **_Threes_**

I make a noise gaining their attention “Or three more are about to happen.”

***

I text Stiles that we need just him to meet us in our room, he gets there in no time and Allison starts pacing “Scott came in here when I was in the shower and there was this weird, vacant look in his eyes and he was just off. I mean the last time I saw Scott act like that was during the full moon.”

Stiles nods “Yeah, I know. He was definitely a little off with me too, but actually, it was Boyd who was really off. Addy and I watched him put his fist through the vending machine.”

I nod when Allison swings her gaze to me as Lydia scoffs “See, it is the motel. Either we need to get out of here right now, or–” she turns around and opens the nightstand drawer, grabbing the book inside and lifts it up as she continues “Someone needs to learn how to do an exorcism asap, before the werewolves go crazy and kill us.” **_Werewolves– threes– holy shit sacrifices_**

Stiles lifts his hands up to diffuse her worry “Okay, just hold on, all right? What if it’s not just the motel? The number in the office went up by three, right?” he looks to me and I nod at his question before offering my same thought process he’s on, adding softly “Sacrifices.”

He sighs and lifts a hand up towards me as he nods “What if this time it’s three werewolves?”

“Scott, Isaac, and Boyd.” I mutter softly connecting my eyes with his as he nods again and steps closer to me “Maybe we were meant to come here.”

Lydia takes a few steps towards us with her urgency “Exactly! So can we get the hell out of here now? Please?”

Stiles reaches forward and grabs the book out of her hands “Wait, hang on. Let me see this.”

He opens the book and pulls out the paper that was hanging out of the pages, Allison steps closer to him as well inquiring “What is that?”

I look over his shoulder as he runs his finger over the article title and reads softly aloud “Twenty eight year old man hangs himself at the infamous Glen Capri.”

He sets the article on the bed and notices another paper sticking out of the pages of the book. 

He quickly turns the book over and shakes it, causing other article clippings to fall out and on the bed as well.

We reach forward and turn them all facing the right way as we read the articles.

Lydia grabs two and point towards them “Oh, no. Look at these two– they both mention the room 217.”

I stand up from my lean over the bed and digress “These are probably all the suicides that happened in this room.” 

Allison stands up from her lean as well and connects her eyes with mine “So if every room has a Bible–”

“There could be articles in all the rooms” I finish for her and Stiles makes a face “That’s a beautiful thing. Most places leave a mint under the pillow. This one leaves a record of all the horrible _deaths_ that occurred.”

He sighs as Lydia turns to me “What if the room next door has the one about the couple?”

Stiles shares a look with us before he turns and runs towards the door, opening it and moving down the hall towards room 216.

We follow after him, coming to a stop just beside him at the door. He tries the handle but it’s locked and Lydia shakes her head pointing towards the door as she comes to stand next to me “No, that was not locked before.”

Allison shakes her head “Forget it. We need to get Scott, Isaac, and Boyd out of here.”

Stiles raises his hands out to his side before he takes a few steps towards the direction of his room, however, an electric whirring noise coming from the locked room stops all our steps.

I share a look with Lydia who mutters “I’m not the only one who heard that, am I?”

Shaking my head I elaborate “It sounds like someone turned a handsaw on.”

Stiles rushes up behind me exclaiming over my shoulder “ _Hand saw_?”

We try the door again and this time succeed in getting it open, seeing a construction site all over the room.

However our eyes are immediately drawn to Ethan with the same zoned out look in his eyes as he lifts the hand saw up and is slowly lowering it to his stomach “Hey, no, Ethan, don’t!” Stiles shouts and rushes into the room to wrestle the machine out of his hands.

They both grunt as they fight for control of where it’s going to go, moving all around the room with their efforts before Stiles succeeds in throwing it out of Ethans hands.

The momentum of his pull also throws him towards the machine that has its blade still whirring away. 

I run forward as Lydia reaches down below the window and unplugs the handsaw from the wall outlet.

Stiles lands with his hands on either side of the machine and his face way too close for comfort to the blades.

I grab under his arms and twist him around to land with me on the ground in between my legs with his back against my chest.

We’re all breathing heavy as next we see Ethan, still zoned out, flick his claws out of his fingers and cross his hands over each other towards his stomach again.

I push Stiles’ back to help him stand as we rush off the ground and each grab one of Ethan’s hands to keep them away from his stomach as he shouts through our efforts to stop him.

He pushes forward and out of our grip, resulting in him crashing into a space heater and we hear the sizzle of his skin connecting with the heater before he falls to the ground.

Like a fog was lifted he looks over towards Stiles and I catching our breaths before looking to Lydia and Allison by the door. He stands up from the ground exclaiming through his pants “What just happened?”

We all share a look with him at a loss for words before he rushes out the door.

Stiles gently grabs my arm and leads us to follow after him, Allison and Lydia right behind us into the outside hallway “Wai– Ethan!”

Ethan crosses his arms and rushes down the steps “Didn’t you hear what I just said? I don’t know how I got there or what I was doing.”

We come to a stop next to the stairs as Stiles scoffs “Okay, you could be a little bit more helpful, you know? We did just save your life.”

Ethan stops his steps and turns back towards us quickly “And you probably shouldn’t have” he clips out before he keeps walking near the bottom floor of rooms **_back towards his room probably_**

Lydia raises her arm out towards his retreating back and turns back to us “What now?”

Allison takes a few steps heading back up the stairwell before turning back to us “I’ll find Scott. You guys grab Isaac and Boyd. The best thing we can do is get them out of this place.”

Lydia moves to follow her, however immediately stops and looks back at Stiles and I “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

I turn my head towards him as well and he widens his eyes, looking between us “Oh, no, I wa…” he stutters, causing me to cross my arms and offer a glare towards him as Lydia flicks her eyes between us “What is it guys?”

Stiles sighs “All right, Lydia. I didn’t want to say anything, but this… everything we’re going through… we’ve kind of been through something like this before, a lot like this.”

Lydia crosses her arms over her chest and looks around “What do you mean? When?” **_don’t say it_**

Stiles ignores me and licks his lips quickly before he admits “Your birthday party, the night you poisoned everyone with wolfsbane.” **_why does he never listen?_**

She drops her mouth open slightly with her shock before she connects her sad eyes with mine. 

I offer her a look as I step forward “We however don’t think _you’re_ doing this– it’s just _similar_ with the zoned out state they’re in tonight” 

I throw the last bit over my shoulder towards Stiles who sighs in return and looks to the ground quickly before throwing an arm out to his side “Lydia, I’m sorry, okay? Look, I didn’t mean that you’re trying to kill people, okay? I just… I just meant that maybe… _maybe_ you’re somehow involved in getting people to kill themselves, you know? Which now that I say that out loud, it just sounds really terrible, so I’m just going to stop talking” **_shouldn’t have said anything to begin with but here we are_**

She sighs and rolls her eyes before coming down the last few steps to stand on the other side of me. 

Water so loud it’s like I’m standing under a waterfall, sounds all around my head and I jump backwards on a gasp with the noise around me, gaining both of their attentions.

They share a worried look before Stiles steps closer and sets his hand on my arm “Adds? What is it?”

I lift my hands up to set on the sides of my head and close my eyes, gritting out “Water”

“You’re thirsty?” he questions causing me to open my eyes and shake my head at him.

Lydia steps closer and fills him in “She’s not thirsty– she’s… she’s _hearing_ water.”

Stiles looks between us and licks his lips before shrugging “Okay– okay what is the water supposed to tell us?”

The noise around me gets even louder, causing me to fall to my knees with Stiles and Lydia following after to kneel on the ground with me.

Stiles sets his hands on mine and squeezes once, his voice breaking through the noise to mutter “Breathe Adds, you can do this.”

I slam my eyes shut, the overwhelming need to scream is bubbling in my stomach making its way into my throat– however before I feel like I can’t hold it in any longer the answer becomes clear as day.

I gasp like I myself am coming out of the water and drop forward, setting my hands on Stiles’ shoulders as his move to land on my sides to catch my fall “Boyd’s drowning!”

***

Luckily Boyd and Isaac were in the room next to Scott and Stiles, so we knew exactly where to go as soon as we rushed up the stairs and down the hallway.

Opening their door we see the bathroom door open and Boyd’s legs hanging out over the edge of the tub.

Stiles pushes up the sleeves on his sweater as we rush into the bathroom, seeing that Boyd somehow got a fucking safe and set it on his chest to keep him under the water.

Stiles drops to a kneel as he moves closer towards the top end of the tub and reaches into the water before he shakes his head “He blocked it. He blocked the drain with something. I can’t get to it.”

I look between him and the safe breathing out “What do we do?”

“Here, help me” Stiles mutters and indicates towards the safe. I kneel down as well and set my hands on the safe, attempting to push it off of Boyd as we hear Lydia behind us “I’m going to find Isaac maybe he can help move the safe.”

I nod over my shoulder at her as she rushes out of the room, looking back into the water I notice Boyd’s eyes still open and gasp softly “Is he dead? How long can a werewolf stay underwater?”

Stiles grunts and connects his eyes with mine over the safe “You think I know that?”

We move the safe just a fraction of the space before Stiles lets go as he stands up muttering “It’s too heavy”

He steps away from the tub and backs up farther before his arm lands on the wall heater. I grimace with the skin sizzle as he jerks his arm back with a hiss “Ow!”

He looks at the traitorous heater, back to me and Boyd before his eyes widen slightly **_just missing the lightbulb above his head_** “Wait a sec, the heater. Heater– Ethan came out of it when he touched the heater.”

I furrow my brows “Wait– wha–”

Stiles shakes his hands out to his side as he interrupts to finish his frantic thought “It’s heat, heat, fire. Heat does it, all right? We need something– we need fire.”

“He’s underwater” I stress just as frantically 

“Yeah, I’m aware of that.” he snaps and I let out a gasp as I stand up with my own lightbulb above my head “Wait, wait. The bus. On the bus, they’ll have emergency road flares– they have their own oxidizers. They can burn underwater.” I rush out and he looks to me and the water “Are you serious?”

“Yes, here I’ll go–” I offer with a step towards the door but Stiles raises his hands up to stop me “No I got it, you stay with him” and he’s out the door.

I step out of the bathroom and set my hands on my hips as I pace back and forth in front of the beds **_please let the shitty bus have the proper emergency kit it should have_**

Lydia opening the door causes me to jump before I see it’s her and her shaking head “I couldn’t find him.”

I sigh and close my eyes, though they open almost immediately when we hear sniffling and crying. We share a look confirming it’s neither of us nor Boyd before Lydia flicks her eyes to the ground, followed by her kneeling and pulling the bed skirt up.

She jumps back and stands up at the same time as I feel hands on my shoulders causing us to jump the other way, both of us letting out screams.

I turn around and Stiles lifts his hands up “I’m sorry– here I got ‘em. What do I do? How do I do this?”

I swallow my adrenaline from being scared and point towards one end “The cap, it’s like a match– the cap’s a match.”

Stiles listens and takes the cap off turning the end back around and flicking them together trying to ignite the chemical reaction.

Lydia looks between his hands with the flare and back towards the tub exclaiming “Stiles!” **_super helpful in a stressful situation I might add_**

“Yeah, I’m trying,” he rushes out and I reign in my freak out to calmly add “You can do this, hold the flare steady and only move the cap to strike it like a match.”

He nods and moves his eyes from me and down to the flare, taking a deep breath he only moves his arm that’s holding the cap and it finally ignites.

He lifts it up and away from us muttering “Ooh” and immediately rushes into the bathroom, leaning over the side of the tub and sticking the flare into the water.

Boyd throws the safe to the other side of the bathroom as Stiles takes a few steps back away from the tub.

I reach forward to grab his arms, pulling him back to crash his back against my front and moving him out of harm’s way until my back hits the wall. 

Stiles moves his arm behind him to rest his hand against my waist as Boyd sits up from the water on a growl.

He moves to stand up out of the water and looks over to us as the fog clears from his face and he transforms back into his human features.

Lydia walks into the doorway and nods her head back towards the bed “How many flares were there because Isaac needs one too.”

Stiles squeezes my side before he swallows through catching his breath and nods into the room “There’s one more over there and one still on the bus.”

She nods and we move out of the bathroom for Stiles to grab the other flare, igniting it like a pro before kneeling down and moving it under the bed to the other zoned out werewolf in the room “Hey, Isaac. Got something here for you.”

***

After we make sure Boyd and Isaac are not in the hypnotized state anymore we walk outside and meet up with Allison, heading down the steps “I can’t find Scott anywhere.”

“It’s happening to him too, isn’t it?” Stiles looks to her as we take the second set of steps towards the ground floor.

I set my hand on the railing and lift out the other one “It has to be. You said there was another flare on the bus right?”

Stiles looks over his shoulder at me and nods “Yeah. I’ll get it.”

Coming off the last of the steps we turn to head towards the bus, however I feel like the wind was knocked out of my lungs at the scene before us that has all of us halting our steps **_no_**

Scott is standing with his back to us, drenched in gasoline and he’s holding an ignited flare in his hand **_with I’m sure a vacant look adorning his face_**

Allison gasps and slowly moves forward, shakily asking “Scott– Scott?”

Stiles and I follow after her, slowly walking around so we’re all standing in front of him.

I lift a hand to cover my mouth as tears rush to pool in my eyes, making the whole scene blurry **_yet I see it crystal clear_**

Scott’s broken voice fills the otherwise silent night air around us “There’s no hope.”

Allison lets out a soft breathy chuckle and shakes her head “What do you mean, Scott? There’s _always_ hope.”

His voice cracks as he states “Not for me– not for Derek.”

Stiles reaches over and sets his hand on my back as the tears fall down my cheeks with no hope of them stopping any time soon.

Allison strongly states “Derek wasn’t your fault. You know Derek wasn’t your fault.”

Scott ignores her and presses on “Every time I try to fight back, it just gets worse. People keep getting hurt. People _keep_ getting killed.”

I shake my head at his words as Stiles sets his hands on my arms to step past Allison and me.

Once he’s past my side he drops his hands to cautiously come closer to my teetering on the edge brother “Scott, listen to me, okay? This isn’t you, alright? This is someone inside your head telling you to do this–”

I take in a few quivering gasps of breath through my tears before I step up beside Stiles who reaches his right arm across his chest to rest his hand on my upper arm.

I stop my steps and Scott flicks his eyes to me “Scott– please don’t do this. That’s not fair to you to put the burden of everyone dying onto your shoulders. You have always done your best to protect _everyone_ , we are all doing our best to save _whoever_ we can. We need you– mom needs you– I _need_ you, Scotty.”

My voice cracks on his name and I feel Stiles squeeze my arm softly as tears continue to fall down my cheeks while Scott shakes his head ever so slightly and states “What if it isn’t? What if it is just me? What if doing this is actually the best thing that I could do for everyone else?” he barely gets out through the tears of his own that are threatening to fall.

More tears run down my cheeks, however; I’m rooted in the spot as he moves his eyes to Stiles and continues “It all started that night, the night I got bitten. You remember the way it was before that? Addy, you and me– we were– we were– we were _nothing_. We weren’t popular. We weren’t good at lacrosse. We weren’t important. We were no one. Maybe I should just be no one again. No one at all” he finishes his words by slowly moving his hand closer towards the big ass puddle of gasoline.

Still feeling the crushing weight on my chest like I can’t breathe, I let out a soft gasp with his action and Stiles immediately drops his hand from my arm to step closer to him.

I drop open my mouth to stop his steps but the words die in my throat when he begins talking “Scott, just listen to me, okay? You’re not no one. Okay? You’re someone, you’re– Scott, you’re my _best_ friend,” Stiles’ voice cracks and I reach up to cover my mouth again to hide my quivering chin as he continues “Okay? Addy– you’re her other half, she _needs_ you– and I _need_ you. Scott, you’re _my brother_.”

I can’t help the hiccup of a shaky breath I make with trying to keep my crying silent **_the feeling of impending death is so strong my knees are shaking and I can barely breathe_**

Allison sets her hands on my arms before we hear Stiles let out a sigh and look to the ground “All right, so– so if you’re gonna do this–” he steps forward, putting both of his feet in the puddle around Scott.

I widen my eyes and move to step forward but Allison tightens her hands and stops me as Stiles reaches out to grab hold of the flare and continues with his words “Then– I think you’re just gonna have to take me with you, all right?”

Scott has his brows drawn in, shaking with his crying as he looks at his best friend standing in front of him willing to die with him **_I can’t handle this– I can’t lose either of them_**

Allison and I aren’t even trying to hide our sobbing noises we’re making as we see Stiles bring his other hand slowly over to wrap around Scott’s wrist. He breaks the flare free from Scott’s grip and tosses it away from them.

As soon as the flare lands on the ground, air rushes through my lungs and I feel like I can finally take the breath I’ve needed to for the last ten minutes.

Scott keeps his eyes connected with Stiles’ as he pants out through his own sobs, I drop my eyes to the flare and notice non existent wind roll it over towards the puddle of gasoline near them.

Letting out a shocked _unbelievable_ breath towards the flare moving, I scream out “No!” as I break from Allison’s arms to turn and run towards them.

I slam my hands into Stiles’ back who wraps his arms around Scott, taking quick steps for a few feet before we all crash onto the ground as the explosion sounds behind us.

Allison and Lydia who ran after me land next to Scott who lands next to Stiles who somehow turned to land on his back and wrapped his arms around me to catch me against his chest.

He moves his eyes around my face silently asking if I’m ok, as I do the same to him, earning a small nod as his grip around me tightens slightly.

I drop my forehand against his chest before I push up a little to look over my shoulder as the flame wall grows and we see a hooded figure with a disfigured slashed up face standing in the middle of the flames just looking right at us.

There’s no question, as the figure never wavers its stare at us, that what we’re looking at is the Darach.

***

After hugging Scott eight times, we decided to sleep on the bus and nowhere near the suicide filled rooms of the motel for the few hours we could get in before sunrise.

“I don’t want to know.” Coach’s voice is interesting to hear when you first wake up.

I open my eyes, moving my head to the side and almost bump noses with Stiles who was turning his head towards me as well.

Feeling my cheeks burn brightly I clear my throat and look to my left across the aisle out the window, squinting my eyes at the bright light as Coach continues “I really don’t want to know, but in case you missed the announcement, the meet’s cancelled, so we’re heading home. Pack it in. Pack it in!”

Stiles moves his sweatshirt from behind his head and stretches his neck out before Ethan comes to sit by Scott in the seat in front of us, turning towards him “I don’t know what happened last night, but I’m pretty sure you saved my life.”

Stiles leans forward in between their shoulders pointing between us “Actually, _we_ saved your life, but not that it matters that much. It’s just– it’s a minor detail”

I snort at look Ethan throws us before he continues towards Scott like he wasn’t interrupted “So I’m gonna give you something. We’re pretty sure Derek’s still alive.”

Scott looks back to us with his wide eyes before Ethan digresses “But he killed one of ours. That means one of two things can happen– either he joins our pack–”

“And kills his own,” Scott fills in and Ethan nods “Or Kali goes after him, and we kill him. That’s the way it works.”

Ethan pulls himself up and moves past us towards the back of the bus. Stiles leans back against the window and follows him with his eyes as he mutters “You know, your little code of ethics there is sort of barbaric, just F.Y.I.”

Stiles reaches across the seat to set his hand on Scott’s shoulder squeezing once to celebrate Derek being alive as Coach walks back towards us.

He’s wearing a white shirt so the light purple dusting on his shirt stands out and my eyes widen before hearing him mutter “Hey, Ethan, I wanted to–”

I stand up and interrupt him “Coach, can I see your whistle for a second?” I don’t wait for an answer as I reach forward to lift his whistle off from around his neck. 

Coach stutters and looks between where he was going and his whistle in my hands as he points to it “Hey, Eth– I’m gonna need that back Addy,” and continues down the aisle “Ethan–”

I sit down next to Stiles again who moves closer with his brows drawn together towards the whistle.

I bring it up to my mouth and cover my hand over the opening as I blow into it.

Turning my palm towards me, I widen my eyes at being right and turn my palm around towards Stiles and Scott, who turned to lean over the seat, as I whisper “Wolfsbane.”

Stiles looks between Scott and I before muttering thoughtfully “So every time Coach blew the whistle on the bus, Scott, Isaac, Boyd–”

“And Ethan” Lydia offers across the aisle from us before Scott finishes Stiles’ thought “We all inhaled it.”

Allison leans forward setting her arms on the seat in front of her and Lydia to chime in “You were all poisoned by it.”

We all share a worried look as Stiles nods and continues “So that’s how the Darach got in their heads– that’s how he did it.”

I turn my palm back around as Stiles quickly reaches forward to grab the whistle out of my other hand. He stands up and opens the window, throwing the whistle outside earning a bellow from Coach “Hey, hey, hey, hey! Stilinski!”

Coach starts to move towards the door just as the bus starts to pull out of the parking lot and onto the road **_at least we won’t have to hear the shrill noise on the way home_**


	31. Currents

Scott took mom her dinner for the evening at the hospital. While he was there he witnessed Ethan carrying in a sick to his stomach Danny who ended up throwing up in the E.R.– he threw up mistletoe resulting in Scott sticking around to figure out why **_naturally_  
**

Scott and Ethan helped mom get Danny breathing again since a ten car pile up accident had the hospital stretched thin for extra nurse help.

After Scott was a proud son **_describing our mom being a total badass_** he informed me that while he was trying to talk to Ethan about what happened with Danny outside, a car came swerving in the parking lot, before it ultimately crashed into a parked car.

They ran over to help but no one was in the car when Scott opened the door, he did find a single dead moth though **_probably will be important later_**

Stiles and I are just arriving at the hospital when we see squad cars in the parking lot with mom and Scott standing off to the side.

We walk up to them just before Noah walks over to ask mom and Scott about the car with the missing driver, and apparently another doctor who is also missing **_healers is obviously the next sacrifice category_**

“Hang on, hang on. They were both in the car?” Noah interrupts Scott talking about the two missing doctors, causing Stiles to uncross one of his arms to gesture with his next words “No, dad, they’re trying to tell you that it was _two_ separate kidnappings, okay? Two doctors, both gone.”

Noah points to the side of our group “So whose car is this?”

“Dr. Hilyard, the _on call_ doctor. The _E.R._ attending is the one that never made it in” Mom stresses the information as best as she can.

Noah looks in between us all before turning towards mom “Let me just focus on getting your story first, all right?”

“Yeah” mom nods and Noah turns to us “Kids, give us a second…”

Scott, Stiles and I nod and turn to take a few steps away from them as Scott confirms “These are definitely sacrifices, right?”

I nod as Stiles fills in “Yeah, it’s the one Deaton mentioned– Healers.”

Scott sighs and looks between us “Well what about Danny? He threw up mistletoe. That’s not a coincidence, and if he hadn’t been with Ethan, he probably would’ve died. Danny’s not a healer”

Stiles shakes his head like he’s got nothing “I…” he moves his eyes over my shoulder and looks back to Scott questioning “Can you hear that?” while I turn around as well and see his dad on the phone with someone.

Scott looks between us before turning around and listening in. After focusing his hearing for a few seconds, he looks back to us stating incredulously “They found a body.”

***

I finish tying a clear rubber band at the end of my side fishtail braid before I check my loose aqua/mint, slightly chunky sweater and jean shorts in the mirror.

Deciding I’m decent for the day I slip on my converse and head out my door, walking down the hall a few steps before hearing mom shout in her room “Boys! What do you think you’re doing?”

I peer around the frame of the open door into her room and see mom looking at Scott and Isaac expectantly as they work through being startled awake **_keeping watch went well I see_**

“Uh, we were watching over you” Isaac offers hesitantly before Scott elaborates “We wanted to make sure you weren’t the third sacrifice.”

“But both of you were asleep” mom informs and I move my head back to hide my smile against the door frame.

Scott looks to Isaac who has his head down as he rubs behind his neck “You were on watch last”

Isaac flicks his head in Scott’s direction quickly “What are you talking about? You were on watch last” he counters before Scott argues “No, _you_ were on watch last…”

Isaac takes a second flicking his eyes around before looking to mom and nodding sheepishly “I might’ve been on watch last.”

I snort through a soft chuckle, however quickly stand up out of view from the doorway with the two sets of glaring eyes I get in return. 

I peer back around when I hear mom’s chuckled response “My heroes. Wait, didn’t you say that they were all doctors? I mean, I haven’t had an M.D. recently attached to the end of my name, so I think I’m in the clear” **_you’re still a badass healer, mom– don’t sell yourself short_**

“Yeah, but it could just come under any kind of healer, mom, and you were definitely a healer last night.” Scott corrects her, making my worry for her safety grow.

Mom makes a noise and dismisses them “Yeah, well, I’m not gonna be anyone’s human sacrifice today, so both of you get your butts to school– good morning sweetie!”

“Morning mom!” I shout as I make my way towards the stairs, heading to the kitchen for some caffeine and grub.

***

Ms. Blake walks in the room and I can’t help the furrowed brow look that comes over my face as she sets her book down on the desk **_something’s different with her_**

“Good morning. As you all know, Mr. Harris is still missing… I mean, sick,” she quickly corrects and smiles at the room “Anyway, I’m filling in while we all hope and pray for a more qualified substitute to take my place. Okay, so let’s get started, shall we?” **_yeah_** **_I don’t like her_**

Stiles’ whispered voice leaning closer to me at our lab table makes me jump slightly “Hey my dad said that the E.R. attending wasn’t strangled but did die from asphyxiation. They just don’t know how” **_that doesn’t fit the sacrifice pattern_**

Scott turns in his seat at the lab table in front of us as I turn more towards Stiles on my left “Do you think the on call doctor could still be alive?”

He lifts his eyes to mine, bringing the pen in his hand closer to his mouth as he shakes his head slightly “I don’t know… but, guys, I mean there’s got to be at least twenty other doctors in that hospital… _at least_ , you know? Any one of them could be next” **_that’s a lot of people to watch over_**

I nod towards him before we hear Scott’s phone vibrate in his pocket. He leans down behind his table to answer it “Hey, doc. Sorry, I’m in class right now. Can I call you back later?”

A couple of seconds pass before Scott frantically whispers “Doc, doc, doc, doc? What’s happening?”

Stiles shares a confused look with me before Scott pockets his phone and starts to pack up his things.

“Scott?” I whisper towards his back.

He turns around in his seat frantically whispering “Deaton’s in trouble– he said he’s going to be taken” **_he’s definitely a healer_**

Widening my eyes with that, I nod towards the door whispering just as frantically “Go, go, go”

Scott rushes towards the door, ignoring Ms. Blake’s call of his name. 

She turns around looking at me expectantly which earns me to offer her a shrug while I state as sweetly as I can “He’s on antibiotics he has to take in the office– strict schedule.”

She raises a brow, nodding once with my explanation before turning back towards the chalkboard.

Stiles snorts, leaning closer towards me “And the student becomes the master– very smooth, Adds.”

I smile brightly in thanks as he brings out his phone to text his dad to get to the Vet’s office as soon as possible.

*** 

Stiles and I left school as soon as Chemistry was over and lunch was beginning.

We got to the Vet’s office in no time, running inside to wait with Scott for Noah to be finished with his investigation of the abduction crime scene.

Noah walks over to us and sets his hand on Scott’s shoulder “All right, we’re doing everything we can. Right now, the best thing you could do is go back to school.

He smiles softly to us before he walks away, Scott following him with his eyes before turning to us and nodding his head towards the door to the cat room.

I uncross my arms and head to the doorway with Scott and Stiles following behind me.

I open the door to the cat clinic and Scott shuts it as soon as him and Stiles are in the room while I stop next to a cage and let the kitten inside rub its nose against my fingers before I scratch her head **_why can’t kittens stay kittens?_**

Stiles comes to a stop next to me and I drop my hand to my side as we watch Scott walk over to us with a convincing face to match his next words “We have to tell him.”

Stiles leans his head forward slightly, moving his eyes to me and then over to the door before connecting them with Scott’s “You mean, like, _tell him_ , tell him, or tell him something else that isn’t telling him what I think you want to tell him?”

Scott levels him with a look “You know what I mean.”

Stiles scoffs and moves his arm behind me to set a hand on the cat cage next to us “You remember how your mom reacted? She didn’t look you in the eye for, like, a week.”

Scott shakes his head to argue “And she got over it, and– and it actually made us closer.” 

“I don’t know, dude. I mean, look at him. Come on, he’s completely overwhelmed as it is.”

We move our eyes to the window in the door and see Mr. S run a hand over his face **_he looks exhausted_**

Stiles looks expectantly at me to take his side, however at the face I make towards him he sighs and shakes his head “Really?”

I shrug “Scott’s not wrong Sty– your dad is overwhelmed because he has no clue what’s happening. He’s got people dying in _his_ town, the town that he’s supposed to protect, and it’s not his fault that he doesn’t know what’s actually happening.”

Scott nods and offers his own shrug “He’s gonna find out sooner or later– you really rather it be in a situation like our mom did?” **_it ripped off the band aid but it wasn’t ideal_**

Stiles looks between us knowing we’re right, but his face shows he still wants to argue about it “Yeah, but is now really the right time?”

“What if not telling him now gets someone else killed?” Scott offers and Stiles drops his hand to stress “What if _telling_ him gets _him_ killed, huh? I mean, okay, look, I get that Deaton’s been like a father to you. I get that, okay? But this is m– Scott, this is my _actual_ father. I can’t– I can’t lose both of my parents, all right? Not both of them.” 

He drops his head forward to look at the ground, letting out a shaky breath while I share a look with Scott who nods with understanding.

I reach out to set my hand on Stiles’ upper arm and he moves his head to connect his eyes with mine. I soften my face and nod towards him “You’re right.”

Stiles draws his brows in, moving his eyes in between mine quickly before he sighs and reaches across his chest to set his hand on mine “No, I’m not. I’m not right– you guys are. I’ll tell him,” he squeezes my hand and looks over to Scott who nods “I’ll help you.”

I squeeze his arm before we drop our hands and move towards the door. Scott opens it though he stops his steps immediately, causing Stiles and I to almost crash into his back as we hear our guidance counselor’s voice “Please, whatever you need, however you can help find my brother…” 

Ms. Morrell is standing behind the counter with Mr. S and Deputy Tara **_did she just say brother?_**

The three of us share a look before Mr. S nods towards her “Will you excuse us for a moment?”

My attention is brought to my forearm that is itching like crazy, it’s almost burning like when I get a sunburn **_what the hell?_**

I rub my hand over the skin and the feeling slowly fades.

Ms. Morrell waits for them to walk away before she drops her worried face, replacing it with a smirk as she walks over to us deliberately “Okay, listen closely, the three of you. No Sheriff, Deputy, or Detective is going to be able to find him” _**very optimistic of you**_

“You don’t have to ask us for help” Scott shakes his head towards her like that should be obvious and she just smirks again “Actually, I’m trying to help _you_ , because if you’re going to find my brother, then you need to use the _one_ person who might actually have an ability to seek out the supernatural” She swings her smirking face to me and raises a brow **_who me?_**

I uncross my arms and point towards my face earning a nod from her as Scott and Stiles turn their heads towards me **_that’s not a lot of pressure or anything_**

***

Once we get back to the school, there’s a fire alarm going and we find Lydia, who was being warned with a message from Derek through Cora to stop seeing Aiden **_which we all rolled our eyes at_**

We get them to follow us into a deserted lab classroom for our free period **_might as well do this together_**

Stiles unpacks his bag and slaps the contents on the table in front of us, earning Lydia to scoff as she looks at the item “A ouija board?”

Stiles nods towards it “Also called a spirit board, and it’s worth a shot.”

“A shot in the dark,” Lydia quips earning a sigh from Stiles “Could you both just try it, please, okay? Let’s not forget who this is for– Scott’s boss, the guy who has saved our collective asses on more than one occasion?”

I makes a noise, raising a brow towards him “What number on your Darach suspect list was he again?”

Stiles flicks his eyes to me, narrowing them playfully and taking a moment before answering through clenched teeth “Third. And– I– was– wrong, happy smartass?”

“Yup” I pop the ‘P’ and smile cheekily as I sit down at the lab table he set the board on and get situated in my seat.

Lydia chuckles and sits down next to me as Stiles fights a smile and sets the board up in front of us before Lydia and I place our hands on the ouija board dial **_we come in peace, spirit world_**

Stiles stands next to me as Cora brings up a seat in front of the table and points to the board “Oh, wait, should we all do this?”

Stiles nods and leans over setting his fingers near ours “Yeah, yeah. You guys ready?”

I nod as Lydia sighs out her “Yeah,” and Cora clips out her board “Yes.”

Stiles drums his fingers slightly before looking to the board “Where’s Dr. Deaton?”

I feel my arm itch again and I roll my eyes wondering if I can remove my hand to scratch it while Cora raises her brows looking between Lydia and I– though it’s on Stiles’ eye flick to us that Lydia clicks her tongue “What?”

Stiles nods his head towards the board “Aren’t you guys gonna answer it?”

She moves her eyes around and I resist the urge to chuckle at the face she makes before she answers “Oh, I don’t know the answer. I thought we were asking some sort of spirit.”

Cora tilts her head to the side clearly aggravated **_you don’t have to be here you know_** “Well, do either of you know any spirits?”

Lydia and I share a look before she nods towards Cora as she directs her question to Stiles “Is she for real?”

Cora groans and we remove our hands from the board dial. I rub my hand over my arm and furrow my brows as I lift my sleeve trying to find the source of the itching.

Stiles notices as he puts the board away “What’s going on with your arm?”

I look up to him and shrug “Must have a mosquito bite or something– it won’t stop itching, it’s almost burning–”

“It’s not mosquito season” Cora flicks her eyes to me and looks at my arm earning me to huff with the interruption as I look over to her “All right well maybe it’s just _irritated_ ” **_not the only thing irritated at this point_**

She rolls her eyes and Stiles snorts before he clears his throat to dig in his pocket “All right– okay, these are Deaton’s keys for the clinic…”

He turns to hold them out towards me as he continues “Close your eyes, and I’m gonna put ‘em in your hand, and then we’re just gonna try and see if you can feel out for his location. It’s called psychometry.”

Lydia scoffs and crosses her arms nodding her head towards me “We’re not psychics.”

“You’re something! Okay? Just, Adds, please put out your hand, and–”

I interrupt him by setting my elbow on the table, putting my hand palm up towards him **_might as well try it_**

He offers a look of thanks before I close my eyes and I feel him slide his fingers across the back of my hand before he rests my hand in his palm **_which I try not to shiver from his touch_**

Next I feel him gently place the keys into my open palm and I make a noise, instantly feeling him lean closer to ask just above a whisper “What?”

“They’re cold” I state and I hear him let out a sigh “Addy, concentrate, please? Trying to save lives here, for the love of God” he grumbles the last part on a frustrated whisper.

I tilt my head to the side with my eyes still closed “I’m trying, calm down– I can’t just turn this on. The other night should have been prime examp– ahh”

The burning sensation gets even stronger on my arm and I hiss, opening my eyes to look at it **_what the actual fuck is happening?_**

Stiles leans forward setting his hand on my shoulder “Yeah, what is it? What did you see?”

“Nothing– it’s my arm” I exhale through my nose before I hear Cora sigh and I glare over at her “If you have _any_ helpful input rather than just your aggravated sighs– we’re all ears. We’re still learning and the info we have to go on is _very_ limited, so stop treating us like we were born with this.”

She offers the signature Hale smirk, lifting her hands in surrender as Stiles reaches into his bag to grab pencils.

He holds them out to us stating “All right last try– automatic writing,” he stresses with a little shake of the pencils towards us “Come on.” 

Lydia shares a look with me, muttering with a raised brow towards him “Automatic writing?”

Stiles nods and shakes the pencils once towards us again earning Lydia to offer another sigh before we each reach forward to grab the pencils from his hands.

We put them to our notebooks and I have an overwhelming need to start drawing a six **_or a variety of designs of a six as it seems_**

I feel Stiles lean over my shoulder as he mutters through his aggravation he’s trying to keep at bay “Sixes mean a lot to you, Adds?”

I shrug through the shiver his breath against my neck sends as I shade in one of the numbers with lines “Don’t question the automatic writing, Sty.”

He sets his hands on the table, dropping his head in between his shoulders as he lets out a sigh and I move my lips inwards between my teeth to fight off my smile **_I hope it never gets old to fuck with him_**

I attempt to hold in my chuckle and move my eyes up to him when he lifts his head. His eyes shine with humor as he lifts one side of his mouth before his attention is grabbed and he swings his eyes over to Lydia’s notebook on the other side of me.

“Lydia, what are you doing? What– what the hell is that?” I turn my head to her notebook tilting my head to the side at her picture that seems familiar.

Lydia doesn’t lift her eyes from her paper that she’s drawing on as she states “A tree.”

I scrunch my mouth to the side as I see Stiles’ eye twitch before he stammers “A tre– guys, you’re supposed to be _writing_ words, like in sentences, something like a location, something that would tell us where he is!”

“Well, maybe you should’ve said that” She shrugs, while I lean my elbow on the table to chuckle into the palm of my hand.

I look down to my paper again and move my finger over the numbers, dropping my other hand onto the table I look over muttering “Stiles who’s lacrosse number is six?

He makes a noise before he ultimately sighs and connects his eyes with mine “Danny’s why?” **_Danny– of course_**

Cora lifts her hand towards us, interrupting with her frustration “I thought Derek said they were supposed to be some kind of geniuses?”

I scoff gaining her attention as I swing my eyes towards her to counter “Geniuses? Yes. Psychics, no.”

Lydia hmms her agreement and off handedly states “Honestly, I don’t know why you’re even bothering with us anyway. I mean, especially since it’s obvious you should be talking to Danny” she points her pen towards my notebook and goes back to her drawing.

Stiles jerks his head back and stands us from his lean on the table flicking his eyes between us “What? Why have you both brought up Danny?”

I make a noise rubbing at my arm again “Because, last night he was a target–”

Scott, out of nowhere, appears in the doorway holding his bleeding shoulder and a little out of breath as he states “Exactly but it wasn’t a sacrifice…” **_okay but why are you bleeding?_**

Scott fills us in on Deucalion’s little game he played with him as he throws his jacket on. We grab our bags while the bell rings signaling the end of school.

Scott opens the door and checks a text on his phone as Cora chimes in behind us “But isn’t Danny still in the hospital?”

Stiles looks back to her “Yeah. That’s where we’re going right now.”

“I’ll meet you guys there” Scott throws over his shoulder and I furrow my brows at the back of his head “Why?”

He stops his steps, turning around to show me his phone conversation with Allison and her last text stating ‘I think I found something’.

***

Stiles and I walk into Danny’s hospital room as stealthily as we can, closing the door as soon as we make it through the doorway.

I wait by the door while Stiles walks over to the bed whispering “Danny are you awake?”

He reaches out his hand to shake Danny’s shoulder before tapping his face “Danny?” still not getting a reaction he turns his hand around to backhand Danny who, in return, gasps deeply **_he’s asleep, what are you doing?_**

Stiles jerks back flailing his arms as he takes a couple quick steps backwards muttering out a “Wow.”

I cross one arm over my chest, lifting the other hand to cover my mouth to hide my snicker as Danny groans and resettles into his sleep. 

Stiles lifts his eyes over to me and I nod my head towards the floor where Danny’s bag is at **_let’s get this over with_**

Stiles kneels down and I look out the window on the door as I hear the zipper opening behind me. I turn around when Danny’s voice strains out “What are you doing?”

Stiles pops his head up from the side of the bed and raises his brows towards an eyes closed Danny “I’m not doing anything, Danny. This is just a _dream_ that you’re having,” he states as whisper whimsically as he can and goes back to the bag.

Danny groans again “Why are you going through my stuff?”

“Right, but only in the dream, remember? Dream. Dreaming” I snort into my palm before Danny, yet again, questions the weird situation “Why would I dream about you going through my stuff?”

Stiles pops up again to quip “I don’t know that, Danny, okay? It’s your dream. Take responsibility for it. Shut up and go back to sleep.”

I shake my head as he again drops down to the bag on the floor. 

I look out the window once more before turning around and seeing Stiles sit back on his heels and mutter “Oh Danny boy, you might’ve actually found something here” **_jackpot_**

***

We walk out of the hospital room with the rolled up paper report Stiles found in his back pocket.

He sets his hand on my back as we walk out the front door and I call Scott who fills me in on what he found at Allison’s “Her dad has a map on his desk and it has all the locations so far of where the sacrifice victims have been found, but Addy there were six markings that haven’t had a body show up yet.”

“Okay so that’s a start” we come to a stop by the side of the jeep and I set the call on speaker phone as Scott continues “Right– so Deaton’s got to be at one of the six locations, but they’re all over town. I don’t know how we can get to all of them fast enough.”

I shake my head “Well, we might not have to. Danny was doing a project on something for Mr. Harris’ physics class, and we think it actually means something”

“What project?” Scott inquires as Stiles flips the paper around and reads off the title to him “Something on telluric currents”

“Did you say currents?” **_I can feel Scott’s shock from here_**

Stiles connects his eyes with mine as we mutter “Yeah…”

“Meet me at Deaton’s” **_aye aye captain_**

***

We get to the Vet’s office meeting Scott, Cora and Lydia there as well. Scott lays out the pictures he took at Allison’s of the map her dad had on his desk.

Cora looks around at all of us “Okay, so, what does this kid’s homework have to do with finding Deaton?”

Stiles sets his hands on the table “Because it’s not just homework, okay? It’s a project on geomagnetic fields. They flow through the earth. They can even be affected by lunar phases, all right–” we all lean closer as he flips through Danny’s report and continues “Now, look at this. This is a note from Harris on Danny’s proposal…”

I lean closer to read aloud the note he’s following with his finger “I strongly advise you to choose another subject. The ideas here, while innovative and thoughtful, border on pseudoscience. Not suitable for class” I furrow my brows as I lift my eyes off the paper and up to him.

Scott clears his throat to state “Harris wasn’t just a sacrifice–”

I turn my head to him and nod as I finish his thought “He _knew_ something.”

Stiles pushes off the table to grab the other item we stole from Danny “Now, check this out. Allison’s dad wasn’t the only one with a map, all right? Danny had one too.”

He unfolds the map and we help him lay it out on the table in front of us “Danny marked all the telluric currents, okay– now, the weird thing about Beacon Hills is that it _actually_ is a beacon. You wouldn’t believe how much energy flowing through the earth is around this town.” 

Scott grabs his pictures and lays them on top of the map “Stiles, look, they match” he reaches over and grabs the pen from Cora’s hand, marking the map as he goes “All right, there’s three places, right? Where they’re kidnapped, and then the place where their body was found.”

Lydia leans closer pointing to the last location he marked “Look, that’s right on the telluric current.”

“So, maybe where he was sacrificed is somewhere in between” Scott offers and Stiles leans forward to grab the pen from him “Let me see that. You said there’s six more bodies to be found.”

Looking over the locations on the current lines on the map I feel my arm burn again and it fucking _finally_ clicks as to why **_why didn’t I put it together before?_**

Stiles continues moving his pen around the map “Deaton’s one of them– got to be somewhere in between, right?” he slowly moves his hand holding the pen over the map and I reach out to set my hand on his.

He stops his movements and I feel everyone’s eyes on me as I set my other arm that previously had the bruise with the bank logo on the table.

Stiles moves his eyes to my arm and over to his hand when he feels me pushing it towards the bank location on the map as I mutter “Guys he’s in the vault– he’s in the _same_ vault.”

Stiles drops open his mouth and looks to my arm before connecting his eyes with mine and nodding “Adds, that’s it.”

Cora flicks her eyes from my arm and up to my eyes before she shakes her head “You know that’s true how?”

Scott gains her attention as he points to my arm “That’s how we found you and Boyd– her and Lydia had a bruise marking of the bank logo on their arms. We didn’t confirm it until Isaac, but that’s– that’s what it was.”

I nod and drop my hand from Stiles’ as I stand up and inform them all “All day my arm has been itching, almost burning in the exact same spot– this is why.”

I move my eyes from Stiles and over to Scott, stating confidently “Deaton’s there” earning a nod and a proud smile from him “Let’s go”

We grab all the papers, map and photos and move to walk out the door but Lydia stops us with her words “Guys, hold on–”

Scott turns around “Lydia, we don’t have time”

Cora’s voice makes Stiles and I turn around though “It’s Boyd. The plan didn’t work– they cut the power.”

Scott looks down in thought muttering “It’s just like he said. Go. I can save Deaton myself.”

Stiles throws his hand out towards him “What? Scott, what about us?”

“Cora can’t get there fast enough without you. Go– we can save both of them” Scott states as he’s already running out the door.

Stiles lifts his arm up and waves us over to the side door “All right, let’s go.”

We run out to the jeep and I open the passenger door for Lydia and Cora climb in the back.

Stiles starts the jeep, hitting the gas as soon as I hop in the passenger seat and close the door.

We’re almost there when Stiles looks over and shares a worried look with me.

I try to offer a _we’ve got this_ look but I honestly feel like something bad is going to happen.

Stiles must agree because he hits the gas and puts the jeep into the next gear as we speed down the road to Derek’s loft.

***

We get to the apartment building and head for the electrical room where the power boxes are.

We see a wall of red switches on the boxes causing Stiles to mutter “Okay, what do we do?”

Cora looks to me and then the wall nodding “We pull them– pull all of them.”

We step forward, doing as she says and switching them all into a different position as Stiles texts Isaac ‘NOW’ before we turn on the last switch.

We hear and see the power come on around us so we turn and rush upstairs to Derek’s loft.

Getting to his floor we see Isaac sitting with his back against the doorframe and Ms. Blake sitting with her back against him **_stiiiillll don’t like her_**

They look at us before looking back in the loft, causing our eyes to follow their line of sight.

There’s water all over the floor and Derek is kneeling on one knee with his hands stretched out in front of him and his head leaning forward.

Boyd is lying with blood covering his shirt next to him, not moving in the slightest **_why can’t whatever I feel ever prevent something from happening?_**

Cora grabs my arm, letting out a sob as she rushes past. Stiles and I follow her into the water and shift our steps to move closer to Derek as she falls down next to Boyd.

She lifts his head and lays her forehead against his chest as she cries over his lifeless body.

Derek has his eyebrows drawn in as he lets out quiet sobs and moves his eyes from his shaky blood covered hands and over to Boyd’s body a few times.

Stiles reaches forward and sets his hand on Derek’s shoulder, squeezing softly as I drop to my knees to kneel next to him.

I reach out and grab one of his hands to rest in between both of mine, trying to offer as much comforting support as I can.

In between his sobs he looks over to me “I tried to fight them. I– I tried to save him…”

I soften my face, feeling tears pool in my eyes as I squeeze his hand and nod towards him “I know– Derek, this wasn’t your fault.”

He increases his hold on my hand and drops his other arm to rest his hand on his leg, closing his eyes as Cora’s sobs echo around the loft walls.


	32. Visionary

It’s been two days. 

Two days since we saved Deaton. 

Two days since we lost Boyd because the evil twins followed the orders of a sociopath who hates wearing shoes in favor of her long ass disgusting toe claws on display.

Stiles and I decided to head to the loft to see if Peter or Cora have heard anything since Scott went with Allison to talk to her grandfather.

**_Gerard_ **

Damn bastard is _still_ alive somehow, even with the cancer and his body fighting the bite with the Mountain Ash pill swap Scott pulled last year. 

That visit was a hard pass for us, so we’re on werewolf Hale family duty tonight.

Instead of an answer for where Derek is we get a story from when he was younger with Cora finishing towards the window she’s looking out of “They were there for two days, waiting, hiding. That’s what we’re taught to do when the hunters find us– hide and heal.”

Stiles moves a few steps away from me and comes back with his arms out to his sides as he directs his aggravated question towards her “Okay, so is two days standard then, or are we thinking Derek’s on, like, some extended getaway?”

Cora crosses her arms as she turns around and flicks her eyes between us “Why do you care?”

Stiles makes a face, scoffing as he looks to me and back to Cora “Why do I care? Let’s see… because over the last few weeks, her brother,” he points to me before placing both hands on his chest and continues “my _best friend_ tried to kill himself. His boss nearly got ritually sacrificed. A girl that we’ve known since we were three _was_ ritually sacrificed. Boyd was killed by alphas. I mean fuck– do you want me to keep going? ‘Cause I can, all right? For, like, _an hour._ ”

She just shakes her head and steps closer to us, setting her hands on the table “Either of you really think Derek can do anything about that?”

“Well, since he’s the one everyone seems to be after, it’s more like he _should_ do something about it, yeah” Stiles counters earning a contemplative look from the young Hale.

She digests that for a moment before she sighs and shakes her head “I don’t know. There’s something different about him now. He wasn’t like this when we knew him.”

I cross my arms, gaining her attention as I step farther into the loft “What was he like?”

“A lot like Scott, actually,” Peter chimes in coming down from the stairs as he continues “A lot like most teenagers… unbearably romantic, profoundly narcissistic, tolerable _really_ only to other teenagers.”

I shrug my shoulders as he comes to a stop at the table we’re standing around “And so what happened? What changed him?”

Peter smirks looking between Stiles and I “Well, the same thing that changes a lot of young men– a girl.”

Stiles scoffs “You’re telling me some girl broke his little heart? That’s why Derek is the way he is?”

Peter looks at Cora and then over to us asking his next questions “Do you remember Derek before he was an Alpha, he had blue eyes? Do you know why some wolves have blue eyes?” **_Actually no but I’ve always questioned it_**

Stiles shares a furrowed brow look with me before answering him “I just always thought it was, like, a genetic thing.”

Peter’s lip quirks before he states thoughtfully “If you want to know what changed Derek, you need to know what changed the color of his eyes.”

Stiles, Cora, and I move to sit at the table as Peter sits on the couch behind us.

All of us settling in for our impromptu story time, Peter crosses one leg over to rest his calf on his knee “Derek met Paige when he was a sophomore at Beacon Hills High. He was the star on the basketball team, and she was a sweet little cello player”

Stiles holds up his hands “Okay, so if Derek was a sophomore back then, how old was he? How old were you? How old are you now?”

I chuckle at the look on his face as he rambles off questions to Peter who shrugs “Not as young as we could have been, but not as old as you might think”

I roll my eyes as Stiles huffs “Okay, that was frustratingly vague. How old are you?” He points across the table to Cora who answers without missing a beat “I’m seventeen.”

Stiles lifts his hand out to her but directs his words to Peter “See, that’s an answer. That’s how we answer people.”

Cora shares a look with me before shrugging and admitting “Well, seventeen how you’d measure in years.”

I set my elbow on the table to snort into the palm of my hand as Stiles raises his hand off the table “All right, I’m just gonna drop it. What happened to Derek and the cello girl?”

“What do you think happened? They were teenagers. One minute, it’s, ‘I hate you, don’t talk to me’. The next, it’s frantic groping in any dark corner they could manage to find themselves alone for five minutes. Their favorite dark corner was an abandoned distillery outside of Beacon Hills”

I set my hand back on the table gaining his attention “Well now hold on– how do you know all this? You just said that they were alone…”

Peter makes a face at being interrupted but answers me anyways “Back then, I wasn’t just Derek’s Uncle. I was his best friend, his closest confidante. That’s how I know.”

I make a face accepting that answer as he continues “When they were at the distillery one night they overheard Ennis describing a fallen member of his pack to Kali, Deucalion and their respective packs. Ennis wanted all three of their packs to come together to fight the Argents. The Argents don’t seek out based on certain packs– as we all know they go after any werewolf who goes against their code. Deucalion was warning Ennis to let it go and not start a war with the Argent hunters who had killed his beta.”

Peter leans forward to get up from the couch walking over to the window as he continues “Ennis didn’t take kindly to that and marked the distillery wall with the spiral marking– our mark for vendetta” Peter finishes by drawing the same circle marking in the fog on the window **_the same spiral we found with the wolfsbane around the buried top half of Laura Hale last year_**

Stiles shifts in his seat and rests his hand on the table “Man, you guys really take that revenge thing to, like, a whole new level, don’t you?” 

Cora shakes her head “It’s not just revenge. Losing a member of your pack isn’t like losing family– it’s like you lose a limb.”

“They wouldn’t even let Ennis see the body because he wasn’t technically family,” Peter zones out through the window and Cora huffs turning to him “I don’t get it. What does this have to do with Derek?”

Peter turns around to face us again “Everything. It’s never just a single moment. It’s a confluence of events. Personally, I looked at Ennis’ circumstances, I saw a profound loss. Derek saw something different. He saw opportunity.”

Stiles links his hands together, setting his elbows on the table as he flicks his eyes between us and inquires “Opportunity? To do what?”

“To always be with her. He loved her but the thing was, he had this constant fear. He was obsessing over it, thinking about it all night, all day, always on his mind. He was constantly afraid she would find out what he was and would be frightened of him– or worse, leave him. Ultimately he made the decision that the only way to keep her was to turn her.”

I share a hesitant to believe that look with Stiles as Peter continues “I kept telling him not to do it. Every day the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became. You know teenagers. I bet he even blames me. He’s probably convinced himself the whole thing was my idea.” **_Because it probably was_**

“He overheard his mother, who was our pack’s Alpha at the time, talk about the other packs of Alphas that were in the area. He knew she would never turn Paige, he felt he was running out of time and the packs would soon be leaving. Derek justified that it was just a little bite, that she would never get sick again. She’d stay younger, more beautiful, and would always be able to protect herself. He always told me how the bite was a gift.”

Stiles drops his hands forward changing the subject “Wait– how do the Druids fit in to everything happening right now?”

“The druids are important advisors to the packs,” Peter answers and Cora elaborates “They keep us connected to humanity. But they’re a secret even in the pack. Sometimes only the Alpha knows who the emissary is. Derek and I had no idea about Deaton.”

Peter makes a noise and tilts his head to the side “Or his sister, Morrell.”

Stiles scoffs, connecting his eyes with mine before I turn to Peter confirming “She’s an emissary too?”

Peter nods like it’s obvious “For the Alpha pack.”

Stiles fails at holding back his freak out with this new information “Our guidance counselor? Why the hell don’t you people tell me any of this stuff, huh? I shared some really intimate details with her” He mumbles the last bit earning a head tilt from Cora “And did she give you good advice?”

“Actually, yeah” Stiles concedes and I smile softly to the table as Peter continues “That’s what they do. That’s what Deaton used to do for Talia. Deaton warned Talia and Deucalion that meeting with Gerard would never go in their favor to reach a solution on the threat Ennis made with that marking. I think that’s why Derek chose him.”

I lift my head making a noise in the back of my throat as I turn to Peter “Ennis? Why would he choose him?”

Peter shrugs looking to me “Why not? Ennis needed a new member for his pack. Paige was young and strong. Doing a favor for Derek meant Ennis would be in good with Talia. Back then, everybody wanted to be in good with her.”

Cora shares a look with me before looking to her uncle “He doesn’t remember it was Ennis, does he?”

Peter shakes his head as he confirms “If he does, he keeps it to himself.”

Stiles shifts to lean back in his chair as he turns to look at Peter “So then what happened? Did he turn her?”

Peter looks off to the side as he digresses “Almost. Derek came at Ennis– a fifteen year old boy against a giant. There was no reason for him to fight– she’d already been bitten.”

Cora furrows her brows “So did she turn?” her words snap him out of the far off look in his eyes as he lifts his head towards her nodding once “She should have. Most of the time, the bite takes– most of the time.”

Stiles crosses his arms over his chest and looks over to Peter again “When you offered it to me, you said, ‘if it doesn’t kill you’–”

“If–” He nods towards Stiles before he continues “Derek brought her to the old cellar on our family’s property. There was an old tree that had its roots deep into the cellar. He leaned back against the roots with her in his arms and kept asking what was wrong with her. He knew the answer, though. It didn’t matter that she was young and strong. Some people just aren’t made for this– but she fought. She struggled desperately, trying to survive.”

Tears gather in my eyes as I look down to the table with his words, feeling Stiles set his hand on my back reassuringly as Peter continues with the heartbreaking words “She was in too much pain, so she asked him desperately to take her pain away, to stop her suffering– he listened in the end, and gave her peace.”

I feel the tears that had gathered in my eyes fall with those words. My heart breaks for the young Derek who was asked so much of him at such a young age. 

I bunch my sweater over my hand and wipe the tears away as Stiles moves his hand over my back and Peter continues “I remember taking her body from his arms, to the woods, to a place where I knew that it would be found… another in a long line of Beacon Hills animal attacks”

“And what about Derek?” Cora asks through her own tears.

Peter looks grimly between us “Taking an innocent life takes… something from you as well, a bit of your soul… darkening it, dimming the once brilliant, golden yellow to a cold, steel blue– like mine” he shines his were-blues at us before taking a moment, then he leaves the room and heads back upstairs.

***

Not having been asked to leave, and not quite ready to go home, Stiles and I are sitting on the steps near the front door to the loft **_that story was a lot to take in_**

He’s got his deep thinking face going strong for quite some time now, and I’m getting impatient waiting for him to bring up what he’s thinking.

I shift on the step, nodding towards him as I lift my hand and gain his attention “Hey what’s with the look on your face?”

Stiles jerks his head back and shrugs “What look?”

Cora walks by on her way to the couch muttering over her shoulder “The kind of look that makes me want to punch you.”

She smiles softly at me as I chuckle and Stiles scoffs as he calls to her retreating back “For fucks sake, you are so Derek’s sister. I forgot”

I chuckle again as he swings his eyes back to mine shaking his head.

I nod towards him again “Well, what’s with the look Sherlock– what’s on your mind because you look like it’s going a mile a minute?”

Cora walks over to us as Stiles sighs and looks between us “I just don’t believe him, Watson.”

I shake my head, leaning forward slightly to rest my arms on my knees “I don’t either– everything was making Derek out to be the bad guy.”

Stiles nods and scoots closer to me on the step “Exactly– and it reminded me, you know how in Ms. Blake’s class, we’re reading Heart of Darkness, and it’s in first person, right?”

I nod looking up to Cora who furrows her brows as I offer back to him “It’s narrated by Marlow.”

Stiles scratches his jaw before moving his hand out to his side with his words “The thing is that he’s… he’s an unreliable narrator. You know the details of it have changed, you know, just because of his perspective.”

Cora shuffles her feet as she crosses her arms “Well, then we heard the story from Peter’s perspective…”

Stiles turns his head towards her and nods “Right, and I don’t think we got the whole story.”

I make a noise gaining his attention again “So, what, are… are you just gonna ask Derek about the girl he fell in love with and then killed? Just so we can get the whole story?” 

Stiles takes a moment before licking his lips and nodding “If I have to… yeah.”

***

Stiles pulls into the driveway to drop me off at home and I grab my bag before I hop out of the jeep. 

Closing the door I walk around to lean against the driver’s side door as we watch Scott pull up and get off his bike. 

I cross my arms over my chest as Scott shoves his helmet under one arm and walks over to the jeep as well.

I raise a brow at him once he comes to a stop in front of us “How’d dealing with the geriatric psycho go?”

Stiles snorts over my shoulder and Scott shakes his head through a chuckle “I’m sure he lied but he might have been telling the truth about some of it. He was at least truthful with his information on Druids. He told us about his meeting Deucalion requested back when Ennis and Kali had their own packs here.”

We offer him nods and I clear my throat “Peter told us a similar story– said Deucalion was told by Deaton it wouldn’t be smart to meet with Gerard.” 

He tilts his head to the side before he shrugs and continues “Gerard did say something interesting though– about how Deucalion lost his sight.”

Stiles makes a noise and leans closer to the window “What does that mean– interesting how?”

Scott shakes his head “Gerard was the one who took away his sight, he shoved two of the light blaster arrows that Allison uses into his eyes– but he says Deucalion isn’t always blind.”

I furrow my brows looking between them “No way– he has his vision when he’s wolfed out?”

Scott nods and Stiles offers a scoff “And we believe fucking Gerard?”

I shrug a shoulder looking back at him “Deaton might know for sure– if he was attacked at the meeting, Talia would have taken him to Deaton to look over his injuries.”

They nod and Stiles elaborates with a sigh “Worth looking into at least– because if it’s true…”

“It’s a game changer” Scott and I finish his train of thought.


	33. The Girl Who Knew Too Much

Staring at the school at night is an odd feeling. It’s a place we usually only see in the daytime, unless you play a sport in the winter time, however you usually associate school with daytime **_at least I always have_**

After the night we were locked inside with Peter Alpha terrorizing us, I’ve looked at the school in a different light.

There are many dark corners and shadows you wouldn’t imagine when you look at the same tree or hallway in between classes. 

Night brings an ominous aesthetic on its own, but when paired with a zoned out **_how did I get here_** moment of time, it’s even worse.

There’s a dead body somewhere on this campus.

I can feel it, Lydia can feel it. 

Something is bringing us to these bodies and we have no idea what it is. 

We were supposed to see a movie tonight. Distract our minds, have a girls night **_you know normal teenage things_**

Not tonight. Tonight we will yet again see a lifeless body of someone we probably know– likelihood of it being another sacrifice is high.

Another category, another set of victims we will have a hard time saving **_I hate this_**

“Where is she?” I faintly hear Stiles shout after he gets out of his jeep and closes the door.

“Over here” Allison steps away from us to grab Scott and Stiles, leading them over to Lydia and I.

“Addy?” Stiles runs over and sets his hands on my arms, turning me away from the school courtyard to face him.

I shake my head, trying to loosen the feeling my body has been in since we arrived at the school instead of the movie theater.

I look up and connect my eyes with his “It’s the same thing as the night at the pool. I didn’t even register we weren’t headed to the theater until we got out of the car and Allison said something about why we were at the school.”

Lydia nods and crosses her arms, coming to stand beside me “And you said to call you if there’s a dead body.”

Stiles makes a noise, looking to her and back to me quickly “You found another dead body?”

I shake my head “Not exactly– we haven’t found it, not yet anyways–”

“‘Not yet’? What do you mean ‘not yet’?” he interrupts, jerking his head back “Guys, you’re supposed to call us _after_ you find the dead body.”

“Oh, no, I’m not doing that again,” Lydia states with a shake of her head as she steps away from us “ _You_ find the dead body from now on.” 

Stiles rolls his eyes and drops his hands from me to lift one out towards her “How are we supposed to find the dead body? You guys have the tracking sensors to finding the dead body”

“Guys–” Scott’s voice chimes from our right and when we all look over at him, he points forward “I found the dead body.” 

We turn to follow his line of sight and I feel tears well in my eyes at seeing Deputy Tara’s bloodied body laying across the cement sign for Beacon Hills High. 

***

The school announced that they are having a recital tonight to honor all the losses we have had recently **_they were brutally murdered not lost, but I guess that isn’t as respectful to say_**

Pairing my white, slightly oversized, short sleeved Henley with maroon leggings and my leather jacket, I finishing with my trusty converse and check my reflection in the mirror to fix my hair into a top knot messy bun ** _ultra comfy today because last night was emotionally exhausting_**

I get to school and bump into Stiles in the hall on my way to English “Shit sorry, oh Adds– hey…”

I lift my bag higher onto my shoulder smiling softly as we start walking again “Hey– how are you holding up?”

He looks over to me and sighs as he rubs a hand over his mouth “I just still can’t believe Tara was a fucking sacrifice, she’s– I’ve known her forever.”

Guilt slams through me and I quickly drop my eyes to the ground “I know. I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have called you if I knew it was her– you didn’t need to see–”

He stops our steps, setting an arm out to rest his hand on my shoulder “Yea no, you call me day or night for _anything_. Literally,” I look up at him and he continues “I don’t care who it ends up being, don’t ever apologize because we’re in this together.”

I scrunch my nose up, feeling the ever present sign of tears on the horizon as I nod and smile softly, looking to our left **_after everything we’ve been through these last few weeks, it’s been a tad bit emotional_**

“Hey,” I feel him place his hand under my chin and turn my head gently to face him again. When I move my eyes up to connect our gazes he softens his face and licks his lips quickly– which brings my attention down to them before I realize that I’m staring and I snap my eyes back up to his while he whispers “I mean it Adds, the day I’m not there for you– is the day I’m dead.”

***

Sitting behind Stiles with Lydia and Scott sitting to our left in English, Ms. Blake begins class “Idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes, all tools the writer uses to tell their story,” she walks up our aisle and stops with her back next to me “Lydia, I wasn’t aware you had so many hidden talents.”

Lydia looks up from another one of her tree drawings and smirks “You and every guy I’ve ever dated” **_and that’s how we make class awkward_**

I snort into my hand as Ms. Blake stutters and continues her move up the aisle “Oh, um, well, that was an idiom, by the way. Idioms are something of a secret to the people who know the language or the culture” she shares a look with Scott and moves her head towards Stiles and I with those words **_are we supposed to be catching a hidden meaning here?_**

She shakes her head looking behind us as she continues “They’re phrases that only make sense if you know key words. Saying ‘jump the gun’ is meaningful only if you know about the starting gun in a race, or a phrase like ‘seeing the whole board’.”

“Like chess” Stiles mutters earning a bright smile from Ms. Blake as she turns back towards him “That’s right, Stiles. Do you play?”

“Uh, no– my father does” he states as he shifts back in his seat.

She nods and steps around the front aisle heading to the other side of the class “Now, when does an idiom become a cliche?”

Scott waits for her to be out of earshot before he leans in the aisle towards Stiles and I “I think I can get to Ethan– I’m pretty sure I can make him talk.”

I shake my head when he looks over at me “What do you want to do that for?”

Scott shrugs, whispering “The Druids are emissaries, right? So what if the Darach was an emissary to the alphas?”

Stiles scoffs, turning in his seat to connect his eyes over his shoulder with mine “Okay, first of all, I cannot believe that we’ve gotten to the point where a sentence like ‘what if the Darach was an emissary to the alphas?’ Actually makes sense to me” I chuckle as he looks over to Scott, shaking his head as he continues “Second of all, we’re gonna have a huge problem getting to Ethan.”

“What’s that?” Scott moves his eyes in between us and I tilt my head to the side to digress “Going through Aiden.”

Stiles shifts in his seat elaborating “Ever since he’s been back at school, they’re always together. How are we gonna separate them again?”

Scott looks to me raising his brows and at my nod to my left at Lydia, Stiles turns around with seemingly the same thought.

Scott turns in his seat more as the three of us look expectantly to her. She raises her eyes off her notebook and connects them with mine before looking up farther and seeing Stiles and Scott also looking at her.

She huffs and sits up from her lean over her desk muttering “What now?”

***

With Lydia keeping Aiden busy making out in Coach’s office– Scott, Stiles, and I meet Ethan in the stairwell “Why are you even talking to me? I helped kill your friend. How do you know I’m not gonna kill another one?” He finishes by moving his hesitant glaring eyes between Stiles and I **_better reign in that threat, asshat_**

Stiles notices and looks over his shoulder to me before looking at Scott quickly “Is he looking at us? and finally narrowing his eyes towards Ethan “Are you threatening her?” 

He pushes off the wall and steps closer to Ethan moving his arms with each threat “You know what I’m gonna do? I’m going to break off an extra large branch of Mountain Ash, wrap it in wolfsbane, roll it in mistletoe, and shove it up your fucking as–” **_nice visual on the last one, thanks_**

I smile behind his shoulder as Scott sets his hands on Stiles’ other arm interrupting his words “Whoa, Stiles, okay. We get it, man.”

Stiles huffs as I reach forward, wrapping my hands around his bicep and pull him to take a step back towards the wall I’m leaning on. 

Scott fights his own smile and continues “We’re talking to you because I know that you didn’t want to kill Boyd– and I think that if something like that happened now, you wouldn’t do it again” **_we’re hopeful at least_**

Ethan shakes his head moving his eyes between the three of us as he states “You don’t know what we owe them, especially Deucalion. We weren’t like Kali and Ennis when we met him– we weren’t alphas.”

I draw my brows together and take the bait to question “What were you then?”

Ethan looks to me ands sighs softly “Omegas– in actual wolf packs, omegas are the scapegoat, the last to eat, the one who _has_ to take the abuse from the rest of the pack.”

Stiles scoffs, trying to hold in how he really feels about his next words “So you and your brother were, like, the bitches of the pack?”

Ethan narrows his eyes and clips out “Something like that”

“What happened?” Scott offers to diffuse the pissing contest and Ethan moves his eyes to him “They were killers. I mean, people talk about us as monsters. Well, they were the ones who gave us the reputation– and our Alpha was the _worst_ of them”

Stiles makes a noise before shrugging “Why didn’t you guys just fight back? Form voltron wolf, you know? Kick everyone’s asses?”

“We couldn’t, we didn’t know how to control it back then” Ethan snaps before Scott adds thoughtfully “Deucalion taught you.”

Ethan nods “And then, we fought. We took down the whole pack, one by one. And by the time we got to our Alpha, he was begging for his life. And we tore him apart. _Literally._ ”

“What about your emissary?” Scott questions earning a head shake from Ethan and I step forward gaining his attention “They’re all dead? Kali and Ennis’ too?” **_Slashed face of the figure in the fire at the motel makes sense now._**

“All of them except for Deucalion's” he confirms **_well that’s convenient_**

“You mean Morrell?” Stiles questions before Ethan gasps and grabs his chest in pain.

Stiles and I share a look as Scott reaches forward towards him “What? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Ethan looks up and shakes his head “Not me. My brother.”

***

We hear an unfamiliar growl before hearing Lydia’s voice as we enter the locker room “Aiden, stop! Stop! Stop!”

Stiles and I drop down on either side of a completely out of it Cora laying on the floor with Lydia as Ethan and Scott run up to grab each of Aiden’s arms. 

They wrestle the weight out of his hands and it crashes to the ground with Ethan getting up into his brother’s face “You can’t do this!”

Aiden growls towards Cora who is grunting in pain “She came at me!”

“It doesn’t matter! Kali gave Derek until the next full moon. You can’t touch him or her” Ethan stresses and with one more longing look to Lydia from Aiden, they leave.

Stiles looks up behind us sharing a look with Scott before we look back down at Cora. She’s laying flat on the ground now, moving her head back and forth with blood falling down from her forehead “Hey, guys, I think she’s pretty hurt.”

We help pull her up once she comes to and she gets situated in front of the mirror dabbing at the cut on her head. 

She lets out a sigh of pain and I step closer to her “You okay?”

“She doesn’t look okay” Lydia quips earning a glare from Cora in the mirror “I’ll heal” she states before taking a step away from the mirror and almost falling.

We all step closer to her and she snaps her arms away from our helpful hands “I said I’m fine” she snaps and Stiles rolls his eyes “Do you realize how suicidally crazy that was? What were you thinking going after them?”

“I did it for Boyd! None of you were doing anything” She looks at us on the verge of tears as Scott and I defend “We’re trying.”

However Cora is quick as ever with her reply and glare set between us “And you’re failing. You’re just a bunch of stupid teenagers running around, thinking that you can stop people from getting killed. But all you do is show up late– all you really do is find the bodies” she finishes with a set glare towards Lydia and I before she walks out of the room.

I cross my arms and resist the urge to stick my tongue out at her retreating back, instead offering “She’s definitely a Hale” as I look to my feet.

Scott nods as Stiles chuckles and steps past me towards the door “Yea– let’s make sure she gets home– come with me?”

It takes me a second to realize he directed those last words at me and I look from the ground over to Scott who smirks as he nods towards the door **_definitely was talking to me– got it bro, thanks_**

I look back to Stiles and nod once before he swings his arm out for me to walk ahead of him, setting his hand on my lower back before we’re out the door following behind Cora to the parking lot.

***

We convinced Cora she shouldn’t walk home with what we’re assuming is a concussion.

She begrudgingly got into the back of the jeep and we’re not on the road for two minutes before Allison calls and informs us of her dad’s desk that has a Celtic five fold knot on it with all the categories of the sacrifices ** _two of which we haven’t discovered yet_**

“Philosophers?” Stiles clarifies before we hear Ally again “And guardians, which after last night has to mean something like law enforcement, right?” **_that’s really close to warriors though_**

Stiles shares a worried look with me before she continues “Stiles, you have to tell your dad. Tell him whatever you need but you have to get him to believe. Tell your dad– warn him.”

“Okay, okay, okay, I know” he rushes out with a few nods and I end the call with her.

I take a deep breath and lift my eyes up to Stiles who was already looking at me, he sighs before he looks back to the road.

I lick my lips quickly before offering with a shrug “What are you gonna do?”

He connects his eyes with mine again before looking back to the road “I’m gonna tell him the truth” he states with a convincing nod, before looking over his shoulder quickly into the backseat “And I’m gonna need your help.”

***

Stiles has his dad walk with us into his room, who moves to stand over by Stiles’ makeshift crime board and crosses his arms as he waits for his son to start talking.

Cora sits on the bed and I stand next to her after making sure she’s alright in the new position.

Stiles doesn’t start talking right away, opting to instead pace in front of us all as he mumbles to himself “Okay, okay, okay, okay. Yes, okay,” Stiles looks like he gains enough courage to begin and faces his dad. He lifts his hand out, opening his mouth before he takes a breath “No, oh–” he turns and starts pacing again.

Noah looks to me and I grimace softly trying to convey that there is a point to why we’re keeping him from going to work. Noah flicks his eyes over to his son “Stiles?”

Stiles lifts his arms out to his side before taking a few steps to stand in front of him “Dad, I’m sorry, okay? I’m just– I’m trying to– I’m just trying to figure out how to _start_ here.”

Noah flicks his eyes between us with a shake of his head “Hey guys, I don’t have this kind of time.” 

Stiles looks to me and I offer him a supportive nod that he returns before turning back to his dad “Um, for the last year, you’ve had all these cases that you couldn’t figure out, right? I mean, all the murders involving Kate Argent, and then Matt killing all the people who had drowned him, and all these murders right now. It’s like– it’s like you’ve been playing a losing game”

I scrunch my nose up as Noah frowns looking from me to his son, raising his brows “Stiles, the last thing I need right now is a job performance review from my own son.”

Stiles lets out a frustrated groan and scratches at his forehead “I know” he moves his head and gets an idea as he looks back to Noah “Okay, see, but that’s– that’s just it, dad,” he walks over to his tall dresser and pulls down a chessboard as he continues and walks over to the desk near his dad “The– the reason that you’re losing the game is ‘cause you’ve never been able to see the whole board. I need to show you the whole board.”

Stiles dumps the chess board and I hand him mini page marker post-it notes from his desk to use as the different categories of our supernatural knowledge. He grabs a pen and starts writing names on the post-its and talks as he goes.

Noah sits down at the desk with him as he follows along with the same furrowed brow expression through the whole demonstration before Stiles finishes.

Noah makes a noise and looks to me before connecting his eyes with Stiles’ and points to the board pieces with pink post-its “Scott and Derek are werewolves?”

“Yes” Stiles excitedly lifts his hands to be getting somewhere with his dad who makes a noise and points to another piece “And Kate Argent was a werewolf?”

“Hunter. That’s– purple’s hunter,” Stiles lifts up said purple post-its as I move to stand closer to him adding “Along with Allison and her father.”

Noah lifts his eyes to me nodding once before pointing back to the board “Yeah, and– and my friend Deaton, the veterinarian, is a Kanima?”

Stiles nods before frowning and shaking his head “Well, no, no, no, no, no. He’s a druid, okay? Well, we think.”

Stiles points between us and I nod as Noah looks back to me and asks “So who’s the Kanima?”

“Jackson” Stiles and I state, causing Noah to look between us before he argues with a point to the pink pieces on the board “No, Jackson’s a werewolf.”

Stiles tilts his head to the side in agreement and moves his hands around with each step of his next words “Jackson _was_ the Kanima first, and then Peter and Derek killed him and he came back to life as a werewolf. Now, he’s in London” he widens his eyes with the confusing bit of information and I smile softly before Noah points to another piece on the board “Who’s the Darack?”

“It’s da-rock,” Stiles states absentmindedly, earning a look from Noah.

I clear my throat at his correction and smile softly when Noah looks over his shoulder to me “We don’t know yet.”

Stiles points to me and nods “We don’t know yet.”

Noah shrugs and moves his arm on the desk “But he was killed by werewolves?”

“Slashed up and left for dead” Stiles states quickly before I add “ _We think_ ”

Stiles looks up to me and points again adding softly with a nod “We think.”

Noah lets out a sigh as he leans back in his seat, seeming to be taking in all the information **_it is a lot to be honest_**

Stiles shares a hopeful look with me before Noah makes a noise, gaining our attention again as he inquires with a tilt of his head “Why was Jackson the Kanima?”

Stiles scratches the side of his nose before he answers “'Cause sometimes, the shape that you take reflects the _person_ that you are.”

Noah makes a noise and furrows his brows “And what shape would an increasingly confused and angrier by the second father take?” **_just when I thought we were getting somewhere_**

Stiles makes a face and lifts his brows once as he answers “Uh, that would be more of an expression– like the one you’re currently wearing.”

Letting out a soft sigh, I cross my arms and take a few steps over to stand by the window as Noah deadpans “Yeah” before standing up.

Earning Stiles to frantically stand up as well, moving in front of him to stop his steps “Dad– Dad, would you– I can prove it, okay? Look, she’s one of them. A werewolf,” Stiles points over to a bored Cora who lifts her eyes from the ground to look at the pair **_she doesn’t look well_**

“Stiles, Stiles! That’s enough,” Noah grates out and steps past his son who sighs and turns around calling towards his back “Dad, can you please just hold on?”

Noah stops by the door and turns back towards us as Stiles looks over his shoulder at me before pointing to Cora “You ready?”

Cora nods and stands up before he continues “All right, dad, just watch this, okay?”

Instead of shifting into her werewolf features, Cora goes on to pass out cold on the ground with a thud **_not quite the example we needed_**

We all move over and drop down to her side as Noah turns her head and we see the cut on her head has opened, resuming its bleeding **_how in the fuck is she not healed yet?_**

He looks over to Stiles and stresses “Call an ambulance.”

***

Stiles and I followed behind the ambulance that Noah rode in with Cora to the hospital. While they took her to get tests done, we’re waiting in the hall **_hoping to talk to Noah again_**

Reading the text from Scott I just got on my phone, I lift my eyes up to Stiles who has his brows raised with his silent question.

I shake my head as I put my phone back in my pocket and fill him in “It’s not Guardians as in Law Enforcement– it’s Philosophers as in Teachers. Allison and her father just found Mr. Westover.”

Stiles makes a face of understanding as he nods “That makes sense– Tara, she wasn’t always a cop. She used to teach middle school” **_that’s right, she was always helping with our math when we were younger_**

“Then the last one’s gonna be another teacher” I take a deep breath trying to figure out how we’re going to know which one it’ll be as Stiles voices the same dilemma “Yeah, but there’s dozens of them, Addy, and they’re all headed home”

I gasp and look back to him and shake my head “No. No, they’re not– they’re all going to the recital.”

Stiles widens his eyes in understanding before Noah walks past us, lifting his hands up to stop the line of questioning without interrupting his steps “We’ll talk later kids” **_later won’t work, someone’s going to die now_**

Stiles huffs and walks just as quickly behind him “What did you see the night at the bank when Scott was trying to save Deaton?”

I try to keep up with their steps as Noah looks over his shoulder at us and sighs “Nothing”

Stiles whispers harshly “Dad, you saw him _healing_ himself after he tried crossing the Mountain Ash.”

Walking around a corner and never wavering in his steps, Noah waves an arm back towards us “I don’t know what I saw.”

Quickening my steps to fall in line next to Stiles, I lean closer to Noah as I elaborate “You saw something that you can’t explain.”

We slow our steps as Noah turns around quickly “Guys, I have seen a lot of things I can’t explain in this town. That doesn’t make 'em supernatural and it doesn’t make 'em real.”

I come to a stop just behind Stiles and I cross my arms looking around us **_at least everyone isn’t listening to our conversation_**

Noah points over his shoulder as he continues “They just found another body. That’s real. And that’s the lead I’m following” he states like that should be enough and turns to take another step that Stiles follows just as quickly to stress “Yeah, and another teacher’s going to die if you don’t start listening to us”

Noah turns around, unable to hold in his frustration as he bellows in Stiles’ face “I am listening! I have _been_ listening!” **_well everyone has definitely noticed us now_**

I swallow thickly and look behind us to give them some form of privacy, though Stiles’ broken voice causes me to turn around and my heart to crack for him “You just don’t believe.”

Noah flicks his eyes between us, lifting up his hand to point towards his son. He shakes his head before he decides to not say anything else as he turns to walk away from us.

“Mom would’ve believed me” Stiles mutters to his dad’s retreating back and I drop my mouth open slightly, seeing Noah stop his steps with his back to us as he lowers his head slightly to the ground.

Stiles turns around, looking to his side to hide the tears in his eyes as he takes a step towards me and lifts his arm out, waiting for me to turn around. 

I do as he silently asks and he sets his hand on my lower back as we make our way out of the hospital and towards his jeep.

Once we’re on the road I reach over and rest my hand on his arm, squeezing twice to let him know I’m here for him before lowering my hand back into my lap.

Stiles reaches over and intertwines his fingers with mine, squeezing three times before resting them on the seat between us as we continue to head to the school silently.

***

As soon as we walk into the auditorium where the concert is going to be held, I feel dread instantly crash over my body.

Lydia walks up to me and sets her arm around me “I feel it too”

Ms. Blake makes a face at us before lifting her arm out to the seats “Find a seat girls, the show will start soon”

I smile politely before she moves on to the other side of the aisle and I drop the smile from my face **_still don’t trust her_**

Scott walks up and looks between us “Lydia, I thought you were going home?”

She shakes her head and connects her eyes with mine “I can’t– I don’t know why we’re the ones who keep finding the bodies, but maybe if we stop trying to fight it, we could find them before it happens.”

I nod and squeeze her hand on my arm “With hopefully enough time for someone like you to do something about it, Scotty.”

He stands closer to us and grabs my hand “Guys– you get me the time, and I’ll do something about it– I swear to God.”

***

Before the orchestra does their thing and the recital starts, I decide to head to the bathroom. Once I’m done, I’m just walking out of the door and back into the hallway when I hear a noise down the hall.

I turn quickly, an unsettling feeling overcoming deep in my gut before I turn back around to head to the auditorium, when something hits my head hard enough for me to fall to the side and blackness to overcome my vision.

***

_3rd POV_

Stiles turns to Scott and panic crashes over his body “Where’s Addy?”

Scott looks around and shakes his head “Her and Lydia were just here…”

“Wha– okay where the hell are they now?” Stiles stresses, earning a wide eyed head shake from Scott.

Running out of the auditorium, they rush down the hall and out the set of doors near the parking lot shouting as soon as they’re in the night air “Lydia?”

“Addy!” Stiles shouts into the silent night.

Scott turns on his were-sight and looks around trying to find any heat signals from any bodies that aren’t in the auditorium. Stiles huffs and looks at him “Anything?”

Scott continues to look around, shaking his head once before Stiles pulls out his phone and scrolls through his one sided message conversation with Addy for the last few messages “She’s not answering her texts– where the hell could she have gone?”

Scott feels tears rush to his eyes at the thought of anyone being in danger with what’s going on, especially when that someone is his sister.

He takes in a few breaths as his frantic eyes continue to search everywhere he can see as Stiles, just as frantic, adds “Scott– what do we do?”

***

_Addy POV_

I wake up with a groan and instantly lift my hand up to the side of my head, feeling wetness on my fingers, I lower my hand to see blood on my fingers.

Hearing another groan next to me, I turn quickly earning a flash of pain against the side of my head and I close my eyes with a whimper.

When I open them again, I take in who made the noise next to me and let out a soft gasp “Lyds?” my voice breaks at seeing my friend who was also knocked unconscious and is just now coming to “Addy? What–”

I try to turn to her, however my trying to move instantly makes me realize that I’m restrained with ropes around my ankles, across my chest and upper arms.

I look down and see Ms. _Fucking_ Blake **_knew she was evil_** knelt down in front of us, tying Lydia up in much the same way as I am, and I croak out towards her “What are you doing?”

She looks up to me and shakes her head as she states “What’s necessary. I’m still surprised _none_ of you seem to get that. You call them sacrifices, but you’re not understanding the word. It’s derived from the Latin sacrificium, an offering to a deity, a sacred rite– a necessary evil.”

I feel tears I didn’t even know were in my eyes run down my cheeks as Lydia’s soft whisper chimes in “Stop” **_no fucking way we’re going to be sacrifices– we don’t fit in to the last categories_**

“Oh, I wish I could– but you don’t know the alphas like I do,” Ms. Blake states before she stands up in front of us. I follow her with my eyes and take a deep breath in “Please, stop.”

Everything happens so fast and all the noise gets to be too much in the room as I start shifting in my seat trying to get my arms free.

She pulls something out of her pocket and moves to stand behind us as she continues “But you two– you’re not sacrifices. You’re just girls who know too much–”

She moves her hands out on each side of Lydia’s head before getting the string situated around her throat and begins to pull back.

My eyes widen watching the scene before me as Ms. Blake continues to pull back and clarifies “Actually, the girls who _knew_ too much–” she struggles to keep her grip as Lydia reaches up to stop the string from constricting her airway “Lydia, don’t!” **_no way I’m letting this happen_**

The noise around me is deafening now, the fear of losing my best friend is stronger than the fear that has been telling me to hold this overwhelming need back every other time– the need to scream that’s been bubbling in my stomach since I woke up in this fucking chair, sets my nerves on fire and finally breaks through my throat.

Any control I ever had at holding back slams out of the room the moment I take a deep breath and my mouth drops open, releasing a powerful scream that silences the previous deafening noise out into the room around us, echoing down the halls for everyone to hear.

***

_3rd POV_

Still outside frantically putting every scenario together as to where Addy could have gone, Stiles turns in a circle before hearing Scott groan in pain.

Stiles quickly turns back towards his friend and furrows his brows at seeing him lift his hands to his ears as he falls down onto his knees grunting through whatever he can hear that Stiles cannot “Scott?”

With his eyes closed still, Scott drops forward resting his hands on the ground as he looks up to his best friend and croaks out “Addy–”

Stiles widens his eyes at hearing _her_ name fall out of his mouth and takes a few steps closer to him, as he rushes out his next set of questions “What? What do you mean Addy? What is it, what’s wrong with her, what’s– Scott!” he watches Scott push off the ground and take off in a sprint back into the school, Stiles quickly following his steps with just as much need to get to her.

***

_Addy POV_

The scream dies down in my throat until there is a blissful silence surrounding us. Lydia reaches over and sets her hand in mine as Ms. Blake drops her hands from the string still around Lydia’s neck and steps around to come to a stop in front of me, whispering in awe “Unbelievable. You have no idea what you are, do you?”

I let out a whimper as more tears fall down my cheeks and she shakes her head, continuing “The wailing woman. A banshee, right before my eyes” **_if I wasn’t scared for our lives right now, I’d think a banshee sounds pretty badass_**

Lydia squeezes my hand as our terrified quick breathing interrupts her words and she shakes her head as she continues, “You’re just like me, Addeline. Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it. It’s too bad, though– and too late…”

I suck in a whimpering breath as she tapes over Lydia’s mouth before moving to tape down one of my arms to the arms of the chair and I scream out “No, please–” as I fight her and try to get out of her grip.

She slams my back into the chair again and succeeds in taping down my other arm.

She quickly walks around releasing the string from Lydia’s neck to wrap around mine, tightening the garrote behind my head as Lydia screams behind the tape over her mouth.

It doesn’t have the same effect to stop Ms. Blake’s actions though as I choke with the pressure of trying to will any air to get around the device cutting off my airway.

Out of the corner of my eye I see her lift a blade in her hand bringing it closer to my neck as she grunts out “One last philosopher” **_not really how I pictured this life ending_**

I take in a shaky breath as best I can, closing my eyes tightly and feeling tears run faster down my cheeks before one of the best voices I could imagine hearing sounds around the room and into my ears “Drop it!”

I open my watery eyes to see none other than Mr. S standing at the other end of the room, gun drawn and a broken look on his face when he connects his eyes with mine.

I feel the blade lower from my skin and the tightness of the garrote lessens some, however its presence is still known.

I hear her grunt behind me before I see the blade fly into the right side of his chest and his gun crashes to the ground next to him **_fuck this lady, seriously_**

I feel Lydia squeeze my hand again and I offer her one of my own as Noah bends forward with one arm on the ground, grunting in pain before we hear a growl and roar coming from the door Mr. S previously walked through.

I whimper, taking a shaky breath in at seeing Scott fully transformed and looking from Mr. S over towards Ms. Blake before he takes off in a run towards her.

He lands in front of her, moving his eyes over her shoulder to see Lydia and I, tear stained cheeks and all, before a hard look overcomes his features and he reaches forward on a growl to swipe at her with his claws out hand.

She dodges his first swipe with a lean backwards before standing up straight to block his other swipe with her hand.

He looks surprisingly to her before she open palms his chest and he flies backwards into the rows of desks that are stacked up in the back of the room.

Jerking back with the action, we watch as Scott crashes to the ground with a grunt and blood spurts out of his mouth, onto the floor in front of him.

We hear shoes squeak on the floor near the door directly in front of us before we see Stiles widen his eyes as soon as he registers we’re in the chairs in front of him.

He moves to take a step into the room from the hallway, however, Ms. Blake power pushes the desk to fly across the front of the room and slams the door closed in his face.

Stiles’ face gets a determined look over it as he slams his body into the door, attempting to get it to budge with the desk now blocking it.

He hits his hands on the window as he connects his terrified and worried eyes with mine.

I let out a whimper around the string still around my neck as my hope at seeing three people who could have saved us slowly fades, while Ms. Blake proves she isn’t fucking human as she dodges their advances of rescue.

Noah grunts before grabbing his gun again and lifts it, trying to stop her steps with it and his words aimed at her “There was a girl years ago– we found her in the woods, her face and body slashed apart. That was you, wasn’t it?”

Ms. Blake finally stops her steps and tilts her head to the side “Maybe I should’ve started with philosophers, with knowledge and strategy.”

She takes another step towards him and he doesn’t hesitate to shoot her in her leg.

I jump with the noise and she winces as she looks down and continues “Healers–”

Noah squints his eyes at her leg before she takes another step and grabs the blade in his chest, lifting him up by it and crashing him back into the wall of chairs as she continues “Warriors,” she reaches out and tears off his badge, crushing it in her hand with her next words “Guardians–” she lets the badge fall to the ground before she finishes softly with the next category “Virgins.”

She leans forward and kisses him before she pulls back and she’s transformed from her usual beauty features into the slashed up face figure we saw in the fire wall the night of the motel terror.

A moment later she grabs him and crashes through the window as she escapes into the night **_no– ‘Sheriff’ definitely could fall in the guardian category_**

My attention is brought back to the door and hearing Stiles succeed in pushing the desk back far enough for him to make it into the room.

Scott stands up and Stiles comes to a stop next to him as they both look out the broken window and Stiles takes a quick breath in “Dad?”

Their attention is still out the window when I hear Lydia groan in frustration next to me, effectively causing them to turn towards us.

I feel a tear slide down my face, from the situation or the limited air supply, **_probably both_** as they rush towards us.

Stiles stops to kneel in front of me, at the same time he’s reaching forward to set his hands on my cheeks. I see tears in his eyes and they fall as he takes in the device around my neck.

Scott reaches forward to remove the tape off of Lydia as gently as he can, earning Lydia to cough before she croaks out softly with a nod “Behind her neck.”

Scott looks over and quickly moves behind me as I feel Stiles rub his thumbs on my cheeks, removing the tears.

He licks his lips and shares a look with Scott behind me before he nods and moves his fingers to act as a barrier between the string and my neck.

Lydia removes the tape from my hands before I feel Scott undo the garrote and once the pressure is off my neck I lean forward letting out a cough as he throws the device to the ground.

Letting out an involuntary hiccup of a sob, I continue to fall forward and Stiles’ arms immediately wrap around my back as he catches me against his chest.

I don’t hold back the sobs as my face lands in his neck and he tightens his hold on me. Keeping one arm around my waist, Stiles slides his hand up my back until he’s cradling the back of my head in his hand, whispering to me “You’re safe– I got you, Adds.”

Feeling the comfort he brings, I slowly lift my arms up his back to rest my hands on his shoulders, bunching his shirt into my fists as my body shakes off the terror I felt at the life literally being taken from me.

After a few minutes, Allison and Isaac run into the room and their eyes widen as they take in the scene in front of them.

Scott walks over to fill them in, and Allison reaches a hand up to cover her mouth as she rushes forward to kneel in between Lydia and I.

Scott walks back over and sets his hands on Stiles’ and my shoulders “Addy– I called 9-1-1, they’re going to wait with you but– I _have_ to go warn Derek.”

I pull back from Stiles, who hesitantly moves his hands from my back and onto my waist as I look up to Scott and state “I’m coming with you–”

He scoffs and looks around before shaking his head and connecting his eyes with mine “Addy, no– you almost just fucking died.”

I wipe my eyes with my sleeves and shake my head “I know Scotty– but I didn’t. All right, and that’s why I’m coming with you. Derek may not believe he’s dating a psycho who gets her jollies from sacrificing people,” I point to the mark on my neck **_that I know is there since Lydia is sporting the same war wound_** and continue “He’ll have no choice but to believe this.”

Stiles clears his throat, looking between us before he stands up from his kneel and nods towards me, reaching his hand out towards me to help me stand up with him “Let’s go then.”


	34. The Overlooked

“Derek? Derek, where are you?” 

I knew she parked her car, knew she was heading up the stairs, and yet I still flinch from her voice as soon as she runs into the loft **_memories of an hour ago still going strong_**

Stiles, who had his hands on my shoulders as I stand in front of him next to Scott, pulls me closer against his chest once he feels the flinch. 

Derek looks over to our hiding spot just out of sight from the living area before he turns and answers her “Right here.”

“Thank God. Something happened at the recital– at the school. Okay, I need to tell you before you hear it, before you hear any of it from them.”

“From who?” **_he sounds convincing at least_**

“Scott, Stiles, maybe Addy– if she’s with them. They’re gonna tell you things– things you can’t believe. You have to trust me, okay? You trust me?” 

“What is it?” Derek asks, even though he already knows. 

He looked upset when we told him what had happened earlier, though one look at my face and my neck as I rehashed the horrors of almost dying at her hands and he looked angrier than I’ve ever seen him before. 

Derek believes us, he however wanted to see what she had to say for herself, so we hid as soon as he heard her car pull up outside. 

“Promise you’ll listen to me” she stresses before we hear his confirmation “I promise.”

It’s silent for a few moments before Jennifer’s voice reaches our ears again, a darker and deeper tone than her usual voice “They’re already here, aren’t they?”

We walk around the corner of the doorway and Derek flicks his eyes over to us as we clear the doorway. 

When she turns towards us, Scott and Stiles waste no time moving slightly closer together to block me from her view as she continues “So– they told you it was me? That I’m the one taking people?” **_murdering, but yes_**

“We told him you’re the one _killing_ people” Scott clarifies and I can feel the anger rolling off of him. 

Jennifer scoffs, looking between us and Derek as she defends herself “Oh, that’s right. Committing human sacrifices? What, cutting their throats? Yeah, I probably do it on my lunch hour. That way, I can get back to teaching high school English the rest of the day. That makes perfect sense.”

The room is lit up from the lightning striking dancing across the sky and Stiles shifts on his feet “Where’s my dad?” his voice cracks and I reach out to set my hand on his arm **_fuck her for making this THIS personal_**

“How should I know? Derek, tell me you don’t believe this.” She turns back to Derek who moves his eyes over to us. 

A broken look flashes across his face as he looks from Stiles to me before he flicks his eyes back to her “Do you know what happened to Stiles’ father?”

“No” she shakes her head and glares over to us, earning Scott to immediately growl in his chest before he clips out “Ask her why she almost killed my sister.”

Jennifer scoffs and flicks her eyes to me in between their shoulders, lifting a brow as she points forward “Addeline– I didn’t–”

I take a deep breath and step in between them, though they don’t move easily, as I level her with a glare and state “And Lydia.”

She jerks her head back “Lydia Martin? I don’t know anything about that.”

Derek connects his eyes with mine before he offers a subtle nod and clips out to the back of her head “What do you know?” 

She quickly turns around to face him “I know that these _kids_ , for whatever misguided reason, are filling your head with an absurd story. And one they can’t prove, by the way” she throws the last bit over her shoulder at us earning a smirk from me as I cross my arms over my chest “What if we can?”

I don’t think I could have even wished for a more perfect priceless expression to overcome her face as she notices the bottle in Scott’s hand that he lifts up. She nods towards it furrowing her brows slightly “What is that?” **_it’s our checkmate_**

The smirk in Scott’s voice could be heard all around the world with his next words, while he takes a few steps closer to her and uncaps the bottle “My boss told me it’s a poison and a cure– which means you can use it– and it can be used against you…”

“Mistletoe?” Jennifer growls out before Scott reaches back and throws the contents of the bottle towards her. 

The ashy powder flies towards her and she lifts her arms up in a futile effort to stop the next affects. 

She lets out painful groans as we see the slashed disfigured face transform her features before the dust settles and she lurches forward with the effort of keeping her human beauty features prominent **_that was way more intense than I thought it would be_**

She goes to move forward, however Derek is quick to stop her with a hand around her throat, pushing her back a few steps before she exclaims “Derek, wait, wait! You need me–”

“What are you?” Derek grunts through a frustrated whisper.

Jennifer tries to take a breath with the pressure of his hand across her throat **_doesn’t feel too great does it?_** before she manages to get her strangled plea out “The only person who can save your sister. Call Peter– call him!”

With his hand still around her throat, Derek reaches into his pocket to grab his phone, talking as soon as the call goes through “How’s Cora?”

Derek keeps his glaring eyes on Jennifer, gasping for breath, as he listens to whatever Peter has to say. 

Scott leans over to fill us non heightened hearing humans in “She’s not doing well, vomiting up black blood and–”

“Mistletoe” Derek finishes before ending the call and increasing his grip around her neck. 

She starts to struggle and gasp harder earning Scott to take a step forward “Derek– Derek, what are you doing?”

Jennifer gasps out desperately as she croaks “Her life– it’s in my hands!”

Derek doesn’t listen and instead intensifies his glare towards the side of her face and squeezes even harder as he lifts her feet off the ground a good distance to be uncomfortable “You almost killed Addy, you abducted the Sheriff and now you’re trying to kill my sister– how do you think this will end?”

Stiles sets his hands on my arms as he moves past me to come closer to them, exclaiming “Stop. Derek, stop!” 

Jennifer flicks her eyes over to him and gasps out “Stilinski, you’ll never find him” **_like hell we won’t_**

I step forward offering my own shout to the betrayed Alpha “Derek– Derek!”

He flicks his eyes over to me before scrunching his face in a deeper angrier frown and drops her to the ground.

Jennifer sets her hands on the ground in front of her as she lets the air flow back through her lungs. 

She takes a moment before flinging her hair back out of her face and smirking up to Derek and over to us “That’s right. You need me– all of you.” 

Thunder rolls outside as lightning lights up the room of the loft with her words **_let’s get this over with_**

***

It’s now pouring down rain as we run outside and climb back into Stiles’ jeep to follow after Derek and Jennifer to the hospital. 

Stiles sighs and looks over to me “I don’t know, something feels wrong about this. You know, we proved it to Derek, but she still had this look like it didn’t matter. You know, like it was all still going according to plan. You saw it, didn’t you?” He finishes with another look to me and then over his shoulder to the backseat as Scott and I nod our heads in agreement **_she called herself a serpent for a reason_**

I shrug and make a noise gaining their attentions “She uh called herself a serpent earlier– said I was like her ‘an innocent flower’.”

Scott leans forward and Stiles looks from the road to me quickly “Why the hell would she say you were like her?”

I clear my throat and shift in my shift, sitting up straighter “After I screamed she was surprised and in awe, almost, before she called me the wailing woman– a banshee.”

Scott drops his mouth open and Stiles nods with a soft chuckle “I knew it.”

I furrow my brows and look from Scott who shakes his head and over to him “What do you mean ‘you knew it’?”

He keeps his eyes on the road as he licks his lips “It didn’t click right away but the night you told me with Peter how you felt so overwhelmed you needed to scream?–”

When he looks over to me I nod for him to keep going, which he does “The night at the pool wasn’t enough to put it together, but paired with the body on the trail and everything at the motel, I started doing some _light_ research into some lore– Banshee, a harbinger of death, was the top result.”

I raise my brows and he shrugs “It’s half of the reason I kept telling you to listen to your gut.”

Scott makes a noise and I look over my shoulder to see him smirk as he looks to his feet, questioning his best friend “And the other half?” 

I connect my eyes with Stiles’ who turns towards me again “I knew you were someone who could handle whatever the hell was happening.”

***

We pull up to the hospital, and I’m already soaked as I hold the seat for Scott to climb out of the backseat before we run around the front to meet Stiles **_who is holding a bat in his hands_**

Scott smirks and nods his head towards the item as we quickly walk towards the front of the hospital “What’s that?”

Stiles looks down and shakes the bat once “Well, you got claws. I got a bat” **_solid argument_**

We walk through the doors and mom zeros in on us immediately, calling behind us “Scott! Addy!– what are you– holy crap what the hell happened to your neck?!” 

I widen my eyes and lift my hand up to my neck trying to will the mark away as mom’s eyes fill with tears “Honey I’ve seen many bodies these last few weeks with– what the hell happened?”

My chin quivers as I attempt to gain the courage to tell her, however when I open my mouth the words die in my throat. 

I make a noise and Scott sets his hands on my shoulders, bringing me into his side. Mom flicks her eyes to him with his next words “We saved her– she’s _safe,_ mom.”

Mom moves her eyes back to me and swallows thickly before offering a small smile and sets her hands on my shoulders bringing me in for a hug. 

She pulls back with her hands on my shoulders again as she clears her throat “What are you guys doing here? The hospital’s evacuating–”

“We’re here for Cora” Scott answers her as mom scoffs and looks behind us where Stiles, Derek and Jennifer are just a few steps away “What, all of you? Why does Stiles have my bat?”

Scott lifts his arm out to the side gaining her attention from her stolen bat “Mom, just trust me on this. You need to get out of here– _Right now_ ” he stresses and mom moves her eyes between us. 

At my nod to agree with his words, she licks her lips and nods once leaning closer to us “The building is supposed to be clear in thirty minutes. We’ve got two ambulances that are coming back. One’s ten minutes out, the other’s twenty. Cora needs to be on one of those. They’ll be picking up in the basement garage”

I smile at our secret agent and Scott nods setting his arm around me as I squeeze mom’s hand one more time “Got it.” 

We hear her whisper “Okay” as Scott leads me away, Stiles falling in step with us as I look over my shoulder smiling at her. 

I turn to face forward again as we make our way to the elevator at the end of the hall with Derek and Jennifer walking ahead of us. 

Once inside I lean my back against the back wall of the elevator with Stiles next to me holding his bat defensively, Scott on the other side glaring at the side of Jennifer’s face who is standing in front of us with Derek’s vice grip hand on her upper arm. 

She looks around at us all before scoffing and looking forward again “You don’t have to keep me on a leash, Derek. I’m going to help” **_the banshee calls bullshit_**

We all ignore her before the elevator dings and the doors open. As soon as we walk into the hall the lights above us crackle and flicker with the storm raging outside.

Derek stops our steps when he looks into one room in particular **_Cora’s room if I had to guess_**

I lean around the frame and see a puddle of black blood on the floor with a path of single drops leading out of the room before Scott mutters “Derek.”

We look over at Scott and follow his line of sight out in the hall with the drops getting bigger before they disappear behind a set of double doors. 

We hear muffled grunts coming from the other side before the doors shoot open with a body skidding through the doorway **_always one for a grand entrance_**

Peter groans and looks up to us “We got a problem. Big problem” he lifts his head to look through the doorway he was just thrown through.

We all look up and my mouth drops open when I see a massive figure standing in the other hallway. It reaches its arms out and roars, sending chills up my spine as I jump back slightly.

I see Stiles lift up his bat a little more defensively while Scott and Derek transform into their own wolfed out features. Derek growls before he takes off running at full speed down our hallway towards the joined twins Alpha form.

Derek connects his body into the twins’ abdomen as they elbow him in the back. He lets go pulling back to punch them in their stomach before they dodge another punch near their head, instead wrapping a hand behind Derek’s neck to punch him in the face a few times. 

Scott’s turn to growl before he also takes off in a sprint down the hallway, jumping onto the other wall to push off and swipe towards the twins. 

They unfortunately dodge and offer their own swipes, that Scott also dodges and blocks before they grab him around the throat and lift him up against the wall. 

Stiles taps me on the arm rushing out “Help me” before I notice Cora laying on the ground just on the other side of the Voltron wolfed out twins. 

After helping Peter stand up we all run forward, scooting behind the twins and land next to Cora. 

We hear Scott grunt out “Ethan, Aiden stop! You don’t know what you’re doing” as Peter reaches forward and lifts her into his arms before their reply “All we want is her”

We hear a ding of the elevator before Derek rushes over to us and we move to successfully get Cora out of the hallway. 

We follow behind Peter who runs into the first set of doors we come across, which happens to be the morgue.

Derek shouts behind us “Don’t stop, don’t stop!” Peter listens and continues out the other set of doors before we hear the roar of the twins. 

Scott and I grab the doors and look back to see Stiles look at his bat and run back to hide behind the doors we initially came through.

“Stiles!” I move to step after him but Derek grabs my arms and pulls me back into his chest, moving me behind him when the doors burst open. 

We see the conjoined Alpha twins stand in the doorway, letting out a roar towards us.

Stiles sets up to swing back and hit them over the head, however since it’s a wooden bat it does zero damage and just shatters into splintered pieces off of them **_that’s not what you want_**

Stiles lifts the broken handle in his hands before they look back to him and growl again. Stiles jumps before he walks backwards until he hits the sidewall, scooting around the tables and finally makes it over to us. 

I grab his arms and he pushes us out of harm’s way through the other doorway as Scott and Derek stand ready to fight again.

Derek kneels down setting his hands up for Scott to step into as Derek lifts him into the air. The last thing we see before the doors close is Scott as he reaches up and grabs one of the hanging lights. He pulls one end off the ceiling to cause it to crash down on the Alpha twins **_hopefully gives us some time to run_**

The lights all around us go out before Stiles moves his hand to each of my arms muttering “Adds, come on” and pulls me with him to follow behind Peter right as the backup generators turn on the emergency lights and we run into another room.

Peter moves to lay Cora down on a table as he checks her head over while we see Scott and Derek run in behind us, immediately closing the door. 

Peter looks up quickly before looking back down to her, muttering “Where’s the big guy?” 

“He’s close” Derek rushes out as he looks out the window on the door.

“What about Ms. Blake?” Stiles asks to Derek’s back, not receiving an answer he turns to Scott who reluctantly shakes his head. 

Stiles scoffs looking around at us “What do you mean? What does that mean? Like, she’s gone? Scott, are you fucking kidding me?” 

Derek glares as he turns around to face us “Shh, quiet.”

Stiles steps forward and gets right in Derek’s face “Me be quiet? Me, huh? Are you telling me what to do now? When your psychotic, mass murdering girlfriend– the second one you’ve dated, by the way– has got my dad somewhere, tied up, waiting to be ritually sacrificed?”

“Stiles, they’re still out there” Scott tries to reason with his friend who shakes his head as he turns to him “And– and they want her, right? Which means now we don’t have her either, so my dad and Cora are both dead!” he frantically shouts back in Derek’s face before I walk over, setting my hands on his arms.

He takes a deep breath connecting his eyes with mine as I shake my head slightly “Not yet”

Stiles closes his eyes, taking another deep breath before nodding and tilting his head towards the ground as Scott turns and walks over to Peter “Is she really dying?”

Peter looks over to him “She’s definitely not getting any better”

“There has to be something that we can do. We _have_ to help her” Scott stresses just before the door bursts open with the psycho back in our presence “You can’t. Only I can.” 

We all take a few steps closer to her, on guard and completely done with her shit before she continues “I can save her, and I can tell you where Sheriff Stilinski is– but there is a pack of alphas in this hospital who want me dead. So I’ll help you– but only when I’m out of here and safe. Only then.”

Derek throws the cart that was next to Stiles and I over against the wall as he stalks towards Jennifer with purpose. 

Scott notices and grabs him by the shoulders “Derek, wait!”

Derek stops fighting Scott, however angrily points at her with his next words “She was trying to get out.”

She shakes her head and stands her ground “I was trying to keep from getting killed. You can’t blame me for that” **_the fuck we can’t_**

Stiles walks past me and towards her “If you want to show you’re one of the good guys, then heal her” he points over to Cora earning Jennifer to close her eyes and shake her head once before connecting her eyes with Derek’s “Not until I’m safe.”

Peter makes a noise on the other side of us “I’d like to volunteer a different method of persuasion. Let’s torture her.” **_Yeeesss_**

“Works for me” Derek deadpans as he moves to get past Scott again, however the intercom P.A. system squeaks, interrupting him, before a nervous voice surrounds the room “Um, can I have your attention?” **_mom_**

I feel Stiles look at me as I let out a gasp, raising my eyes to the ceiling before her shaky voice continues “Mr. Deucalion– excuse me, just Deucalion– requests you bring the woman calling herself Jennifer Blake to the E.R. reception.”

Tears well up in my eyes at the thought of him being anywhere near her and I lift a hand over my mouth as she finishes his request “Do this, and everyone else can leave. You have ten minutes.”

Stiles moves over and sets an arm around me as I connect my worried gaze with Scott who looks like he wants to murder someone. 

“He’s not gonna hurt her” the nails on the chalkboard voice of my attempted murderer chimes in and completely having enough of her, I drop my hand from my mouth and glare over at her “Shut up.” 

Stiles tightens his hold on me as she scoffs and turns to me “He won’t!” 

Derek steps closer and he points to her angrily “You heard her, shut up.”

Jennifer looks hurt at his words before she moves her eyes to Scott “I’m serious, he won’t– Scott, you know why. Tell them it’s true.”

Derek furrows his brows and looks to Scott “What does she mean?”

At Scott’s glare to the psycho, Jennifer scoffs before looking back to Derek “You’re not the only one he wants in his pack.”

We all share a look as to what this bish is going on about before she unfortunately continues “Deucalion doesn’t just want an Alpha pack. He wants perfection. That means adding the rarest of alphas to his ranks”

Peter’s awe filled voice chimes in beside me “A true Alpha”

Stiles and I turn to him, shaking my head I shrug “What’s that?” 

Peter looks from Scott to me quickly as he answers “The kind that doesn’t have to steal his power from another. One that can rise by the force of his own will,” Peter moves his eyes back to Scott, earning mine and Stiles’ to follow as he continues “Our little Scott.”

Scott shakes his head connecting his eyes to Derek “It doesn’t matter,” he moves his head to look at Jennifer “We still need to get her out of here”

Stiles jerks his body with his disagreement, dropping his arm from me to step forward “Scott, your mom–”

Scott moves his eyes to mine trying to convey that his next words really are the best choice we have to make. 

At my nod at what I already know he’s going to say he continues “Mom said there’s one more ambulance coming in twenty minutes. And I don’t think we’ve been here that long, so if we can get down to the garage, get to the last ambulance, we can get out of here.”

Derek shakes his head “The twins aren’t gonna let us just walk out.”

Scott shrugs “I’ll distract them.”

“You mean fight them,” I scoff and he nods once “Whatever I have to do.”

“I’ll help you” Derek offers before the nightmare reminds us she’s still here “Um, sorry, but I’m not going anywhere without you, Derek” **_eye roll so big you’d think I’d fallen asleep_**

Peter shares a look with me before offering a shrug to Scott “I’ll do it. But I’d prefer to be out there with an advantage.” 

Stiles walks closer to us again “An advantage like what? You mean like a weapon?” 

Peter smirks towards him “Something better than a baseball bat.” 

We get to work, looking around the room for any type of weapon they can use on the twins.

I close the cupboard that just has useless for our need medical supplies, when Stiles’ voice chimes up next to me “Hey, wait. What about these?” he holds up the paddles on a crash cart excitedly.

Derek looks over his shoulder to him “Do you know how to use those?” 

I chuckle at the face that Stiles makes as he shrugs “Well, no…”

“Put ‘em down” Derek nods to the cart and goes back to his search. 

Stiles rolls his eyes at me, doing as he stated before walking over to the cart near me that Scott’s looking through.

Scott digs in a drawer and lifts up a syringe, reading the label “Epinephrine?”

I look over to him and shake my head “That’s only gonna make him stronger.”

Peter looks over to me, brow raised and interest level peaked to the highest with my words “How strong?”

Seeing where he’s going, I chuckle and nod “Strong enough for what you’re thinking.”

Scott walks over handing me the syringe with his question “What does that mean, why would you want to make them stronger?”

I shake my head, removing the cap from the needle and handing the syringe out towards Peter as I look over to him “Not them, Scotty.”

Stiles walks over and chuckles “Genius– can I stab him?”

Peter raises a brow as he turns his head to him, fighting a smile “Little too eager, but all right…”

Stiles grabs the syringe from my hand and sets it up to Peter’s chest, nodding once and looking up “Okay here we go–1, 2–”

Instead of 3 he jabs the needle into Peter’s chest, causing him to flinch back with a groan before looking up and smiling. 

Peter takes a few steps towards the door as he stumbles out of it into the hallway with Scott.

We hear them both roar before they run out of view from the window. We give them a few seconds before Derek picks up Cora while Stiles and I walk to the doors, opening them to see the fight happening a safe enough distance away for us to leave. 

We hold open the doors for Derek and Jennifer to walk out and down the hallway to our left. Stiles looks down towards the fighting before grabbing my arm and walking me in front of him as we quicken our steps to follow Derek.

We get to the doors to the ambulance bay garage, seeing the ambulance right where mom said it would be “It’s still here!” Stiles shouts as we open the doors for Derek to walk out with Cora. 

We run towards the back of the ambulance and open the doors, climbing inside to help grab Cora’s feet and set her on the gurney next to the bench seat we’re sitting on that Derek is moving her towards.

Once she’s settled Jennifer’s voice mutters “Derek, over here.”

Derek shares a look with us before leaning around the open door and taking a few steps to stand next to her.

We hear an echo of “Julia– it is you,” as Kali walks past the windshield next to the driver’s side and out of view.

I look over to Stiles whispering “Kali– she has the keys.”

He widens his eyes and leans forward to close the ambulance doors and locks them. 

We hear a roar come from the front side of the ambulance and watch as Jennifer and Derek run past us back towards the doors into the hospital **_guess we’ll just stay here_**

*** 

We see the lights in the ambulance bay power off, leaving us at least not in complete darkness as the emergency generator kicks in for those as well.

Stiles looks out the window and sits back down next to me “Okay, okay, okay. We’re okay. We’re all right. You okay?” He looks to me and I offer a small smile at his rambling and nod before he looks over to Cora “How you doing? Wh– why do you look like you’re not breathing?”

We both look to her with wide eyes as I sit forward and notice her chest not moving “Because she isn’t breathing.”

He flicks his head to me before leaning closer to her “Oh, fucking seriously? Oh, no, no, no. Why are you not breathing?”

I lick my lips and tuck my loose hairs behind my ears, sitting closer to her “Alright– it’s okay we just need to revive her” I look around and try to find an airway bag, not finding one before I hear Stiles’ freak out “Revive her? Addy–”

“Calm down– yes we can revive her. I’ll do the chest compressions but I don’t see a bag and we’re running out of time so you need to breathe into her mouth when I say.”

“Me?” he turns his wide eyes back towards me and points to his chest.

I roll my eyes and look to him “Yes you, you’re closest to her head. You can do this Stiles, we took that class last summer remember– just breathe, okay?”

I see him swallow before he looks back to Cora “Okay, okay, okay. We can do this. Here we go”

I smile and nod towards her, setting one hand over the other and linking my fingers on her chest as he talks himself through the steps “Okay tilt the head. Fingers on the chin. Clear the throat. Great, nothing. I see nothing. Okay, all right, so, uh– just pinch the nose and blow.”

After he breathes in her mouth I press my linked hands down three times before nodding and he bends forward again “Oh, come on, Cora. Come on, Cora” 

Another set of chest compressions and he leans forward, letting out a frustrated breath of his own when he sits back “Come on– come on, Cora. Come on, breathe.” 

He looks up worriedly to me as I press down another three times before he leans over again “Come on, Cora, breathe” 

I take a breath, prepared to go again however before I press down we hear her take a deep gasp of air “Oh!” Stiles lifts his hands off her face and leans back in the seat as she coughs and I let out a relieved sigh sitting down next to him.

He sighs, setting a hand over his chest and placing his other over mine on the seat as we catch our breaths from almost letting a Hale die on our watch.

We watch her chest rise and fall a few times, finally relaxing from the stressful couple of minutes.

I rest the back of my head against the wall and let out a sigh of relief, before he squeezes my hand. 

I move my eyes over to see him looking at me with a soft smile “You did that…”

I shake my head and squeeze his hand back “ _We_ did that.” 

“I guess we can officially add ‘life savers’ to our list” he chuckles and I nod with my own soft chuckle “We’re kind of a big deal.”

Stiles lets out a breath through his nose with his silent laughter, though our attention is brought to Cora who takes a deep breath again. 

We sit forward and Stiles nods towards her “You just hold on a little longer, okay? Trust me, if anyone’s gonna get us out of this, it’s Scott.”

He rubs his hands together and raises his brows as he looks at me “Can’t believe I just said that.”

I chuckle and bend my knees to rest my feet on the bench, resting my hands in my lap.

Stiles shakes his head and leans back with me, linking his hands together and resting them in his lap as well. 

He turns his head to me after he rests it on the wall “I’m serious, I used to be the one with the plan. Well, or at least a plan B. Now I don’t know. Now I’m thinking maybe she was right.”

He swings his eyes over to Cora, earning me to furrow my brows “What do you mean, right about what?”

He looks back to me and softens his face, lifting a shoulder as he taps his fingers together “Maybe– maybe we are pretty much useless. Maybe all we really do is show up and find the bodies”

“Sty–”

“I don’t want to find my father’s body, Adds” his broken whispered voice interrupts me, earning me to move one of my hands from my lap and set it on his forearm “Hey– the only way we’re finding his body is _alive._ ”

He licks his lips and looks down to my hand on his arm, lifting his other hand to wipe under his eyes. 

I squeeze his arm softly gaining his attention again “I’m serious– I will walk around this whole fucking city until whatever secret banshee powers I have will let me find him.” 

Stiles lifts one side of his mouth, letting out a soft breath as he digests my words. 

He opens his mouth to say something, however, a loud bang in the distance followed by a growl stops him and we widen our eyes. 

He shifts forward, setting his hand on the door handle as he leans closer to look out the window.

I lean forward looking over his shoulder, though I lean back quickly when we see the shadow of the conjoined alpha twins before we see their body walk by. 

Stiles turns around and leans closer to me, setting his hand over my mouth and moving his terrified eyes back and forth between my wide ones as I hold my breath.

We hear another growl as they walk around the side of the ambulance, earning Stiles to shift even closer to me.

Hearing another set of banging noises, Stiles lowers his hand and looks around us. I set my ear against the wall and hear what I’m pretty sure are quick footsteps **_please be Scott_**

I grab his arm and he sets his hand on mine before turning back towards the door, setting his hand on the handle and leaning backwards. 

A hand hits the window and we both jump backwards before Scott’s face replaces his hand and he widens his eyes “Stiles!– guys open the door.”

We let out relieved sighs before Stiles reaches forward and unlocks the door muttering “Sorry,” as he swings it open revealing Scott holding up a weak looking Peter **_Epi wore off I see_**

Scott nods towards us “Help me get him in…”

I shift to the other side of the gurney and grab one of Peter’s arms while Stiles grabs the other. Scott pushes while we pull him in and onto the bench next to Stiles. 

I look behind Scott and connect my eyes with his “Where’s Derek and Jennifer?”

Scott looks to me and shakes his head “I have to go back for them and mom.”

Stiles sighs “Okay, two problems. Kali’s got the keys to this thing, and we just saw the twins, like, thirty seconds ago.”

I reach forward grabbing a handle on the side of the rig and move to get down offering “I’ll help you get mom–”

“No” Scott and Stiles exclaim at the same time, earning me to stop my movements and swing an eyes narrowed look between the pair. 

Scott shakes his head “Addy, I told mom you were safe– stay here and don’t make me a liar.” 

We hear another distant banging and Stiles reaches over Cora to set his hand on my arm, Scott softens his face and nods “I’ve got them– stay here where I know you’re safe, please.”

I huff and sit down on the other bench, nodding at him. He shares a look with Stiles as they close the doors and Stiles offers a subtle nod before he locks the door again _**I’m not oblivious to your silent conversation, buttheads**_

Stiles sits back on the bench, taking a moment before he makes a noise “Too much to ask you to cool it on the dangerous decisions for the evening?”

I flick my eyes from the door and over to Stiles as I sarcastically smile “When it involves mom– yes.”

He scoffs and shakes his head, looking to his hands as he mumbles to himself “Well at least I asked.”

Peter snorts and shifts in his seat, leaning his forearms on his knees “You guys bicker like an old married couple.”

Stiles clears his throat as I feel my cheeks warm and I shift in my seat to bring my feet back up to rest on the bench, using my legs as a barrier from _that_ conversation.

***

Scott texts that Allison, Chris, and Isaac are here and they’ve come up with a plan to distract the twins long enough to get Derek and Jennifer out of the elevator they’re stuck in without power, and us out of the ambulance without keys. 

While mom turns on the power for the elevator, Isaac will be coming with Allison’s car to get us.

I let Peter and Stiles know the plan and we get ready around Cora to move as soon as we see Isaac and the car.

We watch the lights turn on all around the ambulance bay and not a minute later we hear tires screech and Isaac gets out of the car “All right, come on, come on, come on!”

Peter hops out first and lifts Cora into his arms “I got her. Okay, get the door” Isaac moves around the car and does as he’s asked as Stiles hops out of the ambulance next, setting his hands on my waist to help me out as well. 

Once my feet are on the ground I turn to close the door and Stiles stops it, moving back to lean in as he looks at a clipboard on the wall “What? What is it?”

“Parent or–” he mumbles moving his hand on the paper on the clipboard and I open the door farther trying to see what he’s muttering on about when he whispers “Guardian,”

I gasp and set my hand on the door as he turns to look at me and I shake my head with the realization, frantically trying to work out the thought process “Parent or _guardian_ – that’s what she’s doing for the guardian category– parents?!”

Stiles moves his mouth and shakes his head “I–”

“Addy! Stiles, let’s go!” Isaac’s voice booms after they close the car door, making me jump. 

I shake my head when Stiles looks over to me and I whisper “Oh no, mom” widening my eyes through the pit in my stomach saying that word brings.

I waste no time in turning around and running back into the hospital with Stiles right behind me and Isaac shouting at our retreating backs “Addy! Stiles!”

We run inside and down a hallway seeing Scott run from an open elevator and out a door directly to the right.

“Scott!” I shout with Stiles’ voice exclaiming right after me “Scott, wait!” 

Stiles and I make it to the elevator and see Derek passed out on the floor and the emergency hatch at the top wide open “Stiles– she’s gone” **_hello dread feeling, I was beginning to miss your presence_**

He groans and sets his hand on my back ushering me to the stairwell Scott just went through “Come on”

We rush up the stairs as quickly as we can and make it out onto the roof hearing the end of Deucalion’s speech “Scott. Let’s help each other. You help me catch her, and I’ll help you get your mother and Stiles’ father back.”

We walk closer and see Scott moving towards Deucalion standing a few feet away from him. Stiles walks quicker calling after him “Scott– Scott, don’t do this. Don’t go with him.”

Scott stops his steps with his back facing us as he turns his head slightly “I don’t know what else to do.”

I feel tears well in my eyes at how broken he sounds as I come to a stop next to Stiles who argues with a shake of his head “No, there’s g– Scott, there’s got to be something else, okay? We always– we always have a plan B.” 

Scott turns around and faces us with tears in his eyes as he shakes his head “Not this time” **_don’t do this Scotty_**

I step forward with my own broken voice at knowing mom is taken and my brother is about to join forces with _another_ psycho “Scott–” 

“I’m gonna find mom, Addy,” he connects his sad eyes with mine as the tears fall down my cheeks and he swings his gaze to Stiles who walks up next to me “And your dad– guys, I _promise._ ”

Stiles sets his arm around me and I let out a shaky breath, fighting the tears as we watch him turn around and walk towards Deucalion “Scott!”


	35. Alpha Pact

After staring at the spot Scott was previously standing for a few seconds **_or minutes, pretty numb to time at this moment_** I suck in a quick breath through my nose at the thought of remembering the paramedic that Kali killed. 

Stiles looks to me with his silent question before I clear my throat and answer “We umm– we need to call the police about the paramedic in the garage”

Recognition crosses his features as he nods and pulls his phone out of pocket making the call. I look up at the clouds feeling the wind on my face listening to his words as he fills 9-1-1 in on the scene at the hospital. 

Once he ends the call he widens his eyes “Shit Derek–” **_right he’s still in the elevator_**

We rush down the steps and into the hallway that leads us to the floor the elevator with Derek is on.

Finding him still passed out, we each kneel on either side of him and try to wake him up. 

I set my hands on the shoulder nearest me and shake him gently yet just as urgently “Derek?”

No receiving and answer, Stiles makes a noise “Fuck it– watch out Adds” and shifts his body to gain momentum.

I sit back on my heels and watch as he lifts his hand up to smack Derek right across the face. 

I widen my eyes as he grunts and shouts towards his face “Derek, come on!”

Stiles reaches back and smacks him again causing myself to flinch back with the noise and offer “Maybe there’s a different way–”

Stiles lifts his eyes to me as he raises his arm back and shrugs “Got any other ideas to quickly wake him up?” **_Not even a one_**

I shake my head and lift my hands out for him to continue, he raises his hand closing it into a fist before swinging forward, however, he doesn’t make the hit as Derek opens his eyes and catches Stiles’ arm in the air. 

He moves his eyes between us and the empty elevator grunting out “Where is she?”

Stiles takes a breath in to frantically answer him “Jennifer? Gone with Addy and Scott’s mom–”

“She took her?” Derek swings his eyes over to mine and furrows his brows as he sits up a little.

I offer him a nod as my answer since words are failing me at the moment and Stiles sighs to rush out “Yeah, and if that’s not enough of a kick to the balls, Scott left with Deucalion, okay? So we gotta get you out of here. The police are coming right now, and we gotta get you the hell out of here”

Stiles pulls him forward as I lift behind his shoulders and Derek lets out a surprised “Whoa– wait what about Cora?”

We help him stand and start to move towards the door of the elevator as I fill in for him “She’s safe– Isaac and Peter took her to meet Allison and Chris just down the road.”

***

Derek left to get Cora from Allison while Stiles and I stayed behind to hold off the cops from catching up with everyone. 

We’re sitting on a bench watching as not only the Beacon Hills deputies walk around, but also the FBI.

I close my eyes and lean my head back against the wall adding “Think they’ll let us leave soon?” **_not like I’m in a hot hurry to go home to an empty house_**

“I hope so–” I hear Stiles sigh before he’s muttering lowly “Oh just fucking perfect”

I open my eyes and look to him sitting on my right, noticing his head turned away from me and his attention solely on the sliding doors. 

He shifts in his seat, moving so his shoulder covers me more however I’m able to look over his shoulder and I groan inwardly at the fact that I’ve already been spotted. 

Amongst the FBI faces is one face we haven’t seen in a long time **_and one I could go another however many years without seeing again_**

My body tenses and I cross my arms over my front when the Suit in question walks over to us. 

Stiles shifts closer to me on the seat as Suit stops in front of our bench, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looks between us “A Stilinski at the center of this whole mess– what a shocker. Though I am surprised to see you, Addeline. Would have hoped you would have come to your senses about who you were hanging around by now.”

Jerking my head back, I narrow my eyes up towards him as I quip “It’s Addy– and I did come to my senses for who should be in my life. Stiles was never on the chopping block though.”

Stiles moves his right hand across his front to rest on my arm beside him just above my elbow, causing me to take a calming breath as I clench my back teeth together.

The action doesn’t go unnoticed by the Suit and he makes a face like he’s eating something sour. 

He flicks his gaze to the ground, shifting back and forth on his feet before looking back to us “Think either of you can answer some questions without the usual level of sarcasm?”

Stiles clicks his tongue, drops his hand onto his thigh and nods his head once “If you ask the questions without the usual level of stupid.”

I clear my throat, moving my lips between my teeth to hide my smile and sit back further in my seat, as the Suit forces a smile of his own. 

He clicks his tongue before he continues with his line of questions “I’m assuming your mother Addeli– sorry Addy,” he looks to the ground and clears his throat before he looks up and continues “I’m assuming she went with the rest of the evacuees to the hospital across town?”

I shrug and uncross my arms, linking my hands in my lap “Seems logical enough, but you know what they say about people who assume.”

Stiles snorts and tries to cover it with a cough, earning the Suit to swing his eyes to him as he tilts his head to the side “Hmmm– well, where’s your dad and why’s no one been able to contact him?” 

Stiles lifts his head back slightly **_can’t blame him we’re sitting and Suit is fucking tall_** “I don’t know– I haven’t seen him in hours.”

“Is he drinking again?” Suit states without missing a beat **_inappropriate_**

I make a noise gaining Suit’s attention again as I inquire “What the hell would that have to do with anything?”

Stiles looks to me and makes a face of agreement before narrowing his eyes at the Suit “Right– besides what do you mean, ‘again’? He never had to stop”

“But he did have to slow down. Is he drinking like he used to?” **_I see you’re still as big of an asshat as I remember_**

Stiles scoffs and sighs “All right, how about this? Next time I see him, I’ll give him a field sobriety test, okay? We’ll do the alphabet, start with ‘F’, end with ‘U’.” 

I try to hide my snicker **_I really do_** as I lean forward from the wall and set my hands on the seat on either side of my hips. 

Suit forces his own humorless laugh and shakes his head “I see time hasn’t changed the two of you.”

I glare and feel Stiles tense next to me as he reaches over and discreetly sets his left hand on my wrist on the seat between us **_don’t yell at a Fed, we have more pressing matters_**

I take a calming breath and Suit shuffles back and forth on his feet before he looks down the hall and looks back to us with a frown “How about you both just tell me what the hell happened here?” **_a darach who is sacrificing innocent people to stop an alpha pack duped us all and took mom, now leave so we can find her_**

Stiles squeezes my arm and lifts his hand out in front of him as he answers with a sigh and a shake of his head “We don’t know what happened here. We were stuck in the elevators the whole time.”

“Together?” Suit clarifies and at our shared furrowed brow sighs he shifts on his feet again before he continues “You’re not the ones who put the name on the doors, are you?”

Stiles and I make a noise as we share a confused look before muttering back to him “What name?” 

***

The name ended up being ‘Argent’ so we finally break away from the annoying Suit and rush to Stiles’ jeep, texting Allison that we’re on our way.

We pull up at the same time as Chris and Allison, walking up to the elevator to head for their apartment and fill them in on what happened after they left the hospital.

Getting to the front door after Allison voices her concern that he could be the third victim of the category, Chris scoffs and unlocks the door before he mutters “The word is _guardian_ , Allison. More than anyone, you know that’s a role I haven’t exactly lived up to lately” **_you have taken care of us when we needed you_**

We walk inside, heading for his office as she’s quick to argue “But she took Scott and Addy’s mother and Stiles’ father– that’s not a coincidence.”

Stiles makes a noise and lifts his hand in a rainbow gesture “Yeah, I’d also consider the fact that someone put your name up in large block letters on the elevator doors.”

Coming to a stop in between the seats in front of his desk with Allison, I nod and elaborate with a shrug when Chris connects his eyes with mine “That kind of felt like a warning to me Mr. A.”

He stands behind his desk and softens his face opening his mouth to reply, however Allison beats him to it “I think it might be Morrell. She knows a lot more than she lets on, and she might even be trying to help us.” 

Stiles scoffs and plops down in the seat behind my left side “Well, she needs to get on that a lot faster, okay? Seeing as how the lunar eclipse is less than two fucking nights away– sorry” he grimaces towards Chris who lifts up his hands and shakes his head “Stiles, don’t give up hope.”

“They could already be dead” Stiles digresses and I close my eyes, willing the tears to back off until I see their bodies with my own damn eyes.

I open my eyes again when Allison reaches over and sets her arm around me, pulling me into her side. 

Stiles notices and reaches over the side of the chair to set his hand on my arm, squeezing once to let me know he didn’t mean to worry me further with his thought process.

I offer them both smiles and set my other hand on top of his as Chris smiles softly and shakes his head “I don’t think so. There’s something about Jennifer’s tactics. It’s like she’s still positioning, still moving pieces into place”

“And you’re one of them” Allison chimes in, moving Chris’ eyes to her before he smirks and tilts his head to the side “Then let’s not wait around to see the next move” he grabs a map of the town currents and lays it on his desk. 

Stiles drops his hand as Allison and I move closer to the desk and Chris continues “Everything she’s done has been on a telluric current, so Melissa and the Sheriff have to be somewhere on one of those currents, right?– Stiles, if we’re gonna find them, we need your help”

I turn, raising a brow when I see him chewing on the side of his thumb nail. 

Stiles lifts his eyes to mine and drops his hand, sighing as he looks back to Chris “You seriously want to go after her? I mean, what if she just takes you like the others, huh? No offense, but what’s the difference between you and them?”

Chris grabs my attention when he pulls a gun from his desk drawer and loads the bullet clip before answering “I’m carrying a forty five. Maybe she can heal from a shot to the leg and a few slashes to the face, but personally, I’d like to see how she holds up with half her skull blown off” **_excellent point_**

I make an impressed face before he sets the gun and his hands on the desk, leaning closer to us. 

He moves his eyes between Stiles and I with his words “We’ve got one priority right now, and that is to find _your_ mom and _your_ dad. We’ve got a map and every clue we need to figure this out. The only thing we don’t have is time, which is why I need the three of you.”

I offer a small smile and nod towards him **_don’t have to ask me twice_**

I hear Stiles sigh and feel him stand up next to me muttering “Where do we start?”

I bump my shoulder into his arm, earning a little smile before he sets his hand on my back.

Chris nods, happy with our involvement and grabs his light to hover over the markings on the map as he continues “The place where the sacrifices have been committed have usually been different from where the bodies have been found. I think the placement has to do with the strength of the current, so there’s the school, the animal clinic, the bank.”

Stiles leans his arms on the desk and looks up to Chris “Wait a sec, she wouldn’t use the same place twice, would she?” 

“Only if she didn’t succeed the first time” he moves the light over to the bank on the map and Allison whispers “Scott’s boss.”

I set my hands on the desk as well adding “Deaton– that was her only failure. That could mean something.”

“That’s just one place so far. We’re gonna need a lot more help” Stiles stands up slightly from his lean as he digresses that bit of information. 

Allison makes a noise “What about you and Lydia?” She turns to look expectantly at me earning a frown from Chris “Addy and Lydia? What can the two of you do?”

I make a noise “Oh well, I– we’ve kind have been able to find a couple of the bodies lately–”

Stiles scoffs “Yea without _actually_ looking for them–”

“Like psychics?” Chris connects his eyes with mine and I shake my head, reaching up to touch the side of my neck “We’re under the impression we’re possibly banshees”

Stiles smiles softly when I swing my gaze over to him after he bumps my shoulder in return and Chris makes an impressed face before nodding his head “A harbinger of death– makes sense you’ve been drawn to the bodies.”

I nod offering a grateful expression that he instantly believed us and knows at least a little bit about what I am.

Chris and Allison move around the room, grabbing cases and guns setting them on the desk. Chris opens one case in particular and points it towards the other side of Stiles, though he still jerks back with a “Whoa.”

Allison flings her knives in her hands defensively before walking over to the desk as Chris lays the gun he just checked down on the desk as well. 

Stiles shares a look with me and I chuckle softly as he furrows his brows towards the pair “I thought you guys were retired” 

“Retired, yes– _defenseless_ , no” Chris answers and sets another gun on the desk before setting his hands on his hips and turning to us “Make sure both of your phone’s are on. If either of you hear from Scott, you let us know immediately.”

I frown as I check my phone, Stiles doing the same before he sighs “Yeah, I’m thinking that’s gonna be kind of unlikely” **_more like highly unlikely_**

We share a look with Allison, that Chris notices before he offers softly “Hey come on guys, try to remember he’s just doing what he thinks is right”

We all turn when we hear the door to the office open and see Isaac standing in the doorway “I can’t shoot a gun or use a crossbow, but– well, I’m– I’m getting pretty good with these” he states before flicking the claws out of his fingers and smirking towards us **_our very own wolverine_**

***

Stiles took me home to change clothes and after grabbing a grey sweater to go with a light burgundy colored shirt and some jeans, I slip my feet into some tan ankle boots and head out the door to head to Stiles’ house so he could change as well.

Once we’re ready for the day, we meet Lydia at school **_since she decided we needed to be here today even though we’ve been up all night_**

We walk down a set of stairs to the next hallway and I hear her sigh as she stuffs her phone into her pocket “Aiden’s not texting me back” **_of course he isn’t_**

Stiles stops his steps next to me and lets out a frustrated breath as he looks behind us. 

Lydia shares a look with me and offers “Okay, well, maybe we could just– we could go over there and–”

Stiles’ phone vibrating interrupts her words, I lift my eyes from her and over to him. I see him share a _fingers crossed that it’s Scott_ look with me before he brings his phone out of his pocket and reads the message. 

The look that crosses over his face is one of complete terror and I know it isn’t Scott. He drops one of his hands down and I step towards him “What? Stiles– I– what is it now?”

Stiles licks his lips before he connects his eyes with mine and slowly states “It’s from Isaac. Jennifer, she to– she has Allison’s father. She took him” **_NO_**

His words rock me to my core and I feel lightheaded as I hear Lydia gasp before she walks closer to us, setting her hand on my arm.

My watery eyes never leave Stiles’ face as I shake my head and his shaky voice confirms what the voice is screaming in my head “Adds, she’s got all three now.”

I make a noise in the back of my throat wanting to argue that this can’t be happening, but the words die in my throat as I see him put his phone back in his pocket and take a deep breath. 

Lydia increases her hold on me, “Guys– there’s still time. We still have time right?” **_probably not much, and we have no idea where they are_**

My nerves feel like they’re on fire and I shake my head trying to catch my breath as I feel the tears finally fall down my cheeks.

I lift my eyes from the ground and the look on Stiles’ face paired with his gasping breaths have me wiping my cheeks quickly to set my hands on his upper arms “Stiles?” I try to connect my eyes with his, however he looks like he’s going to pass out.

Lydia looks around before stepping closer as she looks to me “What’s going on– what’s wrong?”

I shake my head making a noise before Stiles lifts a hand, licking his lips as he points forward “Stiles?”

He sets his hands on my forearms and gasps out “I think I’m– having a panic attack.”

Lydia shares a wide eyed look with me before I swallow hard and nod “Okay we need to go somewhere quiet to calm him down.” 

I link my arm with his, reaching my other arm across me to set on his stomach to help him walk, while I feel Lydia set her hand on my back to help guide us down the hall in search of an empty classroom.

We walk up to the locker room and she holds the door open nodding inside “Good enough yeah? Go, I’ll keep watch”

I mutter thanks as we walk into the room and she closes the door behind us.

“Okay, come on. Come on–” I breathe out, however Stiles’ quick breaths are not slowing down as we stumble down one row of lockers and I feel him pull towards the floor. 

He hits his hands on the set of cages players set their gear in and I help him sit back against the side, before throwing the strap of my bag off my shoulder and onto the floor next to his backpack. 

I kneel down in front of him, setting my hands on my thighs as he rests his hands on the ground and I try to talk as calmly as I can “Just try and think about something else, _anything_ else.” 

Stiles swings his leg behind him as he moves closer to me and inquires between his pants “Like what?” 

I shake my head, trying to slow my own breathing as I rush out thoughtfully “Anything that could possibly make you happy– channel your inner Harry Potter for me and think of a happy memory– with us or with your da–”

I close my eyes, letting out a groan and lean forward setting my hands on the ground next to his knees “Jesus christ, ignore that” 

“Adds–” his voice breaks in between his quick breaths and I can’t handle how broken he looks. 

I reach forward in the small gap between us and set my hands on his shoulders “Okay, uh, just– look at me, hey look at me”

He lifts his head slightly, quick breaths still going strong, as I set my right hand on his chest and he lifts his left arm up to wrap his fingers around my outstretched forearm.

I smile softly when he connects his eyes with mine, setting my left hand on his that’s on my arm “Hey try and slow your breathing okay, try to take a deep breath with me” he moves his eyes from my eyes to my lips and watches me take in a deep breath. 

He draws his brows in with the struggle that trying to mimic my action causes him, and he closes his eyes as he looks back to the ground, panting out “I can’t– I can't” **_he sounds worse and like he’s hyperventilating at this point_**

I move my wide eyes back and forth between him and my hands, grasping at straws for how to help him– when a thought slams to the forefront of my mind **_he needs to hold his breath_**

“Wait you don’t need a deep breath, Stiles you need– you need to _hold_ your breath” he connects his eyes with mine and shakes his head before dropping his head forward again **_not able to do that either– got it_**

I scoot even closer to him on my knees, moving my hands and setting them on either side of his face. 

I feel him place the hand that was on my arm down to rest on my hip as I lift his head, bringing our faces even closer together. 

I move my thumbs back and forth on his cheeks reassuringly, as I mutter just above a whisper “Stiles, look at me– hey look at me, Stiles–”

I trail off as he moves his scared eyes up from the floor to connect with mine, moving them back and forth quickly. 

His breaths sound even quicker than before and call it nerves from him about to pass out, or me being foolish, but the only thing that comes to mind to be able to shock him enough to hold his breath has me leaning forward **_this could either be amazing or end terribly_**

With one last look between his eyes, I don’t give it a second thought– shutting my eyes, I close the distance between us and slam my lips against his. 

As soon as our lips touch, I feel his grip on my side increase slightly as well as hear his audible shocked breath in, before his body relaxes and he leans into me. 

Even though this ideally wasn’t planned for a first kiss, that doesn’t stop the goosies from rising on my arms or my brows drawing together in complete bliss for how right this feels. 

My hands slowly fall down his cheeks until they’re resting in between us as I feel Stiles kiss me back **_oh his lips are even softer than I imagined they would be_**

I try to reign in my swoon level freak out to that little fact as I slowly pull away from him and resist the urge to whimper from the loss of his touch **_since we aren’t technically at that level_**

I keep my eyes closed for a few seconds after our lips disconnect to savor all the feelings that just occurred in those fifteen blissful seconds. 

I hear his calming breath exhale just before I feel his minty breath dance across my face, and I hesitantly open my eyes **_please don’t hate me for doing that_**

Leaning back farther, I take in the shocked honey colored eyes staring back at me, that are connected to a somewhat normal breathing human again **_at least the shocked factor worked_**

He finally lets out a deeper breath towards me whispering “Ooh– how’d you do that?”

Still feeling the effects of that kiss I try to seem unaffected, though my voice gives away to how nervous he makes me as I squeak out just above a whisper “I, uh– I remember reading one of those pamphlets in the hospital waiting room once that said– hol– holding your breath could stop a panic attack.”

He nods and I lick my lips to give myself a second before I continue just as softly “So when I kissed you– you were shocked enough to hold your breath.”

“I was– I did?” He asks on a whisper, looking between my eyes and my lips a few times. The action causes me to absentmindedly lick my lips again and smile softly as I answer him just as gently “Yeah– you did.” 

He makes a face as tears well in his eyes and he looks down to my lips quickly once more before connecting our eyes again “Thanks– that was really smart” he gives a lopsided smile as he tilts his head to the side, moving his eyes all over my face. 

I shake my head and shift my weight off my legs that feel like they’re about to fall asleep and sit on my bum next to him, defending quickly “I just– I don’t know– needed something to do quickly– I’m sorry–” 

He chuckles and shakes his head with his interruption “Don’t apologize Adds, you literally saved me with a kiss.”

“Ha– well don’t put it like that” I chuckle through my own blush that I try to fight off.

Blush rises on his cheeks as he shakes his head and looks to the ground with an embarrassed chuckle. 

I shrug and decide to move on “If I was really smart, I would tell you to sign up to talk about why you’re still having panic attacks with a counsel–”

I trail off, turning my head to connect our wide eyes as we mutter our same thought “Morrell”

“We gotta go,” Stiles declares and stands up, reaching his hands out towards me to help me stand up as well. 

I place my hands in his, setting my feet on the ground as he pulls me up and my chest bumps into his. 

Letting out a chuckle I move to step back from him when he licks his lips quickly and he envelops me in a hug, wrapping his arms around my waist tightly and resting his head on top of my own.

I smile into his chest as I return the hug, wrapping my arms around his middle as I feel the gratitude radiating off him without a single word being said between us.

One last squeeze before he pulls away and sets his hands on my upper arms. 

He opens his mouth to say something, however we hear the door open and Lydia pops her head in “People are headed this way– everything okay?”

Stiles looks over and offers a nod and smile as he squeezes my arms softly before dropping them to grab my bag and hold it out to me “Guess we should go…”

I nod getting the strap of my messenger bag situated over my body and onto my shoulder before turning to Lydia and smiling softly at her. 

She holds open the door for us, looking between Stiles and I as she implores “We have a plan?”

I link my arm with hers as Stiles walks out behind us and comes to a stop on my side while I nod towards her “Yea– we need to go see Morrell.”

***

We open the door for Morrell’s office and see someone sitting in one of the seats in front of the empty guidance counselor’s desk.

Stiles notices and lifts an arm out to her “Are you here for Ms. Morrell?”

“No, I thought this was gym class” the girl quips back **_I like her_**

Lydia scoffs and turns to her “Sweetheart, we’re not in the mood for funny. Do you know where she is?”

The girl lifts her arms towards the empty desk in front of her “If I did, I wouldn’t be waiting here for twenty minutes. So how about you three back out the door and wait your turn?” 

I turn more towards her and shake my head “We’re not here for a session”

She connects her eyes with mine and tilts her head to the side before she faces forwards again stating with her sassy little self “Well, I am. And I’ve got some serious issues to work on.”

Recognition flashes across Stiles’ face and he points to her “Hey, wait, wait. You’re Danielle– you’re Heather’s best friend.”

Danielle makes a noise “I _was_ Heather’s best friend. We’ve been working on that issue three times a week.”

Lydia makes a noise and turns back to her “Hold on, did you say Ms. Morrell’s twenty minutes late?”

Danielle nods “And I don’t know why either. She’s always on time”

Lydia turns to us quickly “I was seeing her at the beginning of the semester. She was never late”

Stiles shakes his head connecting his eyes with mine “Then she’s not late, she’s missing”

I take a quick breath in “What if we’re not the only ones who think she knows something?”

Stiles nods and looks across the room muttering “Then I want to know what she knows” before he walks over to her desk to open a drawer with files in it.

“What are you doing?” I follow after him and Stiles doesn’t look up at us as he states “Trying to find her.”

Danielle sits forward in her seat to exclaim “Those files are _private_ ”

Lydia shares a look with me before turning to him as well “Yeah, she’s kind of right”

Stiles ignores her and pulls one out, holding it out in his hand informing Lydia “That one’s yours.”

She wastes no time in reaching forward to snatch it out of his hand “Let me see that”

Lydia sets her file on the desk, flipping through the pages slowly as I chuckle and look over her shoulder.

Stiles’ voice chimes up on my other side “Wait, Lydia, that’s your drawing.”

With a different paper in her hands she flicks her eyes to the drawing and shrugs before moving her eyes back to the paper in her hands “Yeah, I know. It’s a tree.”

Danielle stands up on her other side nodding with an impressed face “Yeah, good too.”

I smile towards her as Lydia looks over her shoulder to her as well “Thank you.”

Stiles huffs and stands up, pointing across me to the paper “No. But that’s the same one, though”

“Same as what?” I look to him and he moves his eyes between us “The same one I always see you drawing in class.”

Lydia makes a noise “It’s a tree. I like drawing trees.”

Stiles levels her with a look before coming to a stop next to me “No, but it’s the _exact_ same one. Don’t you see?” 

Lydia and I look down to the drawing before Stiles walks behind me and moves quicker than his words “Give me your bag” he digs in her bag, earning Lydia to look at me with her silent _what the fuck is he doing_ expression. 

I shrug before he grabs a notebook and steps in between us to set the open notebook with another tree drawing on the desk “There, see?” **_he’s right they’re eerily identical and familiar somehow besides just seeing her draw it_**

My mouth drops open as he starts to flip through the pages and there’s tree, after tree, after _fucking_ tree on each page. 

All the same shape with the same branch design **_exactly the same everything_**

We hear Danielle make a noise and turn to grab her bag from the other chair “Okay, you can have my session– you’ve got bigger issues.”

She leaves as Stiles continues to flip through the pages of the notebook that is filled with the same tree drawing. 

Lydia fails to hide how freaked out she is as she gasps out “What is this?”

Stiles flips to one page in particular where the tree isn’t at the top of the page like the countless other pages, but instead the trunk of the tree is towards the bottom. 

From where I’m standing it looks upside down and almost like roots **_holy shit roots_**

I reach out with a gasp, setting my hand on his arm “I know where they are– Stiles look…”

Reaching forward I grab the notebook and turn it around in his hands, causing his eyes to widen as he lifts them to me “The Nemeton”

I nod before he closes the book, handing it back to Lydia and setting his hand on my back ushering us out the door “Come on– that’s where she’s keeping them. It has to be–”

We make it a couple steps down the hall before we hear a voice boom towards us “Addeline!– Stilinski!” **_Worst timing ever dude_**

I mutter “Fucking christ” to my feet as Stiles groans in frustration and pivots back to us, aiming his words towards Lydia “Agh– alright, look, go to Derek, okay? He and Peter, they’ve been there before, so they’ll know where it is.”

I look over his shoulder at the Suit walking our way and roll my eyes before turning to Lydia as well “Tell them it’s the _root cellar_ , all right? They’ll know.” 

She nods setting her hand on my arm and squeezing reassuringly “Got it guys” and turns to walk down the hall towards the doors to the parking lot **_what I wouldn’t give to be going with her_**

Suit effectively walks up to us and lets out a sigh as he looks between us, turning his attention to me first “Have you seen or talked to your mother today?” 

I lift my bag strap higher on my shoulder “Well she’s usually unavailable to talk to when she’s at work so–“

“Well with the hospital shut down because of the storm and damage last night– obviously she’s not there” he states impatiently earning me to cross my arms and shrug with a shake of my head as my answer **_I’ve got literally nothing, that you will believe, for you dude_**

He sighs and flicks his gaze over to Stiles “Did you know your dad’s car is in the school parking lot and has been since last night?”

Stiles huffs and looks to me quickly before reluctantly looking back to the Suit “No– what does that mean?”

“It means he’s officially missing and I’d like to have a chat with you both” he states before lifting his arm out to the side and ushers us into an empty classroom.

He leans against the teacher’s desk while we sit on top of the desks in front of him. 

He waits until we’re settled before crossing his arms over his chest and looking out the window “Listen you two, my gut is telling me you both know something that could help us find your parents–”

“If we did, why would we _not_ tell you?” Stiles lifts his hands out towards the Suit who makes a face before he answers “If it meant helping your dad, why wouldn’t you?” **_how are you in charge of finding people?_**

Stiles jerks his head back slightly narrowing his eyes “So you’re asking me to tell you what I wouldn’t _not_ tell you?”

I snort and try to cover it with a cough earning a side eye glance from Suit before he looks back to Stiles and shakes his head once “First, I have no idea what you just said. Second, how about you just help me help you?”

Stiles sighs and lifts his hands again “Well, I don’t know how to _help_ you _help_ me _tell_ you something that would _help_ you if I _don’t_ know it.”

“Are you doing this on purpose?” Suit deadpans earning a sigh from me as I hop off the desk and move to stand next to Stiles. 

Crossing my arms and gaining his attention, I shake my head at the Suit “We don’t know anything, okay? Can we just go now? Loads of homework, and tests to study for– you know _crushing_ teenage school life to get back to.” 

Suit chuckles humorlessly and looks to the ground before looking back towards us “Where are your other friends?”

“Addy’s right here” Stiles points over to me and I offer a little wave, earning a look that screams _knock it off_ from the Suit before Stiles shrugs and humors him “You mean Scott?”

Suit grabs his notebook and flips through the pages as he rattle of names “I mean Scott. I mean Isaac Lahey, Allison Argent, these twins Ethan and Aiden. I’ve been told your whole little clique didn’t show up at school today…”

“We don’t have a clique” Stiles states with a contemplative frown in thought towards me that I return with a shake of my head.

Suit huffs and stands up from his lean “Jesus guys, come on– there’s been a pretty disturbing amount of _violent_ activity in this county in the last few months, several murders _tied_ to this school–”

I feel tears prick the corners of my eyes at just how spot on **_without a fucking clue to what we’ve actually witnessed_** he is and I look to the ground, shifting on my feet while Stiles sets his hand on my back comfortingly.

Suit sighs and continues “I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s serious. And– hey,” Stiles shares a look with me out of the corner of my eye before we swing our watery eyes back to the Suit “Your dad is missing– and all signs point to your mother as well…” 

I narrow my eyes at him when he moves his eyes towards me **_you lost your chance at giving a shit about any of us_**

I shake my head letting out a quiet scoff as I turn towards Stiles, giving the suit my back as I look to the other side of the classroom. 

Stiles sits up from his slouch, looking between us before he wraps his arm farther around my back. A couple seconds pass before we hear Suit let out a sigh behind me “Fine– but I don’t want either of you going home alone. You have someone you can stay with tonight?” **_Allison or Lydia’s sound pretty good to me_**

Deaton’s voice however sounds up from the door to the classroom we’re in “They’re with me.”

***

Stiles and I head to Deaton’s with Isaac and Allison while Lydia texts us on the way that Peter doesn’t remember where the Nemeton is. 

Apparently his sister took memories from him **_as all Alpha’s do at one point or another in time_**

The memories of the root cellar were stripped away when she did her thing **_because of course they were_**

Once we get there Stiles lays all the information we know about the Nemeton out for them “It has to be on a telluric current, or maybe even at the axis of two or where they all intersect. We just know it’s where Derek took Paige to die.” 

Allison walks over and sets her hand on the table next to me “My dad and Gerard were there once. But Gerard said it was years ago, and he couldn’t remember where it was. And my dad obviously isn’t here to tell us now” she whispers out the last bit in a small voice and I reach out, setting my hand on her back to comfort her. 

Stiles drops his eyes from her and nods down to the table he’s leaning on “Yeah, mine either.”

Isaac chimes in behind us “Then how do we find this place?”

I will my banshee powers to wake the fuck up to tell us something, but they’re silent. 

I huff and we all look to Deaton when he informs “There might be a way. But it’s dangerous– we’re gonna need Scott.”

***

Scott answers our texts, earning Deaton and I to climb in Stiles’ jeep to go and pick him up. 

Once we get to the preserve Scott meets us in front of the jeep, shoving his hands in his pockets as he shakes his head “How’d you guys find out?”

“Lydia and Peter sorta– you?” I answer and nod towards him.

“Morrell” he states and shakes his head in thought “None of the other alphas know where it is either”

“So if this works, are you gonna tell them?” Stiles questions with a certain level of hesitancy to hear Scott’s answer.

“I can’t stop Jennifer without them” Scott nods and to stop our attention from wandering to tomorrow’s problem I make a noise gaining both their eyes “How about we concentrate on finding our parents before they’re sacrificed eh?” 

They both nod while Scott looks between us “What’s the plan?”

Deaton nods and fills him in “Essentially, you, Allison, and Stiles need to be surrogate sacrifices for your parents.” 

Scott widens his eyes towards his boss “We die for them?” 

“But he can bring us back. You can– you can bring us back, right?” Stiles scrunches up his brows as he looks to his side to Deaton who smirks “You remember the part where I said it was dangerous? If it goes right, the three of you will be dead for a few seconds, but there’s something else you need to think about. This is a dangerous thing for more reasons than one. You’ll be giving power back to the Nemeton, a place that hasn’t had power for a long time. This kind of power is like a magnet. It attracts the supernatural, the kind of things that a family like the Argents can fill the pages of a bestiary with. It will draw them here, like a beacon”

We all share a worried look with his words before Stiles makes a face “Doesn’t _sound_ any worse than anything we’ve already seen…” **_my god man, don’t jinx us_**

“You’d be surprised at what you have yet to see” Deaton digresses ominously and Scott shuffles on his feet before he questions “Is that it?” 

Deaton raises his brows and states “No. It’ll also have an effect on the three of you. You won’t be able to see it, but you’ll feel it every day for the rest of your lives. It’ll be a kind of a– darkness around your heart, and permanent, like a scar–”

“Like a tattoo” Scott whispers loud and clear into the silent night around us **_well at least we’ve come full circle_**

***

We stop by both Stiles’ and our houses so they can each grab something from our parents– something that according to Deaton had to mean something to them. Something strong enough to connect them to each other. 

Isaac, Deaton and I get our trusty bags of ice and fill three bins with water and the ice, while Deaton adds the leaves of the herb plants needed for the sacrificial experience. 

Once my last bag of ice is emptied I cross my arms, watching Deaton and Isaac finish with theirs. 

I move my eyes around and notice Scott, Stiles, and Allison silently pace back and forth in their own spots around the room.

I’m watching everything everyone is doing in slow motion before the nagging voice in my head tells me to grow a pair and speak up.

I will the tears away **_that have felt ever present the last few days_** and step forward towards my brother “Scott you’re not doing this– I will.”

Gaining everyone’s attention, they all stop what they’re doing to look between us **_that’s right, I said words_**

Stiles and Scott share a look before they both shake their heads and step towards me, though Scott finds his voice first “Addy–”

I shake my head once, interrupting him “No Scott– you’re risking your life enough as it is. I almost lost you a few weeks ago, twice in two days if you _freakin_ ’ recall,” he closes his mouth and looks to the ground quickly with the memory before I continue “A lot has been asked of you since Peter decided to turn all of our lives upside down when he bit you– let me do this. Let me help you with some of the supernatural burden… she’s– she’s my mom too, and this is something I can _actually_ do in your place, Scotty.”

Scott softens his face and steps forward, closing the distance between us and setting his hands on my upper arms “Addy, I love you–”

The tears I previously banished away aren’t listening and are now clouding my vision with his words as I try to keep my voice strong “I love you too, Scotty– and I’m doing this.”

He squeezes my arms and shakes his head, tears filling his eyes as well as he talks just above a whisper, “The only way you’re getting in that water in my place– is if you knock me out.”

I roll my eyes and lift a hand up to wipe the traitorous tear that falls with the action, adding a scoff as I resume my crossed arms stance “I mean– I don’t see that as an obstacle” I quip earning a snort from Stiles as Scott and Isaac chuckle.

Scott gets a hard look on his face as he moves his eyes from the ground to my neck “Addy, I watched you almost die last night– I promised myself to do everything in my power to keep you safe from that moment on. Sacrificing yourself to find mom, when I’m right here, perfectly capable of doing it– well, that’s just not something I’m going to agree to–” I go to argue, however, he beats me to it with a shake of his head “You don’t have to agree with that, but you have to at least respect that as your brother this falls under keeping you safe– I’m going. Let me do this, _please_ don’t fight me on it.”

I move my eyes back and forth between his before looking over his shoulder to Stiles who offers a look knowing how much I want to fight this, but also silently asking me to drop it– not missing the similarities in Scott’s speech with the one I gave Stiles a few months ago **_respect the decision_**

I close my eyes with a huff, opening them and looking to my side at Allison who offers a small smile and slight nod of her head **_ugggggghhhhh_**

I offer my own nod of acceptance towards Scott who brings me closer and kisses my temple before standing next to me. 

He moves his arm to wrap around my back and pulls me into his side as Deaton smiles softly and nods towards us all “All right, what did you each bring?”

Stiles lifts his arm and looks into his palm at the item “Um, I got my dad’s badge. Jennifer kind of crushed it in her hand– so I tried hammering it out a bit. Still doesn’t look great”

Deaton shakes his head to reassure “Well, it doesn’t need to look good if it has meaning.”

Stiles nods rubbing his thumb over the badge before he looks my way and I smile softly towards him.

Isaac nods towards Allison’s item in her hand “Is that an _actual_ silver bullet?” 

Ally lifts it up and her mouth twitches before she mutters “My dad made it. It’s kind of a ceremonial thing. When one of us finishes learning all the skills to be a hunter, we forge a silver bullet as a testament to the code” she encloses the bullet in her hand and I offer her a smile when she looks up to me.

Deaton gains my attention from her when he moves on “Scott?”

Scott raises his other arm and opens his palm revealing mom’s item “Our dad got my mom this watch when she first got hired at the hospital. She used to say it was the only thing in their marriage that ever worked.”

I chuckle and look at the watch as Deaton lets out a breath “Okay, the three of you will get in. Each of us will hold you down until you’re essentially– well, dead.”

My spine shivers with his words before he continues “But it’s not just someone to hold you under. It needs to be someone who can pull you back, someone that has a strong connection to you– a kind of emotional tether” **_I have an emotional tether to all three of them_**

My question must be written all over my face because Deaton smiles softly and nods towards me “Addy– you go with Stiles.” 

Stiles swings his eyes to mine and offers a relieved smile before I notice Allison and Scott look towards each other.

Allison clearly more nervous than Scott who smiles sadly when I look to him **_well that’s not how he should find out she’s moving on_**

She looks to Deaton with her own question of that decision “Are you sure? I mean, Scott and I both have to go under…” 

We all kind of look at each other awkwardly before Allison and Isaac share a look, confirming to what’s slowly happening between them.

Scott raises his brows and nods slightly when she looks to him before he croaks out as strong as he can muster “It’s okay”

Stiles shares a look with me, sharing in our heartbreak with Scott as he looks back to Deaton and nods before walking towards the tubs.

They all change into lighter clothes that won’t be terrible to change back out of when they’re soaked and walk up to one end of the tubs with Deaton, Isaac, and I right behind them. 

Allison lifts one foot and dips her toes into the icy water, immediately letting out a shocked gasp. 

Stiles turns slightly to look over his shoulder at me and I try to offer as supportive of a _you can do this_ face towards him and it must work, because he answers with his own soft smile and places his hand on my arm squeezing twice before turning back around.

He leans forward and sets his hand with the badge on one side of the tub before the other hand on the other side, and lifts one leg at a time into the freezing icy water.

Scott and Allison follow suit, the three of them letting out gasps and quick breaths, breathing through the cold pain as they sit down in the tubs with the water resting up to their shoulders. 

Their shivering breaths of air can be heard all around the room before Stiles turns his head, looking up at me quickly and then over to Scott as he informs “By the way, if I don’t make it back and you do, you should probably know something…”

I let out a small gasp at the information we failed to tell Scott earlier when he was fraternizing with the Alpha enemies. 

Scott turns and connects his eyes with Stiles who lets out a breath before he digresses “Your guys’ dad is in town.”

Scott widens his eyes and flicks his head up to look at me and my scrunched nose grimace at that bit of information **_he shouldn’t have found out like this_**

Waiting for my confirmation I finally offer a subtle nod and he lets out a shocked breath that is louder than his shivering one as he turns to face forward in the tub. 

Allison, Stiles, and Scott all share a look as Deaton, Isaac, and I share one **_here we go_**

Deaton nods and we walk up to the tubs, I rest my legs against the edge as I set my hands on either side of Stiles’ shoulders feeling him shiver under my hands as I state near his ear “You are making it back, or I will kick your ass.”

Hearing him snort with my words, Stiles tilts his head back to look at me “I’ll see you soon, Adds.”

I give a reassuring squeeze onto his shoulders before he drops his head forward again and takes a few quick collective breaths.

We hear Deaton say “Now” and the three of them all take a deep breath. 

I let out a nervous breath before I stand on my toes to have enough force to push Stiles’ shoulders down until his head is resting under the icy water line.

Looking down at Stiles’ face under the water, I fight the urge screaming at me to pull him back up and into oxygen level safety ** _there’s a purpose, they’ll be okay– it’s just a few seconds_**

Isaac and I look worriedly at each other before looking over to Deaton who shakes his head in the negative about letting go yet. 

I drop my eyes back to Stiles with his eyes closed and a few bubbles escaping his mouth as he looks to be just as Deaton said they would be– dead.


	36. Lunar Eclipse

I’ve been pacing back and forth this room for I don’t even know how long at this point. 

Scott, Stiles, and Allison went in the water _hours_ ago. Deaton said if it went right it’d be a couple of seconds.

 ** _Seconds not hours_**

We haven’t slept, we haven’t left, I haven’t eaten– even though Lydia was an angel and brought us food and water, along with a change of clothes for me.

I haven’t been able to do anything other than pace and worry as we’ve just been waiting for them to wake up. 

I haven’t felt the need to scream so I’m taking that as a good sign, because I’m pretty sure my inner banshee would be screaming her fucking head off if three of the most important people in my life were dead or close to it **_what the fuck is taking them so long?!_**

Isaac walks in, stops directly in front of me and sets his hands on my shoulders, effectively stopping my steps “You need to eat something or sleep, preferably both,” I throw him a look and open my mouth to argue, however, he clicks his tongue with a shake of his head “Hey– I’m serious. Pacing in front of the tubs won’t make them wake up any faster– at least have some water so I can stop worrying about you being the next unconscious person in the room.”

I narrow my eyes at him “Which one of them told you to watch over me?” **_my money’s on both_**

Isaac chuckles and drops his hands from me, lifting them out to his sides with a little shrug “Neither Addy, I don’t have to be asked to watch over a friend.”

“So we’re friends?” I ask in a genuinely shocked tone 

He smirks, adding another shrug before he shoves his hands in his pockets quickly looking over to the far left tub **_Allison’s tub_**

I cross my arms and start pacing again, calling over my shoulder “I think you’d be good for each other, you know.”

Isaac flicks his gaze back to me when I turn to lead my pacing steps back his way. I see him lift one side of his mouth in a slight smile before he shakes his head and looks to the ground, “Yeah, well I think you’re too good for Stilinski.”

I make a noise and furrow my brows before walking over to the wall, leaning my back against it as I slide down to sit on the floor “We’re not– he doesn’t– it’s not like that.”

I hear Lydia scoff, seeing her smirk at me before I hear Isaac snort as he walks over and sits next to me on the floor “Addy, he could be dead at this point– you can tell me the truth.”

I flick my head to him quickly with a glare “Shut your face– they’re going to wake up, besides I’m– I’m not lying.”

He softens his face, resting his arms on his knees and linking his fingers together before smirking back towards the tubs. 

He keeps his head facing forward but leans slightly closer to me, adding on a whisper “You do remember I can hear _your heartbeat_ right?”

I close my eyes, letting out a soft groan as I lean my head onto the wall “Fine, well what’s my heartbeat telling you now oh wise, eavesdropping on heartbeats werewolf?”

“That you’re worried” he states without missing a beat **_fucking right I’m worried_**

I open my eyes and turn my head to see him still staring at the tubs. He looks at me out of the corner of his eyes before fully turning his head my way and adding softly “You should tell him how you feel.”

I scoff and face forward again “Yea because unrequited love is the best feeling ever.”

He chuckles and I move my eyes over, giving him my side eye _why are you chuckling at my expense_ face, before seeing him shake his head “You really don’t see it do you?”

I shrug, turning my head to face him now as I question on an exasperated sigh “See what?” **_why’s everyone asking me that?_**

Isaac opens his mouth, however he is interrupted from saying what he was about to when splashing water and coughing become the best sounds I’ve ever heard. 

We stand up quickly as soon as we see all three sitting up in the water, gasping for breath. 

Scott starts swinging his legs over the side and immediately starts talking “I saw it. I know where it is”

Stiles connects his eyes with mine and nods quickly, attempting to catch his breath and get the words out quickly as he’s also getting out of the tub “We passed it. There’s– there’s a stump, this huge tree. Well, it’s not huge anymore. It was cut down– but it’s still big, though, _very_ big.”

Scott looks between Stiles and I, nodding “It was the night we were looking for the body–”

“Yeah, the same night you were bit by Peter” Stiles fills in before Allison gasps out “I was there too, in the car with my mother. We almost hit someone–”

“It was me. You almost hit me” Scott exclaims and I furrow my brows looking between them, which he notices and fills in “After you and Stiles got caught by Mr. S, I got bit and then was trying to find my way to the road. This car came out of nowhere and almost hit me” **_we were all near the Nemeton on the same night– that’s fucking weirdly awesome_**

Scott looks to them and then over to Isaac, Deaton, and myself, taking a step towards us with a determined look as he states “We can find it.”

I nod and attempt to smile, still taking in the fact that they’re awake, and here, and _alive_ – standing before my eyes.

Allison crosses her arms over her chest, shivering a little as she notices how we haven’t said anything. 

She sniffles once and furrows her brows between us “What?”

Isaac clears his throat, looking to me before taking a step over to them “You guys were out a long time…”

Stiles instantly flicks his eyes to mine to clarify “How long is a long time?”

“Sixteen hours” my small voice fills the room and all three pairs of eyes widen with my words.

Scott shakes his head and flicks his eyes between Deaton and I, exclaiming “We’ve been in the water for _sixteen_ hours?”

“And the full moon rises in less than four” Deaton digresses earning a round of gasps from the three soaked bodies across from us. 

Noticing them shivering still, I snap out of my shock and grab the towels we had set aside for them, Isaac grabs one and heads for Allison while I head to Scott and Stiles. 

They take the towels from me, wrapping them around their shoulders before smashing me in a group hug **_don’t even care that my shirt is soaked now– they’re alive_**

I chuckle as I step away and they continue to dry off, though my happy moment of having them back dies when Scott digresses he’s going back to Deucalion now.

Stiles scoffs and walks closer to him “No, dude, you are not going back with them” 

Scott looks to the ground and mutters “I made a deal with Deucalion”

I shrug before crossing my arms “So– I mean christ Scott, you were desperate to find mom and he took advantage of that. Now we know where mom is– so we don’t need him, we need to fucking find our parents.”

Scott looks up, connecting his eyes with mine before Stiles chimes in “She’s right Scott– I mean besides, does anyone else think that sounds a lot like a deal with the devil?”

I nod before we hear Isaac chime in behind us “Why does it matter, anyway?”

“Because I still don’t think that we can beat Jennifer without their help” Scott admits as he looks between the four of us not on his side with this plan.

Allison laughs humorlessly and looks over to Deaton “He trusts you more than anyone. Tell him he’s wrong.”

We all look expectantly to Deaton who shakes his head once “I’m not so sure he is. Circumstances like this sometimes require that you align yourself with people you’d normally consider enemies.” 

Isaac scoffs “So we’re gonna trust him, the guy that calls himself death, destroyer of worlds? We’re gonna trust _that_ guy?” **_yea, no way_**

Deaton shakes his head with his disagreement of that “I wouldn’t trust him, no, but you could use him to your advantage. Deucalion may be the enemy, but he could also be the bait” **_I’m listening_**

We all share a look, taking in that information, before we hear the front door creak open with the bells on the handle clattering as the door closes **_what now?_**

“I’m looking for Lydia or Addy” we hear from the next room, earning Lydia to share a look with me before we follow behind Deaton and Scott to the front.

Seeing Ethan out in the lobby, Lydia shakes her head “What do you want?”

“I need both or at least one of your guys’ help” he states causing me to narrow my eyes and Stiles to quickly walk up next to me, leaning one arm on the door frame as he states with a huff “Not happening– with what?”

“Stopping my brother and Kali– from killing Derek” he desperately states. 

I uncross my arms with my shock that he’s seeking out our help before Lydia looks over her shoulder and nods “I’ll go– Aiden will hopefully listen to me.”

I set my hand on her arm as she walks past and smile softly at her before bringing her in for a hug “Stay safe, Lyds.”

***

After Lydia and Ethan leave the Vet’s, we game plan what to do. Scott and Isaac are heading with Allison to get something of her father’s that will be a strong scent to find him. 

Stiles and I head to our houses to do the same and after we get our items we are going to meet them at the preserve to begin the scent search together. 

Scott will unfortunately break off to go with Deucalion to the distillery, where they will lure Jennifer so they will try and stop her psychotic ways, before or after the Eclipse **_since during it their werewolf powers are temporarily gone_**

She has been a huge talker about saving people and maintaining a balance, however Scott, strongly believes she wants revenge for what they did to her and leaving her to die after **_so he’s going to call her bluff_**

After grabbing mom’s scrubs and Stiles grabs his dad’s socks, **_since Scott dismissed smelling anything else_** , we climb back into the jeep and head in the direction of the preserve. 

Stiles is shifting in his seat, moving his eyes back and forth between the road and the storm we see starting in the distance. There’s lightning and thunder directly in the direction we’re headed **_probably right over the Nemeton if I had to guess_**

Stiles looks worriedly over to me and reaches over linking our hands and squeezing twice “We’re almost there” he reassures and I nod before squinting out the windshield, watching the storm increase around us.

The wind outside starts rocking the jeep as we continue on the curvy road, earning Stiles to drop my hand so he can put both hands on the wheel as he tries to keep control of the jeep in between the strong gusts of wind.

There’s leaves and debris flying everywhere in front of the windshield making it incredibly difficult to see, Stiles huffs and tightens his hold on the steering wheel.

He leans forward and squints his eyes towards the windshield muttering under his breath “Come on…”

We head around a curve and a big ass tree branch narrowly misses the windshield earning Stiles to quickly look over his shoulder at it flying past as he exclaims “Whoa, shit that was clos–” 

I gasp at the tree that is suddenly illuminated with the headlights that we’re closing in on, grabbing onto the seat and the window frame as I shout “Stiles!”

He turns back around “Fuck– whoa!” he tries to swerve out of the way, however we were too close and the last thing I see before darkness overcomes my vision is the tree trunk Roscoe is about to get to know on a deeper level.

***

I gasp awake, quickly followed by a scream that comes barreling out of my throat without my control, echoing off the walls of the jeep around us.

There’s only one thing I can think of as the noise around me and my scream dies down **_mom_**

I look over and see Stiles shift before he gasps awake as well and looks over to see me catching my breath and he winces “Adds?– I’m so sorry are you–”

I shake my head and unbuckle my seatbelt “I’m okay– they’re not. Come on, I can feel we’re close.”

Stiles widens his eyes as he unbuckles his seat belt “You _feel_ it like–”

Tears well in my eyes as I nod and attempt to open the door “Yeah, let’s go.”

The door doesn’t budge and I let out a groan before rolling down the window looking over to see Stiles already climbing out of his window. 

He runs around to my side, setting his hands on my waist and helps me climb down. Once my feet are on the ground, we run to the back so he can grab his new metal bat that he stocked in the jeep to replace the wooden one.

Bat in one hand he grabs my hand with the other, and helps to pull me out of the ditch we landed in and we take off into the preserve.

As we’re running through the woods, the darkness of the night around us lifts and there’s an orange glow everywhere “The Eclipse, it’s started– Stiles”

He pulls on my hand and we run through another set of trees as he exclaims “I know, come on this way, it’s got to be–”

Seeing the massive tree stump they were describing once they woke up, I point with my other hand and head towards it “Here– oh!” I let out a surprised squeak as I’m pulled back and crash into Stiles. 

He wraps his other arm around my back, tightening it slightly as he licks his lips and nods to the ground “Watch your steps, there’s holes everywhere.”

I follow his line of sight and nod at what he was talking about before we hear “I can’t do it– I can’t do it! It’s too heavy!” **_the ground is crumbling around them_**

I turn my wide eyes to Stiles who lets me go and searches the ground finding a hole closer to where the voice came from.

Stiles jumps down and lifts his arms up, beckoning me to jump down as well. I sit on the edge and half slide half jump into his arms, before he guides me to the ground.

Once my feet land on the ground we crouch down, dodging the falling debris and hear Allison, Isaac and our parents all groan with the force of trying to hold up the collapsing area around them.

There’s a terrifying creaking noise as it sounds like the cellar is on its last leg of support, as Stiles moves forward and over to where Mr. S is attempting to hold one of the support beams to ceiling up on top of where he’s at. 

Stiles quickly moves over and wedges the bat in between the floor and a wooden support beam of the cellar.

Everyone’s shocked eyes swing to us and Mr. S nods looking between the bat and us “I always said aluminum was better than wood.” 

Stiles leans forward and crashes his body into his dad’s for a bone crushing hug as I hear a shaky “Addy?” from behind me. 

I pivot on my crouched feet and crash my body into mom’s in much the same fashion “Mom, you’re okay?” 

She lets out a relieved laugh, sob combo as she wraps her arms around my back, before we hear more ground crumble into one of the holes and the wood around us creaks loudly again. 

Chris sets his hand on my shoulder when I pull back from mom. He squeezes once and smiles softly, though his eyes widen as he looks around us with the next round of crumbling and creaking noises **_not out of the woods yet, got it nemeton_**

The orange hue fades and the dark stormy night returns around us. Stiles sets one of his hands on the bat, making sure it’s holding steady, as I get settled sitting on the ground in between him and mom. 

I grab one of mom’s hands, bringing my knees up closer to my face as Stiles grabs my other hand, linking our fingers together and I close my eyes listening to the storm rage on **_and hoping beyond all hope that Scott stops Jennifer now that the Eclipse is over_**

The thunder and the wind dies down outside, earning me to open my eyes and look around at the ground settling around us **_no longer sounding like we’re going to be buried alive_**

“Is it over?” Allison’s soft voice elaborates and we all let out celebratory _can’t believe we survived_ chuckles as we look to each other, and I see Noah slap Stiles on the back before I offer him a soft smile **_we saved them_**

My phone ringing interrupts the noise around us and I drop my right leg down to dig into my pocket, answering the call right away “Scotty?”

I hear his relieved sigh “Hey, are you okay?”

I look from mom and over to Stiles and his dad before I nod to the phone “Yeah, we’re okay. We’re all okay. How about you, you okay?”

He takes a moment before he answers “Sort of”

I grimace slightly before I question “You think you can come get us?”

Scott doesn’t miss a beat “Yeah, of course”

I smile though it drops as I look around us wondering how we’re going to get up **_since we jumped a fair distance down here_** “Great, okay– umm–”

Stiles chuckles and leans against my side as he rests his jaw on my shoulder to shout into the phone “Bring a ladder, man” earning us all to laugh as mom drops her head onto my other shoulder and I end the call with Scott.

***

“You’re an Alpha now?!” I screech and Scott smiles softly, looking to the ground before connecting our eyes again and nodding.

Stiles crosses his arms and stands next to me “Like they said you’d be– a True Alpha?”

Scott nods and turns to plop onto his bed “Yeah– I– Jennifer put herself into a circle of the mountain ash once the Eclipse was over and Derek tried to attack her. She said how Derek lost his chance at sacrificing himself so now she was going to continue with her plan of taking our parents– and I just couldn’t let that happen,”

I soften my face at his words and nod once before he continues with a shrug “I just put my hands up to the barrier and fought to push through it. She didn’t think I could, since I failed at getting through to save Deaton– but it worked. I felt my eyes change just before I broke the barrier.”

I make a noise and share a look with Stiles “What do you mean you ‘felt them change’?”

Scott shakes his head and looks to his hands in his lap “It was like this intense feeling overcame my whole body”

“A powerful _I’m top dog now bitches_ feeling?” I offer and Scott barks out a laugh as he lifts his head to look at us again, nodding “Yeah– guys it was crazy–”

A knock on the door has our laughs dying in our throats as all of our heads turn towards the door **_mom would knock as she’s opening the door–_**

Scott shares a look with me before he walks up and opens it revealing our father standing there. 

I feel my body tense and Stiles shifts closer, bringing one of his arms around me– instantly calming me from the urge to yell for him to fucking leave and go back to his other life already **_sacrifices are over, parents have been found– LEAVE_**

Suit doesn’t say anything as he moves his eyes between the three of us and neither do we.

It’s just about to cross over into awkward when Scott just flicks his wrist and the door slams in the Suit’s face. 

Scott keeps his back to us as we watch him take in a deep breath before he turns around and rolls his eyes on his way back to his bed. 

“Did mom tell you why he’s staying?” I cross my arms before I feel Stiles rub his hand in a small circle on my back as Scott sits down and shakes his head at my question **_just perfect_**

I clear my throat and continue our recap of the previous night’s events “So what happened after you level-wolf’d up?”

Stiles snorts and crosses his arms in front of him again as Scott laughs with a shake of us head “Uhh– I threatened to kill her if she didn’t stop the storm, color of my eyes be damned, but Deucalion didn’t care about his eye color and waltzed up, slashing her throat immediately”

I widen my eyes with a jerk back of my head “Damn what a twist to her giving him back his eyesight”

Scott chuckles with a nod before he continues “After I talked to you, Derek and I let Deucalion go on the notion that it’s what Derek’s mom would have done– she called him a ‘man of vision’ before. Maybe now with his eyesight back, he’ll be that man again.”

I share a look with Stiles before looking back to Scott and adding “I mean we can only hope– plus you guys did him a favor, essentially putting him in your debt. That’s always good to have in your back pocket” I shrug earning nods from both of them before Scott continues grimly “Derek’s not an Alpha anymore– he lost it when he healed Cora.”

I make a noise, sharing a look with Stiles as my mouth falls open slightly in shock and Scott nods “He’s taking her, they’re leaving to go somewhere– anywhere else. I honestly don’t know if he’s ever coming back, and part of me hopes so, but another part hopes that maybe he’ll be okay somewhere else too.” 

***

Walking into school the next day seems pretty surreal **_these last three days have felt like weeks_**

There’s a lightness around the halls, more of a positive vibe going around and it brings a smile to my face as I look around at everyone walking around me.

Jennifer did as she originally set out, she destroyed the Alpha pack. Deucalion’s gone and Jennifer killed Kali just before she stripped the twins of their Alpha power when she attacked them in the loft with Lydia **_the twelve innocent lives she took on her path of revenge won’t be forgotten though_**

Everyone at school is moving around, going about their days without knowing any of it. 

Though I guess that’s how it should be.

I close my locker and smile as I see Lydia talking with Aiden across the hall.

Allison and Isaac are adorably chatting as they come down the stairs to my left and although it’s not the best news for Scott, I’m really happy for them **_though I wish they’d hurry up and be together already_**

Scott walks inside the doors to my right and I smile as I cross my arms over the notebook on my chest, walking up and bumping his shoulder with mine when I come to a stop next to him.

He smiles before we feel arms around our shoulders and Stiles’ face smashing in between us as we begin our walk to class.

I take a deep breath and smile softly as we walk past everyone. Scott’s pack, as Derek put it last year, has definitely grown. Lydia and I are learning what our banshee powers can allow us to do and Scott is now an Alpha. 

I don’t think our lives will be without the supernatural anytime soon– however with these guys and the rest of our friends by my side, I know we can take on anything our new life throws at us.


	37. Anchors

_Stiles POV_

I wake up with my hands instantly hitting a metal locker surrounding me. _How the fuck did I get in a locker?_

I hit the door over and over again trying to get it open, though it won’t budge. I hit it a few more times and the door finally opens, the momentum throwing my body out into the dark locker room.

Completely confused and mildly freaked out, I frown at the reflection staring back at me and turn heading for the door. 

Opening it I walk out into the hallway of the school, walking through the shadows of the hallways until I see a door open once I come around a corner. 

I don’t know what propels me to walk to the open door, however at the same time I don’t question it. 

As soon as I walk up to the door fame and look inside, I see the Nemeton in the middle of a thrown apart and trashed classroom. 

The blinds on all the windows are all messed up, and the desks are thrown to one side of the room to make room for the massive tree trunk of the Nemeton.

Not sure why I’m _not_ questioning the massive Nemeton being in a classroom instead of the preserve where it’s been for however many years, I walk towards it– almost like I’m drawn to it.

I reach forward when my toes are a hair away from the roots. 

Once my hand is hovering above it, vines snap out of the trunk and wrap around my hand pulling me towards it before I sit up in bed gasping for air, setting my hand on my chest as I try to catch my breath.

I feel the bed shift next to me as I pant out, trying to make sense of the dream when Addy sits up next to me and her voice breaks through my quick breaths “You okay?” 

She rubs sleep out of her eyes with one hand while she sets the other on my arm pulling it closer to her when I don’t answer her right away “Stiles?”

Feeling her comfort she always brings me, I exhale a deep breath– trying to calm down from the dream that felt so real. 

I intertwine our fingers and rub my thumb against the back of her hand “Yeah, I was just dreaming. It was weird– it was like a dream within a dream–”

“Like an inception nightmare?” Her voice is soft yet thick with sleep and I’m momentarily distracted with how amazing it is to hear before I let out a soft chuckle at her reference and I nod towards her “Yeah, exactly like that–”

I turn more facing her, taking in her rustled with sleep waves and my shirt falling off her delicate shoulder. I smile softly at her as I tilt my head to the side– when it clicks, she shouldn’t be here “Wait a second, Adds– what are you doing here?”

She makes her signature adorable confused face, scrunching up her nose in the way I have always loved, when the door to my bedroom creaks open– gaining all my attention.

Wanting to make sure she’s safe, I give her small hand a squeeze and move to stand up “Hang on”

She stops me, tightening her hold on me– the fear evident in her voice, “Stiles, where are you going?”

“I’m just gonna close the door” I breathe out and she pulls me closer with her other plans “Let’s just go back to sleep”

I have to make sure she’s okay “No, no, I should close it”

“Don’t worry about it” she moves her arm to rest her hand on my shoulder, however, my eyes never leave the door as I let her hand fall while I stand up “What if someone comes in?”

“Like who?– let’s just go back to sleep, Sty…”

I keep walking forward as I add just above a whisper “No– but what if they get in?”

I hear her gasp out “What if who gets in? Stiles, just leave it. Please– Sti– Stiles, come back to bed with me…”

Why are my feet still walking to this door? Why the fuck am I not listening to a request like _that_ from _her_?

My feet continue to take me away from my solace, my comfort, as she continues to plead through a shaky and more frantic voice while my hand reaches for the door knob “Stiles. Please– don’t, Stiles. Don’t! Don’t go out there, please, don’t. Please, Stiles– don’t!”

Her voice carries away, just as quick as it came, as soon as I walk out the door– though I’m not in the hallway like I should be after walking through my bedroom door. 

Instead I’m walking through the dark woods of the preserve, and I notice the tree trunk of the Nemeton once again before lights surrounding the outskirts of the trunk turn on. They’re as bright and tall as the lights used on the lacrosse field.

I lift my arms up to shield my eyes from the wind and leaves that have begun to rustle around me and as soon as I get closer to the trunk base I know what’s happening “It’s a dream. This is just a dream. It’s just a dream, get it out of your head, Stiles. You’re dreaming. Alright? So, wake up, Stiles.” 

I set my hands on the side of my head, hitting it once to force myself awake as I continue to shout frantically “Wake up, Stiles. Wake up!”

My eyes slowly open, taking in the sunlight that is shining through my window before dad opens the door “Hey, time to get up, kiddo. Get your butt to school.”

He turns to leave and I look down before looking over to the window as I let out a deep exhale at _finally_ being awake. 

I’m walking with Addy and Scott down the steps as we head to our first class and I fill them in on the nightmare from last night. 

Addy’s soft voice pulls my eyes to her as she asks “And you couldn’t wake up?”

I feel a blush rising to my cheeks as I look to her, remembering the part of the dream _before_ that one. 

I shake my head at her, trying to clear the image of her in my bed as I clear my throat and face forward again “Nope, and it was beyond terrifying. Either of you ever hear of sleep paralysis?” 

“Uh, no, do we want to?” Scott looks between us and I continue “Have you ever had a dream where you feel like you’re about to wake up but you can’t move or talk?” 

“Yeah. Yeah, I’ve had that” they agree and I nod “It happens because during REM sleep your body is basically paralyzed. It’s called muscle atonia. That way if you start dreaming about running, you don’t _actually_ start running in your bed” 

“That makes sense” She agrees with a nod towards Scott before I lift my arms out to my sides to continue “But sometimes your mind can wake up before your body does. So for this split second, you’re actually aware that your body is paralyzed”

“And that’s the terrifying part” Scott implores and I nod “It turns your dream into a nightmare. You can feel like you’re falling, like you’re being strangled, or, in my case, like you’re at the center of a grove of magical trees where human sacrifices took place” I state as we walk up to the door into the school, holding them open for Addy as she steps past and looks over to me “You think it means something?”

I nod moving my eyes between her and Scott “What if what we did that night– what if it’s still affecting us?” 

“Post-traumatic stress?” He chimes in and I nod slightly before adding “Or something”

We walk into class and we take our seats before I gain their attention again as I continue with my fear “But you want to know what scares me the most?– I’m not even sure this is real” is the last thing I say before I sit up in bed screaming myself awake. 

My dad runs in trying to calm me down like he has every night this week, talking through my terrified screams “Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay. It’s okay. You’re okay” 

I’m not okay– I’m losing my fuckin’ mind.

***

_Addy POV_

Once I slip my feet into my shoes, I grab my dark grey lightweight coat for another layer and turn to grab my bag.

I hear Isaac’s voice in the hall as I step out of my room “Can I ask you a question?”

“Okay” comes Scott’s reply before I take a step towards the stairs, however Isaac’s next question has my steps stopping as I’m fully invested now “Are you angry at me?”

“No” I let out a sigh of relief at Scott’s reply 

“Are you sure?” Isaac continues to question before I hear Scott’s fast reply “No”

“What does– what’s that mean?” Isaac stutters and I fix my coat over one arm before I cross my arms over each other when Scott sighs “I guess I’m not really sure how I’m feeling” 

“Okay. Do you hate me?” the worry in Isaac’s voice ever present before Scott reassures “No, of course not” **_well that’s something_**

“Do you want to hit me?” Isaac questions and Scott is quick with his “No” reply.

There’s a second of pause before Isaac offers “I think you should hit me”

“I don’t want to hit you” Scott clarifies before Isaac continues “Are you sure?”

I snort before I hear the humor in Scott’s answer “Why would I want to hit you? You didn’t do anything, did you?” 

I smirk and lean back on my door frame as Isaac’s stuttering voice filters down the hall “No. I mean, um– what do– what do you mean?” 

“I mean like you didn’t kiss her or anything, right?”

“No! Absolutely not. No” **_oh but he so wants to, busted_**

“Did you want to?” Scott voices my inner thought and Isaac replies without missing a beat “Oh, yeah– totally”

It’s silent for a moment before my eyes widen as I watch Isaac fly out of Scott’s room and crash into the wall across from the doorway, knocking down one of the frames and everything.

Mom rushes up to my side and throws her arms out with her exclamation “Hey!”

Isaac groans as a reply and Scott steps just enough around the frame to show his eyes as mom continues her shouting “You two supernatural teenage boys. Don’t test my entirely _un-supernatural_ level of patience”

I snort trying to hide my laugh and she swings her eyes to me and she sets her hands on her hips. She fights her smile before she winks and turns to head down the stairs with me following her.

***

I stop talking mid-sentence as I look at the terrified face of Allison who just ran through the doors and into the hallway near us. 

Lydia turns and looks back to me before we silently agree to walk up to our friend “Allison?”

“Are you okay?” Lydia leans closer trying to make eye contact and Allison shakes her head “I just saw Kate” she stammers out quickly in between quick breaths and a lick of her lips.

I shake my head and make a noise, stating “Kate? Your Aunt Kate?” before whispering closer to her “Your _dead_ Aunt Kate?”

She swallows thickly and moves her eyes back and forth between mine, shaking her head a few times “Yes– I know– I know how that sounds Addy, but I was just in my elevator to leave the apartment and then I was in the hospital’s morgue and now I’m here– with you guys…”

I move my notebook into one arm and set my other hand on her back “Okay– hey I believe you, let’s go find Scott and Stiles. See if they’re having anything similar okay? Deaton said you guys would feel after effects.”

She nods and Lydia shares a look with me as she falls in step next to me **_how do you cure supernatural hallucinations?_**

I hear Stiles’ voice before we see him in the tunnel “No, you’re not. It’s happening to you too. You’re seeing things, aren’t you?” 

We walk around the corner and see Scott look surprisingly to Stiles “How’d you know?”

“Because it’s happening to all three of you” I state, gaining both of their attentions and I worriedly look between them.

Stiles and Scott fill us in on what they’ve been experiencing lately and I furrow my brows in slight annoyance that _none_ of them have said anything before now. 

Scott notices and sets his arm around me, pulling me into his side “It’s been very minor and I didn’t want to worry you…”

I scoff and shake my head “Yeah, totally saved me from being worried about you” the sarcasm is dripping into a puddle around me and he sheepishly nods. 

Stiles looks guiltily over as well, opening his mouth and shaking his head at a loss for words. 

I set my hand on his arm and squeeze once as I look between them “Guys we’re past _not_ telling each other something that’s happening just to keep someone else from worrying or getting hurt. Let us help, because I’m going to worry regardless”

They both smile softly and nod as Allison drops her head onto my shoulder, letting out a relieved sigh.

We move to walk over towards the doors to head inside towards our first class and Lydia smirks adding a little tilt of her head and pep in her step “Well, well, look who’s no longer the crazy one.”

Allison scoffs following behind her “We’re not crazy”

Lydia spins on her toes and scrunches her brows looking between the three of them “Hallucinating? Sleep paralysis? _Yeah_ , you guys are fine”

“We did die and come back to life. That’s gotta have some side effects, right?” Scott offers with a shrug before the bell rings and they all look like they’d rather do anything other than go to class. 

“We keep an eye on each other. Okay?” Stiles lifts his hands out with his question before bringing them together and moving his fingers around. 

He lifts one hand to point past me, muttering “And Lydia, stop enjoying this so much.”

He sets his hand on my back to keep my steps with his as we walk past Lyds who tilts her head to the side at him “What?” 

We walk into History and take our seats, Stiles sits in front of me and Scott sits behind me as our new teacher finishes writing on the chalkboard and turns around to us.

He walks around his desk with his hands out to his sides “Good morning, everyone. My name is Mr. Yukimura. I’ll be taking over for your previous History Teacher. My family and I moved here three weeks ago. I’m sure, by now, you all know my daughter, Kira. Or you might not since she’s never actually mentioned anyone from school– or brought a friend home for that matter” **_and the embarrassment dad award goes to…_**

We hear a groan before there is a loud bang on the desk diagonally behind us to the left. 

I jump with the noise and look over my shoulder, noticing the girl with her forehead against the desk, shaking it side to side softly as her dad continues the embarrassment train “Either way, there she is.” 

She slowly lifts her eyes up and smiles, completely embarrassed, as a few laughs are heard. I offer her a smile that she returns before her attention shifts to Scott behind me and she gets a more confident look in her eyes.

I smile at Stiles as I turn around and he furrows his brows between the look on my face and Kira.

I chuckle at his confusion to the young love potential and nod my head forward as Mr. Yukimura begins our lesson “Now, let’s begin with American History at the turn of the 20th century”

***

I just finish putting my notebook for the next class into my arm when Scott walks up and hits his shoulder into the locker next to Stiles’ “Maybe we need a little more time to get back to normal.”

Stiles sighs and continues to spin the dial of the lock on his locker “Yeah, try not to forget we hit the reset button on a supernatural beacon for supernatural creatures”

I make a noise, closing my locker and turning around to both of them “Exactly– there’s a pretty good chance things are _never_ going back to normal for us, guys.”

Scott looks to me, absentmindedly agreeing “Yeah”

Stiles attempts to pull the lock, however it doesn’t budge. I narrow my eyes in confusion at the look he throws the lock as he turns his head to the side and whispers towards it “What?” 

“What’s wrong?” I lean closer to the locker, looking between the side of his face and the lock.

He doesn’t look up, just continues to move his finger over the numbers as he shakes his head “I must have done the combination wrong”

I set my hand on his forearm and he jumps slightly, I soften my face and move my hand towards his lock “You’re shaking, here let me.”

He swallows thickly, nodding his head once and rubbing a hand over his mouth as he steps back to make room for me to put in his combination.

“There” I smile and step back a little, Stiles sets his hand on my back as he moves forward and grabs his things before shutting his locker again. 

Stiles lifts his eyes from the ground and widens them when he looks at Scott “Oh, dude, your eyes…”

“What about them?” Scott looks between us and I lean closer to him, whispering quickly “They’re starting to glow.”

Stiles looks around us worriedly as Scott makes a noise in his throat “You mean like right now?” 

I tilt my head to the side and level him with an _obviously_ look as Stiles scoffs frantically “Yes, right now. Scott, stop. Stop it.”

Scott looks down and starts to pant out quick breaths as he lifts a hand to shield his eyes from anyone walking past us “I can’t– I can’t control it.”

Stiles sets his hand around his shoulder and mutters “All right, just keep your head down. Look down, come on. Keep your head down.”

We start to move forward, me walking ahead of them as I find an empty classroom, opening the door for them and closing it behind us once we’re all through the doorway. 

Scott growls as soon as we’re inside, taking off his backpack and his button up shirt, leaving him in his black tank top as he steps away from us “Get back away from me”

Stiles and I step towards him shaking off his demand “Scott, it’s okay…”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Scott shakes his head and grits out through his pants as he moves against the rows of desks “Get back, get Addy back”

Stiles steps backwards pushing me behind him and moving us back against the wall as Scott continues to breathe quickly and fight off transforming.

He swings his alpha reds towards us, baring his teeth as lifts his hands up to either side of him, producing his claws before jamming them into his palms. 

Blood rushes down his arms while he looks up, letting out a contained to his chest growl as he drops to his knees.

We slowly see his claws on his thumbs retract as well as his teeth before he flops onto his bum on the ground and looks to his palms.

Deeming the threat over, Stiles and I drop our bags and move closer to him. We hear him groan in pain while he lifts his fingers **_sans claws_** out of his palms and looks up to us, catching his breath.

He lets out a sigh as we kneel in front of him and he croaks out “Pain makes you human.” 

Stiles sighs before he adds softly “Scott, this isn’t just in our heads. This is real. And it’s starting to get bad for me too.”

Stiles drops his head forward and I share a worried look with Scott before Stiles continues “I’m not just having nightmares… I’m having dreams where I have to literally _scream_ myself awake– and sometimes I’m not even sure if I’m _actually_ ever waking up”

I gasp softly earning his eyes to connect with mine as I shake my head “What do you mean?” 

He makes a face before licking his lips “Do you know how you can tell if you’re dreaming? You can’t read in dreams. More and more, the past few days, I’ve been having trouble reading. It’s like I can’t see the words– I can’t put the letters in order.” 

“Like even now?” I offer already knowing in my gut what his answer is going to be. 

He makes a noise and stands up looking over to the chalkboard with a few sentences written on it, before he shakes his head and his voice breaks as he digresses just above a whisper “I can’t read a thing.”

***

I’m walking down the stairs, throwing my hair into a messy top knot bun, when I hear a knock on the door. I turn and head to answer it, pulling it open to reveal Stiles.

“Oh– hey” I answer, completely surprised to see him standing there. 

He lifts a hand and rubs behind his neck as he lifts one side of his mouth “Hey– so you’re always way better at this and I know we have a lot going on but– would– would you be up for going with me to pick out the flower arrangement for mom?” **_how has our life been so busy that I spaced that anniversary coming up_**

I smile and point over my shoulder “Yes, of course I won’t leave you in your time of flower need. Just let me go change–”

I take a step backwards, halting my steps when he points at me “Why? You look great”

I snort and look down at my long sleeved black henley and heather grey yoga pants, lifting my arms out to my sides as I lift my eyes to his “I’m basically wearing jammies”

He chuckles and looks to the ground before connecting his humor filled eyes to mine “You are not– come on” he nods his head back towards his jeep.

“If one person so much as asks me how my evening jog was, I’ll surprise elbow jab you in the ribs before the night is over” I grumble as I walk over to the entryway cubby and grab my converse.

Slipping them on and grabbing a jacket, I walk past him as he raises his hands in surrender and chuckles out “Deal.”

***

Stiles carries the flower arrangement we picked out into his dad’s office and starts talking as soon as we walk inside “You know, the last time we brought one of these to her grave it was stolen the same day– hundred bucks down the drain”

He keeps his eyes on the flowers, however when we don’t hear a reply he furrows his brows towards me before leaning over the desk “Hey, Dad? Hi, what are– what are you doing down there?”

Noah sits back on his heels as he looks up to us before he bends forward towards his piles of papers again “Working. And hey, if somebody wants the flowers that badly, they can have them– it’s the gesture.” 

Stiles walks around me to the side of the desk and points forward looking at all the boxes filled with case files and stickers across the front labeled ‘Sheriff’s Station Do Not Remove’ “Hey, Dad, what is all this?”

“I’ve been looking over some old cases from a more _illuminated_ perspective, if you know what I mean” Noah mutters between us **_supernatural enlightenment, yes_**

I lift up one of the folders that’s open on the corner of the desk, reading aloud the incident on the summary report “Umm ‘strange sighting of bipedal lizard man sprinting across freeway’.” 

Noah smacks a stack of papers in front of him “Kanima pile.”

I close the folder and drop it onto the stack he indicated and Stiles raises his brows once at me while he scratches the side of his head.

He moves to kneel down to his dad’s level “Dad, you’re not going back through all your old cases, seeing if any of them had something to do with the supernatural, are you?”

I cross my arms and lean my hip on his desk as he moves his eyes between us and nods “I admit the recent opening of my eyes to the greater mysteries of the universe has got me– reassessing”

Stiles drops his head forward and rubs a hand over his mouth as I make a face of understanding and Noah continues with a point to the folders around us “There’s at least one hundred cases here where I look at the details and I can ask myself, ‘If I knew then what I know now’–” 

“Right, but are you sure you wanna go down that path?” Stiles interrupts and Noah connects his eyes with him adding “Do I have a choice?”

I lift one side of my mouth in an understanding smile, offering a nod as I look around us.

At our silence he stands up grabbing one folder on his way to his feet “There’s one case in particular that I can’t get out of my head. Eight years ago, when I was elected Sheriff of County, my first official duty was to tell a man that not only had his wife and two kids died in a car accident, but, as best we could tell, the body of his nine year old daughter had been dragged from the wreck by coyotes.”

Noah hands the folder to Stiles after he stands up and I lean against his arm to look at the adorable picture of the nine year old girl in question as Stiles digresses “You mean dragged and eaten?”

A sad look crosses over Noah’s face as he looks a million miles away with his memories “We didn’t find the car until three days after the crash. They had driven off the road into a pretty deep ravine. Two bodies that were still in the car were covered in bites and slashes” 

I nod with a shrug “So you’re thinking bites and claw marks– probably a werewolf attack?”

Noah swings his eyes to mine as he nods “Maybe”

Stiles makes a noise before adding “But coyotes, they scavenge, right? So, couldn’t they have just left the bites and the slashes?”

“Absolutely.” Noah is quick to reply before stepping forward and pointing to a particular spot on the page still in Stiles’ hands “But guess what night the accident occurred on?”

Stiles tilts his head to the side as he reads “The night of a full moon.”

“Yeah” Noah chimes in before Stiles closes the folder with a sigh and points around us “Hey, Dad, where are all these going?”

“Yeah, we, uh– why don’t you take Addy home and we’ll talk at home yeah?”

Stiles furrows his brows looking over his shoulder at me before I stand up and look at the boxes.

I see a name that makes my blood boil and I swing my eyes back to Noah as I clench my teeth and mutter with a slight shake of my head “What the hell is he doing?”

Noah draws his brows together, raising his hand up as he stammers “Nothing– guys really– it’s– it’s probably nothing all right. It’s late and you guys have school– come on, go on home” _**fucking bane of my existence Suit**_

***

Coach’s class seems to be dragging on especially long today before I’m snapped out of my note taking when he asks if Stiles is paying attention. 

Getting no response besides Stiles’ arm moving quickly over his page Coach flicks his eyes between Scott and I who are sitting next to and behind him.

We both shake our heads and Coach sighs before grabbing his whistle around his neck and bending forward to exert the shrill noise towards Stiles.

It takes longer than it should for Stiles to react and when he does he gasps loudly as he sits up from his lean over his desk **_no way he was asleep with how quickly he was just writing_**

“Stilinski!” 

I look to my right, seeing Stiles swallow thickly as he tries to catch his breath and mutter “Uh– huh?”

“I asked you a question” Coach fills in aggravatedly 

“Uh sorry, Coach. What was it?” he breathes out as a few laughs sound around us and Coach scoffs “It was ‘Stilinski, are you paying attention back there’?” 

“Oh. Well, I am now” he swallows thickly and I draw my brows in as worry for him settles even deeper in my gut.

Coach rolls his eyes “Stilinski, stop reminding me why I drink,” he begins to turn back towards the board as he mutters quieter “Every night. Does anybody else want to try the question on the board?”

Stiles moves his elbow onto the desk to chew on his thumb nail nervously before he looks over, connecting his eyes with my worried ones.

He drops his hand onto the desk as he shifts back in his seat, shaking his head once to reassure “I’m okay. I just fell asleep for a second…”

I shift in my seat, sharing a worried look with Scott behind him as I shake my head and nod towards his notebook “Sty– you weren’t asleep.”

He furrows his brows before he looks down to his notebook and sees his writing all over the page– the same two words over and over in different styles and fonts **_wake up_**

He grabs his notebook and flips it over harshly against his desk with his frustration.

***

We sit down at a lunch table outside and Scott sighs setting his hands on the table on the other side of Stiles, “Okay, so what happens to a person who has a near death experience and comes out of it seeing things?” 

“And is unable to tell what’s real or not?” Stiles states before Allison, who is sitting across from us, adds “And is being haunted by demonic visions of dead relatives?”

“They’re all locked up because they’re insane” Isaac, sitting next to Allison, quips– earning my foot to connect with his shin under the table **_not helpful_**

He makes a noise and glares at my narrowed eyes, as Stiles lifts a hand to point towards him “Ha– can you at least _try_ to be helpful, please?”

Isaac swings his eyes from mine and over to Stiles, who is sitting next to me, and tilts his head to the side “For half my childhood, I was locked in a freezer. So, being helpful is kind of a new thing for me.” 

I drop my hands onto the table with a sigh as Stiles makes a noise, setting his elbow on the table and flicking his hand out “Hey, dude, are you still milking that?”

Isaac smirks as he nods towards him “Yeah, maybe I am still milking that”

I scoff and look between them “Guys could we _please_ focus on the bigger issue of–”

“Hi,” A cheerful voice to my right comes and I jump before turning my head and smiling instantly at seeing Kira standing next to the table.

She looks from me and over to Scott as she continues “Hi, sorry. I couldn’t help overhearing what you guys were talking about– and I think I actually might know what you’re talking about. There’s a Tibetan word for it. It’s called ‘Bardo’. It literally means ‘in-between state’. The state between life and death”

I smile at her helpfulness before hearing Lydia at the other end of the table “And what do they call _you_?”

“Kira” Scott and I answer as I offer her a smile when she looks to me. 

“She’s in our History class” Scott elaborates when he notices everyone else’s question filled furrowed brows directed at us.

Scooting closer towards Stiles to make room for her to sit down on the edge of the bench. My close proximity to his side causes him to have to move his right arm off the table and back behind me. 

I feel him rest his hand on my lower back/hip when I turn towards her, setting my left elbow on the table once she’s settled next to me and I shake my head once “So are you talking Bardo in Tibetan Buddhism or Indian?” 

She makes a face and shrugs quickly “Either, I guess. But all the stuff you guys were just saying? All of that happens in Bardo. There are different progressive states where you can have hallucinations. Some you see, some you just hear. And you can be visited by peaceful and wrathful deities–”

Isaac makes a noise across from us, pointing towards her “Wrathful deities? And what are those?”

“Like demons” she states happily as I feel Stiles’ body against my left side tense.

I look over my shoulder at him as he makes a face and mutters with a nod “Demons. Why not?”

“Hold on, if there are different progressive states, then what’s the last one?” Allison implores and we all turn to Kira as she answers, unbeknownst to the dread it will bring to the entire table around her “Death– you die.” **_well fuck_**

***

We head to Deaton’s after Scott is off work to see if he can shed any light on what’s actually happening to Scott, Stiles, and Allison. 

Stiles informs him of his, in fact, dream he encountered today in Coach’s class. 

Apparently no one he recognized was in the class besides Coach. They all were silent as they signed the same few hand movements in sign language at him until he woke up **_sounds just as creepy as you’re imagining_**

Deaton nods as he flips the sign on the door to closed, and locks the door before he turns back towards us “It sounds like your subconscious is trying to communicate with you” he states as he walks past.

We follow behind him and head towards the back exam room as Stiles scratches the side of his head “Well, how do I tell my subconscious to use a language that I actually know?”

“Do you remember what the sign language looked like– the placement and movement of the hands?” I ask, coming to a stop next to him earning confused eyes thrown my way, before Scott shakes his head at me “When did you learn sign language?”

I shrug, crossing my arms in front of me “Last summer I studied some, never know when it will come in handy”

Stiles scoffs, setting his hands on his hips as he shares a look with Scott and swings his eyes back to me “How many things have you learned ‘because you never know when it’ll come in handy’ because I know of at least four things that I’m shocked as all fuck to have learned you know.”

“Just show me the signs, smartass” I quip earning a snort from Scott who raises his brows once at his best friend when he looks over to him. 

“Okay Watson,” Stiles runs his tongue along his bottom lip before he turns towards me and lifts his hands, repeating the movements from his dream “The first one was like this. Then–”

I nod after he finishes the movement “That means ‘when’.”

Scott shares a look with Stiles who sets up his hands again “Then there was this, twice”

“Alright that’s ‘door’,” I answer and Stiles nods before he does the next movement “And this in between it.”

Deaton points forward “That’s it?”

“Yeah” Stiles answers and looks expectantly at me as I tilt my head to the side and connect my eyes with his “When is a door not a door?”

“‘When is a door not a _door_ ’?” Stiles licks his lips and looks like he wants to scream when Scott mumbles the answer “When it’s ajar” **_that’s a bingo_**

“You’re kidding me– a riddle? My subconscious wants to tell me a riddle?” Stiles scoffs and Deaton clicks his tongue “Not necessarily. When the three of you went under the water, when you crossed from unconsciousness to a kind of super consciousness– you essentially opened a door in your minds.”

Scott looks between us and over to his boss with his next question “So what does that mean? The door’s still open?”

“Ajar” I state and Deaton smirks to me with a nod as Stiles croaks just above a whisper “A door– _into_ our minds?” 

“I did tell you it was risky” Deaton counters earning me to turn towards him with a shake of my head “Okay, what do we do about it?” 

“Well, that’s difficult to answer” Deaton makes a face that earns Stiles to point towards him quickly “Oh, no, wait a second, I know that look. That’s the ‘we know _exactly_ what’s wrong with you, but we have no idea how to fix it’ look.”

Deaton smirks before he answers “One thing I do know is that having an opening like that into your mind, it’s not good. You each need to _close_ that door– and you need to do it as soon as possible”

Saying our goodbyes to Deaton, we walk out the back door and head for Scott’s bike when headlights shine over us. 

Noah gets out of his Sheriff’s SUV and walks up to us rubbing his hands together while Stiles lifts an arm out towards him “Dad, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here because– I could use some help,” he lifts his hands out to us before he continues “Actually– your help” he points to Scott, who raises his hands to his chest “Why me?”

“Because eight years ago, almost an entire family died in a car accident. One of the bodies, a young girl named Malia, was never found. There’s enough evidence to have me thinking that– a werewolf could have caused the accident, and then dragged her body away.”

Scott shares a shocked look with us before Noah implores “If you could somehow get a lock on her scent if you could somehow help me find her body, it might provide the missing clue–”

“But what if it was a werewolf?” Stiles offers earning a slight nod from Noah who continues “Well, there’s somebody out there who murdered an entire family– someone who still needs to be caught.”

***

The next day we follow Noah out to the Tate residence. He heads to the front of the house to talk and keep Mr. Tate distracted while Scott, Stiles, and I head across the side of the porch towards a side door into one of the bedrooms we believe to be Malia’s.

Stiles reaches for the handle, turning it slightly and we all let out a sigh of relief that it’s unlocked. He twists it farther, pushing open the door, however, stopping immediately as the first loud creak sounds. 

Scott and I share a grimace before Stiles continues to open the door and succeeding in releasing the loudest of creaks **_that could be heard from across the fucking country_**

We walk in quickly and Stiles shuts the door behind us before we walk around, grabbing clothes and stuffed animals for Scott to smell.

He shakes his head after a few attempts and hands the items back to me “All I’m getting is some animal smell.”

“What kind of animal?” Stiles asks as he walks towards us before setting his hand on my shoulder to grab a toy behind me.

I stand up straight with our new guest standing in the doorway, whispering “Guys–”

They look to me and jump slightly when they also notice the big ass dog standing in the doorway, that is now growling towards the intruders that we are.

Scott mutters his answer to the previous question of what animal he’s smelling “Dog.”

Stiles moves the toy in his hand behind his jacket as his high pitched “Hi puppy,” fills the room before he leans closer to Scott “Get rid of it.”

Scott looks over his shoulder towards us “Me?”

Not moving an inch I hear Stiles mutter over my shoulder “Yes, you. Glow your eyes at it, something, _be_ the Alpha.” 

The snarling of the massive dog continues before Scott answers “I can’t. I don’t have control”

Stiles huffs “Okay, buddy, you’re going to have to try something”

Scott looks over to us and I make a face of agreement that he nods as an answer and takes a step forward with his hand outstretched “Nice doggy…”

Hating that phrase immediately the _not_ nice doggy barks and Scott jumps backwards into me, causing me to hit back into Stiles who rests his hands on my arms while the dog continues to bark incessantly. 

“Apollo!” we hear Mr. Tate shout from the hall and at the continued barking he shouts again “Apollo, shut up! Shut the hell up!”

Apollo listens and snaps his mouth shut immediately before letting out a whine and turning around to leave us be **_well that was easy_**

We all let out relieved sighs and Scott moves to stand next to me before I walk forward and pick up a book off the vanity “Here– try that.”

Scott grabs it but just looks at it sadly as Stiles calls over his shoulder “Anything?”

Scott shakes his head and nods towards the door “All I’m getting is that dog.”

Stiles sighs and sets his hand on the vanity next to me as I share a sad look with Scott **_Noah needed a win_**

Stiles stands up a little and digs in his pocket for his phone. He brings up the camera and snaps a photo of the two sisters in a frame on the vanity. 

We hear Mr. Tate yell for Noah to “Just get out!” and we take that as our que to leave and head back towards the jeep.

We meet Noah just down the road who is waiting against his car as we get out of the jeep and walk up to him.

Scott shakes his head as soon as we stop walking “I’m sorry. I tried as hard as I could. If it wasn’t so long ago, I might have been able to do it” 

Noah shakes his head, looking to the ground before back up to us “It’s okay. It was a long shot. In fact, it was a pretty terrible idea– I think I just ripped a wound open in that poor man. I never should have brought you guys here. I don’t know what I was thinking. Thanks for trying, all right?”

Noah hits Scott on the shoulder before opening his door and calling over his shoulder to Stiles “See you at home.”

We offer him sad smiles as Stiles raises a hand out in goodbye and Noah starts the car and drives off.

Scott turns to us as soon as he’s gone “Aren’t there a lot of cases that go unsolved?”

Stiles shoves his hands in his pockets as he lets out a sigh, looking at the retreating car “Yeah, I just think this is one– he felt like he could’ve figured out right now.”

Scott and I share a look before I turn to Stiles “Why is it so important right now?”

“He wants to be able to solve one more– while he’s still Sheriff” he answers and looks back to us as I widen my eyes and Scott makes a noise “What do you mean, ‘still Sheriff’?”

Stiles looks between us before settling his eyes on mine “Remember the other night at the station– all the boxes with the cases?” **_the unsolved supernatural cases, oh no_**

Not finding the words, I nod my head and Scott looks to me before Stiles continues “Apparently there’s an investigation that has opened, looking into why this town– and our Sheriff can’t close the enormous amount of cases it has seen–”

“I knew he was up to something” I grumble and Stiles nods while Scott looks confused. 

I make a noise and look towards him “‘Agent McCall’ was on all of the fucking boxes–” I swing my eyes back to Stiles “But I asked what was happening, why didn’t your dad tell me?”

Stiles softens his face and shrugs “He didn’t want to put you in the middle, Adds.”

I scoff and cross my arms over my front “It wouldn’t be putting me in the middle when I’m team Mr. S always” **_especially over our twatbag sperm donor_**

***

Stiles dropped us off after divulging what our asshat of a father is doing to his, which we naturally confronted him as soon as we walked in the fucking door “Kids– I’m trying to help.”

I jerk my head back, making a noise before I snap “That doesn’t make any sense, _Dad_. Who are you helping?”

“Just get out” Scott demands earning Suit to lift his hand out to his side “Scott–”

“What? I can’t believe that you’d do this to _our best friend_ ” Scott exclaims earning a nod from me in total agreement.

I glare towards Suit as he looks between us and shakes his head while trying to defend “I’m not doing _anything_ to your guys’ friend. I’m doing my job–”

“Your job sucks” Scott and I state without missing a beat, earning an agreement nod from the Suit “Some days I can’t argue that”

I roll my eyes at his stupid answer when mom walks in and sounds up behind us “Can somebody tell me what the _hell_ is going on?”

I cross my arms and fill her in on the scumbag’s plan “He’s trying to get Stiles’ dad fired”

Suit swings his eyes quickly over and points towards me “No, come on Addeli– Addy that’s _not_ true.”

“What _are_ you doing?” Mom questions as she moves her eyes from me and over to him, earning him to take a moment as he swallows before answering “Conducting a case for impeachment.” 

I share a scoff with mom who jerks her head back slightly before answering “That sounds a lot like getting him fired…”

“The lack of resolution and ability to close cases is what’s going to get him fired. My job is just to collect the information– and it’s the job my superiors have given me” he throws the last bit towards Scott and I specifically.

“Your job sucks” mom states with as much disdain as Scott and I did moments ago ** _because we’ve always known that_**

I shake my head at him, narrowing my eyes “You have no idea what’s been happening here, and no amount of case files you collect is going to change that fact.”

He opens his mouth slightly either in shock or ready to argue– however mom’s voice interrupts “Scott– sweetheart– calm down” she moves to block Suit from seeing Scott as she lifts up his hands and his claws that are making their presence known. 

I drop my mouth open slightly worried at how we’re going to keep a wolf’d out Scott hidden from the Suit when mom leads Scott aways and continues urgently “Come over here, right now.”

I cross my arms, moving to block the Suit’s path as I give him a look like he better not follow them. 

He takes a few seconds looking from me and at their retreating backs before he ultimately sighs and turns around, grabbing his jacket and keys off the counter before heading out the kitchen door. 

I spin on my heels and walk quickly around the corner, seeing mom trying to soothe Scott “Just breathe and let it go”

“I’m trying” Scott leans back against the banister for the stairs as he growls and his teeth transform into his fangs. 

Mom swallows and looks between us “You told me you guys learned a way to _control_ this. You find an anchor, right?”

At our shared nods mom returns with a nod as well and states like it’s the easiest solution “Find your anchor…”

Scott shifts his Alpha reds towards us “My anchor was Allison,” he lets out a painful groan before he continues “I don’t have Allison anymore.”

“Then be your own anchor, Scotty– you can do this” I offer quickly with all the faith in the world towards him.

Scott throws his head back with another round of painful groans before his fangs retract as well as the claws in his fingers. 

He pants, trying to catch his breath as mom sets her hand on my arm letting out a relieved sigh of her own when Scott nods towards us.

Mom moves closer and sets her other hand on Scott’s arm “Sweetheart, let me tell you something no teenager _ever_ believes, but I swear to you is the absolute truth,” we look to her as she smiles softly and continues “You fall in love more than once. It’ll happen again. And it’ll be just as amazing and as extraordinary as the first time. And maybe just as painful. But it will happen again, I promise– and until then _be your own anchor._ ”

***

I hear a knock on my bathroom door after I just finished getting dressed into our impromptu investigation of the night clothes– ****aka olive green skinny jeans, a light grey slightly oversized t-shirt and my leather jacket.

I open the door before grabbing my black ankle boots behind it and sit on my bed to put them on. 

“Ready?” Scott checks the flashlight in his hand and connects his eyes with mine as I stand up and nod “Yup– let’s do this.”

Scott and I head over to Stiles’, letting ourselves in– **_in true Stiles fashion_** before we head up the stairs to his room. 

We knock before we open the door and Stiles sits up in bed, moving his shocked eyes between the two of us as we come to a stop just inside his room “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Addy, you and me– we’re going to go out to find a body.”

“A dead body” I state with a quick raise of my brows and a smile that he returns as he gets out of bed.

***

We follow the map for the crash site on Scott’s phone, as I hold the flashlight and we walk through the trees. 

Stiles falls in step in the middle of Scott and I as he mutters “You know, if my dad’s right, that means there’s another werewolf in town that we haven’t met yet.”

“I know” Scott breaths out before Stiles continues “If it turns out to be something like triplets that form into, like, a three headed hound of hell, I’m seriously not up for that.”

Scott scoffs “Yeah, me either. Especially if I can’t even control my own transformation anymore.”

I hop over a rock as I elaborate “I’m not taking on a hound of hell unless we become besties with the Winchester’s.”

They chuckle before we hear a distant howling noise that has us all jumping out of our skin and Stiles knocks Scott’s phone out of his hand with his flailing arms. The action caused the phone to not only fall to the ground, it also fell down a little cliff we were standing next to **_and it landed in a puddle of water_**

Scott breathes out through his nose as he stands up straight, looking over to his best friend who grimaces as he sets a hand on Scott’s chest “Sorry, buddy. I hate coyotes so much. They always sound like they’re mauling some tiny, helpless little animal.”

Scott jumps down the small hill skipping the rocks that Stiles and I have to climb over **_graceful as ever we are_**

Scott bends down into the puddle his phone landed in and picks it up admiring “It still works”

Stiles turns around to me “Let me see the flashlight” I reach my hand out and he grabs the light out of my hand, taking a few steps forward as he mutters “I think we found it…”

We head through the big boulders seeing a car upside down just up ahead “Uh– why wouldn’t they move it? Isn’t it evidence?” Scott questions out as he brings up the rear of our line.

Stiles bends forward shining the light into the car as he throws over his shoulder to us “Probably too much of a pain in the ass to tow out”

He shines the light over the car and I walk closer, narrowing my eyes “Look at this. See those?” I point to the door as Scott and Stiles come to a stop next to me, the former putting his hand up against the slashes as Stiles elaborates “Animal claws would be closer together, right?– a lot closer.”

“Then it was a werewolf” I digress incredulously just above a whisper and Stiles nods looking to me “So, my dad was right.”

Stiles shifts his feet over to the front door and shines the light all over as we follow and crouch down with him.

Scott reaches between our shoulders pointing to a little hand hanging down “What is that?” ** _it’s a whole lot of nope is what that is_**

Stiles doesn’t follow my thought process and instead reaches inside, grabbing the baby doll toy. 

We all stand up, looking at it with furrowed brows silently asking for it to tell us what happened that night.

Instead of clues, an electronic voice of the creepy murder doll of the haunted house night cackles out “I’m hungry” before we let out screams, as Stiles drops the doll and we all jump back into each other. 

I squeal as I move back and forth on each foot, trying to shake off the creepy murder vibes **_fucking NOOOO, I hate dolls!_**

Stiles swallows and sets one hand on my shoulder and the other on his chest “I think I just had a minor heart attack”

I let out a deep exhale, trying to slow my own heart attack breathing when we hear a deep growl from just up the ravine to where we are **_because why not_**

Scott lifts his hand out towards us since he’s on the other side of the car, and questions “Hey, guys– please tell me you see that”

Stiles and I share a look before he sets his hand on my back and we move our feet closer towards Scott, looking in the direction he is as soon as we can see over the trunk of the car. 

I swallow with a nod at seeing the animal eyes in between two trees “We see it” Stiles and I mutter before there’s a snarl and the eyes disappear.

Scott wastes no time as he takes off running, with Stiles quickly taking a few steps and calling after him “Wait, hey, Scott! Scott, wait!”


	38. More Bad Than Good

Stiles and I follow the path Scott previously took off down, trying to find him. 

Definitely feels like we’re running in circles though **_I hate running, especially in the dark_**

“Oh whoa, Adds look up there” Stiles breaths out trying to catch his breath.

I come to a stop next to him and set my hands on my hips trying to catch my breath. I squint my eyes in the direction he’s looking and I huff as I swing my head to the side to look at him “How– as we’re running– did you see _that_?”

He smirks, lifting his brows once quickly before walking towards the hill leading up to the hole in the boulders “Pfft you know I have perfect vision” **_shame that, I’m sure you’d look amazing in glasses_**

I shake my head at my wayward thoughts and follow after him. 

He reaches his hand out to help me over one spot in particular that has major twisting ankle vibes coming off of it.

We walk around the boulders and see an opening, bending forward to not hit our heads, we walk into the cave and Stiles shines the light around. 

We notice a jacket and a few other kids items that may have been from the car “Is that–?”

“Yeah, that’s definitely the jacket Malia was wearing in the photo– I think this is a coyote den” Stiles states as he turns around towards the entrance. 

I take a deep breath in, letting it out quickly and tap his arm “Okay let’s go find Scott”

We head back outside and start running in the other direction from how we got here originally. 

We’re dodging tree branches and massive bushes with prickly leaves, when I crash into a body and the three of us scream frantically before we recognize each other. 

“Oh” Stiles states as he flashes the light in Scott’s face and we all pant out our quick breaths, trying to slow our breathing. 

I swallow and look to Scott “I think we found something”

Scott nods and looks between us “So did I”

Scott fills us in on how the coyote’s eyes lit up blue **_just like Derek’s were-blues_** when Scott flashed his Alpha reds to the coyote, who he strongly believes was Malia **_definitely could make sense, Talia was able to fully transform as well_**

We walk up the same path and behind the boulders as we walk into the den with Scott. 

Stiles shines the light around for him, stating “It’s a coyote den”

“Werecoyote” Scott clarifies as he looks around

Stiles bends down and picks up the jacket “You see this? This is Malia’s. Remember, it’s the same one she was wearing in the photo?”

Scott reaches forward and grabs a stuffed teddy bear before looking over his shoulder towards us “We shouldn’t be in here…”

I get better placement of my feet as I’m trying to stay in the crouch without my knees touching the ground and I gain his attention with the movement as I face him “What do you mean?”

Scott shakes his head “She’s not going to come back now. We just invaded her home. Our scent’s going to be everywhere.”

Stiles shares a look with me before looking back towards Scott “If she’s not going to come back here, where’s she going to go?”

“I don’t know” he mumbles to the ground before Stiles points to the stuffed animal in his hands “Can you track her now? You think you got her scent?”

“Maybe. But I’m better at this when I’m a full wolf. And I’m still worried that if I do it, I won’t be able to turn back” he shares a worried look with us, earning a sigh from Stiles before he mutters “The door’s still open.”

Scott nods “If I can’t get to Derek, we’re gonna have to find someone else to help.”

We agree with nods before my calves are on fire and I need to stand up. 

Scott looks around and back towards Stiles “This is basically a crime scene, right? I think it might be a little out of my boss’ league.”

“And more in my dad’s,” Stiles finish’s Scott thought before he digs in his pocket for his phone and we head outside where it isn’t so cramped. 

Noah and his deputies waste no time in getting out here, heading into the cave after we fill him in on our evening discoveries and telling us to wait by his car. 

He walks out a couple minutes later, walking back over towards us with one of the sweaters that was in the cave in his hand. 

Noah looks around before raising his brows to Scott “You’re sure it was her?”

“I looked her right in the eyes– and they glowed just like mine” Scott states with as much conviction as he can. 

Stiles nods “It makes sense, Dad”

Noah squints his eyes in return looking between us “But it wasn’t a girl– it was a four legged coyote, right?”

“Well, okay. But yeah, see, that’s the point that we don’t _exactly_ have figured out yet” Stiles relents before I make a noise, gaining his attention as I justify “Okay, but _if_ it was a full moon and she did change while her mom was driving, then _anything_ could’ve happened.”

Stiles nods and sets a hand on my shoulder as he directs his words to his dad, elaborating “Horrible things could’ve happened. Ripping, shredding, tearing things.” 

Scott nods and looks to Noah as well “Which is probably what caused the accident”

Stiles points out with his other hand “Think about it, Dad, all right. They’re driving, Malia starts to change, she goes out of control, the mom crashes and everybody dies.”

“ _Except_ for Malia,” I chime in before Stiles continues “She blames herself, all right, goes off running into the woods and eventually becomes trapped inside the body of a coyote.”

“That makes sense” Noah states, earning relieved sighs from the three of us before Noah pops that relieved balloon with his next words “In a Chinese folktale. Guys, this is– this is insane.”

We look to the ground, shame and frustration instantly rolling off us **_because I know we’re right_**

Noah leans closer to whisper out “I need this kept quiet. The three of you, not a word. I don’t want anyone hearing about this. I especially don’t want Mr. Tate hearing about this”

Stiles and I nod before Noah narrows his eyes at my brother “Scott? Scott!”

We move our eyes to Scott who looks a million miles away, looking off to the side of us. He shakes his head with Noah’s exclamation, looking back to us “Sorry. What did you say?”

Mr. S doesn’t get a chance to repeat himself and instead groans as another red and blue flashing light car pulls up “Oh, hell.”

We turn around noticing the Suit himself walking around the front of the car with Mr. Tate walking towards us from the passenger side **_in what good decision making process would bringing him here ever be a good idea?_**

We turn back around just as the pair are closing the distance to us and Noah nods once “Mr. Tate” 

Malia’s dad walks up to him and grabs the article of clothing out of his hand and lifts it up sadly stating “It’s hers…”

“All right wait here” Suit states before making a move to walk past– that Scott doesn’t waste a second trying to stop him “Dad–”

Suit leans closer as he flicks his eyes between Scott and I “I’ll talk to the two of you in a minute. I wouldn’t mind hearing how your mom’s okay with you both running around in the woods this late.”

I roll my eyes after he walks off and turn towards Stiles who huffs out a breath as he rubs a hand over his mouth. 

***

Stiles, Scott, and I meet Allison in our history class just before it’s going to start to show her our findings of the previous evening.

Stiles hands me his tablet and I tilt it towards her, pointing to the cave area that our pinned location is lit up “Here’s where we found the den”

Stiles leans against my shoulder as he moves his finger along the map, adding “It’s right in the middle of the hiking trails.”

Allison looks to the map and nods “Well, that could narrow it down. Coyotes travel in fixed trails,” she lifts her eyes towards Scott with her next words “But I think you’re right about her not going back to the den. Coyotes don’t like wolves. And they’re really smart. If they don’t want to be heard, they actually walk on their toes” She connects her eyes with mine as I make a face taking in that information.

“Coyotes tip toe?” Stiles implores adorably, earning chuckles from Allison and I as she nods “They tip toe.”

The bell rings and she walks away from us, heading for the door and throwing over her shoulder “I got to go, but send me the pinned location–”

“Okay” I mutter as I do just that and lock the tablet before handing it back to Stiles to put in his bag.

We walk up different rows to find seats just as Kira walks up to Scott in the row next to me while I walk past them “Hey. I’m Kira. You knew that– I knew you knew that. I don’t know why I just told you that again. Anyway, I have something for you…”

Stiles sits to the right of me in the front row, as I turn in my seat towards him. He raises his brows at their exchange, that I find absolutely adorable as shock completely covers Scott’s face “For me?”

I smirk at Scott when he flicks his eyes to me quickly before looking back towards Kira who is digging in her bag “Yeah. About the Bardo– my explanation was sort of all over the place, so I did some research and I printed it out for you…”

A smile instantly crosses my face at my live action romcom as Scott chuckles lightly and shakes his head “Ah, you didn’t have to do that”

“It only took a couple of hours” Kira states and Stiles shares a shocked look with me as Scott shakes his head “Wow– then you really didn’t have to do that”

Kira ignores that as she continues to frantically search her bag in front of her “I swear I printed it out–” 

Mr. Yukimura walks up with a massive stack of papers and holds them out to her “Kira. You forgot all the research you did for that boy you like”

I turn back facing forward with a scrunched nose grimace towards my desk as Mr. Yukimura **_ever oblivious to teenage embarrassment_** begins class “All right, everyone. Let’s get started. We were just talking about internment camps and prisoners of war. There’s a passage in our reading that I’d like to go over in more detail Who would like to come up and read aloud for us?– Mr. Stilinski, how about you?”

My worried eyes flick over to him as he shifts in his seat and offers softly “Oh, maybe someone else could…”

I raise my hand, opening my mouth to volunteer as tribute when Mr. Yukimura flicks his eyes to mine, quickly shaking his head and looking back towards Stiles “Everyone participates in my class, Mr. Stilinski.”

Stiles sighs out an “Okay” and moves to stand up from his desk, walking across the front of my desk and towards the podium.

I can see his mouth moving as he whispers to himself, and my worry level skyrockets as I turn slightly to share a worried look with Scott sitting behind Stiles’ seat **_I just want to take him out of this situation_**

Stiles scrunches his brows inward as he reaches up the podium and turns his fingers white with the grip he places on each side. 

He starts to breathe heavier and I can see the sweat on the side of his face from here. 

He looks up with half lidded eyes as his face takes on much the same reaction to a couple weeks ago with the panic attack and I’m instantly out of my seat slowly walking around the side of my desk, keeping my hand on it “Stiles?– you okay?”

Stiles drops his head forward and almost collapses, catching himself on the podium as I quicken my steps to shove the top of my shoulder under his arm, trying to stable him. 

Scott rushes forward next, taking his other arm as we begin to walk across the room with him.

“We should take him to the nurse’s office” Scott throws over his shoulder to Mr. Yukimura who looks on worriedly at Stiles.

Mr. Yukimura nods his head yes, looking between us as we head out of class and rush down the hallway “Here bathroom– take him in there” Scott offers and I nod as we round the corner.

Pushing the door open we walk him inside quickly and he immediately drops our arms as he rushes to the sink, setting his hands on either side as he looks at his reflection in the mirror.

Scott looks worriedly to me as he gasps out “Stiles– look at us, man– is this a panic attack?”

I shake my head, gasping through my own quick breaths “No he’s not having trouble breathing like a panic attack– it’s more like he’s–”

“It’s a dream, it’s a dream– it’s just a dream” Stiles interrupts and I swing my wide eyes to his reflection and walk forward to stand next to him “No it’s not. This is real Stiles– you’re here with us. Right now– you’re here with _me_ , Sty.”

I set my hand on his back and he flinches away before he’s looking over his shoulder at me and I hear his breathing quicken from my words.

I soften my face as Scott walks up next to me, looking towards Stiles and stuttering out “Okay, what– what do you do? I– I mean, like, how do you tell if you’re awake or dreaming?”

Stiles rushes out through his pants as he lifts up his hand to exaggerate his words “Your fingers– you count your fingers. You have extra fingers in dreams” he croaks out as he leans farther against the sink.

I waste no time in lifting up my hands towards him “Okay then, how many do I have?”

He drops his head, breaking his eyes from mine in the mirror, and shakes it towards the sink as he continues to catch his breath.

I step closer and grab his upper arm near his shoulder, attempting to gain his attention again “Hey! Look at me, come on Stiles–” he connects our eyes in the mirror again and I lift my hand up again before I continue “Look at my hands and count with me.”

I slowly lift each finger as he begins to count between his quick breaths of air “One, two–”

He swallows and drops his head again as Scott looks over quickly and takes a step closer towards me, urging his friend “ _Keep_ going” 

Stiles lifts his head up, looking at my fingers that I’m lifting again “Three– four” 

I lift out my thumb and Scott states “Five.”

Stiles looks surprised as he moves his eyes between us, turning around and leaning against the sink as he faces us. 

I lift up my other hand and begin the same process of lifting my fingers as he counts out more confidently “Six– seven…”

Lifting my third finger I softly say “Eight” 

Stiles connects his eyes with mine, swallowing thickly as he finishes the last two through a broken _can’t believe it_ voice “Nine– ten.”

I wave my fingers once while I state “Ten– okay, _ten_. You’re awake– you’re here with us, Stiles.”

Stiles reaches out connecting our palms and moving his hands down slightly to line up his fingers with mine. 

He slowly gets his breathing under control as he moves his eyes and I feel him put slight pressure with each pad of his fingers against mine as he silently counts them again.

Once he reaches ten again he wraps his fingers around the sides of my hands and squeezes once, before he lets go and sits down on the ground, roughly hitting his back on the wall “What the hell is happening to me?”

Scott and I kneel down next to him, I set my hands on his leg as I scoot closer and reassure “We’ll figure it out– you’re going to be okay.”

Stiles furrows his brows looking up from the ground and connecting our eyes as he croaks out “Am I?” 

Sadness rushes through my whole body as I look at his broken face **_I will do everything in my power to make sure you will be_**

He flicks his eyes up to Scott and continues “Are you? Scott, you can’t transform. Allison’s being haunted by her dead aunt. And I’m straight up losing my mind” he whispers the last word before taking a moment. 

When he continues there’s tears in his eyes and he shakes his head, “We can’t do this. We can’t– we can’t help Malia. We can’t help anyone” his voice breaks before Scott shakes his head and sets his hand on Stiles’ shoulder “We can try. We can _always_ try.”

I smile softly at my _ever positive to do whatever it takes_ brother and nod to Stiles when he moves his hesitant eyes to me again just before the bell rings.

***

Apparently Malia decided to leave the woods and come to the high school to run rampant and scare the living fuck out of a couple of people **_since we invaded her home, why not_**

Including Kira, that Scott found in the locker room with Malia growling and snarling her teeth at her, before ultimately running off as to not be crushed by the lockers Scott knocked over. 

Animal control was called, along with the Sheriff’s department and as you can imagine– school is a chaotic mess at this point. 

Stiles and I are leaning against the lockers watching everyone run around trying to find her, when Noah walks up and nods for us to follow him. 

We fall in step with him, Stiles in the middle, as Noah sets his arm around his back, resting his hand on Stiles’ shoulder to fill us in “A couple of students said they saw it running across the field and back into the woods– thank God, nobody got hurt.” 

Stiles looks to me and back to his dad quickly “What happens if she does hurt someone?”

Noah sighs and drops his arm back down to his side as he shrugs “Most likely they’ll have to put it down.”

I lean forward keeping my steps with their pace as I elaborate “Put _her_ down?”

Stiles makes a noise and points over to me, agreeing “Exactly– Dad, try not to forget there’s a _girl_ in there, one that you’ll be killing.” 

We slow our steps as he continues “Come on, you aren’t back to not believing, are you?”

Noah pivots on his heel to face us as we all stop and he states just above a whisper “You know what– I believe there are a lot of things I don’t understand yet. But that doesn’t mean that everything and anything imaginable is suddenly possible”

Stiles drops his head forward, looking to the ground with a sigh as Noah continues, moving his eyes between us “Now, are you guys one hundred percent sure that this is a girl and not an animal?” 

“Yes” Stiles and I answer without missing a beat before Stiles continues “Because Scott’s sure.”

We look to our left and see Scott waiting down the hall, near the doors at the end of the hallway.

Stiles turns fully facing me, showing Scott his back as he mumbles quietly “Scott, you been listening?”

Noah and I see Scott nod, which Noah raises his impressed brows at. 

He nods and sets his hands on our shoulders “All right, let’s get this figured out. Come on.”

We head into the locker room to grab our bags that Kira, bless her, carried from class to return to us.

Stiles grabs his bag and I make a noise pointing to a rip and slight hole in the front “What the fuck– is that what I think it is?”

He grimaces and nods stating “I had a reason,” before wrapping his hand around my elbow and leading me over towards Scott “Hey– I think I know what she was looking for” Stiles digs into his bag and pulls out the creepy nope he took last night.

Scott levels him with a look and tilts his head to the side “You took the doll from the car?”

Stiles shrugs “Yeah, I thought you could use it, you know, for like her scent.”

Scott sighs as I let out an involuntary shiver being that close to the creepy thing when a voice calls from the doorway next to us “Where did you get that?”

On alert Stiles makes a noise to answer when an angry father comes walking quickly towards us “Where did you find this?” He reaches forward and snatches it out of Stiles’ hand as we crash into each other to step back away from him.

Mr. Tate looks sadly at the doll as he states softly “It belonged to my daughter.”

Noah walks up to us whispering “Sorry” as he touches Scott’s chest and walks in front of us to address the grieving **_but also pain in the ass_** father “Mr. Tate, I don’t know how you heard about this. If you got your own police scanner or what– but you can’t be here” Noah states with a shake of his head. 

He reaches out to guide him out of the room, however, as soon as his hand touches Mr. Tate’s side they both freeze and Mr. Tate closes his eyes on a sigh. 

He opens them when Noah reaches forward to move his jacket out of the way and he reveals a gun in a holster on Mr. Tate’s side. 

I immediately feel Stiles shift closer, moving his shoulder slightly in front of me as Mr. Tate states “I have a permit.”

Noah lets go of his jacket, shifting to stand in between us and Mr. Tate a little more as he informs just above a whisper to not cause a panic “California schools are gun free zones, _permit or no permit._ ” 

Noah takes slow steps closer moving his arm out to guide Mr. Tate to the door “You need to leave, Mr. Tate– Now.”

He shrugs his arm off to furrow his brows and angrily clip out before leaving us “You find that animal. You find that _thing_.” 

*** 

We make a plan to _safely_ catch Malia with Allison and Isaac before we leave school to go on our assigned tasks. 

Allison heads home to get a sniper dart gun while Isaac, Scott, Stiles and I head to Deaton’s.

We’re waiting in the back exam room when Allison texts me that she got it.

I nod to Scott who returns the nod as Deaton walks in and sets the bottles on the table in front of us “Xylazine. It’s a tranquilizer for horses. For a werecoyote, expect it to work within seconds. I only have three. So whoever’s shooting, needs to be a damn good shot.” 

“Allison’s a perfect shot” Scott states with zero hesitancy, however, Isaac makes a noise of disagreement “Well sh– she used to be.”

He isn’t wrong, Lydia took Allison out to practice her arrow shooting abilities after noticing how much she was shaking in art class the other day. Allison saw Kate again, resulting in almost shooting Lydia in the head with one of her arrows. Had Isaac not been there to catch it, I don’t even want to imagine what could have happened.

I shake my head, crossing my arms over my front and move my eyes over to Isaac reiterating “She can do it.”

He tilts his head to the side at my words “If we manage to find the thing”

Stiles drops his hand on the table next to me before pointing across the table at Isaac “Okay, what is the point of him? Seriously, I mean, what is his purpose? Aside from the persistent negativity and the scarf? What’s up with the scarf anyway? It’s sixty five degrees out.”

I snort through a chuckle as Isaac moves his eyes between us, throwing a smirk our way before shaking his head “Look, maybe I’m asking a question no one here wants to ask– all right how do we turn a _coyote_ back into a _girl_ , when she hasn’t been a _girl_ for _eight_ years?”

“I can do it” Scott states as strongly as he can muster, though even I don’t believe his confidence he obviously doesn’t have in himself.

Stiles looks to me and then over to him “You can?”

Scott nods and looks between us “You remember the night that Peter trapped us in the school?” **_on a terrifyingly vivid level, yes_**

Stiles and I nod towards him as he continues “In the gym, he was able to make me turn using just his voice. Deucalion did the same thing in the distillery” 

I move my knee back and forth as I make a noise “Okay but Scotty– this is a were-coyote, how do we know it’ll work the same. I mean what if they don’t follow an Alpha?”

Deaton nods and looks to him as well, “She’s right, who knows if it’ll even work at all if you can find someone who can teach you.”

Stiles lifts his head up with the realization “That’s why you called Derek, first”

Scott sighs with a nod as he looks over to him “Yeah, I could try it on my own– but right now, I’m too scared to even change into _just_ a werewolf”

“We need a real Alpha” Stiles states, rubbing a hand over the side of his mouth without much thought. 

Trying not to laugh, I move my lips inwards between my teeth at the wounded puppy look on Scott’s face. 

Stiles looks between us before backtracking with a scoff “You know what I mean. An Alpha who can do _Alpha things_. You know, an Alpha who can get it going. You know, get it–” 

“Up?” Isaac offers and Stiles makes a face of _wasn’t going to go there_ agreement and points towards him as I raise my brows and let out a chuckle.

Scott sighs “Great. I’m an Alpha with performance issues”

I snort and shake my head “Jesus christ, all right well is there anyone else besides Derek who could help?”

Isaac looks to me and argues “I wouldn’t trust Peter.” 

Stiles scratches the side of his face and lifts his hand out “Maybe the twins?”

Deaton interrupts “They’re not Alphas anymore. after what Jennifer did, almost killing them? It broke that part of them.”

Stiles tilts his head to the side “Yeah, but what if they know how to do it?”

Scott shakes his head “Nobody’s seen them for weeks”

Stiles and I share a look as I pull out my phone and open my text message chat with Lyds and mutter “Actually, that’s not totally true.”

***

Scott takes off on his bike while Stiles and I head to pick up Lydia in his jeep. We head to Derek’s, where the twins told Lydia they’d meet us to teach Scott how to Alpha command.

Stiles pulls open the door to Derek’s loft and we notice the silence and staleness of the air from no one being here in a long time. 

Lydia looks around the empty room, walking down the steps into the main living area and muttering once Stiles and I come to a stop next to her “They said they’d meet us here”

The sound of a fist connecting with a jaw followed by grunting of pain, draws our attention behind us just in time to see another fist connect with Scott’s face.

The twins stand on either side of him and they each grab an arm to throw him down the stairs and just near us **_sink or swim training– got it_**

Stiles grabs my arm and ushers Lydia and I back a few steps out of the way of the apparent brawl that needs to take place.

Scott is groaning on the ground as the twins smirk towards him and then to each other before flipping off the stairs as Scott stands up. 

They each fly towards him and land punches that have Stiles and I flinching back with the sound of impact.

They each take turns beating the ever living shit out of Scott. Punches to the face, stomach, holding his arms while the other gut punches him **_I mean you know, the fucking works_**

Scott falls to the ground after a knee jab into his nose, he rolls over bleeding profusely and grunts out “I thought you guys were gonna teach me to roar”

Aiden steps closer to him stating “We are. You do it by giving in” before Ethan finishes “Giving in and letting go. That’s how Deucalion taught us control,” he reaches down and grabs Scott’s shirt, lifting him to stand up. 

Stiles makes a noise and shares a humor filled look with me “Hey, you know, that’s funny. We’ve actually tried something like this one time using a heart monitor and lacrosse balls. But you’re right, beating the living shit out of him is probably a lot better” he points towards the twins with a wink as Scott scoffs towards them “That’s actually the plan? You kick my ass?”

“You’re afraid to turn– we’re gonna make you,” Aiden states while again Ethan finishes the thought “You turn– then you kick our asses.”

Aiden turns around as he states with his ice colored were-blues “And then you roar” he finishes with an actual roar towards Scott who flinches back.

Aiden steps closer, throwing his arms out to his side “You don’t think you can let go with us?”

“You think you’re going to hurt us?” Ethan asks as he pushes Scott across to his brother who pushes him right back “Come on, McCall. Give it your all– we can always heal.”

Scott reaches back and goes to punch him, however, he is blocked and instead punched in the face again with the words of the unhelpful lesson continuing “You’re an Alpha. You want to roar like one, you’ve got to give in full throttle. You’ve got to be the monster. Become the beast– become everything you’re afraid of.”

“That’s what gives you power. It gives you strength” Ethan states before Scott again swings and misses before getting an elbow in his back as he falls to the ground with a groan.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I furrow my brows wanting to stop this because it obviously isn’t helping. Lydia shares a worried look with me as Stiles reaches over his chest to set his hand on my elbow.

Aiden continues as Scott is on all fours coughing up a pretty impressive puddle of blood **_they can’t take him past the point of healing can they?_** “Giving into it doesn’t make you the bad guy”

“So long as you can control it” Ethan states, obviously the more level headed of the two.

“Sometimes control’s a little overrated” Aiden **_clearly enjoying this too much_** states before kicking Scott in the ribs.

With that I turn away, resting my forehead on the front of Stiles’ shoulder. He moves his hand around my side and rests it on my back as he mutters just under his breath “Come on, Scott. Fight back” 

I hear Scott grumble through clenched teeth “What if I can’t control it? What if I can’t turn back?”

“Then it takes over– you become Malia. You get further and further away from being human. You turn into an animal. Or worse” 

“You turn into Peter”

Stiles keeps his arm around me as I shuffle my feet to his side and lift my head off of him, looking over my shoulder and seeing Scott standing up. 

He lifts his arm to wipe the blood on the side of his mouth with the back of his hand before he screams and rushes forward. 

Aiden grabs him around the middle, pivots on his foot and slams Scott down on the table. 

The noise of the impact has Lydia and I flinching back. 

Aiden gets on the table to hover over Scott as he continues to punch him in the face over and over again. 

Stiles increases his hold on my side as I turn into him again shielding my eyes from watching Scott be pummeled into the table 

The sound of fist meeting flesh stops and I lift my eyes to see Ethan with his hands on his brother’s arms. Aiden breathes out “What? I thought we were helping him”

“You help too much” Ethan clips out before Aiden moves off Scott who’s breathing is increasing as he pants out quickly. 

Stiles and I move closer, earning the attention of the psycho twins as Scott rolls his head to the side and spits out more blood onto the floor.

There’s a look in his eyes, and even though they aren’t their Alpha red, I just know deep in my gut– **_he’s got this_**

***

The next morning we all meet at the preserve. Scott pulls up on his bike while Allison and Isaac get out of her car and Lydia, Stiles and I hop out of Roscoe.

We all walk around the vehicles into a wide circle, looking around we all have the same _hopeful this will work but also expecting something to go wrong_ look **_because let’s face it, that’s life as of late_**

Lydia comes to a stop next to me and noticing my face she turns back towards the group “Anyone else think we might be doing more harm than good?”

Scott turns to us and tries to clear it up for anyone having doubts “We’re trying to keep a father from killing his own daughter”

Isaac makes a noise gaining his attention behind him “Actually, we’re trying to keep a guy from killing a coyote who is actually his daughter, who we don’t know how to change from a coyote back to his daughter.”

I drop my head to the side, connecting my _not helping_ eyes with his before Stiles raises his hands out and chimes in next to me “aaand again with the not helping.” 

Isaac offers him a look as he nods and Scott turns around as he addresses Allison “Did you bring it?”

Allison pops open her trunk and grabs the dart gun before closing the trunk again and tries to give us a convincing she’s ready look.

Scott nods and walks towards her handing her the three darts loaded with the Xylazine tranquilizer. 

Once she’s set, he turns back around to us “Isaac, you go with Allison, Stiles stay with Addy, and Lydia you stay with me. We’ll all head in different directions, keep your phones on and call Allison or Isaac if you even think you see–”

A gunshot rings out, echoing deep in the woods that has me flinching and looking behind us. I turn back around, widening my eyes as I connect them with Scott’s **_well this just got more complicated_**

Scott wastes no time hopping on his bike with Isaac running after him and Stiles screaming “Wait, wait. Wait! Wait!”

Lydia and Allison regroup and run in the same direction the boys just went while Stiles grabs his phone out of his pocket to call his dad.

Stiles exchanges a few words before he turns around facing me as he furrows his brows with his next statement “It took the doll again? What the hell is so important about this doll?”

I throw just of a confused face back to him as I shrug and he listens to whatever his dad is saying before he widens his eyes slightly and looks at me. 

I move my head to the side with my silent question as he states “It’s the doll”

He hangs up the phone and states again but more confused this time “It’s the _doll_?” 

We hear another gunshot **_sounds farther away this time at least_**

I start pacing and Stiles kneels down to the ground as he implores “All right, but why would it go all the way to the school and then all the way back to the house just for a doll? One that was in the car wreck in the first place. We didn’t find it in the coyote den.” 

“I have no idea, I fucking hate dolls, why does she have to love it so much?” I let out a shiver before walking again. 

Stiles chuckles and looks over to watch me continue to pace in front of him “I know you do Adds, but I don’t know– she seems to like the doll _a lot._ ”

I huff out a whine and cross my arms as he continues “I mean it’s just a doll, you know. It’s got little arms, a big baby head and dead, soulless eyes.”

I make a horrified face and stop my steps to snap “Fuck– stop it, why would you–?”

He tries to fight off his smile as stands up and brings out his phone again, clearing his throat “I don’t know, she had it in the photo right?– here let’s see–” 

I gasp and reach forward pointing to his phone “Wait that’s Malia right?”

“Yeah, that’s the jacket and the scarf we found in the den–”

“Stiles, she’s not holding the doll” I state, earning Stiles to bring the phone up closer to his face and mutter “That’s Malia’s younger sister. It’s _her_ doll–”

He moves his head, facing me with a shocked expression adorning his face as he whispers out “I know what she’s doing.”

“What?” I jerk my head back slightly as he connects his with mine and states “I know where she’s going– come on, but watch your step. Dad said there’s animal traps all over the woods that Tate set up and he’s also the one out here with the fucking gun” **_jesus he’s hellbent on being the least helpful person ever_**

Stiles walks ahead of me while he quickly talks to Scott’s voicemail “Scott, it’s me, you got to call me back as soon as you can. It wasn’t Malia’s doll. It was her sister’s. Malia left it at the car for her sister. It’s like bringing flowers to a grave. Okay, and we _stole_ the flowers. So, that’s all she’s trying to do, right. Bring the doll back to the grave, to the car wreck. That’s where she’s headed. The car wreck.”

I freeze instantly as I feel and hear the pin lock noise deep in all the bones of my body. 

My heartbeat is beating in my ears and I feel like I haven’t drank anything in weeks as my mouth becomes very dry with the realization of what my foot just stepped in. 

The very thing we were supposed to be looking out for “Stiles?”

My voice is just above a whisper that I’m not sure if he even heard it. 

He does, however, he misses the complete terror laced around his name as he calls over his shoulder to me “Yeah”

His back is still to me and I need him to be on the same page, so I offer a little louder “Stiles!”

He turns around quickly with that decibel and his eyes widen as he moves them from my scared face, quick breathing that I’m trying to steady, down my body and legs until they widen as he takes in the steel claw animal trap I’m standing on “Jesus fucking chr–, Adds don’t move–”

“Yes thank you, Sherlock” I quip and groan in annoyance at myself before continuing “Which I mean in the same lighthearted way we’ve always used– kinda sounded a little on the edge of ‘no shit, Sherlock’ which I definitely wasn’t going for–”

He walks closer and raises his arms out to his sides towards me “Addy–”

“No I know, I need to calm down because _not_ calm people move a lot, or start shaking and I’m one shimmy away from showing how much of a _non_ werewolf I am–”

“Addy–” he tries again but I’m on a roll “Like _fuck_ Peter, seriously, he couldn’t have turned me into a happy healing werewolf? No I got a _banshee_ , pretty sure I can’t scream my leg to regrow tissue and muscle and fucking bone probably!”

“Addy come on, you–”

“Do you think these things are strong enough to break my tiny ass fibula bone because I do, and I–”

“Adds!” he moves right in front of me with his shouty voice breaking my train of thought, as I swallow thickly and move my worried watery eyes up to his. 

He lifts the side of his mouth into a soft smile, raising his hands out as close to me without actually touching me “As much as rambling Watson is one of my favorite sides of you, I need you to take a breath because you were on to something okay? You _need_ to stay calm enough that you don’t shake anymore than you already are.”

“Right” I whisper, licking my lips quickly. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in that I release slowly as I open my eyes, connecting them with his again.

Stiles nods and kneels next to me looking at and around the trap. 

I lick my lips again and offer “Look for a warning label”

“A warning label?” He looks up to me confused as ever which I nod and elaborate “Yeah, there’s gotta be instructions on how to disarm it”

“Addy, why the hell would they put instructions on the bottom of a trap?”

“Because animals can’t read” I offer like it should be obvious and hopefully I’m right.

Making an impressed face he bends forward looking on the back near my heel, after a few seconds Stiles chimes in “Adds, we got a problem”

“Oh yea, what’s that?” my shaky voice softly asks down to him as I feel tears rush to my eyes.

He sits back on his heels and looks up at me, stating just as shakily “I can’t read either.”

I suck in a quick breath of air before I nod my head slightly “Right well, you don’t need the instructions,” he throws me a look and I raise my brows as I continue “Honestly when’s the last time you ever used them huh? Because it wasn’t when we were installing the living room TV to the wall mount, am I right? Your dad threw those away in the box and the trash came before we ever figured out where they could be– and you still completed that task no problem.”

I lower my arms to my sides slowly as I take another deep breath to state more confidently “You don’t need them because you are too smart to waste your time with them,” Stiles moves his eyes back and forth between mine as I continue with a confident nod “You can figure it out. Sty, you’re the one who _always_ figures it out. I know you can do this, there’s a reason you’re my Sherlock okay?” 

I smile softly towards him **_hopefully conveying how much I trust him_**

He nods before he licks his lips and wipes a hand over his mouth. He leans every which way looking at the device before blowing out a quick breath “Okay, here we go. Ready?”

A tear falls down my cheek that I hastily wipe away and nod to him. 

Stiles reaches his hand out onto a knob, setting his fingers around it to turn as he shouts “Okay, here we go– jump to me”

He twists the knob and he’s immediately standing up while I do as I’m told– I push off on my toes that are on the inside flap of the trap, letting out a tiny squeal as I reach my hands out towards his shoulders.

I wrap my arms behind his neck as I put my weight on him and bend my knees, snapping my legs up behind me while at the same time Stiles reaches forward and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me tightly against him.

He pulls my front flush against his just as we hear the trap snap loudly closed below us. 

I rest my forehead into the side of his upper cheek as we both let out shocked shaky, quick breaths that it worked and I’m still intact. 

I pull back while he turns his head to connect our eyes and I shake my head, completely at a loss for words. 

Silently he pulls me closer and I close my eyes, while he rests his forehead against mine.

Arms wrapped tightly around each other and foreheads pressed together, we stay like that for a little bit longer before he slowly slides me down his front **_and I can’t breathe for a whole new reason_**

Once my feet are back on the ground, we jump and I feel his fingers press a little harder into my sides when we hear a loud roar coming from the woods just to our left S ** _cotty’s baaaaaaack_**

I smirk towards the direction of woods it’s coming from as I hear Stiles laugh lightly “That’s what I’m talking about.”

***

After getting Malia to the station, getting her clothes and letting her shower before they asked her questions, Noah let Stiles and I go with him to take her home.

I rode in the backseat with her, and as we come up the driveway to her home I notice her chewing on the side of her thumb nail. 

“Hey” I whisper to her and see Stiles turn his head ever so slightly in the passenger seat towards me out of my periph.

Malia looks to me with her wide brown doe eyes and I smile softly “No one expects this to _not_ be a weird transition for you, you have mine and Scott’s number I gave you right?”

At her subtle nod I continue “Call us if you need anything okay? We’re here for you, no matter what– Scott for the coyote side and me for the human girl side.”

She smiles and laughs softly as tears rush in her eyes and she nods, setting her hand on my arm she squeezes once, trying to convey the words she can’t seem to find at the moment.

Noah walks around the car and opens her door for her, with one last soft smile towards me they close the door and head up the steps to the front door. 

Stiles looks back to me as I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean in between the front seats to watch out his passenger window.

Noticing his eyes and the face he’s making towards me, I shake my head nervously “What?”

His eyes shine brightly before he clears his throat and looks out the window as well “Nothing– nothing at all”

We watch as Mr. Tate opens the door and looks between Noah and Malia a few times before stating what I think is her name.

We see her nod before he lets out a sob and reaches his arms around her to pull her into him for a bone crushing hug **_if that’s not a reunion hug to make you cry, I don’t know what will_**

Noah steps aside and looks back to us, giving us a nod to let us know they’re good.

Stiles and I let out sighs of relief as I lean my shoulder into the driver’s seat and Stiles sits back in his seat rubbing his hands together. 

“We did something good” I smirk towards him as he looks over his shoulder at me, returning with a lop sided smile “Yes thank you, my ever positive munchkin.”

I hit his shoulder lightly as he lets out a laugh and looks out his window again. The laugh dies in his throat though as he leans forward slightly. He breathes out another breath of relief and I shake my head “Stiles?– what–”

“I can read what the mirror says, Adds– clear as day ‘objects in mirror are closer than they appear’.”

I gasp and look between him and the mirror, the smile growing on my face as I set my hand on his chest “Door’s closed?”

He moves his hand up to rest on mine, squeezing twice as he leans his head back against the seat “Door’s closed.”


	39. Galvanize

Scott and I are just getting to the school when Stiles’ contact picture pops up on my phone. Turning so Scott can see, he snorts and shakes his head as we get out of the car and I answer the phone in my best just woken up voice “mmeello?”

“Wake the fuck up and get your asses down here now– we have a job to do and I can’t believe the two of you are asleep!” Stiles rushes out as Scott and I walk to the door and head inside the school.

I pretend to yawn as I mumble through my words “Job doing what now?” 

Scott chuckles quietly before Stiles continues “For christ sake Addy, did you hit your head? We literally talked before you left school about meeting tonight”

“Oh right, right– but I’m already in bed and besides, aren’t we getting a little old for this?” I answer as we make our way through the hall towards the locker room

“We are not, and we do this for Coach” he scoffs and feigns hurt even over the phone as I elaborate “I thought we do this _to_ Coach?”

“Whatever, okay? You know he needs this– he lives for this stuff– he fucking loves it” **_love is a strong word for how Coach feels about this_**

“But it’s the middle of the night” I sigh out as Scott holds open the door. He puts his finger against his mouth and nods into the room, silently agreeing to scare the shit out of him.

“12:15 actually– which means it’s after midnight and officially Mischief Night/Day, and, by perfectly awesome coincidence, it also happens to be Coach’s birthday. So if the two of you are not down here in five seconds, our friendship is over. Okay? And I mean literally five, four, three, two–”

“One!” Scott and I exclaim as we jump towards his back earning the best scream as he falls reaction ever from Stiles.

Scott and I share a chuckle and a high five as Stiles grumbles from the floor “Fucking twins– I hate you both.”

***

“Oh hell, come on–” Stiles rushes out and leads me over towards the twins who get off their bikes and walk up to Scott just as he questions “You’re back in school?”

“No, just to talk” Ethan states as we walk up **_you can talk without your fists, interesting_**

I make a noise once we come to a stop next to Scott, crossing my arms “Oh, that’s kind of a change of pace for you guys isn’t it?”

Stiles nods in between us as he finishes my train of thought, looking from me to the twins “Right? Usually, you’re just hurting, maiming, and killing…”

Ignoring us, Aiden looks to Scott “You need a pack– we need an Alpha.”

“Yeah, absolutely not,” I quip with Stiles crossing his arms to elaborate “That’s hilarious though.”

Aiden again ignores us and keeps his words directed to Scott “You came to us for help and we helped.”

Stiles scoffs “You beat his face into a bloody pulp. That’s not helping. In my opinion, that’s actually _counter_ productive”

Scott looks at us and back to the twins “Why would I say yes?”

“We’d add strength. We’d make you more powerful. There’s no reason to say no” Aiden finishes confidently.

Stiles rolls his eyes and Isaac walks up next to me, crossing his arms as well “I can think of one. Like the two of you holding Derek’s claws while Kali impaled Boyd” **_one of the better reasons to flip them the bird_**

Stiles nods with Isaac’s words while I raise my brows once with a smirk towards the twins. 

Isaac continues his train of thought as he turns slightly more our way and implores “In fact, I don’t know why we’re not impaling them right now…”

Aiden flashes his were-blues and growls in his chest “You want to try?”

Isaac moves to step forward, causing me to immediately snap my hand forward to wrap around his arm, while Scott shakes his head towards him **_not here_**

I give his arm a reassuring squeeze with a soft smile as he steps back next to me and I drop my arm back down to my side.

Scott moves his eyes back to the twins “Sorry, but they don’t trust you– and neither do I,” he states before walking in between them with the opening they make for him to walk through. 

Stiles sets his hand on my back to move in front of him to follow Scott, with Isaac following behind Stiles. 

Scott and Stiles open the doors and we head in the hallway, immediately dodging to our right when a roll of toilet paper comes flying at us.

Stiles makes a noise with his dodge before shouting down the hall “All right, that’s my face!”

He stands back up and hits Scott on the chest as we move down the hall “Hey, dude, good decision, buddy. Good Alpha decision–”

“I hope so” Scott states as he looks between us and we walk up to our lockers, Stiles muttering “No you know so.”

Stiles opens his locker and takes off his backpack to switch out his things while I notice Scott looking down a little ways from us. 

Following his line of sight, I smirk back towards him and raise my brows as I activate annoying sister mode “What are you gawking at?”

Scott looks over to me quickly “Me?” he shakes his head as Stiles zips open his bag and states with a nod “Yea you dude– you looking at her?” he nods towards Kira as he pulls out a carton of a dozen eggs and puts it in his locker. 

“Her? Who her?” Scott mutters as I chuckle at the eggs before I roll my eyes at his dodge of the question “Her, _her_ Scotty– Kira.”

Stiles nods and sets more mischief items in his locker as he questions “You like her?” 

“No,” Scott states very quickly earning a shared brow raised expression from Stiles and I before Scotty backtracks “I mean Yeah, yeah, she’s okay. She’s new…”

“So, ask her out.” Stiles states as he closes his locker and swings his backpack straps back onto his shoulders.

Scott jerks his head back “Now?”

“Yes now,” I nod in agreement, earning him to stammer in his clarification “Right now?”

Stiles huffs looking at me and back to Scott to state once more “Yes right now.”

Scott smirks as he looks from me and over to his friend, his smirk deepening “Asking someone out ‘right now’ advice– from _you_ – really? Because I seem to recall–”

I furrow my brows as Stiles makes a noise and quickly sets his hands on Scott’s shoulder “Fucking _focus_ Scott,” he clears his throat as Scott keeps his smirk in full force before Stiles continues “Look, I don’t think you get it yet. You’re an Alpha– you’re the apex predator. Everyone wants you. You’re like the hot girl that every guy wants.”

Isaac walks up and I try not to laugh at the face he makes coming into this conversation late as Scott mutters “The hot girl?”

I cross my arms with my books over my chest as I smile and Stiles reaches out to reassure again “You are the hottest girl.” 

We smile at Scott who looks so proud before we turn and head to Coach’s class.

***

I’m sitting behind Scott, who’s sitting next to Stiles in the front row of our Econ class **_they wanted the action seats for Coach’s reaction to our prank_**

We hear a muffled shout of “Son of a bitch!” come from the room next door to us **_coach’s office to be exact_**

Stiles smirks with a cheshire cat smile as he turns his head, looking to his left at Scott and I.

We all try to reign in our laughter as Coach walks in through the conjoining door from his office into the classroom. 

He’s moving his glaring eyes all around the room as he shouts out “Mischief Night, Devil’s Night. I don’t care what you call it– you little punks are _evil_.”

There’s a round of muffled laughter before he continues “You think it’s funny every Halloween my house gets egged? A man’s house is supposed to be his castle,” he rushes forward and smack’s Scott’s desk before stating “Mine’s a frickin’ omelet.”

There’s a wrapped box on his desk that he laughs towards “Oh, this? We’re gonna do this again? I don’t think so.” He throws it onto the floor and steps on it, smashing the contents of whatever was inside.

Curious because it’s similar to the one we set all the screws in from his desk chair and surrounding items and wrapped, putting it on his office desk– the difference being twofold however,

1 - we connected a string to the box so that when he picked it up everything would come crashing down around him.

And 2 - we only did one box.

We look curiously to each other as Coach looks surprised with the noise it made when he stomped his foot on it. 

He bends down and I lean to the side to look past Scott’s side, seeing Coach pick up a broken mug. He looks at it before he picks up a card and mumbles “Happy Birthday– Love… Greenberg.” **_poor Greenberg, he just wants to be loved as well_**

I sit up from my lean just as the back of my head sends a shiver down my spine– my nerves feel off, **_but off in a familiar sacrifice era way_**

I furrow my brows as I look around me hearing a weird buzz, almost crackling noise above me.

Looking up first, I turn around when I hear Danny mutter beside me “What are you doing?”

Looking over to him, I see him looking at Lydia across the row from him who’s swatting the air around her as she shrugs “There’s a fly.”

I make a face and sit forward again, though I tap my pen as the feeling doesn’t leave me. As much as I want to believe I just heard a lost in the room fly **_something bad is going to happen today_**

***

Stiles grabs me in the hallway, keeping our steps quick as we move down the hall after he talked to his dad. There’s a bunch of feds, deputies and other officials moving very quickly around the school **_and for good reason apparently_**

We move our steps forward to find Scott, not finding him we however find Isaac, Lydia and Allison– which Stiles deems good enough and fills us in on what his dad just updated him on.

Stiles informs us about the literal sociopath that is not in police custody anymore. He’s pretty infamous from our town **_William Barrow_**

He was called the Shrapnel Bomber and he was convicted of walking onto a school bus full of students and detonating a shrapnel filled bomb.

Four teens were killed, one was maimed, and Barrow suffered severe injuries as well **_could give two fucks about that last fact though._**

He had to have been created from someone’s literal nightmares **_he’s that twisted of a person_**

Isaac looks to Stiles after he says a very interesting key bit of information as we make our way down a set of stairs “Barrow went after kids with glowing eyes? He said those exact words?”

Stiles keeps his steps just ahead of us as he lifts his arm out to his side “Yeah. And no one knows how he woke up from anesthesia. Just that when they opened him up, they found a tumor full of live flies, which in any other circumstance would be all kinds of awesome–”

Lydia and I immediately stop our steps, looking to each other as I make a noise gaining their attention “Did you just say flies?”

Allison turns, noticing our faces as she takes a step towards us “Guys–?”

Lydia shares a confirmation look with me as she crosses her arms and I look to Allison and offer her a nod “All day we’ve been hearing this sound. It’s like a sort of buzzing–”

The three of them look between us as they walk closer, closing the gap our halting steps created between us, as Allison implores “Like the sound of flies?”

“ _Exactly_ like the sound of flies” Lydia confirms with a huff.

***

Stiles broke off to go up one hallway while I went down another one **_still trying to figure out where Scott is_**

I widen my eyes when I notice the police outside in the quad, looking like they’re getting ready to leave. I quicken my steps, turning around a corner and I finally see him leaning towards a door. 

I head that way just as Stiles comes up from the other hallway, running towards Scott as well “Hey– dude, where the hell have you been?”

I come to a stop next to them and inform them what I just witnessed before rounding the corner “The police are leaving. Why are they leaving?” I connect my eyes with Stiles’ who looks back the way I came.

Scott widens his eyes, moving them between us while he clarifies “The police?”

Ignoring Scott and answering my question, Stiles connects our eyes again “They must have cleared the building and grounds, which means he’s not here” **_there’s no way that’s true_**

“Who? What are you guys–” Scott attempts however I briefly close my eyes with the frustration of still hearing this fucking noise and open them again as I interrupt Scott with my words “No, he _has_ to be here, Stiles– that noise,” I groan and close my eyes again before opening them and stating more calmly “The buzzing, or whatever it is, that I’ve been hearing?”

Scott swings his head my direction while I watch Stiles nod, earning me to digress “Guys it’s getting louder” 

“How loud?” Stiles hesitantly asks as he licks his lips and shares a look with Scott, already knowing the answer.

I shake my head once as I focus on the noise and it immediately sends my nerves on fire. I move my eyes around and the ever present feeling of wanting to scream slams through my body.

It must be written on my face because Stiles widens his eyes and grabs my arm, leading me down the hall and outside to find his dad before he leaves.

We push open the doors, seeing Noah’s retreating back as Stiles and I run up to him and rush down the stairs behind him “Dad! Dad!”

We come to a stop in front of him at the bottom of the stairs as he turns around and faces us “Yeah”

“You can’t leave yet” I rush out and he looks between us before he lifts a hand out to accentuate his words “We got an eyewitness that puts Barrow by the train station.” 

I see over Noah’s shoulder as Suit hesitates when he turns around, seeing us out here before moving his eyes to Noah “Let’s go, Stilinski”

Noah looks over his shoulder and nods as he moves his feet to follow after them. 

Stiles steps closer and rushes out his words “Whoa, whoa. Dad, please– just– Addy said that he’s still here”

Noah stops and looks at me, rushing his steps back to stand right in front of me with all of his Sheriff attention “Did you see him?”

I move my mouth into a grimace before shaking my head “Not exactly– no” I mutter and he makes a face before Stiles elaborates just above a whisper and wave of his hands “Well, not at all actually. But she has a feeling– a _supernatural_ feeling.” 

Confused as ever Noah looks between us before making a noise towards me “You weren’t on the chessboard…”

Stiles licks his lips and looks proudly at me as he states “She is now.”

Noah looks between us before taking a guess “Kanima?”

I make a noise in the back of my throat as I shake my head “Fair enough guess, however, Jennifer actually shined a light on me actually being a– uh– well a Banshee” 

Noah looks to the sky grumbling “Oh, god really–”

Stiles waves his arms and rushes out “I know– okay we know how it sounds. But basically it means that she can sense when someone’s close to death.” 

Noah levels him with a look as he questions “Can she sense that I’m about to kill you?”

“I don’t know,” Stiles ponders before they both look expectantly towards me.

I jerk my head back, moving my eyes between the pair as I make a noise and shake my head once “Ah, right– well I’m still learning what this all entails, _however_ , I think you’d maliciously have to be serious with a gun to his head, hands around his throat type of ‘about to kill him’ threat.”

Stiles makes a contemplative face, and nods before looking back to his dad who looks at a loss for words **_this isn’t going well_**

He makes a noise in the back of his throat and takes a few steps backwards, before pointing to me “All right– guys, look, I’m not saying I don’t believe, but right now, I’m going with eyewitness over Banshee. I love ya, Addy, but I’m sorry– okay I’m making that call.”

Stiles goes to make a noise to interrupt however Noah keeps going “We’re leaving a few deputies here. The school’s on lockdown till three o’clock. Nobody comes in, nobody goes out. Buddy, that’s the best I’ve got right now. That’s the best I can give you guys” 

Stiles lifts his arms out, calling after him “You’re leaving us here, that is not– that is the _worst._ ” 

***

Scott called mom and asked, **_convinced really,_** her to bring Barrow’s hospital gown to us so him, Isaac, Aiden, and Ethan could werewolf sniff the psycho out.

Stiles, Lydia and I meet up with Allison in a classroom that is facing a clear path out of the police border that’s keeping us all inside. 

Plan is for her to sneak out to go home and search the bestiary for any information on something similar to what we’re experiencing now with the sociopath and flies.

Allison pulls open the blinds as she states “The Bestiary is literally one thousand pages long. If I’m going to find anything about flies coming out of people’s bodies, it could take me all night…”

Lydia nods and walks up to her “I’ll come with you, we can split it in half and then five hundred pages is nothing.”

I smile towards her as she looks to me and sets her hands on my arms “I need to get away from this noise, and maybe not being here will help with that. Are you– can you handle it on your own because I will totally stay and figure this out with yo–?”

I bring her in for a hug as I try not to lie to her face “The noise isn’t as overwhelming now, maybe I’m getting good at tuning it out.”

Stiles looks over her shoulder at me, though I don’t connect our eyes as I continue talking to her “Go help Allison. She shouldn’t have to scour that book alone.”

Lyds pulls back, narrowing her eyes at me “I feel like you’re lying, but I need out of here so I’ll accept it.”

I share a chuckle with Ally before I reach forward, grabbing her arm softly “Remember, the word in archaic Latin for fly is musca.”

Ally sets her hand on mine as she nods “Got it.”

She climbs out the window, Lydia following behind her, before I walk up and close the window again.

“It’s still overwhelming isn’t it?” Stiles mutters softly and I swallow thickly as I nod to the floor and clear my throat “Where do we start?”

“Upstairs,” he turns around looking behind us at the clock before holding his arm out to his side “We gotta go.”

We turn and rush out of the classroom as we start our search a few classrooms down before heading in the art room. 

“Scott and Isaac are in the basement, right?” I ask as Stiles looks under the teacher’s desk **_what if we actually find him under there?_**

“Yeah, with Ethan and Aiden. The plan is they meet in the middle, in the boiler room” he answers and I nod as I look to the bulletin board with a few pictures on it– one in particular of a mushroom cloud explosion **_holy hell_**

I gasp and grab his arm as he stands up “All of the wolves– all of the ones with glowing eyes are in the basement at the _boiler_ room?”

Stiles turns around quickly “Oh, my God! An engineer could use a boiler room to blow up the _whole_ school.” 

I shake my head and shakily breathe out “We have to get them out of there–”

“We have to get everyone out” Stiles clarifies without missing a beat.

Letting out a scoff, I frantically rush out “How the fuck do we do that? We can’t just go screaming bomb in a school when we’re completely guessing here…”

Stiles nods and grabs my hand, leading us towards the door out into the hallway “I got an idea, come on.”

***

His brilliant idea ended up being to pull a fire alarm, which he does as soon as we make it into the downstairs hallway on the ground floor. 

We watch as everyone files out of the school and fire drill escapes outside, before I turn around and see Stiles’ face beaming with his proud smile.

I widen my eyes as Coach walks up and stands directly behind him, earning me to shake my head towards Stiles, whose guilty hand is _still_ on the fire alarm.

His face falls before he looks over his shoulder and jerks his body back into the wall when he sees how close Coach is standing next to him “Wow.”

Coach grabs Stiles’ ear and pulls him out the door, with me following behind him as he exclaims “Pulling a fire alarm on Mischief Night is one thing. Doing it when there’s a mass murderer spotted nearby is _insane_! If I was four years younger, I’d– I’d punch you.” 

Stiles lifts his hands out to his side and jerks his head back “What? Coach, that doesn’t make sense–”

“Oh, well, it does to me!” Coach sways his body to the side with his words as he moves to walk past us.

I turn my body to follow him “Coach– I swear it was for a good reas–”

He lifts a finger as he turns back towards me and stops my words “Don’t you go and become my least favorite twin, She-McCall.”

He waits a beat, giving me a second to continue talking, however I decide to just close my mouth **_Coach seems like a more seeing is believing type of guy_**

Coach moves his eyes between us and shakes his head before he walks back inside, I sigh and turn around. 

Stiles makes a noise to Coach’s retreating back as I walk behind him, coming to a stop on his other side. 

We look around trying to find if the guys made it outside **_please let them have listened to a fire alarm_**

Stiles grabs my hand and points to the other side of the quad “There.”

We walk up to the group and Stiles rubs at his ear before Ethan looks to us “We didn’t find anything” 

Scott shakes his head frustratedly as he states “Not even a scent” **_he was here, how is that possible_**

Stiles looks between us as he tries to work out “It’s three o’clock, so school’s over. If there was a bomb, wouldn’t he have set it off by now?” he finishes, connecting his eyes with mine. 

I shake my head before Aiden looks over towards me as well “Does that mean everybody’s safe?” 

Noticing all of their eyes on me now I shrug and let out a sigh **_I’m just as confused and frustrated as you_** “I don’t know– guys I’m sorry, I just– I don’t know.”

*** 

I’m laying on my stomach on Stiles’ bed with my ankles crossed in the air, facing Stiles who is standing in front of the crime board he’s created. 

He had a mini one going with the Matt/Kanima experience and has been using it more and more after the sacrifices infiltrated our lives **_it’s been a crazy almost two years_**

It was bare for the past few weeks, though now we’ve created a pretty decent layout for Barrow and everything that happened today. 

Stiles grabs the bag with some rolls of yarn, which are new to the crime board process, and lays them in front of me as he grabs the red string and moves back to the board.

“What do the different colored strings mean?” I move each of them around before picking up the light blue color with both hands.

“Oh, just different stages of the investigation. So green is solved, yellow is to be determined– blue’s just pretty.”

“The blue is kind of like the color of my eyes” I wonder out loud, moving my eyes from the aquamarine color and over to him, watching as his back tenses mid-bend to one of the tacks he was wrapping yarn around.

Stiles stands up and clears his throat, pointing back towards me as his voice pitches “That’s– that’s true.”

I smile softly, however I’m distracted by what that could mean as I furrow my brows looking at the board behind him “What does red mean?”

“Unsolved” he throws over his shoulder at me as my eyes move around stating without really thinking about it “You only have red on the board.”

He sets his hands on his hips, turning slightly to face me and levels me with a look “Yes, I’m aware– thank you” he tilts slightly forward with his sass before standing up towards the board again.

I smile at his reaction before grabbing the blue string and start twirling one end around my finger “Did you get detention for pulling the alarm?” 

He clicks his tongue “Yep– every day this week,” he sighs out before turning to look over his shoulder at me again “It’s okay, though. We were onto something.”

“Even though we couldn’t find any proof of Barrow being there?” I finish just above a whisper, dropping my eyes from him and down towards my fingers as I continue to mess with the string.

He turns around fully, muttering “Hey, Adds–” before he walks over to me, setting his hands on the bed to kneel in front of me as he continues “You’ve been right _every_ time something like this has happened, okay? So don’t start doubting yourself now.” 

I shake my head as I lift my eyes up to connect with his, offering softly “Scott said there was no scent– I was wrong about the boiler room bomb– plus I got you in trouble”

I wrapped more of the string around two of my fingers with each statement of my afternoon failure and Stiles moves his hands forward over mine, stopping my actions “Okay, look. Barrow was there. All right? You knew it. You _felt_ it. Okay?”

His eyes are still on my hands as his fingers move around mine until he successfully untangles the string from my fingers and sets it on the bed next to me. 

He moves his eyes back to connect with mine and grabs my hands in his before he offers lightly “And look, if you wanted to, I’d go back to that school _right now_ and search all night just to prove it.”

I softly move my brows inward, wondering how I got so lucky to even just know him, as I look in between his eyes and digest the sincerity of his words **_he has so much faith in me, he did all day_**

Stiles lifts his mouth into a slight lop-sided smile as he moves his eyes around my face. 

He lifts one of his arms and taps the sharpie he’s holding in his hand against the top of his mouth before his eyes widen and he uncaps the pen.

I snort through a slight smirk as I nod towards him “Interesting drug of choice there Stilins–”

“Get up,” he interrupts as he stands up causing me to immediately push up from the bed. He holds his hands out for me to set mine in and as I do he rushes out before I can ask what’s going on “Get up now. We’re going to the school.”

***

We get out of the jeep and run up to the school, finding the window Lydia and Allison climbed out of still unlocked from earlier. 

We climb inside and Stiles runs ahead of me, knowing exactly where we need to go apparently.

He slows his steps and I cross my arms as Stiles opens the Chemistry class door and we walk inside “So what exactly are we looking for?”

Stiles walks right to the Chemistry chemical storage closet and opens the door no problem.

I drop my arms to point towards the door “That was supposed to be locked.”

Stiles walks in and looks back at me “Yeah– I know. Notice anything else?” he asks as he digs in his pocket for his phone and turns on the flashlight as I state “It smells like chemicals” **_so much so it’s making my eyes water_**

I gasp softly and move my wide eyes back to him “They wouldn’t have been able to catch his scent.”

Stiles nods and moves along the bottom shelf before leaning back and shining his light on the floor. 

We notice blood and staples on the ground before Stiles mutters “He was here, performing very minor _surgery_ on himself,” he looks up and smiles softly “You were right.”

“Then why don’t I feel good about this?” I ask just above a whisper and Stiles shrugs “Probably because he was here to kill somebody.”

I make a noise and set my hands on my hips “But who?”

“That’s what we gotta figure out” he states before he stands up and ushers me out of the closet with a hand on my back. 

He moves past once we’re back in the classroom and moves his arm out to his side, indicating the whole room “We could spread out, start looking for– anything”

I nod as Stiles moves forward looking on the tables, however, my eyes are drawn to the chalkboard and I tilt my head to the side as I walk forward towards it, narrowing my eyes at the three numbers written in a row.

“Addy, what are those?– a locker combination?” Stiles calls behind me and I shake my head “No– in here? I’m going with atomic numbers, maybe.”

“Is is a formula?” he asks as he comes to a stop next to me and I shake my head trying to work out the meaning “I mean, not really– nineteen’s Potassium, fifty three’s Iodine, and eighty eight’s Radium. The– the first two make Potassium Iodide but–”

I grab the chalk and write out the atomic letters to match the numbers. Writing a ‘K’ next to 19, I move to write an ‘I’ next to fifty three when Stiles interrupts my movement “Potassium is ‘K’?”

I tilt my head to the side in a sort of nod as I elaborate “Yea it’s from Kalium, the scientific neo Latin name.”

I finish writing the ‘I’ when Stiles points to the board “Addy– what’s Radium?”

Worry overcomes my features as I look to him and move my arm back to the board writing the last two letters, and stating on a whisper “‘R– a’”

I drop the chalk back onto the board and step back as Stiles nods “Kira.”

***

“Ugh neither of them are answering” I groan and drop my phone on the seat, setting my elbow on the window frame to rub my forehead with my hand **_the noise around me is getting louder now and I can’t handle it_**

I close my eyes trying to take deep breaths and feel Stiles reach over, setting his hand on my hand that’s still resting on the seat “Okay– it’s okay we’re almost there.”

I turn my hand over and squeeze his twice as I nod and open my eyes to look at him. He looks at me quickly and back towards the front window as we drive into Kira’s neighborhood.

Pulling up to her house, we see Scott’s bike out front and– “Oh my god, Scott!”

We close the doors to the jeep once Stiles pulls over and run up to Scott who’s laying on the ground **_please be alive_**

We drop down to kneel on either side of him and setting my ear to his chest I hear him breathing before we start to shake him, trying to get him to wake up.

Stiles leans closer to him “Scott?– Scott!”

A few seconds later Scott opens his eyes and groans as he blinks a few times, moving his head to the side towards us “Scott!”

He gasps fully awake now and sits up slightly as he rushes out “Barrow, he took Kira!”

“We know. He was after her the whole time” Stiles relents, earning Scott to widen his eyes and looks between us “What else have we figured out?”

I shake my head when he looks at me “Not much, Barrow was at the school and someone left a message for him to go after Kira– that or he left it since he’s a psycho.”

Scott tries to stand up and we grab his hands to help him stand up “What about Allison?”

Stiles shakes his head “We don’t know, we haven’t heard anything from her since Isaac relieved Lydia who’s mom needed her home.”

Scott makes a noise and immediately digs in his pocket “I’m calling Isaac”

He sets his phone up to his ear and paces, exchanging a few words with Isaac before muttering “All right, thanks.”

Scott hangs up and walks back over to us “Nothing– we have to think of something. He’s going to kill her” 

The noise I’ve been hearing is starting to get on my nerves and I start pacing “I knew he was at the school, but why didn’t I get a feeling about Kira?”

Stiles looks to me as he offers “I mean you heard the buzzing for the flies right? Maybe if Kira was around you, you would have heard something different…”

I shake my head “Ugh this is so frustrating, of the two to follow leads on why wouldn’t I be getting clues to keep _her_ safe?– Fuck my head feels like it’s going to explode–”

“What do you hear now?” Scott asks as he steps forward and I quickly try to come up with how to explain what I’m hearing and feeling “The same buzzing but it sounds less like flies, I don’t know– I feel like I can do this but I can’t focus at all. It’s like the noise around my head is so loud–”

I trial off, watching as the corners of Stiles’ lips twitch, throwing me a look that I can do this. 

I lick my lips quickly as I take a deep breath in “Imagine being at a concert, middle of the crowd and trying to listen to someone on the phone– it’s like that and it’s just increasing,” I set my hands on each side of my head as I take a few steps away from them and groan again “I swear to god it’s so frustrating– it just makes me want to literally scream my–”

“Okay– then scream” Stiles takes a two steps closer to me as he interrupts and with my hands still on my head, I turn to face them fully again. 

Scott nods behind him and Stiles softens his face, raising his brows as he states confidently “Addy, _scream._ ”

Not having to be told twice– I turn to the side to not scream _right_ in their faces and I drop my arms down to my sides as I bend my knees slightly, letting the scream I’ve been keeping barely at bay all day come barreling out my throat.

It feels like the scream was brewing in my toes and as soon as I gave it permission– it flew up my body, instantly calming my nerves from a raging fire to a smooth water surface.

The scream lasts a few seconds and when it dies down, there a blissful silence surrounding me. 

I bask in the calm until the streetlight above me makes a crackling buzz **_it wasn’t flies_**

I quickly turn back towards them, watching Stiles release a shocked breath before widening his eyes and opening his mouth like you would when you try to pop your ears **_loud for you, got it– my bad_**

Looking between them, I smirk at the light above me “It worked– it wasn’t flies, it was electricity.”

Stiles steps forward “Elec– wait a second, Barrow was an electrical engineer…”

I nod looking between them as I remember our research “He worked at a power substation.”

Scott looks between us with our words and widens his eyes “What substation?”

***

We pull behind Scott’s bike just as he’s running inside the power substation we got Noah to begrudgingly tell us Barrow worked at when we had called to tell him Barrow had Kira.

Stiles grabs his trusty metal bat out of the backseat and I meet him at the side before we run inside after Scott.

We hear a crashing noise followed by a groan and it tells us which direction to run towards. 

Coming around the corner, I widen my eyes seeing Barrow kneeling next to Kira with a massive exposed wire that has sparks flying out of it. 

He moves it towards her and it glows a bright white before exploding the area around them. It shoots bolts and sparks of electricity out of all the boxes and off all the metal cages in the room. 

Stiles and I stop our steps, throwing our arms up over our heads as we bend to kneel on the ground.

I hear Stiles let out a groan before I feel him grab me and move me closer to him as he shields us both from the sparks flying all over the room. 

The sparks fly across the floor and I lift my head up seeing Kira standing with her arms out to her sides as she _absorbs_ all the electricity.

I share a shocked look with Stiles, which is nothing to the shocked look Kira is currently sporting as she literally does the best impression of Thor I’ve ever seen.


	40. Illuminated

After the police got to the substation and accessed the situation, we headed back to the station to answer questions.

I’m sitting on the couch in between Scott and Stiles, with Kira sitting on the arm of the couch on the other side of Scott **_in Noah’s dark office since Barrow took out the electricity for the whole city_**

Suit is leaning against the desk, which Noah is sitting behind, as we try to answer Suit’s questions about being at the substation with Barrow **_who is now dead after his fail with the electricity and trying to hurt Kira_**

Directing his question to the three of us, he raises his brows “So when did you get there?”

Stiles lifts his head slightly to state “At the same time”

Flicking his eyes to me, Suit raises his brows for me to answer next and I shake my head “I came with him, so we got there at the same time”

“At the same time as who?” he tries to clarify and Scott clears his throat “At the same time as me”

Suit raises his brows and tries to reign in his agitation, “By coincidence?” 

“What do you mean coincidence?” Stiles drags out the last word and Suit huffs while lifting his hand out to his side “That’s what I’m asking you. The _three_ of you arrived at the _same_ time. Was that _coincidence_?”

“Are you asking me?” Scott points to his chest as Stiles turns his head our way without missing a beat, stating “I think he’s asking me…”

I narrow my eyes, tilting my head to the side “I think he’s asking _all_ of us?” I offer lightly with my voice raising on the last few words. 

I fight the urge to smile by moving my lips between my teeth as I watch Noah smile behind his hand that he instantly covers his mouth with. 

“Okay, let me answer the questions,” Suit states moving his eyes between us before he makes a face realizing his mistake.

Stiles and I share a look out of the corner of our eyes as I scrunch my mouth to the side, trying not to laugh.

Suit huffs “Let me _ask_ the questions,” he clarifies and I see Stiles lift his hand out to finger gun point and wink at him.

Suit misses the action as he clears his throat and looks through his notebook, reading back his notes he took when we first got here “Just so I have this _absolutely_ clear– Barrow was hiding in the chemistry closet at the school. Someone left him a coded message on the blackboard telling him to kill Kira. Then Barrow took Kira to a power substation and tied her up with the intent of electrocuting her, which blacked out the entire town…”

We all nod as I let out a sigh and cross my arms, stating “Sounds about right”

Flicking his eyes to me he shakes his head slightly “How did you know he’d take her to a power station?” **_I screamed in the middle of a street and the streetlamp told me_**

Stiles scratches the side of his head before answering with a small smirk “Well, ‘cause he was an electrical engineer. So where else would he take her?”

Suit smiles humorlessly as he makes a fake impressed face “That’s one hell of a deduction there, Stiles.”

“Yeah, what can I say? I take after my pops– he’s in law enforcement” he finishes with a wink and points towards his dad.

Noah instantly covers his mouth with his hand again to cover his snort with a cough.

Suit turns to look over his shoulder and I smile as Noah keeps the pretend cough going, before lifting his hand up, clearing his throat and addressing his son “Stiles, just, uh– just answer the man.”

Stiles sighs and looks to me as I sit back against the couch with a shrug, moving my eyes from Stiles and over to Suit as I stress “We made a good guess.”

Suit looks like he wants to say more as he looks between the two of us, however, he must decide he won’t get much more from us and he moves his eyes over towards Scott and Kira “What were the two of you doing?”

“Eating pizza–

–Eating sushi.”

Scott and Kira say at the same time before taking a second to answer again as they share a quick look, though they each say what the other previously said

“Eating sushi–

–Eating pizza.”

Stiles snorts as he shifts in the seat next to me and I move my lips between my teeth, hiding my smile before they try again, sighing out at the same time “ _Eating_ _sushi_ _and_ _pizza._ ”

“You believe this?” Suit calls over his shoulder towards Noah who shakes his head and lifts his hand off his face “To be honest, I haven’t believed a word Stiles has said since he learned how to speak.” **_little harsh no?_**

Stiles makes a face like that’s a valid feeling as Noah continues “But I think these kids found themselves in the right place at the right time and that girl sitting there is very lucky for it.”

“Kira, is that how you remember it?” Suit looks only to her with his words.

The three of us turn our heads to the left to look at her as she moves her worried eyes between us and back to him before she finally answers “Yes– could I get my phone back now?”

Suit looks disappointed as he drops his eyes to the ground and shakes his head “Sorry, but no.”

We move to stand up from the couch and walk towards the door. 

Opening it, Stiles and I walk through it before Suit follows right behind us in front of the others, walking out to hand off the evidence bags **_one housing Kira’s phone_** to another deputy.

He turns back towards us and shoves his hands in his pockets “Kira, a deputy is going to take you home– but we’ll need you to fill out some paperwork first.”

She nods and walks off with her deputy chaperone before Suit closes the door to Noah’s office and steps in front of us blocking Scott’s and my path as he shakes his head “The two of you– I don’t know why you guys are lying. Or why Stilinski is content to listen to this crap.” **_highly doubt you’d believe the supernatural truth, even if we trusted you_**

Stiles rolls his eyes with a huff as he pretends not to be listening, standing just a few steps behind Suit, who continues as he moves his eyes between Scott and I “But try and remember something. If half this story about Barrow is true, then not only did someone help set him loose, but he was a _pawn_ in their little game. A mass murderer is bad enough. A mass murderer being controlled by someone? Far worse.”

Scott and I share a look before we nod and mutter “Yea, we get it”, earning a nod from him “All right, go home. It’s a school night.”

***

The town is still in a blackout the next morning, however school doesn’t need to be cancelled apparently **_stupid windows everywhere letting light in the rooms_**

I finish placing my notebooks in my messenger bag and sling the strap over my shoulder as Coach walks down the hall with a megaphone “Class starts in five minutes. Just because there’s no power don’t expect there to be no school.”

I chuckle as Stiles calls over his shoulder “That was a triple negative. Very impressive, Coach.”

Past us now, Coach calls back “Copy that.”

Stiles moves his book out of his locker and drops his keys “Oops…”

I bend forward and pick them up, placing them in my palm as I hand them out to him.

“Than–” He lifts one side of his mouth into a smile though it drops as he looks to the keys and reaches out to grab them from me, muttering with a tilt of his head “Hello– where did you come from?”

“You don’t recognize it?” I questions with a shake of my head and Stiles makes a noise “Hmm?– no it’s different than the other house keys I know are your guys’ and mine–”

I shrug gaining his eyes as I offer lightly “You’re always making copies of keys– didn’t you just make one for the Vet’s?”

“Yea – I thought it was different though” he squints his eyes as he looks up in thought.

I look curiously from him and down towards the keys when the door opens loudly behind him and we look over to see Scott.

Stiles lifts his hand up in a wave, however, Scott’s attention is down past us, we share a look before turning our heads in the direction he’s looking and notice Kira.

She looks between us before looking over towards Scott and she’s immediately turning around, facing the other direction. 

She doesn’t move right away, though I see her lift her shoulders before she’s moving her feet quickly down the hall until she’s in front of her locker.

Scott moves to go after her but Stiles reaches out and sets his hands on Scott’s shoulders, stopping his steps “No. No. Stop, stop.”

“What? I need to talk to her,” Scott offers as he tries to drop Stiles’ hands who shakes his head “No, you need to remember someone left a coded message telling Barrow to kill her.”

Scott makes a noise and is quick to argue “Which is why I need to talk to her.” 

“Scott, no way. Until we figure out if she’s just another psychotic monster that’s going to start murdering everybody, I vote against any and all interaction.” Stiles interjects before they both look to me, wanting me to agree with each of them.

I make a face and let out a sigh “Scotty as much as I like her and how helpful she’s been with things she has no idea about, Stiles is right”

Stiles celebrates, moving his arm towards me before I level him with a look and he drops it as I continue “Not to be mean, but she is new and so far our track record for new people hasn’t been all that great. She may be totally innocent and just a human light bulb, especially with how shocked she looked to be doing what she was last night,” Stiles points to me and Scott looks sadly down the hall as I finish thoughtfully “I just think we need to be absolutely sure Barrow was told to kill her because she was a good type of threat to an _actual_ bad person and not that _she’s_ the threat to good people.”

Scott nods slightly and looks from her back to me “What if she’s like me?”

I make a face like that could be a possibility before Stiles answers “That girl walked through 1.21 jigawatts of electricity. She’s not like you.” **_but like us– she is something_**

Scott looks between us as Stiles shuts his locker, and I offer a look of apology before he sighs and walks off.

***

I set the books I don’t need in my locker before moving my hand to my bag and making sure I have all the right class notebooks for homework, when my locker is shut loudly in front of my face.

I make a noise as I jerk back and see Stiles’ smirking face, earning me to grumble lowly “You know I fucking _hate_ when you do that.”

He snorts and lifts his shoulder “Yup– I also know you fucking _love_ doing slightly exciting, borderline illegal things, for the good of helping someone in need”

I narrow my eyes as I look between his and answer without missing a beat “Always– what are we doing and when are we doing it?”

He smiles before leading me down the hall and out towards Roscoe, filling me in on a request from Scott to help get Kira’s phone back.

***

Scott and Kira pull up on his bike next to Roscoe that Stiles and I are sitting in behind the police station.

Stiles reaches out his window and starts handing the keycards, that we collected this afternoon for the con plan, towards Scott “Okay, this one will get you into all of the perimeter doors, this one into the evidence room, and this one’s for my father’s office.”

“You didn’t steal these, did you?” Scott asks and holds out his hands with the keys out earning Stiles to shake his head “No– we cloned them using a– uh RFID emulator.”

Scott jerks his head back as he implores “Is that worse than stealing?”

I shrug and lean closer to look out the window “It’s smarter.”

Stiles raises his brows, pointing towards me with his noise of agreement as Scott makes an impressed face.

Kira pulls him back a few steps muttering “Scott, can I ask you something?”

Stiles offers a scoff and looks back at me, scratching the side of his head as he looks back towards them “Okay, we’ll just–” He trails off, the sarcasm dripping around him. 

Chuckling softly I elbow him before scooting back over to my side of the seat.

Kira walks back over rubbing her hands together and stating just above a whisper “Okay”

Stiles turns back towards the window muttering “ _Okay_ – so, now almost everybody’s out dealing with the blackout okay, but there’s always somebody at the front desk. There’s Dispatch and usually a night shifter or two. You guys are gonna use the service door entrance by the dumpster,” he points just past them and they turn to look where he’s pointing before he’s continuing with the plan “All right? Nobody uses it. Now, I’ll text you if anyone comes out. But, Scott, if you get caught, I can’t help you. My dad’s under investigation for an impeachment because of _your_ guys’ dad– so, if anything happens we will run and leave you both for dead,” he moves his hand to indicate himself and me, earning Kira to widen her eyes with his threat of abandonment **_he’s only half kidding_**

I chuckle at her reaction as she nervously chuckles towards Scott who in turn nods towards his friend “Got it. Thanks– seriously, dude.”

Stiles fidgets with the extra keycard in his hand “I’d ask my dad, but you know–” **_tampering with evidence would really get him fired_**

“No, I know. I get it,” Scott rushes out and Stiles nods.

They don’t move and I lean closer into Stiles’ side moving my head in the view of the window, connecting my eyes with Scott’s as I smile softly “And we all get it– go you guys, hurry up.”

Kira smiles and they move back towards the service entrance door Stiles had pointed out earlier.

I move back to my side and Stiles sighs as he leans back in his seat.

He starts to fidget with his keys, flipping them around his finger with the key ring before he stops and looks at them again.

He tilts his head to the side looking at the key in question that is causing so much confusion in him. 

I open my mouth to try to ease his mind again, however, my phone beeping interrupts my train of thought.

I pull out my phone, reading the message from Lydia and smiling lightly with a little chuckle at my best friend.

Stiles sets the keys down and sits up in his seat, pointing towards me “What’s so funny?”

I look up to him and shake my head “Lydia– she wants details on my outfit I’ll be wearing for the party Aiden helped Danny put together for tonight, that I and I quote ‘better be dressed and attending at a decent time or else’.”

Stiles clears his throat “The– the Halloween black light party?”

I set my phone down and turn more in the seat to face him, answering with a quick nod “The very one.”

Licking his lips he shifts in his seat again “Did– were– did you want to go to it?”

I make a face and look out the windshield “I don’t know– could be fun. We haven’t had the chance to be teenagers in quite a while– not sure I’d remember how at this point…”

I chuckle to hide how sad that actually makes me as I connect my eyes with his again. He softens his face and tilts his head to the side “We should go.”

I jerk my head back slightly “With everything we have going–”

“That’s exactly why we should Adds–” he takes a second before he licks his lips quickly and lifts his hand out to his side as he mutters out “Would you– that is if you want to– would you like to go– with– with me?”

I move my eyes between his quickly as a grateful expression overcomes my face that he would offer to do that, I nod “Yes– I would love to.”

Shock overcome his features before he smiles and chuckles lightly. He clears his throat, reaching up to scratch behind his neck “Soo uh– what is a Lydia approved outfit for this type of thing?”

I laugh and pull out my phone again, however, headlights pulling into the lot where we are and stopping next to the door Scott and Kira went in, have my words halting.

“Ah fucking perfect timing as always” Stiles grumbles as he grabs his phone to text Scott.

My eyes widen when none other than Suit himself gets out of the fucking SUV **_you’ve got to be kidding me_**

I move to get out of the jeep and Stiles reaches across the seat to stop my movements with his hand on my arm “Addy–”

I shake my head “What? You can’t be here– I can a little more than you”

“I’m not letting you stop him on your own”

“I just need to distract him long enough for Scott to hurry his wolf ass up” I shrug and Stiles groans, looking at his phone “Come on, Scott”

Suit is reaching forward to open the door and I share a look with Stiles who moves back to his side, unbuckling his seatbelt and muttering under his breath “Okay– I’m so going to regret this…”

We run quickly and Stiles uses his extra key for the service door we made just in case, running after Suit just as he walks through a glass door into the desk area of the station.

We push open the doors and gain his attention with the noise Stiles makes as he hits the door “Aw!”

We rush forward, moving around him as we come to a stop just in front of him, blocking the door he’s trying to go in that will lead him closer to the evidence room.

He moves his curious eyes between the two of us and Stiles stammers out “Hey, hey. Wow! Thank god you are here– oh, boy! Thank the lord…” 

Stiles laughs nervously looking at me as Suit shoves his hands in his pockets to address us “What are the two of you doing here?”

I set my hands on my hips, willing any words to form from my brain to my mouth as Stiles stammers out “I was just– that is _we_ were just umm–”

I make a noise, gaining his attention as I offer “We were just thinking on the case– the– the Barrow, Kira confusing bit thing of how we left it with you last– last night”

Stiles points to me and continues with his stammering “We were thinking we should clue you in on our thinking– which here’s our thinking. We were thinking this,” he snaps his fingers and points to Suit before continuing his train of thought “We were thinking that Barrow, right– we were thinking that Barrow received the information about who to kill at the school, right, you know that?”

Suit levels us with a look that I smile sweetly at, though Stiles isn’t done yet “So we were thinking maybe the person who gave him that information, check this out, might actually be someone– at the _school_ –” he reaches out and pokes the front of Suit’s jacket a few times nervously before stating just above a whisper “And that’s, uh, our thinking.”

Suit looks between us, taking a moment = before he clicks his tongue “Hmm– well you two wanna be detectives are right”

Stiles and I share a shocked expression and mutter “We are?”

Suit nods and makes a face “Yup– we, uh– we started looking for links between Barrow, faculty and students last night.”

I clear my throat and nod my head to the side “So you already, then, know that stuff we said– just then.”

Suit smirks and nods out a “Hmm” as Stiles points to him with a smile and adds “You already thought of that”

“Your dad did” Suit states, earning Stiles to mutter “Oh” as I share a proud smile that Suit ruins with his next words “His _one_ useful suggestion.”

He moves around Stiles’ side to swipe his keycard in the slot to go in the door behind us and I drop my hands, narrowing my eyes at him “Seriously what the hell is your–”

Stiles sets his hand on my arm as he steps in front of me and right up in Suit’s personal space to state eerily calm “You know, this attitude that you have toward my dad? You can dress it up to all the professional disapproval that you want. But I know the real reason why you don’t like him.”

I furrow my brows at the back of his head, lifting them over his shoulder to Suit who chuckles humorlessly “Is that so?”

“Yeah. Because he knows something that you don’t want him to know. And guess what–” Stiles drops his voice even lower to whisper out “I know it, too.”

I drop open my mouth slightly in shock that he’s talking in that way _**and also at what the fuck he could know**_

Suit looks more nervous than I’ve ever seen him as he flicks his eyes over Stiles’ shoulder towards me standing behind him. 

Fear is all over his eyes and he clears his throat as he looks back to Stiles “Take my daughter home– and go home yourself, Stiles– there’s a– there’s a curfew.”

He pushes past and walks through the door we were previously blocking.

Stiles follows him with his eyes before looking to me and nodding his head back the way we came “Let’s go.”

He sets his hand on my back and guides me back outside. Once we walk up to Roscoe I stop and turn to face him, crossing my arms over my chest “What the hell was that?”

He looks surprised as he connects his eyes to mine “What do you mean?”

I shake my head and point towards the door we just walked out of “That– in there– what was that? You didn’t even sound like you.”

He scoffs and follows my hand before looking back at me “Come on Adds, you know I’ve never been fond of how he treated you.”

I make a noise, furrowing my brows and shaking my head once “No I know that and that’s not what I’m curious about– what’s the real reason your dad doesn’t like him and what the fuck do you guys know about him?”

He closes his mouth and I watch the tick in his jaw a few times before he sighs and shakes his head looking at the jeep to our right “I was just betting on there’s something he feels guilty about…”

Confused as ever I lift my hand up “Wha–”

“Addy, a father doesn’t just leave two _amazing_ kids for no reason– I had a hunch he feels guilty about something and I went with it to buy us and Scott time– looks like I was right too.”

I take a deep breath and look at the side of his face as I tap my fingers on my leg “The way you said it though, you didn’t even sound like you Sty– you sounded–”

He lifts his head and connects his eyes with mine quickly “I sounded like what?– Like I think he’s a piece of shit for hurting you guys? Because I won’t apologize for that.” 

He huffs as he steps past me to lean his back against Roscoe and crosses his arms in front of him _**now I feel guilty for thinking anything was off with him**_

I let out a breath and move to lean back against the jeep next to him, looking to my feet as I mutter just above a whisper “I won’t ever ask you to apologize for that.”

I watch out of the corner of my eye as he drops his arms and looks over to me. Silently he reaches over and grabs my hand, squeezing twice before I squeeze back three times.

I move my head to look at our hands before I lift my eyes up to his and see him smile softly towards me.

A second later Scott and Kira run up to the jeep with big smiles, as we push off our leans from the jeep and Scott states “We did it. All the pics deleted.”

Kira’s smile deepens as she rushes out “That was awesome!” at our shocked expressions she back tracks “I mean, terrifying. Completely terrifying– But kind of awesome”

We all share a smile and light laugh before she continues “I’ve never done anything like that before. Have you?”

We all make a face, me scrunching my lips to the side before Stiles makes a noise and shrugs “Yeah, once or twice”

I snort with his answer and offer her a smile _**all you need to know right now**_

Scott turns to her and states softly “So, I guess I should take you home.”

Kira looks saddened by that information before nodding towards him and moving towards his bike. 

Scott goes to move past us and I elbow him, gaining his attention as I cough and whisper softly “Bring her to the party.”

He raises his brows and moves over towards her “Hey, you don’t want to go to a party, would you?”

***

Deciding my dark grey skinny jeans, white slightly baggy T-shirt and dark navy sweater were fine for an impromptu party we head to Derek’s loft where they set up the blacklight Halloween party.

We walk up the stairs and Lydia is immediately in front of me as the three of them continue inside “Why are you wearing what you wore to school, seriously Addy all my fashion knowledge and you just spit on it.”

I lift my arms out to my side as I look down “I look that bad?”

She jerks her head back and looks me over “Well no– but it isn’t exactly black light party attire.”

I huff and take off my sweater holding it out to her as I reach up to take the hair tie out of my hair and let my waves fall loosely down my back.

I lift my arms out to my side and she scrunches her lips to the side making a hmmm noise before she grabs the hair tie from my wrist and scrunches my shirt up to just under my bra. She ties the shirt and tucks the tail she created up and out of view. 

Stepping back she nods “Better” before stepping forward and tying the sweater around my hips.

I look down and give her a look “Showing off my stomach is better?”

“I’ve already told you, you have killer legs– paired with your ankle boots and the shorter shirt they look longer, so yes sassy pants this,” she moves her hand up and down in front of me before she continues “Is much better for a night of partying”

She smirks before pushing me towards the door and muttering “Have fun, sweets.”

***

_3rd POV_

Scott is listening intently to Stiles as they dodge people and make their way into the loft “It just showed up there on my keyring this morning. I asked my dad if he put it there but he said he didn’t know anything about it”

“It’s just a key, right?” Scott tries to clarify and Stiles shakes his head, shouting over his shoulder to him “Yeah, but it’s not mine. And I don’t know how it got there or what it’s for.”

“You want to leave so we can figure it out?” Scott leans closer to shout over the noise, however Stiles’ attention is grabbed away from him when he notices Addy making her way back over to them. 

She looks different from how she did when they first arrived and Lydia pulled her aside. Her hair is down and her shirt is different, plus skin, there’s definitely skin.

Scott puts his finger under Stiles’ jaw to close his mouth as he mutters “Stop oogling her and just fucking _talk_ to her already.”

Scott smirks when Stiles finally looks away from Addy, widening his eyes at his best friend who continues with a shrug, “Or one of two things is going to happen– as _your_ friend I will make you talk to her, even if that means locking you two in a room until you tell her how you feel. Or as _her_ brother I will punch you in the face.”

Stiles drops open his mouth just as Addy walks up “Hey guys– what did I miss?”

***

_Addy POV_

Kira chuckles as she turns her head towards me “There was talk of face punching”

I widen my eyes and hear Scott snort before there’s hands grabbing my shoulders and lips are pressed against my cheek. They pull away and I see a girl with bright orange lips smiling before yelling “Happy Halloween!” and running off.

Chuckling with that, I turn and see Stiles with a lopsided smile before shaking his head and pointing to his cheek where he’s also sporting a similar orange lipstick mark “Well that just happened.”

Definitely feeling self conscious in the outfit Lydia put me in, I cross an arm across my front and wrap my hand around my other elbow.

I turn to face the crowd behind us before feeling a body crash into my side, with hands grabbing my arms to stable me from falling.

The hands belong to Stiles and when I turn around towards him, I see him glaring daggers towards Scott who is smirking and looking away from us.

Furrowing my brows in confusion at what the fuck happened, I try to reign in the shiver as Stiles leans closer to me and asks against the shell of my ear “Do you want to go dance?”

I smile apologetically with a shake of my head **_because I must have heard him wrong_** , and tuck my hair behind my ear as I lean closer to him, hearing his voice repeat “Dance with me, Adds.”

I lean back, noticing Scott smile and turn towards Kira before I connect my eyes with Stiles’ as I smile and nod. 

He returns the smile and reaches his hand down, intertwining our fingers and turns to lead us out to where people are dancing near the DJ table.

Deciding to have fun and actually let loose for an evening, we start moving to the fast pace beat of the music. 

Dancing without a care in the world, I’ve never smiled bigger as Stiles does the same. He busts out a smoother sprinkler inspired move and I get lost in the music, laughing and having an amazing time with the man I’m hopelessly in love with.

***

After dancing for a good amount of time, we decide to get something to drink. I grab a water, as Stiles does the same and nods over towards the island counter in the kitchen that is out of the way from the massive group of people.

We walk around the inside of the counter so we can still people watch the group. I take a drink and recap the bottle before setting it on the counter and leaning my crossed arms next to it.

A body leans closer to mine and slurs out “Do you guys have a bottle opener?”

I turn to look at her and her smile deepens as she points to me “Hey I kissed your cheek!”

Stiles leans closer against my other side “Yes you kind of did– both our cheeks actually and yes I have a bottle opener” he states before digging in his pocket for his keys.

I smile and turn towards her again, leaning closer “What’s your name?”

“Caitlin– you’re Addy right?” She asks with a point of her hand towards my face and I jerk my head back with my shock “Yes how did you– holy shit you’re Caitlin.”

She smiles and nods as Stiles looks over “Caitlin, Caitlin– like from–” **_the sacrifice era of our lives_**

“The hospital with the dead girlfriend– yes I remembered you guys. You were both really nice that night.”

I share a look with Stiles before I lean closer to her again “Are– are you okay?”

She nods and leans against the dude with her “Yes”

Smiling at her, I hear Stiles as he makes a noise before handing his keys over to her so they can open their drinks, which dude becomes preoccupied with doing.

Stiles leans into my side again as he nods towards her “I thought you liked girls?”

“I do like girls– do you?” she looks to me as I turn to look at him, fighting my smile while he nods without missing a beat “Absolutely.”

She looks between us and nods “That’s great” before handing his keys back to him _**and he continues being Stiles**_ “So you also like boys?” he nods his head towards dude standing just out of ear shot from us now.

Caitlin smirks and nods “Absolutely– do you?” she quips as she sets the keys in his palm he had reached out towards her.

I snort at the face that overcomes his face, with his hand dangling in the air now.

Caitlin laughs lightly, setting her hand on my shoulder before she waves and walks off.

Stiles makes a noise and drops his hand holding his keys onto the counter in front of us “Why would she ask that?”

I chuckle and move my eyes to his keys in his palm “Because you were being a nosy nancy, so she gave you a taste of your own–”

I stop my words as I reach out and grab his keys, holding up one key in particular “Your key has phosphors on it– look it,” I show him the key with a green fingerprint on it and he tilts his head to the side murmuring a “hmm.”

I turn my head to the side and hold in the gasp at how close that brings our faces as I move my eyes back and forth between his **_well we haven’t been nose to nose since the locker room– no, no, don’t think about that_**

Stiles licks his lips, flicking his eyes to my lips quickly before furrowing his brows and shaking his head “I’m sorry– what are phosphors?”

I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding as I look forward again at the key in my hand and clear my throat “Oh, they’re any substance that luminesces. It’s in your teeth and your fingernails. Laundry detergent. It’s also in this–” I reach over and rub my finger over his cheek before I continue “Reacts to the UV light, that’s why it glows.”

Stiles moves his eyes between my eyes and lips a few times before curiosity gets the better of him “Addy– how the fuck would I get phosphors on my key?”

I shrug and hand it back to him, “It’s a fingerprint, so have you touched any laundry detergent or I mean any chemicals really–”

As soon as the word ‘chemical’ leaves my mouth I gasp and we share a wide eyed look **_the chemistry closet was unlocked for Barrow_**

I grab my water before we rush to the door, down the stairs and outside to climb in the jeep to head to the school **_please let us be wrong_**

***

Stiles and I get to the school just as the sun is coming up **_we at least had half a night of normal fun teenage life before shit is going to hit the fan_**

We are getting really good with breaking into the school, and head to the Chemistry class in no time.

We stand in front of the door to the Chemistry supply closet before Stiles moves the keys on his ring to the one we suspect is to this door.

He steps forward and puts the phosphor covered key in the lock, turning it and opening the door.

I close my eyes because as much as I already figured as much, I was hoping we were wrong.

I connect my eyes with his again and shake my head, at a complete loss for words with what this could mean.

Stiles sighs and looks behind us, opening his mouth slightly at what he sees. I turn around as well and notice the three numbers we had found the other night with the letters to Kira’s name in my handwriting next to them.

We share a look before we walk up to the board **_that is not his handwriting– he did not do this_**

Stiles hesitates a moment, swallowing thickly before reaching forward and grabbing a piece of chalk out of the tray.

He moves it between his fingers for a second before lifting up his arm and writing the numbers next to the previous set of numbers.

He steps back and I move my eyes down the row as I take in the similarity of the numbers side by side **_similarity meaning, exactly the same_**


	41. Silverfinger

I had let Stiles know I would find Scott so we could fill him in on everything we found this morning in the Chemistry room.

Getting back to school after going home to get changed, **_and not finding Scott there_** , I see him just as he’s pulling into the parking lot to park his bike, with the twins pulling up and parking on either side of him. 

They take their helmets off and share a few words as I get closer to them, “Scott!”

He turns to look at me before Ethan says something and I hear Aiden respond with “You mean the demonic ninjas that pulled swords out of their chests and completely kicked our asses?” **_I should probably be paying attention to that_**

“Yeah. Those demonic ninjas” Ethan clarifies as I come to a stop in front of Scott’s bike “Where the hell have you been, why weren’t you at home and why haven’t you been answering your phone?”

He grimaces and sets his helmet on his seat “It died when we were at the party and I took Kira home, so I didn’t have a chance to charge it– or go home myself actually.”

Total confusion overcomes my entire face as I fully register what the twins were saying before I walked up “Okay, fair enough– also real quick, what the actual fuck are demonic ninjas?”

Ethan turns to me “Whatever their proper name is they attacked Isaac two nights ago when you guys were dealing with Barrow. Then they attacked all of us last night at the loft– attacked in the sense that they left this–” he leans towards me and pulls his ear forward to show me a backwards five behind his ear as he continues “On Isaac, Derek, Aiden, Lydia, and obviously myself.”

I gasp softly and move my shocked eyes to Scott who nods and replies through a sigh “Demonic ninjas is the best way to describe what we were fighting”

I uncross one of my arms and lift a hand out to him “Hold on– Derek’s back?”

“Yes” Scott mutters already knowing I’m not done with my questions that will aggravate him as I recap everything that was said in the last thirty seconds.

“And you fought off demonic ninjas at the party last night?”

“Party was over, but yes” Scott relents before I continue with a furrow of my brows “And ninja boys left a shitty backwards five tattoo on everyone minus Scott?”

Scott sighs, rubbing the side of his face as he stresses “Addy, _yes–_ ”

I point towards him “Ba-ba-bup don’t get frustrated with me, pal. I’ve had zero sleep and I’m still wrapping my mind around the fact that Derek’s suddenly back, and demonic ninjas are a thing of the actual human life we’re occupying and not the villain of a Jackie Chan gets magical powers movie.”

Ethan snorts and smirks back towards Scott who shakes his head towards me, and tries not to laugh himself “Sorry, yes everything you said actually happened. We fought them off though and I don’t need anyone to protect me” he finishes, directing the last words at the twins.

Aiden shakes his head “They were looking right at you when the sun came up.”

“And they also disappeared.” Scott states growing impatient now.

I make a noise gaining their attention “Hold on– so they went after all the wolves plus Lydia– so that’s everyone with supernatural ties.”

Aiden nods and looks at me “Minus you and Scott– which is why _you both_ need to be protected. We think they’re going to come back for you guys.”

Scott shakes his head “Argent thinks that they could just come out at night. Him, Allison, and Isaac are going to look into meeting with someone who may know what they are, what they want and how to stop them.”

Ethan shrugs “Since this is our first experience with demonic ninjas, we’re thinking we should play it safe. All day.” 

“And all night.” Scott states before they move to get off their bikes and start walking towards me.

I raise my hands to my sides to both of the twins before moving my eyes to Scott “Okay hold on there, bodyguards– we need to go see Stiles.”

He stands up straighter “Is he okay?”

I want to say yes, but every fiber of being knows something’s wrong **_I just don’t know what_**

I clear my throat, dropping my hands back to my sides “We uh– he needs to show you something, and tell you something– just come with me.”

He looks like he wants me to elaborate but my face must give away that this is something that not everyone needs to know. So he nods and also gets off his bike, as we move towards the school.

We notice the twins following close behind us once we’re in the hallway, earning Scott to stop at his locker to grab his things before meeting Stiles.

He looks over his shoulder at Aiden next to him and Ethan next to me, before he shakes his head at them “Okay, one thing first. We need to talk to Stiles and I need to let him know everything that happened last night–”

“Without the two of you.” I clarify and they both look to me and shake their heads “No”

“Yes” Scott and I mutter at the same time **_we have the sync answers down as well twinsies_** before Scott continues “And I don’t want you listening in– no wolf hearing.”

“How would you even know?” Aiden shakes his head looking to his brother quickly

“I’m a true Alpha. You have no idea what I can do,” Scott states before closing his locker and we smirk at them as we walk off and I lead Scott to the Chemistry room to meet Stiles.

We meet in the hall and Stiles pushes off the wall and turns to open the door, talking a million miles a minute once we get inside, rushing out through a shaky voice as he walks up the row of desks. “Addy found phosphors on that mystery key last night at the party. The blacklight made this fingerprint appear on it– then she brought up chemicals and it instantly made us think of the chemistry closet and the fact that someone had to let Barrow in–” He turns around and faces the chalkboard, the words instantly dying is his throat.

My face drops at seeing the board clean of any markings that were on it **_including the numbers and letters that we had written just a few hours ago_**

“It’s gone.” Stiles states and Scott shares a worried look with me before Stiles turns around, and digs in his pocket as he walks back to where we’re standing.

Heading for the storage closet, he continues “Okay, it doesn’t matter though. It doesn’t matter– I’ve still got the key.”

Scott flicks his eyes to me silently asking me if he’s ok before we turn around and walk up behind Stiles as he flips through his keyring for the mystery key. 

He stops his movement and turns to face us, with his eyes still on the keys as he whispers “What the hell? I had it I had it here. I had it here this morning, I swear to God, I had it this morning.” Stiles looks up to us and I start to nod when Scott steps closer to him “The key you were talking about last night?”

Stiles looks up from his hands to me quickly before looking over to Scott “Yeah, I showed it to you, right? Didn’t I show it to you?”

“No, you just told me about it. I never actually saw it.” Scott ponders out loud. 

I shake my head as soon as Stiles starts to breath heavy and I can see the wheels turning in his head that he’s going crazy with what he thinks happened this morning.

I step forward gaining Stiles’ attention “You showed _me_ , remember I saw the key Stiles. I was with you this morning, just a few hours ago. We opened _that_ closet with the key” I point to the closet making them both look at it before I continue with a point to the board behind us “And those numbers with Kira’s name were _right_ there– okay, this isn’t in your head, I saw it all too.”

Stiles licks his lips and nods as he moves his eyes from the board to me, adding with a shaky voice “In my handwriting?”

I make a noise in the back of my throat wanting to deny it, before I let out a deep exhale and nod slightly “The similarities in the the style of the numbers, were very close”

Scott shakes his head and looks between us as he steps closer to voice how crazy this sounds to him “So _you_ unlocked the chemistry closet so Barrow could hide in it from the cops and then _you_ wrote him a message to kill Kira?” **_it’s a slight possibility at this moment in time_**

“I know how it sounds– but look at this” Stiles moves quickly and unfolds a piece of paper from his pocket before he continues “This is the news report that came out about Barrow when they caught him, okay? About the shrapnel bomb that he used. See this? See what he did? He put nuts, bolts and screws– and then he hid the bomb and the detonator in a box that he wrapped as a birthday present. What does that sound like to you?” **_mischief night_**

“Coach” Scott and I mutter incredulously before Scott looks up from the paper to elaborate softly “The joke we played on Coach.”

Stiles drops his hand holding the paper to his side and looks between us “Guys, that was _my_ idea. You remember? That was my idea. That’s no coincidence. It can’t be”

“I don’t want to sound like I’m trying to tell you that you’re wrong– but I don’t think you’re trying to kill people either.” Scott argues while I nod, agreeing completely.

“It was here. It was all here” Stiles mutters softly under his breath as he looks to the chalkboard behind him.

Scott looks to me and I offer a _I have no idea what to do_ face with a slight shake of my head as I look towards Stiles sadly **_what the hell do we do to help him?_**

“Dude, are you feeling okay? You’re looking really tired” Scott steps closer to Stiles who shakes his head and wipes the side of his face “Yeah, I’m fine. I just haven’t been sleeping really”

“Why don’t you go home? Take a sick day or something.” Scott offers, earning Stiles to lift his head and look towards him. 

Scott softens his face, sets his hand on his shoulder and nods like his idea is the best one that Stiles will be following.

I set my hand on Stiles’ arm and when he looks towards me I nod my head towards the door “Come on, I’ll drive you–”

Already starting to shake his head, I make a noise interrupting him from whatever he thinks he’s going to say “Disagreeing with me, you will not. If you think I’m about to let you leave by yourself when I’m an amazing driver who has had more caffeine than you, you’re sorely mistaken my friend.”

He chuckles and looks to the ground before connecting our eyes again and nodding “I’m fine to drive.”

I share a look with Scott before I insist “I’m sure you are, but if you don’t let me leave with you then I’m just going to be worried _literally_ all day and my grades will suffer, teacher’s will be disappointed, mom will be called– I mean do you really want all of that to come to be because you wouldn’t just let me drive your stubborn ass home so you could sleep?”

Scott snorts before Stiles looks to him, slightly dropping his mouth open in shock. 

Scott quickly raises his brows once before shaking his head “I mean it’s for the good of everyone’s well being dude– plus she’s more stubborn than you, let her drive you. I’ll put my bike in the back and take your jeep home after school”

Stiles sighs as he grumbles to the ceiling “I hate when you two side together against me.”

I soften my face “This isn’t us being against you, this is us trying to make sure you’re safe and okay and for seven holy fucks, just let me help you.”

Stiles lifts his hands to his side, chuckling “Damn woman, fine let’s go.”

***

I get settled in the car and hear my phone go off, I grab it out of my bag from behind the seat and see a message from mom. 

Replying back to her and locking my phone, Stiles nods towards it “Everything okay?”

I nod and start the car “Yea, mom just was letting me know when her shift will be over so I can pick her up.”

Stiles nods and sets his elbow on the window, bringing his hand to his mouth to chew on his thumb nail nervously.

I move my mouth attempting to ask what’s up before deciding to just leave him be. He finally agreed to go home and sleep, I don’t want to push him. His knee starts bouncing and he moves his other hand to tap his fingers against the side of his leg **_fuck it_**

I look to my hands and start fidgeting with my fingers in my lap “Sty– do– are you– is something else bothering you”

“Besides the fact that I’m losing my mind, the probability that I let a mass murderer into the school and told him to kill an innocent girl with _zero_ memory of it is very high, and I can’t sleep or calm down?”

I sigh and move my eyes from my lap over to him “All of that aside, yes– is there something else?”

He chews on the inside of his mouth for a few seconds before he sighs and nods “Can you take me to the hospital clinic?”

***

“Dr. Gardner’s not back until next week. Do you want to try waiting for one of the urgent care doctors or– Stiles. Are you alright?” 

I look from mom sitting behind the desk in front of her computer and over to Stiles who’s standing next to me and watch as he steps back from the nurse’s station. 

Mom shares a worried look with me and comes around the side of the station, coming to a stop in front of us.

Stiles shakes his head “I don’t know. I guess– I guess not really.”

“Alright, kiddo,” Mom sets her hands on his upper arms and moves to walk with him as she continues “Alright. Come with me, it’s okay– Addy why don’t you go back to school I’ve got him–”

“No–” Stiles interrupts sharply and mom shares a look with me before we look to him. He swallows thickly, shaking his head “I’m sorry– I just, can she please stay with me? With– with us?”

He looks nervously from mom over to me and I smile softly to him, letting him know I’m not going anywhere.

I look to mom who smiles with a nod towards him, “Of course– let’s go over here, room 315 guys– right in here” she points forward earning Stiles to reach over and grab my hand as we walk in to the room.

He pulls me with him until he moves to sit on the bed, still grasping my hand tightly as I move to stand next to him.

Mom stands in front of him but a little off to his other side, bringing the rolling tray for patient’s lunches from the foot of the bed closer to her. 

She gets situated with a chart for him so she can write down the symptoms she asked him to describe to her about what’s going on with him.

He sighs and starts listing them off “Blackouts– but not for that long. And sleepwalking, which I used to do a lot as a kid. Um– also having some really bad anxiety.”

“Panic attacks?” mom looks over and Stiles shares a look with me. 

I feel a blush rise to my cheeks as I squeeze his hand twice, offering a small smile towards him. 

Stiles clears his throat and rubs his other hand down the side of his mouth, nodding back towards her “Yeah, a couple.”

He flicks his hand out in front of him as he remembers “Oh, and I temporarily lost the ability to read. But that might have had more to do with this giant magic _tree_ and a whole human sacrifice thing.”

Mom smirks and looks between us with a light laugh “I recall something vaguely about that, yes. How many hours of _sleep_ are you getting?” she asks as she moves her attention back to the chart to record his answer.

“Eight” Stiles answers without missing a beat and mom clarifies in the _don’t lie to me because I’m a medical professional_ voice “A night?”

“In the last three days.” he states and she flicks her gaze to him immediately before he looks down, dropping our hands so he can count his fingers.

Mom watches for a second, looks up to me as I move my hand out to rest behind his shoulder, and smiles softly before she turns around to head to a medical cart against the wall.

Stiles counts his last few fingers before I reach out to set my other hand on top of his, squeezing once before he links our fingers and looks up, calling over to her “Yeah, definitely eight.”

Mom continues her line of questioning “Been feeling irritable?”

“Yeah.” he states in a shaky voice before rubbing a finger across his bottom lip and continues nervously “Possibly to the point of homicide”

“Inability to focus?” mom implores as she puts gloves on her hands

“No, the Adderall’s not working.” Stiles states and looks down to his side as mom continues “Impulsive behavior?”

“More than my usual? Hard to tell.” he sighs out before mom asks another question “Vivid dreams during the day?”

Stiles huffs and looks to me before turning his head back to her as she makes her way back over to us “Okay, basically all of the above.”

I connect my eyes with hers “Do you know what this is mom?”

She comes to a stop in front of him and smiles between us as she nods and states softly “I think so.”

She’s got a massive needle in her hand and it doesn’t go unnoticed as Stiles nods towards it “Uh, what’s that?”

Mom looks to the needle and softens her face as she looks back to him “Do you trust me?”

“When you’re not holding a needle.” he croaks out with a nod towards her, earning her to chuckle as she lifts up the sleeve of his shirt on his other arm.

She rubs a cotton ball on his skin before setting up the needle and stating “It’s Midazolam– a sedative.”

I feel him tighten his hand around mine when she pokes him and he looks to his arm to question “Why’d you give me a sedative?”

Mom places the cotton swab and needle in the medical waste bin before taking off her gloves and setting her hands on Stiles’ shoulders, “Because you, Stiles, are one _profoundly_ sleep deprived young man. You need rest and you need it now. Lie down”

I squeeze his hand before I move to step behind her, standing on her other side. Stiles sets his hands on her arms while she tries to lay him back and he mumbles “Okay, how long’s it take to– Oh– not long at all” he breathes out and lays back against the pillows.

Mom moves his feet so his legs are laying on the bed properly before she pulls the blanket up and tucks him in.

He breathes out heavily and his eyes are drooping from the fast acting drug as he tries to connect his eyes with hers. 

Mom goes to pull away and he grabs her hand, laying it on his chest and looking up at her like such a little kid.

Mom reaches her free hand up and rubs his forehead into his hair, like she’s always done when we’re sick. She softly states “Get some rest”

She backs up, taking a step towards me as Stiles closes his eyes and shifts deeper into the pillow as he calls out just above a whisper “Thanks, mom.”

I drop open my mouth slightly, sadness flooding my body as mom stops her steps and I see her shoulders move with her deep breath.

She steps towards me and turns off the light, sharing a sad look with me before holding her arm out and nodding her head towards the door for me to follow her.

With one final look to Stiles sleeping peacefully, I follow her towards the door.

We get into the hallway and she closes the door before crossing her arms and facing me “He’ll be asleep for a couple hours, telling you to go back to school pretty pointless at this point?”

I try to smile, however I let out a sigh and shake my head instead as I move to sit down in one of the chairs against the wall “I’m worried about him mom, I think this is something more than him just not sleeping”

Mom softens her face as she moves to come sit next to me and lowers her voice “More along the lines of the sacrifice and why Scott couldn’t control himself a few days ago?”

I nod and look to my hands in my lap “Scott and the twins said something about demonic ninjas last night and–”

“You think Stiles is a demonic ninja?” she raises her brows and chuckles, trying to lighten my mood.

I shake my head and connect my eyes with hers, lifting one side of my mouth appreciating her humor “Not necessarily, but Deaton said what they did to save you guys would bring things here– things we’ve never seen before. I’m not saying he’s possessed because he still seems like our Stiles, but–”

She shifts in her seat and grabs my hand “What is it honey?”

“He doesn’t remember doing things the past few days– things that are completely out of his character– things involving Barrow and Kira almost getting hurt. I just– I _know_ he didn’t do what he can’t remember doing, I just don’t know how to disprove what’s otherwise damning evidence.”

Mom makes a face and squeezes my hand once before getting up and grabbing his chart “I have a feeling that I’m not going to talk to you about or worry you with until I know for sure– so don’t even ask” she lifts a finger to point towards me.

I raise my hands up in surrender and shake my head “Okay– not asking. You do you mom.”

She smirks and nods before I get a text message alert. Pulling my phone out of my pocket I read the message and look up to her “Whatever you need to check, we need to hurry– Scott needs us at the house to arm it before the sun sets.”

***

Mom’s been gone for about fifteen minutes and it’s getting closer to when her shift is over. Too antsy to sit still I get up and look through the window on the door, seeing Stiles still peacefully asleep in the room.

A hand touches my shoulder and I turn to see mom walk up and set his file back in the slot on the wall by the door.

I furrow my brows looking from the file to her as she shoulders her purse and connects her eyes with mine “Ready?”

“Did– did you find an answer to what you were looking for?”

“I uh– no I need to do some more research– but let’s go sweetheart” she smiles to make sure I know not to argue with her _obvious_ lie.

One more look into the room and I nod before following her out to the parking lot and towards our car.

We pull up to the house and I groan “What is he doing here?”

Mom shakes her head “I didn’t know he was coming over I promise”

I scoff “well he needs to leave or whatever we need to arm the house from is going to either kill him or worse, never make him leave”

Mom snorts and unbuckles her seatbelt, getting out of the car and meeting me around the side of the car “All right, let’s just see if we can make him leave without starting World War III huh?”

I grumble my agreement as we walk up to the side door and walk inside just as the man in question shouts “I don’t need a warrant. I’m your father!”

“No, you’re a gene donor. I got my hair color from you– and that’s all I got. So you’re not allowed to play tough dad with me”

“Hey, what’s going on?” Mom tries to defuse the war already on it’s way to happening **_without even my input_**

Suit looks between us before turning back towards Scott and Kira, clipping out “Maybe one of you should explain.”

I come to a stop on the other side of Suit, next to Scott as I cross my arms over my front looking out the window behind us.

It takes a few seconds before I watch as the shadows grow with the final set of the sun, and I urgently state just above a whisper before I turn back towards them “Scott–”

Everyone looks to me while Scott looks out the window widening his eyes. I see Kira move closer to him and Suit furrows his brows at the window and us making a big deal about nightfall.

“Who the hell is this?” He asks with his attention in the living room as he sets his hand on my arm and moves to walk behind me.

I drop my eyes to his hand before he drops it and moves past me walking closer to the living room, which I move my eyes to– noticing what grabbed his attention. ****

At the widening of my eyes at seeing the demonic ninja, Scott turns around as well following Suit’s steps with his eyes before he exclaims “Dad, no!”

Father of the year doesn’t listen and instead moves right in front of the black cloaked figure. Scott tries again “Dad, wait–”

Demonic ninja has a fucking sword and unsheathes it before jamming it right into our father’s chest. 

I’m rooted in my spot, absolutely speechless watching this play out while I hear Kira scream, mom gasps loudly next to me, and Scott screams out “Dad!”

He groans in pain before he falls to the ground, eyes closed while his head lulls to the side. Scott and mom rush forward, mom drops down to his side as Scott transforms and growls at the ninjas in the room.

The front door swings open, which we all turn our heads to look at the fog rolling inside. 

Mom grabs Suit’s arm, pulling him out of the living room and into the hall as Derek slides in on his leg like he’s stealing a base– letting a roar fill the house with his arrival as he stands up.

Ninjas grabs their swords and charge at Scott and Derek. Scott dodges a swipe and shouts over to our side of the room “Mom the ash!”

I turn watching mom grab the ash out of her bag however my attention is taken by Kira. I gasp watching as one of the ninjas materializes from thin air behind her “Kira!” I grab her arm and move her out of the way.

Having a deep gut feeling like I should, I take a deep breath to scream but the ninja holds up his hand and the scream dies in my throat, completely out of my control **_well that’s a stupid trick_**

There’s glass from the windows breaking and a shout of “Addy!” that I faintly hear behind me, however, like I’m in a trance I can’t break away from the figure in front of me. 

Ninja dude wraps a hand around the back of my neck, and makes sure my face stays still right in front of him.

He moves his silver mask closer to my face, tilting his head from one side to the other, letting out a shrill snarling noise. I watch as in the middle of the black depths of where eyes should be on a face, two yellow firefly type of lights shine brightly.

Coldness instantly covers my whole body and I feel a sting behind my ear as he releases me and I crash to the floor onto my side.

I’m overcome with shivers that completely wrack my whole body, but I can still make out the noises of the fighting before I hear a couple of crashes through windows and doors before Scott shouts “Mom, now– do it now!”

I feel hands on my upper arm move me to turn over and gently lay me onto my back, through my shivering vision I see Derek hovering above me “hey you’re okay– Scott!”

Derek shifts closer, putting an arm under my knees and around my back as he picks me up and swiftly carries me over to the couch. 

Scott runs up next to Derek once he stands back up and widens his eyes “Addy, what happened?”

My teeth are chattering as I try to answer him, however Ethan walks up and drapes a blanket over me as he answers what I can’t manage at the moment “they marked her– she’s going to be freezing for a little bit”

Derek turns to Scott after he assesses the mountain ash barrier mom previously activated “All of the baseboards are ash wood?”

Scott moves his eyes from me after I attempt to offer him a smile letting him know I’m ok **_just fucking freezing_**

He nods over to Derek “Uh, yeah. It was Deaton’s idea– and where the hell did you come from?”

Derek looks between us as he shrugs “I’ve been following you”

Scott furrows his brows “For how long?”

“All day” Derek states and I attempt to chuckle but I think it just comes out as a painful grunt because Derek and Scott move closer to me.

I shake my head and croak out “I’m okay– your face was funny with his answer Scotty”

They chuckle before we hear mom shout from the other room “Scott, this isn’t good!”

Scott rushes out of the room and over to mom to assess the state of our father.

I hear Scott say he’s going to take him upstairs before he walks past us and towards the stairs carrying our injured father with the help of Derek up towards his room.

I move to get up off the couch and Ethan is right in front of me with his hands raised “Where are you going?”

I shake my head and wrap the blanket tighter around me “To see if mom needs any help–”

“You should take it easy” he argues and I snort with a shake of my head “I’m fine to move– no need to worry, I’m getting feeling back in all the phalanges”

He opens his mouth to say something else but I cut him off “I appreciate the looking out for me, and the blanket– but seriously I’m okay, you didn’t fail as a bodyguard”

Ethan sighs like he wants to continue to argue but I smile softly and move to step past him, heading up the stairs towards Scott’s room.

I walk inside and see mom kneeling next to the bed with her hands on his shoulder, keeping pressure on his wound. “Do you need help?”

Mom looks over her shoulder to me as I kneel next to her and she shakes her head “Are you okay, what the hell was that thing and what happened after it grabbed you?”

“We don’t know, Allison and her father are trying to figure out what they are. Besides marking behind our ears and tricking our bodies to thinking we just walked through a snowstorm in shorts and a tank top– we’re all okay so far– at least we think” I grimace through a shrug.

Mom doesn’t look like my answer gave her any comfort and she takes a quick breath in before she mumbles “Demonic ninjas?”

I chuckle and nod before looking to the bed occupier who croaks out “Need to call for back up…”

Scott rushes over and sets his hands on my shoulder to look over me “How bad is it?”

Mom adjusts her hands pressure before she answers him “From the way that his arm is rotated, the tendon looks torn. He could be on his way to a collapsed lung.”

I gasp and look over to her as I state quickly “Mom, those things, they’re not going to leave until the sun’s up”

Mom shakes her head to digress “At the rate he’s bleeding, he’s not gonna make it that long. We have to get him to the hospital”

“Should we call Stiles’s Dad?” Scott offers and I shake my head while mom looks over to us “I don’t know. Is that going to just get more people hurt?”

“Maybe. I don’t think guns work on them.”

“Then what does?” mom implores while I move to stand up, offering “I’ll call Ally– see if they found anything yet”

I move past Scott and his question filled eyes. I smile softly and walk out into the hall, needing out of this room with the man who is dying and I can’t figure out how I feel about it.

Ally doesn’t answer so I send a text **_not to be annoying, but I feel like our trapped situation calls for it_**

I walk down the stairs and into the hall just as Derek walks past me and into the kitchen as he huffs “She’s a kitsune, idiot. Use your eyes. You can see it all around her. The younger ones give off an aura. She just hasn’t learned how to conceal it yet. She probably doesn’t know what kind she is either.”

I walk around the doorway and see Ethan and Aiden looking at Kira differently with that bit of information while Kira looks scared out of her mind.

Pocketing my phone I turn to Derek “What’s a kitsune?”

Kira looks from me and over to Derek, obviously wanting in on the know as well. Derek crosses his arms before he states “There’s thirteen kinds of kitsune, they’re foxes and also called the trickster spirit. There’s one though that is a dark kitsune– I’ve heard them be called Void in Japanese legend. It draws its power from pain and tragedy, strife and chaos.”

I cross my arms and move closer to her with the look Aiden throws over to her **_back off bro_** I glare at him as I stand more in front of her. 

Ethan sets his hand on his brother’s arm while Derek smirks looking between us all, just before Scott comes around the corner and takes Kira to walk with her out into the hall.

Aiden rolls his eyes “I wasn’t going to hurt her”

I scoff before Derek comes to a stop next to me to look out the side door at the ninja standing on the other side of the barrier and deadpans over his shoulder “Not yet”

Aiden shakes his head and moves his eyes from the back of Derek’s head to connect his eyes with mine “Why do you think we’re here? For a study group? We’re here to protect you and your brother”

Ethan nods and throws our way “We’re here to fight for you guys”

Derek with his back to them still, looks out of the corner of his eye towards me and my _none impressed_ face before he raises one side of his mouth to answer them “I’m sure you are, I’m sure you’d kill for them– but are you willing to die for them?” he finishes as he turns around to face them.

I raise a brow as they share a look that screams they didn’t think of it that way.

The house rumbling around us has all our faces clearing of any other emotion besides fear of what’s happening now.

We watch through the kitchen window and the window on the side door as the ninjas hit their swords against the barrier.

“What are they doing?” Scott asks as he runs into the kitchen and comes to a stop next to me before I turn to him and answer on a reluctant sigh “Testing for weaknesses”

They continue to hit their swords against the barrier, shaking the house and breaking items that are falling around the house like an earthquake.

Two of the ninja’s move their swords to push their blades straight into the barrier. It doesn’t rumble and shake the house, instead the barrier lights up with the force they’re putting on it. One of the ninja’s sets their hand against the barrier and begins to push against it harder.

Definitely looks like they’ll be succeeding in getting in and I voice as much “Guys– we have a problem…”

My phone rings and I sigh out a breath of relief as I answer the call and look worriedly back to the open door as the ninja’s glove covered hand is making more progress with almost breaking the barrier “Ally, please tell me that you have something because they’re here, they’re trying to get in and it seriously looks like they’re gonna be able to do it”

Ally quickly rushes out “Okay, okay listen. They’re Japanese demons– they’re called the Oni. They’re looking for someone possessed– someone with a dark spirit attached to them.”

“A nogitsune,” Scott states at the same time as Ally, earning Kira and I to look over towards him before she continues “Okay, they won’t hurt you. They know you’re supernatural but once they do this check, leaving the backwards five mark which is Kanji for ‘self’– once they realize that you’re not carrying with you this dark spirit, then they won’t hurt you, I _promise_. All they’re looking for is the nogitsune” **_okay but who is the nogitsune attached to?_**

She ends the call and Scott keeps his shocked eyes on me before Kira breaks his line of vision with her words “I’m right, aren’t I? They’re looking for me”

I shake my head towards her “No– Kira they’re looking for a dark spirit,”  
Scott nods and looks back to her “And we know it’s not you.”

“Scott, we’re going to have to do something” Derek rushes out, moving like he’s preparing for the fight he thinks has to happen.

The Oni successfully break through the barrier and step inside, slowly moving inside.

Turning towards him, Scott shares a nod with me before we elaborate to the group “Don’t do anything”

They all look back towards us before Aiden shakes his head “Are they serious?”

The Oni release a snarl as they walk closer to us and Scott nods “I said don’t do anything.”

He grabs Kira’s hand and smiles softly towards her “Trust me–” she nods before they walk in front of us and stand together as two Oni walk forward and they each reach their right hands out grasping the sides of each of their faces.

They force Scott and Kira to their knees as they tilt their heads from one side to the other, shining their yellow firefly light eyes before leaning even closer to their faces.

Aiden moves to step forward but Derek reaches out and stops him with a hand on his arm. Ethan shares a look with me and I nod, letting him know I trust Allison and what she shared with us.

The Oni with Scott slashes behind his ear first and I rush forward to his side, kneeling next to him as the Oni with Kira slices behind her ear as well and she falls down next to him.

Scott reaches up and pulls back his ear revealing the backwards 5 **_or Kanji for ‘self’ as Ally reported back_**

I chuckle softly towards him “Well guess I have to stop giving you shit for us not having matching tattoos.”

He snorts and drops his hand back on the ground as I feel his body let out a shiver.

The Oni walk back towards the others before they dematerialize in a smoke of black swirls.

Ethan rushes forward and sets his hands on both Scott and Kira “You’re gonna be okay.”

***

We called an ambulance and rode in the back with him as they transported him to the hospital. Once they get the gurney on the ground, mom and the EMT’s run inside with Scott and I walking quickly behind them.

Mom is shouting his stats as soon as we clear the doors “Hey, stab wound to the left chest. Possible collapsed lung– pulse is weak” she finishes softly and slightly out of breath, before the nurse nods and they take him down the hall.

Mom sets her hands on her hips, keeping her eyes on them as they disappear down the hall before I turn to her “I’ll find Stiles– he’s probably awake already right?”

She nods and Scott turns to me “I’ll go with you”

I smile towards him before taking a step forward and he sets his hand on my back as we make our way down the hallway where his room was.

We find it empty, so we head down the hall more **_he has to be here I drove him_**

Walking past a set of doors in particular and hearing a thud, my shoes squeak on the floor as I stop my steps and step backwards causing Scott to crash into me “Addy–”

“What the hell is he doing?” I squint my eyes, looking in the window on the door.

Scott looks from the side of my face to the window as well and pushes it open to reveal Stiles with his back towards as he’s just standing in the middle of the empty operating room.

We walk farther into the room and Scott shares a worried look with me as I lick my lips and state softly “Stiles– you okay?”

Stiles turns around, brows raised before he shakes his head “Yeah– fine.”

He walks up to us and claps Scott on the shoulder before looking to me and lifting his mouth on the opposite side he usually sports his lop-sided smile **_something’s off_**

He moves in the middle of us, setting his arms around our shoulders before moving us towards the door as he implores “What’s been going on?”

Scott lets out a relieved sigh **_but my nerves are screaming_**


	42. Riddled

A scream is tearing through my throat as I sit up in bed, resting my hands on my legs as the scream echoes around my room and throughout the house.

There’s one name surrounding my head as the scream dies down and silence follows **_Stiles_**

My door opens and Scott is standing ready to kill whatever threat he was going to find. I shake my head and try to swallow over the dry lump in my throat “I’m– it’s Stiles–”

My phone vibrating on the windowsill interrupts my words as I reach over and grab it. Seeing Stiles’ contact picture I gasp as I bring it to my ear, answering shakily “Stiles are you okay?”

I’m met with silence on the other end, causing me to look at the phone to make sure the call is still connected before putting it back to my ear.

I hear Stiles breathing nervously and I look up to Scott as I try again “Stiles? Are you there?”

His broken voice comes on the line as he chokes out through a terrified whisper “Adds?”

“Hey, yea I’m here– are– are you okay? Can you hear me?” Scott walks farther into the room to stand at the foot of my bed as Stiles continues through a broken and scared voice "Addy, I don’t– I don’t know where I am. I don’t know how I got here. I think I was sleepwalking”

I close my eyes, moving my feet up closer on the bed to bring my knees up. I rest my elbow on my knee as I take a deep breath, **_trying to keep my freak out at bay_** “Okay, um, can you see anything? Just tell me what you see.”

“Ah, it’s dark. It’s hard to see. I think there’s something wrong with my–”

I open my eyes when the line beeps as it disconnects and I pull my phone away from my ear with a groan as I try to connect the call again.

Setting it to my ear I get his voicemail instantly “Hey– this is Stiles and you missed me. Leave a message”

“Ugh come on” I start to breathe quicker as I’m overcome with an insane amount of worry for him

“Addy–” Scott tries, however, Isaac comes skidding to a halt, crashing his shoulder into the doorframe as he interrupts Scott with his own words “were you just screaming?”

“Something’s wrong with Stiles” I state as I look between them and throw my covers off my legs before getting out of bed **_good thing I slept in leggings_**

I switch my phone to speaker phone, set it on my tall dresser and continue to try and make the call connect again.

I put my arms into a sweatshirt that I grab off the chair next to my bed, and pull it over my head when I again get the voicemail message “Hey, this is St–” I huff as I pull the sweatshirt down my torso and reach over to end the call.

“For fucks sake, why aren’t you answering? Come on” I grumble to the phone before I try again and look to Scott when the line clicks like it was answered “Stiles?”

His shaky voice filters through the room “Addy, I don’t think I can get out of here– I can’t move”

I pick the phone up from the dresser and walk closer to Scott and Isaac, “Where are you?” I ask in a shaky voice.

Scott sets his hand on my shoulder as Stiles answers absolutely terrified “I don’t know– I don’t know, it’s too dark. I can’t see much and something’s wrong with my leg. It’s stuck on something– and it’s– I think it’s bleeding”

Tears well in my eyes as I look over my shoulder at Scott who draws his brows inwards with his worry, before I continue “How bad? Stiles, how bad is it?”

Isaac crosses his arms and walks closer as all of our eyes are on the phone in my hand waiting for him to answer.

Which he does not and my voice cracks as I rush out “Stiles, are you there? Can you hear me?”

“Ah, there’s some kind of smell down here. Something smells terrible. It’s brutal– my eyes are watering” he croaks out through his fighting the tears lump in his throat.

Scott shakes his head and leans closer to the phone “Okay, listen. We’re calling your dad”

“Scott? No, no, no, no, don’t.” Stiles rushes out and I furrow my brows as I attempt “But your dad–”

He sniffles before he argues “Don’t. Just _please_ don’t call him. Promise me you won’t. He already worries about me too much– guys, please”

“But what if we can’t find you?” Scott offers and I shake my head, making it very clear where I stand “Stiles, I won’t make a promise like that”

Stiles continues to cry out through a shaky voice “No, no, no, just please.” We hear him sniffling before he continues “Please, don’t call him. Come find me. You can do it. He doesn’t have to know– guys, you can find me”

“I don’t know if I can do this” Scott shakily replies before Stiles sniffles and the terror in his voice is back, as it fills the room around us “Oh, I gotta call you back. I have to turn the phone off”

“What? No, hey, wait” I exclaim before Stiles interrupts “I’m gonna call you back”

“Hold on, Stiles wait– hold on, man” Scott shouts to the phone in my hand before the line cuts off again.

Scott turns to Isaac “Get dressed we have to go find him”

I turn to them as they head for the door, “What about Noah?”

Scott shakes his head “We promised we wouldn’t”

I scoff and mutter “I didn’t” but he’s already out the door headed to his room to change out of his pajamas.

Once they’re dressed as well, we rush down the stairs when my phone vibrates in my hand again. I lift the phone to my ear as I answer the call “Hey, Stiles”

“Did you call him? Did you call my dad?” he whispers out as Scott and Isaac lean closer to my shoulders on either side of me.

I look up as I shake my head “No– it’s just Scott and Isaac with me and we’re coming to find you.”

Scott grabs my wrist and I drop the phone to set it on speaker so Scott can ask “Can you figure out where you are? Try to find something and tell us where to look”

His terror filled voice cracks with his answer "It’s a basement. I think– I think I’m in some kind of basement–”

"In a house?” I offer, however he disagrees right away after he sniffles "No. It looks bigger. Like industrial. I think there’s a furnace– but it’s cold. It’s freezing down here. I gotta turn the– I gotta turn the phone off– it’s going to die” he rushes out quickly.

Scott leans forward attempting to stop him “Wait, wait, wait. What else is there? What do you see?”

"The phone’s dying. I can’t talk– I have to go– please” he drops his voice to a barely there whisper and I make a noise as I share a look with Scott and direct my words at the phone “Stiles, why are you whispering?”

He takes a second to answer and when his shaky voice croaks out the answer, dread completely takes over my entire body "Because I think there’s someone in here with me”

***

We get to Stiles’ place for Scott and Isaac to get a better scent of him, meeting Lydia and Aiden on the front steps. Scott looks between them and rushes out “How did you know? Did he call you too?”

Lydia shares a look with me and I smile softly with a nod before she whispers “I heard it”

Aiden sighs before we make our way inside and up the stairs “Don’t ask. It gets more confusing when you ask” **_we hear things, it’s not that confusing dumbass_**

I open his door and stop my steps, causing whoever is behind me to crash into me.

I gasp as I take in the scissors stabbed into the middle of his bed with red string coming off both the handles in at least 20 or 30 pieces. His bed is in a corner and the red strings are going in all directions off the scissors. They all connect to the walls behind and next to his bed that are covered in pictures and articles.

I take my hand off the door knob and we all move inside more as Lydia takes in the room and whispers “not as confusing as this”

I swallow hard, moving my eyes all around as I state softly over my shoulder to Scott “He uses red for unsolved cases.” 

Aiden looks away from me, taking in the room as he states “Maybe he thinks he’s part of an unsolved case?”

“Or is an unsolved case.” Isaac offers softly behind me and I close my eyes.

Shaking my head I open them and turn to face Isaac and Scott “Doesn’t matter, grab some clothes or shove your faces in his pillow to get his scent– he’s still out there.”

Lydia makes a noise and walks closer to me “Hold on. He’s still out there and you don’t know where he is?”

I shake my head as Scott sighs “He said he was in an industrial basement somewhere.”

Isaac looks between us and shrugs “We came here to get a better scent.”

Lydia puts her arm around me as she asks “What else did he say?”

I swallow hard before I answer her “Something’s wrong with his leg. It’s bleeding”

“And he’s freezing” Scott finishes the short but shitty list of facts before Aiden chimes in “Tonight’s the coldest night of the year. It’s going to drop into the 20s” 

I close my eyes with that bit of information, anger building at what he asked us _not_ to do. Especially with my nerves starting to show the signs that something terrible is going to happen **_he’s not okay, he’s not safe– he doesn’t get a say in this_**

I shake my head and look to Scott “We _have_ to call Noah– we need help finding him. Nothing against your wolf senses but who knows how long he’s been out there already and if he’s bleeding and freezing– we can’t take any chance at not finding him. He can get over his dad worrying about him, because if any situation calls for it, it’s this one”

“Addy, he made us promise not to. We can find him by scent. If he was sleepwalking he couldn’t have gotten far, right?” Scott offers, however I don’t relent from my decision “His jeep is gone Scott, besides he made _you_ promise– I didn’t say _I_ promised not to call him. Making sure he’s alive will be worth him being mad at me”

I reach into my pocket but Scott moves his hand over mine “Wait, Addy just hold on– okay we can get more help. I can call Derek– Allison”

Lydia scoffs as she tightens her hold on me and shrieks out “Everyone except for the cops. _Great_ idea, Scott”

Aiden chimes in “You guys remember they get these feelings when someone’s about to _die_ , right?”

My eyes water as I offer him a grateful expression before I move my watery eyes to Scott. He takes less than a second to look at me before he sighs “You don’t have to call his dad. It’s five minutes to the station”

I move to step forward, however Lydia’s words stop my steps “We’ll catch up.”

“What? Why?” Scott calls back to her and she shrugs, looking around at the strings “There’s something here.”

“Yeah. Evidence of total insanity” Isaac mutters and I huff before I turn around and raise my brows at him.

He grimaces and steps out of the doorway as Scott shakes his head next to me, stating “We can figure out what’s wrong with him _after_ we find a way to keep him from freezing to death”

Lydia sets her hand on my arm “Go, you should be there to tell his dad. We’ll be right behind you guys.”

***

Noah breathes out deeply, setting his hands on Parrish’s desk as tears well in his eyes. He takes a few moments after we finish telling him about the phone call, all the details we could remember about what’s happened, and where Stiles thinks he is.

Noah stands up and turns to face us “If his Jeep is gone, that’s where we start– Parrish, let’s get an APB out on a blue 1980 CJ-5 Jeep Cordova.”

He looks up to another deputy to continue with his plan “I want a list of any kind of industrial basement or sub level of _any_ building that he could’ve gotten into while sleepwalking.”

He moves his hand out to his side, turning slightly to address the rest of the deputies in the room with us “It’s the coldest night of the year so far. So If he’s out their barefoot in just a T-shirt, he could already be hypothermic. Let’s move fast. Let’s think fast– the three of you, come with me.”

We follow him into his office and as soon as he closes the door he turns to us and sets his hands on his hips “Okay. Is there anything you need to tell me that I can’t tell anyone out there?”

I step towards him, “I screamed myself awake– already knowing he was missing, Lydia also knew.”

Noah scrunches up his brows as he flicks his eyes towards me “Lydia?–”

I nod my head to the side “Banshee as well, Mr. S.”

“Of course she is– banshee you said means you feel when someone is–” he trails off, swallowing hard.

I set my hand on his arm “I also get a fair amount of warning time so far, we’re going to find him”

He rubs his other hand over his mouth before he shakes his head “Can your feeling help _find_ him?”

I nod stating “Usually, Lydia’s working on it too.”

He nods and looks between the three of us “Anything else?”

Scott steps forward “I called Derek and Allison for help.”

Noah nods and looks towards Isaac and Scott “Can you find him by scent?”

There’s a loud, quick knock and Parrish leans around the door once he opens it “We got it, sir– we found the Jeep.”

***

We get to the hospital with all the deputy SUV’s parking as close to Stiles’ jeep in the parking as they can get.

Noah rushes out of the drivers side and we’re right behind him as he opens the door and turns to us when we come to a stop next to him “It’s dead– he must have left the lights on”

“Why would he come here?” Scott asks with all our eyes moving to the hospital building. 

Noah shakes his head and closes the door “Let’s find out”

We move towards the front door, and head down a different hallway than where Noah is headed to meet mom. Derek texted Scott saying he had Stiles’ scent and we needed to head up to the roof.

We rush up the stairs and run out onto the roof, Derek immediately calling out “He’s not here– not anymore.”

"You mean the whole building?” Scott calls towards him and Derek shakes his head as he looks to us and states “Gone.”

“I’ll go tell Noah” I offer, however, Isaac sets his hand on my arm stopping my movement forward with his words “I’ll go– take a moment okay?”

I offer him a sad smile and nod before Scott walks up next to me, directing his words to him “And see if you can find Allison. She’s not answering her phone”

Isaac runs back the way we just came before we move over near Derek who is looking out at the city lights "Notice how strong the scent is up here?”

I flick my head over to look between them, seeing Scott nod his head as he furrows his brows and Derek continues “Ever hear of chemo signals?”

At Scott’s shake of his head in the negative column Derek looks between us and out off towards the city again “Chemical signals that communicate emotion– and just our sweat can give off anger, fear or disgust. Take a deep breath and tell me what you feel.”

I raise my brows with all that information as Scott closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, before stating “Stress”

Derek nods before adding “And anxiety”

Knowing that’s not a good combination I look around, asking softly “What was he doing up here?”

Derek flicks his gaze my way before he shakes his head “I don’t know– but there was definitely some kind of struggle”

"With who?” Scott and I mutter hesitantly before Derek states “Himself.”

***

Lydia called, stating that she messed with the strings in his room and they elicited whispers about a house. The string was connected to a picture of Eichen House– the very place that Barrow was at before he needed the surgery a few days ago.

We head down the stairs to meet Noah in the lobby. Derek informs he’s headed to the high school to make sure he covers different ground while Scott heads with Noah to get all the deputy search party ready to leave.

I have a feeling **_I’m not about to ignore_** that’s screaming for me to go to mom. I find her at a nurse’s station and she sighs “I was just going to call you–”

“Mom where are you heading? It’s not home is it?” I interrupt her with a shake of my head.

She furrows her brows, letting out a soft laugh at how I knew her plans “How did you– no, actually I was going to head to the station…”

“I’m coming with you– if that’s okay. They’ve got one banshee following her gut feeling lead, so I feel like I need to follow mine.”

She sets her arm around my shoulders as we head towards the doors to the parking lot, and she inquires “Which is?”

I bite on the inside of my mouth before I sigh “Mr. Suit/Daddio.”

***

I hear his voice as soon as we open the door “Hey, is this the _exact_ transcript of Addy and Stiles’ phone call?”

“It’s what she gave us” Parrish nods like it’s obvious 

“But these words– Stiles says, ‘Something smells terrible. My eyes are watering’?” he reads off the paper as I move my feet closer to that side of the station.

I cross my arms as I come to a stop just in the doorway leading to where they are as I state towards his back “Those were his _exact_ words to me.” ****

Suit turns around when he registers my voice and takes in mom and I standing before him with a furrow of his brows “What are you two doing here?”

Mom opens her mouth, making a noise before looking to me quickly “Well my shift was over and Addy had been at the hospital looking for Stiles– and we just wanted to see if we could be of any help here” **_this is why you tell your mom if and when you become a supernatural being kids_**

Not questioning why we would offer our help, he nods toward the doors. He holds out his arm, that isn’t in a sling, so we will walk in front of him out to his car. 

He takes off as soon as we’re settled in our seats and informs us of his thought process.

Mom shakes her head “So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying the real question might be, how do we know he’s not still asleep?”

Sitting in the middle of the backseat I lean forward slightly “You mean he’s been asleep the _whole_ time? What about when I talked to him?– he called me three different times.”

I watch as he shrugs “Well, people who sleepwalk can do crazy things. One guy goes down to the kitchen and cooks an entire meal. Another guy is found mowing his lawn– naked.”

Mom raises a hand off her lap with her scoff as she questions “Why’s any of that matter?”

“Remember that townhouse apartment we lived in? There was that one night I came home drunk–”

“Oh, one night?” I mumble from the backseat and I see him flinch before he calls over his shoulder “Let me finish– So I’m drunk, passed out on the bed. I get up to go to the bathroom. Then all of a sudden I hear _you_ yelling ‘What the hell are you doing?’.” 

He flicks his head in mom’s direction who lifts her hand up “Because you were in the closet peeing into the laundry basket” she fills in like she still can’t believe that was what she witnessed.

I snort before he answers “Yeah, I _thought_ it was the bathroom–”

“Oh, no, you were drunk off your ass” Mom shakes her head and looks out her window.

“Yeah, but I was _convinced_ it was the bathroom.” He stresses, earning mom to look back over to him . He nods before he continues “Yeah. So how do we know he isn’t just _convinced_ he’s in some kind of basement? And isn’t actually there?”

I push off from the seat and lean forward, setting my elbows on their seats as he looks in the rear view mirror quickly. 

Noticing my full attention he now has, he looks back to the road and continues “I think when he called Addy, he was still asleep. And is _still_ asleep right now.”

I shake my head and he connects his eyes with mine again as I implore “Then where is he?”

“I got an idea about that too.”

***

We are out of the car and running through the pathway as soon as he parks at the preserve as close to the Tate car crash site he can get.

I run around one side of the car as they run to the other and he shouts “found him– he’s here!”

Running back over to them I watch as they attempt to pull Stiles out of the car he was laying in. 

Stiles immediately starts thrashing against the ground and screaming before bellowing “No! No wait!– Wait!”

They grab his arms and lift him off the ground, however, he’s still screaming and shouting “Wait!– No– wait!” sending shivers down my spine with how terrified he sounds. 

Tears well in my eyes as I rush forward and try to help break through the nightmare he hasn’t woken up from. 

His thrashing moves our feet backwards, my back hitting the tree as his back crashes into my chest before we slide down and sit on the ground.

I move up onto my knees, smashing my front into his back. I move my arms around him, across his chest as I set my hands on his arms. 

I pull him into me as I lean over his shoulder to set the side of my head against the side of his face “Stiles! you’re okay– we got you– Stiles– you’re alright!” his body stops fighting me and he leans back to look over his shoulder at me. 

His breathing is heavy and tears are falling from his eyes as he moves his eyes back and forth between mine and all over my face. His soft voice cracks as he mutters just above a whisper “Adds?”

I squeeze my arms around him once and nod as my own tears fall “It’s me, you’re here with me– you’re okay.” 

His terrified quick breathing is the only noise around us as he tries to catch his breath. 

He sets his hands on my arms, squeezing them as he turns forward again. Mom kneels in front of him, setting her hand on his leg with Suit standing in front of us as we all try to catch our breaths 

Stiles sniffles and squeezes me again, I share a broken look with mom before I close my eyes and set my chin on his shoulder before moving my face more towards the crook of his neck **_we found him– dad found him._**

***

I call Noah and let him know we found Stiles and we are currently speeding through the city on our way to the hospital **_red and blue light style_**

As soon as we get to the hospital, mom changes into her scrubs and takes Stiles back with other nurses to check him over. 

He was freezing, however, luckily whatever he thought was bleeding on his leg must of just been in his dream.

I’m pacing in the waiting room when Noah, Scott, and Lydia rush inside. 

Noah walks up and sets his hands on my shoulders, bringing me in for a quick hug before mom takes him back to check on him **_since he’s the only one allowed to_**

Scott walks over next and sets his hands on my shoulders before turning me and leading me over to the chairs. 

Silently he has me sit in one of the chairs before he sits in the other, Lydia coming to sit on my other side, grabbing one of my hands and offering a reassuring squeeze **_and now we wait_**

Suit walks out and stands in front of us, shoving his good hand in his pocket before mom walks out and comes to stand next to Scott.

Noah walks out about a half hour later, Scott and I stand up to meet him as he raises his arms out to his side, sighing out “He’s sleeping now. And he’s just fine– he doesn’t remember much. It’s a bit like a dream to him.”

We nod, letting out our own breaths of relief as I cross my arms over my front. Noah turns his head to the side “Thank you.”

Dad looks taken back before he shakes his head “It was that repellent we sprayed in the coyote den to keep other animals out. I couldn’t go near it without my eyes watering,” he clears his throat looking between Scott and I before he looks back to Noah and continues “It’s just a good thing he mentioned it over the phone.”

Noah turns to fully face him to argue “No, it was _more_ than that– thank you.”

He shakes his head again, ready to argue when I turn to face him and state softly “Dad–” 

Mom and Scott flick their heads my way and I can tell I surprised everyone with my words, but when dad connects his eyes with mine I smile softly and tilt my head towards Noah in front of me “Just say no worries…”

He swallows hard moving his eyes from me over to Noah before he clears his throat “It was a lucky connection” he continues to be difficult with his awkwardness.

Noah makes an aggravated noise as he lifts his hand out to his side “McCall, can you shut up _please_ and accept my _sincerest_ gratitude”

I share a smirk with Scott and dad nods towards Noah finally stating as he holds out his hand “Accepted.”

Noah reaches out and clasps his hand with dad’s before mom turns to us “All right, you three– you’ve got school in less than six hours. Go home, go to sleep. Okay?” 

She hugs Scott and I before Noah sets his hands on Scott and my shoulders, offering squeezes before we turn and walk down the hallway.

Lydia’s soft voice speaks up once we’re out of ear shot of the parentals “I don’t know what happened. I was _so sure_ ”

I stop my steps and set my hand on her arm “Hey Lyds, Eichen could still be important”

She shakes her head and looks over to me “You knew where he was…”

My turn to shake my head “No, I didn’t– that was all our dad. I just had a feeling I needed to see what he knew.”

“Doesn’t matter, we’re listening to _only_ you from now on– what I put everyone through– not finding him there– I’m not doing that ever again.”

“Lyds–”

Scott sighs and mutters “Yeah– I wasn’t much help either”

“Guys it doesn’t matter, if he’s okay” I offer before I jump out of my skin, quickly turning around to face behind us. 

I move my eyes all around the hallway, trying to figure out where the blacksmith from 1768 England has set up shop.

Scott sets his hand on my shoulder “Addy? Do you hear something?”

I turn back around nodding when I look to Lydia. She doesn’t offer the usual look to convey she hears it too and I furrow my brows “Did you not hear that? it was like metal clanking, or–”

“No– I didn’t hear anything” She states as she keeps her eyes down the hall **_curious_**

I share a look with Scott and shake my head “Not sleeping for however many days must be catching up with me…”

He nods and sets his arm around my back “Let’s get home then.”

***

“Addy!” I jump with the voice behind me and since my hand was resting on the edge of the door to my locker, it slams shut with my startled movement. 

I turn and see Allison and Issac, who smiles softly as they come to a stop in front of me “You– you okay?”

I clear my throat and attempt to return his smile “I’m okay guys– what’s up?”

Ally looks like she wants to argue but she shakes her head and pulls out her phone, playing a message from her voicemail screen. I furrow my brows at the monotone voice in another language before she turns it off. 

I shrug and nod towards her hand “what the hell was that?”

“I have countless voicemails from the same unknown number all this same message” she informs, earning me to look between them.

I make a noise before a locker shutting down the hall makes me jump again. Isaac steps forward and sets his hand on my upper arm “Addy–”

I clear my throat again and shake my head as he drops his arm back down to his side and I clarify “I’m okay guys, the noise in here is just a lot today”

“Noise like you need to _scream_ ” Ally offers hesitantly and I attempt to send her a reassuring smile “Not to that point, don’t worry sweets,” I point towards her phone before I continue “He definitely sounds like he’s speaking Japanese orders almost– maybe our Mr. Yukimura will know what’s being said…”

Ally smiles, her fight to make me talk about what’s happening written all over her face. Instead she brings me in for a hug and squeezes once before stepping back and offering “Keep us posted okay.”

I will the tears away with the memory of reading mom’s text about the tests they’re doing on Stiles this afternoon, instead I smile at her and nod “Of course.”

They walk off towards the History classroom when Scott walks up and opens his locker next to me.

I lean back, resting the back of my head against the lockers and closing my eyes before a locker slamming shut down the hall makes me jump and open my eyes again.

Scott looks over “You okay?”

I jump again and look down the hall before I nod back to him “Yeah– I’m just a little hyper sensitive to loud sounds today apparently”

Scott looks back into his locker and taps his hand against it a few times “You get mom’s message about the tests they’re doing on Stiles?”

At my nod towards him, he continues “Six o’clock work for you to go visit him with me?”

I smile softly, feeling tears well in my eyes before I nod.

A few tears fall when I jump again with the noise around me, and I hastily wipe them away. 

Scott softens his face and leans closer “Are you sure you’re okay– are you hyper-sensitive to loud noise today or is it more–”

I shake my head and shrug slightly “Lydia says she isn’t hearing anything– I don’t know Scotty. I’m so worried about him– what are they testing for? Because mom took his file the other day when I went with him to see her and she knew something when she came back– I didn’t push it because we needed to get home for the– alarming– and she probably wouldn’t of told me anyways. But then last night happened and now they’re worried and doing tests and I just– and his mom–” 

Scott closes his locker and wraps his arms around me, setting the side of his head on top of mine as he tries to pass all the comfort he can to me “Hey– I don’t know what they’re testing him for but– it’s going to be okay– he’s going to be okay…”

I know he’s lying, he knows I know he’s lying– **_but it doesn’t matter_**

I wrap my arms around his back and offering as much comfort as I can back to him, we pretend. 

We pretend for a minute that the only other person we have ever loved as much as each other isn’t suffering from an illness we can’t save him from.

***

We follow behind the doctor, mom and Noah on our way to the room where the MRI machine is in. 

Walking down the hallway, Stiles reaches over and grasps my hand in his. He squeezes twice, which I respond with my three squeezes back.

We walk into the room and the doctor asks Stiles to sit on the machine he will need to lay down on while they get everything set up.

Stiles drops our hands to do as he was asked and I cross my arms as I shift to stand off to the side of him, with Scott coming to stand next to me. 

Mom and Noah are on Stiles’ other side with the doctor who looks at the chart in his hand and furrows his brows “I’m not sure I know how to pronounce this– or if it’s not actually a misspelling.”

“Just call him Stiles” Noah sighs out before the doctor nods and closes the file.

He heads our way and smiles softly when he comes to a stop in front of Stiles “Okay. Stiles, just to warn you, you’re going to hear a lot of noise during the MRI. It’s due to pulses of electricity going through metal coils inside the machine. Uh, if you want we can get you earplugs or headphones” he offers, earning Stiles to reach up and scratch the side of his face as he shakes his head “Oh, no– no, I don’t need anything.”

The doctor nods and walks out of the room before Noah leans forward towards his son, connecting their eyes “Hey, we’re just on the other side of that window. Okay?”

Stiles nods muttering softly “Okay” 

Noah takes a second before he smiles, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. 

Stiles moves to set his hand on his shoulder, letting him know he’s good. 

Noah turns with mom and they walk into the room sharing the window.

Stiles takes a second before I see him look towards us out of my periph, however I can’t muster up the courage to look away from the spot on the baseboard across the room from us that I’ve been staring at since he sat down.

He clears his throat “You guys know what they’re looking for, right?” I see Scott nod as I shift on my feet, acknowledging his question before he continues to digress slowly “It’s called frontotemporal dementia– areas of your brain start to shrink. It’s what my mother had. It’s the only form of dementia that can hit teenagers– and there’s no cure” he states just above a whisper, earning my eyes to close with the pain of his words. 

The tears I was fighting back break over, falling down my cheeks as soon as my eyes close. 

I uncross one of my arms to wipe them away, sniffling softly as Scott turns towards us. He sets a hand on my shoulder as he directs his words to his best friend “Stiles, if you have it, we’ll do something– _I’ll_ do something.”

I finally look over, in solidarity with Scott’s words, towards Stiles as he flicks his eyes between the two of us. 

I let out a shaky breath as I watch Stiles draw his brows in, seeing tears in his own eyes while he takes in what Scott is saying, before nodding ever so slightly.

Scott squeezes my shoulder as he moves past to embrace Stiles in a tight hug that makes even more tears rush to my eyes. 

After they’ve fully broken our hearts with their brotherhood hug, Scott steps back muttering towards me “I’ll meet you in the hall okay?”

Not having any confidence my words will actually leave my throat in a way that can be understood I nod, looking over through the window at Noah and mom who look like they’re fighting their own tears.

“Adds–”

Hearing his soft hesitant voice, I close my eyes before turning back towards him. Taking a deep breath to be as strong as I can be for him, I open my eyes.

He softens his face and tilts his head slightly to the side before he softly whispers “Come here…”

I sniffle softly, wiping the traitorous tear that didn’t listen to me saying I was going to be strong for him and not cry anymore, before I move to stand in front of him.

He releases his own breathy soft chuckle mixed with a sniffle before he wraps his arms around my waist. 

I stand on my tippy toes to wrap my arms around his neck and he pulls me impossibly closer against him. 

I move my face into the crook of his neck, breathing in deeply, trying to commit to memory the way he smells **_like teakwood and home_**

He offers one more squeeze before I pull back slightly, he however stops my steps backwards as he lifts his hands to rest against either side of my face.

He pulls me forward and places the softest of kisses on my forehead. I set my hands on his arms, closing my eyes to savor the way my heart soars with the action.

Stiles pulls back and I open my eyes, smiling softly as he moves his thumbs over to wipe under my eyes.

I clear my throat and nod slightly “See you after, okay?”

He lifts one corner of his mouth before muttering just above a whisper “Always, Adds.”

***

I walk out into the hallway and Scott turns around immediately walking over and wrapping me in a hug. I move my hands up behind his shoulders as I hiccup through a sob I’ve been holding back since we got here.

Scott tightens his hold and drops his forehead to my shoulder as he lets my tears fall with zero judgement.

After a few minutes I flinch back suddenly, Scott releases me and steps back however he keeps his hands on my shoulders “What is it?”

I close my eyes and reach my hands up to wipe under my eyes. 

I let out a sigh and shake my head “It’s definitely the same noise I heard last night when we were leaving”

Derek walks up beside us and momentarily distracts me from the blacksmith as he shakes his head “I need to tell you guys something”

He proceeds to fill us in on his adventure with Kira after school today and how he thinks Barrow used her foxfire power to awaken the Nogitsune spirit in Stiles the night of the blackout **_all bad news_**

I close my eyes and start pacing around the waiting room, the noise is getting even louder and I’m teetering on how bad it would be to unleash a banshee scream in the middle of a hospital.

I try to focus in on Scott and Derek’s conversation “You know the stuff you we’re telling me about chemo signals earlier? It reminded me of the time you we’re teaching me to use anger to control the shift.” Scott states and Derek smiles softly "I think you ended up teaching me more about that”

"Are you teaching me again?” Scott questions, earning Derek to shrug "Think of it more like sharing a few trade secrets.”

I walk back towards them when Derek continues “You know, I took Cora back to South America, right? It’s where she spent most of her time after the fire. But that’s not the only reason I left– I needed to talk to my mother.”

"Your dead mother?” I question, earning him to flick his eyes up to me and nod "She told me something that changed my perspective on a lot of things. She said that my family didn’t just live in Beacon Hills. They protected it. This town needs someone to protect it. Someone like you” he finishes by connecting his eyes with Scott’s who takes a moment before nodding with a slight smile “And someone like you to teach me a few trade secrets.”

I stop pacing remembering what they talked about on the roof. Derek notices my halt in movement and furrows his brows "What?”

I make a noise before I elaborate “He was trying to protect us. Stiles was _protecting_ us” 

Derek widens his eyes as he stands up and finishes the thought “From himself” 

We rush down the hall and head up the stairwell. Scott and Derek are right behind me as we run out onto the roof.

Derek walks around me as I stop and set my hands on either side of my head, groaning with the pain and how loud the metal clanking noise is becoming. I faintly hear him ask "What are we looking for?”

I shake my head "I’m not sure– but I think Stiles wasn’t just up here struggling with himself. I think he was struggling _not_ to do something.” 

Scott hops up near one of the transformer boxes that’s surrounded by a chain link fence. He reaches up and pulls down a white duffle bag, it falls onto the roof by our feet and metal tools clang about loudly with the force. 

It’s the exact moment the bag and tools hit the ground that I can’t take it anymore, the noise is too much and the roof is better than a quiet waiting room. Scott looks above the transformer box and we follow his eyes, noticing a wire that’s definitely been damaged.

Sparks are beginning to fly out of the exposed wire and the metal clanging bouncing around my ears gets even louder. 

I groan, and I rush out “Guys cover your ears” before I see them turn to me with wide eyes. 

Watching as they listen to my command, I turn to the side and let the scream come barreling out of my throat and into the night around us. 

The scream dies down and I can’t believe I didn’t put it together before **_probably because I’ve never had one before_**

I gasp and set my hands on Scott’s arms “It’s the MRI machine– I’ve been hearing the machine–”

The transformer box next to us interrupts me as it makes a very _not_ good noise before it explodes in a flash of light and sparks. We jump back a step with the explosion before Scott moves me behind him.

I lift my hand up shielding my eyes from the light when we see a fire start where a big ass wire connects to the transformer box. 

The wire comes loose and starts flying around the entire roof before it flies off the side and down below to the parking lot. 

We run to the side and I whisper out at the destruction unfolding before our eyes “Oh, my god.”

We push off the ledge and run back towards the door to head downstairs.


	43. Letharia Vulpina

Derek, Scott and I run down the stairs, through the hospital, and out into the parking lot.

Once we get outside, I take immediate notice of the fire hydrant that was crashed into and water is gushing out everywhere.

We run forward, watching as Kira flips over a car that was headed right for her. She lands in the puddle of water right next to the wire just as our steps are getting through the crowd of people that have gathered around. 

I’m more focused on Kira, causing me to let out an oof noise when my steps are stopped immediately from Derek’s arm, that he throws out across my front. 

One grateful look down and I see why he stopped us **_my dumb ass almost ran right into the electrified water_**

Derek pushes us back a few steps as the water slows on the ground it was gaining on us. Lifting my eyes from the water I watch as the wire dances in front of Kira like she’s a snake charmer. 

She reaches out and grabs the wire with one hand, taking a moment to look at the sparks flying from one end for a few moments.

I share a shocked look with Scott before we watch her lift her other hand up slowly to cover the sparks flying end with her palm. Her hand immediately glows like when you cover a flashlight with the palm of your hand. 

We hear the electricity crackle and watch the lights around the hospital flicker quickly before Kira slowly opens her eyes. When she does they are lit up like the Were’s in our life, however they’re a beautiful amber almost orange color **_well hey there foxfire_**

People start rushing out of the hospital, just as her eyes switch back to her normal color and she drops the dead wire onto the ground by her feet.

With the threat of the electricity snake wire gone, we look around and a quick gasp leaves my lips at seeing Isaac laying down in the water completely unconscious. 

Derek and I rush forward, dropping onto either side of Isaac. I set my hands on his face while Derek feels for his pulse. He lifts his eyes to mine as he mutters just above a whisper “He’s not breathing.”

Derek turns back towards where Scott is still standing looking at Kira in complete shock as he bellows “Scott, he’s not breathing!”

We find paramedics, who get Isaac breathing again. They get him loaded onto a gurney to take him inside to be admitted and checked over. He wasn’t healing yet **_and that’s just the beginning of our problems_**

Deputies and of course dad show up, they mull about the parking lot while I fill Noah in on what we saw on the roof and in the parking lot with the wire. 

Once I’m done filling him in, Parrish walks over informing “two people said they saw Stiles’ jeep leave the hospital.”

I make a noise of confusion, furrowing my brows as I turn back to Noah “Stiles left? How? Whe–” I gasp and widen my eyes “the power surge– he was in the MRI machine– holy shi–”

Noah sets his hand on my arm and turns back to Parrish “Someone needs to find him– now”

Noah turns back to me and looks like he doesn’t want to ask but he needs to know. 

I shake my head and spare him from having to utter the words “Remember how I told you when the noise gets to be too much I have to scream, and once I do it’s like a clarity bubble calms everything around me and I can focus on what the noise was specifically?”

He swallows and nods as he crosses his arms. I take a deep breath and look to the ground “that happened after I left the room, we were on the roof and I couldn’t take this metal clanking noise anymore. I screamed and it was clear as day– the MRI machine. Then the transformer box blew up next to us and now– well now we’re here and Stiles is missing.” 

He nods and tears well in his eyes “I think I know why the MRI machine is triggering your feeling Addy– I think we should wait for Stiles though…”

I close my eyes, already knowing what that means **_scans were positive_**

Snapping me out of my negative thoughts, I hear dad’s voice behind us “Is it me or was this cut?”

Noah and I turn around to see him holding up the wire Kira previously extinguished. He looks over to us and back to the fed behind him “Tell the others to keep an eye out for signs of sabotage.”

***

It’s been two fucking days since Stiles went in for an MRI and disappeared when the transformer box exploded, causing a power surge in the hospital.

Setting the coffee pot back, I turn my head when Scott comes into the kitchen asking “Any news?”

I shake my head before I digress just above a whisper “They’re still looking for him.”

Mom, sitting at the table clears her throat before she softly states “It’s past the forty eight hour mark, but if anyone’s going to be missing for two days and turn up just fine, it’s Stiles.” 

I smile sadly with her words, because she’s not wrong, however the Nogitsune is adding another layer to this equation **_and I can’t fucking stand not knowing what’s happening_**

“What about Isaac?” Scott looks to mom who flicks her eyes between our worried faces. She stands up and comes to a stop in front of us, smiling softly with a shrug “Maybe we should go by the hospital before school.”

***

We get to the hospital and head in the elevator to the floor Isaac is staying on.

Noticing Allison asleep on one of the waiting benches against the wall as soon as the doors open, I walk over and sit next to her.

Scott and mom coming to a stop just in front of her when she stirs awake.

She sits up more when she notices us and I smile softly “Have you been here all night?”

She nods and rubs some sleep out of her eye “Yeah, they won’t let me see him because I’m ‘not family’– I told them he doesn’t have any.”

I scoff “He’s got us.”

Mom smiles and lifts her hand up holding an item “And I’ve got a key card” she smirks when we look to said card before we stand up and follow her over to his room.

She swipes her card and gets us inside his room before looking back the way we came and muttering just above a whisper “Be quick”

Ally, Scott, and I walk farther into the ICU room, hearing a rhythmic beeping from the machines hooked up to Isaac.

I notice Ally reach over and grab Scott’s hand. He looks down to their hands and back up to her, offering her a reassuring head nod. I smile at the love they can still have for each other in a time of need.

We walk up one side of his bed, noticing the burn marks across the side of his face.Ally makes a noise with a furrow of her brows “I thought he’d be healing by now.”

I nod as Scott mutters “So did I”

Scott reaches out and sets his hand on Isaac’s arm. He looks up to Isaac’s face quickly, widening his eyes. Earning me to implore “Is he in pain?” 

Scott nods, looking back towards us before readjusting his hand on Isaac’s arm. We watch as black veins crawl up his hand from where it’s resting on Isaac’s arm.

Isaac shifts in the bed and looks to release a relieved sigh, earning Scott to close his eyes tightly. He gasps sharply and quickens his breaths through the pain he’s taking away from Isaac. 

Scott releases his arm and swallows thickly, letting out a quick breath before he states “It won’t heal him, but it helps with the pain”

“Did Stiles really do this?” Ally asks, failing to hide her anger those words bring.

I turn to her quickly, trying not to snap at my friend but still stressing “ _Stiles_ didn’t do this, whatever a fucking Nogitsune is– that’s who or what did this”

“Whatever’s controlling him, whatever’s _inside_ of him did this” Scott clarifies before Ally offers a look that she knows where we’re coming from, she’s just angry Isaac is in pain.

She sets her hand on my arm and nods “Well, then how do we get whatever’s inside of him the hell out of him?”

“We’re working on it” Scott and I mutter

***

We meet Kira in the hall on our way to the locker room to change for cross country practice.

She moves quickly with us down the steps and other hallway as she fills us in “The thing is, in all of the stories, Kitsune are tricksters. They’re mischievous. They don’t really get caught up in right or wrong or even understand it.”

“What’s that mean? It’s just doing this for the hell of it?” Scott asks as he looks between us.

Kira shakes her head “No, there was something else I found. If you somehow offend a nogitsune, it can react pretty badly”

I make a noise gaining her to look my way “How do you offend a Nogitsune?”

“I don’t know. But if it’s doing something this bad, then someone really, really offended it” **_well if that isn’t just fucking perfect_**

***

I push off from my wall lean when Scott opens the door to the locker room with Ethan and Aiden following right behind him. Their focus is on the floor and I furrow my brows falling in step with them “What is it?”

Scott looks over to me and shakes his head “One of Argent’s emitters is going off somewhere in the school.”

Ethan furrows his brows and looks up to us “It’s coming from the basement” 

We quicken our steps and head down the stairs to the basement. I step off the last step and turn to my left, taking a few steps before I notice the back of someone standing in the shadows **_I’d know that figure anywhere_**

I go to continue my steps but a hand on my arm stops me. I look down and see Ethan’s hand on my arm before moving my eyes up, taking in his furrowed brows directed down the hallway. 

Stiles turns around, emitter in one hand that he lifts up with the other in a surrender “Okay, I know what you guys are thinking, but it’s me. _I swear to God_ , it’s me.”

Ethan and Aiden waste zero time in transforming, releasing growls before they push Scott and I behind them as they rush down the hall towards Stiles. 

“Stop!” I rush after them, with Scott right on my heels as we watch the twins grab Stiles around the throat and lift him in the air, smashing his back against the wall of extra lockers.

“Wait stop!” Scott rushes past, grabbing Ethan and throwing him back against the other wall. 

Scott bellows again as he reaches forward towards Aiden who still has ahold of Stiles “I said stop!” 

Aiden turns around, dropping Stiles’ feet back onto the ground before he growls towards Scott. 

Scott returns with his own goosebump enacting roar towards Aiden who immediately retracts his teeth and shrinks back, looking to the ground in shame almost.

I come to a stop between Scott and Stiles who are both breathing heavily. Scott turns hesitantly, sharing a look with me before we move our eyes to Stiles.

Stiles moves his eyes between us and points to his chest “It’s me, guys. I swear it’s me. I don’t know where I’ve been the last two days or what I’ve been doing, but this is me,” he moves his eyes to connect with mine as he mutters just above a whisper “I promise” **_I want to believe it’s you–_**

I don’t say anything as I move my eyes back and forth between his quickly **_but I can’t._**

 ****Ethan stands up, trying to catch his breath as he directs his words to Stiles “You know what happened at the hospital?”

Stiles takes a second, still looking at me, before he sighs and looks to Ethan, stating “I know more than that.”

He rubs a hand over his mouth before he walks past us and kneels over by a bag. He lifts up a folded piece of blue paper “You see this? It’s a blueprint of the hospital’s electrical wiring.” 

He unfolds the paper and lays it out in front of him, pointing around it “You see all these markings in red? That’s my handwriting.”

Stiles looks up and over to us “I know I did this. I caused the accident.”

“ _You_ didn’t cause anything Stiles” I stress, earning his eyes to flick up to mine. He swallows thickly and nods before he looks to the duffle bag by his feet, moving a few items around as he informs “And everything in this bag, it’s all stuff that could be part of something bigger.”

Aiden kneels down next to him and picks up a scary looking electric tool “What the hell have you been up to?”

Worry overcomes Stiles’ face as he looks around at the four of us “I think something worse. A lot worse.”

He picks up the duffle bag and sets it on the table before Ethan and Aiden start pulling items out. Items like rope, duck tape, metal chain, and a metal looking rope.

I cross my arms standing on one side of the table watching as they pull stuff out of the bag but also watching as Stiles paces back and forth behind them.

The look on his face is one I can’t quite place. I furrow my brows when he notices my eyes on him. 

He stops his pacing and crosses his arms over his front, lifting one arm to move his fingers against the side of his face **_in true Stiles fashion, but it’s off_**

Aiden lifts another item out of the bag, stating “What the hell were you doing? Building a Terminator?”

Stiles moves his eyes from me and over to him with a sigh “Thank you for that” 

Scott pulls out a piece of paper and gains my attention “Guys, this is a map” he sets it on the table in front of me and Stiles walks over, setting his hands on the table across from me.

Ethan points along the red line going across one of the trails “Isn’t that the cross country trail?”

I uncross my arms and point to one spot in particular “That’s the Tate car.”

Scott looks over and mutters “Where Malia Tate’s family died–”

Stiles nods and croaks out “You mean that’s where her father put the steel jawed traps.”

I flick my eyes up to him quickly, instantly hating the way he said those words.

***

Since the cross country team already piled in the bus to head to the trail, we rush out to the parking lot. Ethan and Scott take off running into the woods to head one way while Stiles, Aiden, and I head in the jeep to head the other way. 

We pull off the road, seeing Coach where he usually waits with his stopwatch for the runners to circle back towards the starting line. 

We hop out of the jeep and run towards him as Stiles shouts “Coach!”

Coach turns around taking in the three of us before he settles his eyes on Stiles “Stilinski–”

We come to a stop in from of him as Stiles states “Whoa– Coach, listen close” 

He fills him in on how we need to stop everyone running because of the traps **_least confusing thing to tell him_**

Coach doesn’t take much convincing before we rush down the path the runners will be headed down, trying to cut them off before where we suspect the danger zone is.

We break through the trees and see Scott and Kira with the rest of the team coming up quickly behind them. We quicken our pace, running even faster as Stiles bellows “Scott!”

Kira and him turn around to look at us closing in on them. They move their worried eyes between the four of us before Stiles throws his arm out across me. My hands land on his arm with the force of stopping my steps immediately, before he shouts louder “Stop, stop, stop!”

Coach and Aiden listen before Stiles lifts his other arm towards the group coming up behind Scott and Kira “Everyone, stop!”

Stiles drops his arm from in front of me and bends forward, digging around in the leaves before he finds a metal ring buried in the leaves. 

I look across over to Scott and Ethan before sharing a look with Aiden as Stiles pulls the ring up, revealing a metal chain link attached to it. 

He continues to pull it up slowly, gathering the chain in his hands as he moves his slow steps forward with each pull upwards. 

Stiles comes to the end of the link and another metal ring dangles in the air before he looks around completely confused. 

Coach claps, moving more towards the middle of our groups, as he sarcastically quips “Congratulations, Stilinski. You found a length of chain.”

He comes to stand closer to me as he turns towards Scott “Can somebody now please tell me what the hell’s going on?”

“Hey, Coach!” Scott bellows with his eyes by our feet. Looking down I see a clear trip wire that Coach went and got all close and personal with.

We hear a release from behind us and I turn just in time to feel a sting on my arm. I release a hiss as I lift it up and notice a slice in the sleeve of my shirt on my arm. I wasn’t directly hit but the arrow was nice and sharp as it sliced me on its path to Coach’s abdomen.

Blood immediately follows the pain **_it’s real shitty that I wore my peach colored long sleeve henley_**

Coach however gains my attention when he mumbles “Oh, crap”

I drop my arm to the side as we watch Coach fall to the ground before he passes out. We rush forward and drop down on all sides around him as the rest of the team gather in a big group around us.

Scott sets his hand on my arm as he gets situated in a kneel next to me.

Stiles moves his eyes from Scott’s hand to my arm, brow twitching slightly, before he shifts on his feet to keep his hands on Coach’s abdomen.

Scott hisses before he gasps softly and the stinging pain with the slice on my arm vanishes. 

I jerk my arm back with a gasp looking at it in shock. “Scott you didn’t have–” Scott interrupts as he grabs my sleeve in both hands and rips it just below my shoulder, tying it around my bicep as he mutters just above a whisper “We need to keep pressure on it.” 

I nod watching him knot the sleeve in the makeshift bandage before we jump back as Coach wakes up with a scream, which he continues on with before he starts to really freak out “Get it out of me! Get it out of me. Get it out of me”

“Coach” we attempt but he continues to shout “Oh, my God, I’m gonna die– get it out of me! I’m gonna die!”

“Coach– Coach, you’re not gonna die” Stiles tries as he keeps pressure on the area around the wound while Aiden and I set our hands on his shoulders and Scott sets his on his leg.

“I’m gonna die!” Coach shouts towards us with his wide eyes and we attempt to keep him laying down and not put so much strain on his ab muscles.

Stiles shares a look with Scott, that if I wasn’t looking directly at I would of missed. Scott looks between the arrow and Coach’s arm and Stiles nods ever so slightly.

“It will hurt less if you stop moving, Coach.” Aiden tries with Coach not listening “Get that thing out of me!”

I shake my head and lean into his vision “we can’t get it out of you Coach, we could do more damage that way”

He furrows his angry, pain filled brows at me “You’re on my list She-McCall”

I roll my eyes, sitting back on my heels and set my hands on his shoulder again, as Aiden tries to break through his shouts one more time “Stay still, Coach. An ambulance is coming.”

“Get it out! I’m gonna die!” Coach again bellows before Aiden notices Scott’s plan. He lifts his arms up and shouts to the people standing behind us “Get back! Get back! Give him some room! Get back!”

Ethan, Danny, and Kira direct the group far enough away that no one will be able to see. I shift closer to Scott to block his arms as he grasps Coach’s hand in between both of his.

Scott begins to gasp and pant through the pain he’s taking away from Coach and I attempt to be the voice of reason “Scott–” **_third person he’s taken pain away from today, can’t be good for him_**

Scott either can’t hear me or ignores me as he tilts his head forward, gasping quickly through the pain as the black lines go through the veins in his hand. Coach stops moving and his head lulls to the side.

Aiden breathes out quickly “I think he just passed out.”

Stiles lifts his hands from Coach’s abdomen and looks at his shaky bloody hands before shaking them over Coach “I could have killed him. I could have killed him, right? What if it was his head or his throat”

Scott pants out through a shake of his head as he looks up to Stiles “But it wasn’t. And he’s going to be alright.”

He swallows hard listening to Scott’s words before he looks over to me “Jesus Adds, if you were standing a few inches closer– I– I could have killed you”

I attempt to smile reassuringly **_but the way he said my name was off_**

Instead, I shake my head and lift my injured arm out to my side “Stiles this wasn’t _your_ doing and I’m okay”

His brow twitches as he looks between my eyes and my arm like he doesn’t believe me.

“I think I just heard an ambulance coming” Aiden sits up straighter before we hear the siren on a Sheriff’s SUV earring Stiles to sigh out “And my dad.”

***

Paramedics arrived and decided I needed some stitches **_8 to be exact, bastards_**

So while two were getting Coach stable and on the stretcher, one decided to and I quote “save a trip to the hospital and knock those little suckers out real quick” **_it might have been quick, but it still fucking hurt_**

Bandage on and bloody sleeve discarded, I head over to Scott who is standing by Stiles’ jeep. 

On my way over I notice Noah and Stiles talking over by Noah’s SUV, he looks over to me quickly before looking back to his dad. They exchange a few more words before they embrace in a hug. 

I open the passenger door to put my zip up sweatshirt I left on the seat back on and hide my bloody one sleeve fashion statement.

Finishing zipping it up halfway, I hear Ethan whisper shout from the back “Addy, Scott– you guys better come look at this”

Scott shares a look with me through the driver side window before I shove my hands in my sweatshirt pockets andwalk around the back.

We both come to a stop next to Ethan, who lifts up a box of nails and bolts while I reach over and pick up the roll of wrapping paper. 

Scott touches one end and mumbles “This is the same wrapping paper we used for Coach’s birthday present”

Ethan shakes his head looking between us with his rushed out questions “Wasn’t that William Barrow’s thing? A bomb made from nails and bolts all wrapped in a birthday present?– Where did it go off?”

I move my horror filled eyes over my shoulder to Stiles before gasping softly and looking back to Scott and Ethan as I digress “On a school bus.”

***

About the time we finish telling Noah about the possible bomb threat on a school bus, he gets a call about said bomb threat because Jared picked up a present wrapped box on the bus ride to school this morning.

We head back to the school with our police escorts driving in front of us as we ride in Stiles’ jeep.

It’s mass chaos once we’re at the school, but we manage to make our way through the crowd, standing on the grass behind the walkway railing that’s in front of where the buses park. 

Scott were-heard Parrish explaining to Noah that he served two years in the army with bomb training. He’s getting suited up to at least figure out if what’s in the package on Jared’s lap is an actual bomb or not while we wait for the bomb squad.

Noah tells the crowd we’re with to scoot back farther, once we do as he says he places his hands on the railing and nods to Parrish.

Parrish returns the nod before he steps onto the bus slowly making his back towards Jared, who’s sitting in one of the back aisles.

Scott recounts how Parrish is trying to keep Jared calm enough to not throw up on the potential explosive device. 

I resist the urge to chuckle _**poor jared** _before Scott continues, reiterating how Parrish is talking about how he does look young but he’s actually twenty four, and how anyone can look young if they eat right and exercise. 

Scott’s attention turns back to the bus when he mutters that he heard a cut of the scissors through what we’re guessing is the ribbon.

Noah’s radio clicks and we hear Parrish’s voice “It’s not a bomb sir, but there is something in the box”

Standing next to me, Stiles brings his hands together in front of him and moves his fingers around nervously. I furrow my brows as we watch Parrish stand up in the bus and move towards the front, smashing the item up against the front window for Noah to see.

It’s his Sheriff Stilinski placard that’s usually on his desk in his office at the station. Scott turns to his right to share a wide eyed look with me before looking across me towards Stiles.

I also turn my head Stiles’ way and he moves his eyes from Scott to connect with mine. He doesn’t look as worried as we do and I make a noise pointing towards the bus “If that wasn’t a bomb, was that a clue to where the _actual_ fucking bomb is?”

I turn to face Scott again, hoping to confirm my way of thinking before he looks back to the bus and mutters just above a whisper, “The Sheriff’s station.” 

***

Hauling ass down to the Sheriff’s station, we notice as soon as we get there the definite signs of the explosion we’ve been chasing all fucking day.

We run inside and tears well in my eyes immediately at the bodies either slowly moving, or not moving at all on the floor around us. 

I reach a hand up to cover my mouth as we hear Noah shouting into his radio “Get me an ambulance here, at the sheriff’s station. We’ve got an explosion. We got multiple officers down. Multiple officers down. We need an ambulance A.S.A.P. On the double”

I notice Chris and Derek standing by the window to Noah’s office, furrowing my brows as to why they’re here before I hear a noise to my left. 

I turn and immediately reach my hands out, helping one of the deputies as she was trying to stand up. Her legs shake before she squeezes my hands in thanks and nods before she continues walking down the hall to get outside.

Stiles falls onto his knees on the ground a few steps away to another deputy who’s laying on his back with blood covering his abdomen and coming out of his nose and mouth. 

Stiles looks up to me and flicks his gaze behind me “Scott? Scott?”

Scott sets his hand on my shoulder as we move forward and I kneel next to Stiles who shakes his head Scott’s way across from us “Can you do something? Take his pain? Anything to make it easier?”

I draw my brows in immediately as confusion crashes over me. I shake my head at Scott but he doesn’t see as he moves his scared eyes over the bleeding deputy and reaches forward to grasp his hand between both of his.

I make a noise and lean forward “Scott– don’t, you’ve”

Stiles flicks his head over to me, tilting it to the side slightly “He’s dying Addy, in agony. Why wouldn’t you want Scott to help?”

I sit back on my heels and flick my eyes towards Stiles with his words **_you’re definitely not my Stiles– hello Void_**

Scott scrunches his face up in pain, grunting and trying to breathe as the black veins once again go up his hands and arms. 

The deputy chokes on the blood that’s continuing to fill his lungs and come out of his mouth. He attempts to sit up and looks over to Scott before he lays back against the ground, his body sagging to the side as the life drains from him completely.

Scott sets his hand back against his body as he pants out quick breaths and we all look on with sad eyes at witnessing him dying before our very eyes.

Noah starts to throw his arm in our direction yelling at us to go away from the scene, that we don’t need to see this.

Scott reaches over and grabs Stiles’ arm, standing up with me as we make our way out of the room.

Our steps are stopped, however, when Kira runs up behind us and states quickly “The Oni– they’re coming” 

I set my hand on his arm and pull him towards the door “Stiles, we gotta get you out of here” because despite thinking he’s not actually here right now, I don’t want to know what the Oni do to someone when they find the Nogitsune possessing them.

It’s raining now as we rush outside to the parking lot. Scott and Kira climb in the back of the Jeep while I climb in the front and Stiles starts it up, leaving as soon as we’re buckled to head to Deaton’s.

We fill Kira in on as much, hearing her make a noise before she questions “It’s an animal clinic?”

Scott chimes in “Yeah, the place is lined with mountain ash. Just like our house. It will buy us some time”

“But they _can_ get through it?” Stiles lifts a hand off the wheel to share his worried words and I nod gaining his attention as I state “eventually”

Stiles makes a face before he looks to the road quickly and grumbles towards us “Nobody’s got any better ideas?”

At the looks we offer and silence that follows, he nods his head to the side “Okay, sure– animal clinic”

Stiles parks and we run through the pouring down rain towards the back door into the clinic. 

Trying the handle and finding it locked, I turn around with Scott as soon as we hear the familiar shrill snarl of the Oni in the dark shadows behind us.

Four of them materialize from their black smoke and take a few steps towards us. Scott turns, pushing me back as he sets the keys in Stiles’ hand and urges “Stiles, get inside”

Stiles turns towards the door and attempts to unlock it before Scott transforms and turns back to the Oni with a deep growl.

Stiles gets the door unlocked and turns towards me, setting his hand on my arm and pulling me towards him. 

He guides me out of the pouring rain and inside before he leans back out of the door “Hey, Kira, get inside! Kira!”

I step closer to the door asking "What’s she doing?” When he reaches out quickly and sets his hand right over where my stitches are.

I gasp through a squeak of pain as he tightens his hold on my arm, bringing me closer as he states “I know you _know_ , your face has given it away _all_ day”

Closing my mouth, I breathe in deeply through my nose to not show how much pain he’s drawing with his hold on me.

He smirks and twitches his brow as he continues “Though I am thoroughly curious as to why you didn’t say anything to Scott and also why you were _so adamant_ to save me from the Oni out there…”

He increases his hold on my arm and I know he’s broken a few of the stitches open, as he pulls me closer to him. I grit my teeth before answering him “Because until we know how to get _you_ out of Stiles, I’m not going to let you kill _him._ ”

His smirk deepens and his eyes darken “Oh little dove, you have no idea how wrong you are.”

He releases me and I step back immediately crashing my hip into one of the tables as I lift my hand over my now bleeding arm again.

He chuckles and wipes a hand over his face, and up into his wet hair before he states with a point towards me “Just keep doing what you did all day and I won’t _kill_ your brother.”

He looks at me for a moment, waiting for my reluctant subtle nod before he runs back out into the rain. 

He comes back inside a moment later with Kira as they carry Scott in between them **_who has one of the Oni swords in his abdomen_**

I gasp and step towards them as they walk inside “Scott!”

They lead him over to one of the metal tables and he leans back against it.

Scott sets his hands down on the table on either side of him, grunting through the pain as he looks down to his stomach and I rush over in front of him.

He takes in a few quick breathes as he groans and nods towards me before I set my hands on the handle.

Scott lets out a grunt as he prepares for the pain of the sword being removed.

I adjust to get better grips with both hands, before a hand is slammed down onto my wrist, squeezing hard and lifting my hand up off the sword.

Kira steps closer, earning Void to quickly turn towards her and smash her head down into the other table, knocking her out cold as she falls onto the ground near us.

Scott moves his shocked eyes from Kira on the floor and up to me **_something you should know about our friend_**

Void tightens his fingers around my wrist as he pulls me a few steps away from Scott. He lifts his other hand over to rub the back of his finger down my cheek “That’s enough helping, little dove.”

I jerk my head away from him with a deep glare, earning him to smirk my way before letting me go and turning to Scott.

I take a step closer, however, he quickly turns around and points towards my face again “Remember what I said before I went outside?” I swallow hard and clench my teeth before offering him a nod.

Scott slightly drops open his mouth in shock before Void walks over and drums his fingers on the handle of the sword still in Scott’s abdomen. He lifts his hands out and connects his eyes with Scott’s “You okay?”

Scott takes a deep gasp in before shaking his head slightly “Please don’t. Stop”

Void leans closer and tries to reassure “It’s okay.” before he grasps the handle in one hand and reaches his left hand over, placing it on Scott’s shoulder. 

He moves his eyes between Scott and the handle twice before he makes a calculated face and turns the blade in Scott’s stomach.

Scott immediately gasps and groans loudly with the onslaught of pain. I cover my mouth with my hand, tears gathering in my eyes with his screams of pain as Void continues to twist the sword and taunt “Does it hurt?” 

I move to take a step forward, gaining Void’s attention immediately. He clicks his tongue and flicks his eyes between me and Kira “stay over there or I will gladly offer you the same evening blackout ticket, little dove”

Scott groans as he rushes out “Stop calling her that! Addy– Addy, listen to him– I’m fine– ahh”

Void looks back to him “Hey, look at me. You should have done your reading, my dear McCall twins. See, a Nogitsune feeds off chaos, strife and pain.” **_we’ve gathered as much_**

Void tilts his head to the side as he continues, directing his words towards Scott “This morning, you took it from Isaac, then you took it from our dear sweet Addy, before you took it from Coach– and then from a dying deputy. All that _pain_. You took it _all_ ”

He reaches up and places his hand against the side of Scott’s face “Now– give it to _me”_ Scott drops his mouth open, almost choking as I watch the black lines move off of Scott and up Void’s hand, he pants quickly through the absorbing of all the pain and chaos he created today.

Scott gasps once Void has apparently taken it all back from him. Void smirks and readjusts his hand on Scott’s shoulder before shaking his head “You really have to learn, Scott. You really have to learn not to trust a fox.”

He gets a twisted smile on his face before he laughs slightly and shakes a finger towards Scott’s face. He shifts on his feet and sets his hand back on Scott’s shoulder as he continues “Mmm-mmm. Know why? ‘Cause they’re tricksters. They’ll _fool_ you. They’ll fool _everyone_.”

“Not everyone” comes a reply behind us. We turn and see Deaton just before he jams a needle into Stiles’ neck, earning him choke slightly as whatever was in the needle rushes through his system. He grabs ahold of Deaton’s arm weakly before he falls to the ground completely unconscious.

Holding my wrist I step up behind Deaton as he comes to a stop in front of Scott, silently asking for permission to remove the abdomen imbedded sword.

Scott nods and breathes quickly as Deaton sets one hand on the handle of the sword and the other on Scott’s chest before he pulls the sword out as quickly and smoothly as he can.

Scott clenches his teeth and throws his head back with the pain it brings. He leans forward and I move over to set my hands on his shoulders. He brings one hand around my back, trying to catch his breath as he heals.

We turn to look at Stiles’ body lying on the floor by our feet. Scott looks to Deaton as he points to the ground “What was that?”

I look over to Deaton to continue the line of questioning “Was that a cure? Is he okay?”

Deaton breathes out deeply and shakes his head “The fox is poisoned. But it’s not dead– not yet”


	44. Echo House

Scott and I pull up just behind Noah’s car as him and Stiles are shutting their doors. We hop off his bike and walk over to them, Scott wasting no time in stating “Why didn’t you tell us?” **  
**

Stiles attempts to look our way, however he can’t maintain eye contact with either of us ** _and it completely breaks my heart_**

Noah nods towards us “Because we wanted to avoid something like this–”

Stiles shakes his head slightly to add “It’s only seventy two hours”

I make a noise of disagreement as I try to make him see where we’re coming from “This is the same place where Barrow came from–”

“The guy who had a tumor inside him filled with flies,” Scott finishes my train of thought before he flicks his head over to Noah quickly “You don’t know everything yet”

Noah furrows his brows to argue “I know enough. Nogitsunes, Kitsunes, Oni, or whatever they’re called”

Stiles makes an impressed face as he turns to his dad “Wow, that was actually all surprisingly correct”

Noah turns back to us and softens his face “Guys, I saw an MRI that looked exactly like my wife’s– and it terrifies me. I’m headed down to L.A. tomorrow to talk to a specialist”

“Then why are you putting him in here?” Scott counters, which earns Stiles to shake his head and state “He’s not. It was my decision” **_well then fuck that decision_**

Having enough of this crazy idea I step forward, if only to shut my nerves up “Stiles–”

I wait until he hesitantly moves his eyes over to connect with mine before I continue “Deaton found a way to keep Void at bay, alright we have time to figure this all out”

Scott nods and steps up beside me “Stiles, we can’t help you if you’re in here”

"And I can’t hurt either of you again” **_fuck, he is one stubborn butthead_**

“Stiles, that wasn’t _you_ doing any of that yesterday” I stress with as much conviction as I can.

He flicks his eyes to the exact spot the arrow sliced me on my arm before dropping his eyes to my wrist, which I immediately pull my sleeve down to cover the bruise that formed.

A broken look flashes over his face when he connects his eyes with mine, stating just above a whisper “Adds– I may not have made the decision to do any of it, but it was still me. It was still my body, my actions, my voice–”

Stiles’ voice cracks on the last word as he closes his eyes and drops his head forward. 

I feel my nose tingle as tears well in my eyes and I will them away as I take the few steps forward that put me right in front of him. 

I reach my hand forward, setting it softly against the side of his face as I gently lift his head to make him look at me again.

“Stiles– the eyes that looked at me yesterday were not yours. They were dark and cold and _everything_ you’re not. They were not the vibrant full of life ones that are looking at me _right_ now. I will not let you take on the burden of what he did. It was _not_ _you_.”

Stiles leans his head into my palm as he draws his _at a loss for what to do_ brows in. He brings his hand up, wrapping it around my wrist with a featherlight touch.

He rubs his thumb back and forth on my wrist as I shake my head and continue “Stiles– you can’t go in there, okay every nerve in my body is screaming at me to _not_ let you go in there. This is more than me just not wanting you to make this decision– this is my _gut_ feeling you are always telling me to listen to. _Please_ don’t do this.” 

Scott clears his throat as he softly states behind me “Listen to her man– all right, Deaton’s got some ideas. Argent’s calling people. We’re gonna find something. And if we can’t–”

Stiles flicks his eyes from me and over to Scott before setting his hand on my waist to take a step past me. 

He steps right up in front of Scott to whisper clear as day “If you can’t– if you can’t, then you have to do something for me, okay? Make sure I _never_ get out.” 

I let out a shaky breath as I turn towards him with his statement. He swallows hard before he walks past me, grazing my hand with his on his way back to his dad.

Noah reluctantly holds out his arm for his son to follow him up the steps “Come on”

Scott walks the few steps over to stand next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into his side as we watch them walk up the stairs to Eichen House.

I sniffle quietly and set my hands over my face, wiping over my eyes before I turn to Scott “We _have_ to do something, Scotty.”

He smiles sadly and nods his head back towards his bike “I know– let’s go.”

Scott and I head to Deaton’s, having Allison meet us there. Deaton is on the phone with Chris, who was at the station yesterday because Void has set him and Derek up for Katashi’s murder. 

Katashi is otherwise known as Silverfinger and who Chris and Allison went to meet the night we were dealing with the Oni at the house. 

Chris informed Deaton of where he could find the poison for Void he injected into Stiles last night, also called Wolf Lichen

Deaton traveled all the way to Japan for the lichen strand **_and I’ve never been more grateful for him_**

Deaton puts the call on speaker phone for us all to hear Chris as he questions “Did you have any trouble with Ikeda?”

"Only minor– the white wolf was exactly where you said it would be. But we have two problems now– first the lichen is not a cure. It’ll wear off in a matter of days”

Chris’ voice comes on the line “But while it does work, the Oni won’t go after Stiles, right?”

“I hope. Eichen House has an unusual history. It might not be all that safe for the Oni there as well”

"What’s the second problem?” Chris’ voice filters though the room and Deaton sets his linked hands on the desk “I checked with your contacts in Japan– the Yakuza Boss you saw killed by the Oni never found the scroll.”

“What scroll?” Scott inquires, earning Deaton’s eyes to move towards us as he answers “A Shugendo Scroll. The Shugendo were the ascetic mystics of Japan–”

Chris finishes “The scroll had information on how to exorcise a Nogitsune.”

“So we need to find that scroll” I state quickly.

Deaton nods and continues more towards Chris “Exactly– and I did get a name of the man who last purchased it. Kincaid”

Allison leans forward “He was with Katashi. He’s the guy who met with Isaac to buy the gun.”

Deaton looks up towards her “Sounds like Katashi wanted the scroll for himself.”

Chris’ voice filters through the speaker phone “But Stilinski already told me nothing like it was found among his things. And a paranoid like Katashi would keep it close. Probably on him at all times.”

“What does a Shugendo Scroll look like?” Ally inquires with a furrow of her brows.

Deaton stands up and walks to the table behind his desk, opening a drawer and turning back to hand a scroll back to her “Something like this…”

Ally looks it over and flicks her eyes back up to Deaton “Do these come in different sizes?”

Deaton draws his brows in as he looks between us and states “Any size.”

Ally raises her brows and sends a hopeful look over towards Scott and I “Then I think I know where it might be.”

***

_Stiles POV_

It took exactly ten hours, all of which included witnessing a man committing suicide in the stairwell on my way to my room, seeing my roommate tied down in a five point harness, and no sleep because I forgot my fucking pillow, for me to come to my senses that I was an idiot for thinking this place was a good idea. 

I saw him in the stairwell in the crowd of people. 

The Nogitsune. 

Even with the crap Deaton injected me with to poison him, he’s still here. I still see him and I know he’s waiting just behind the line the poison drew to come back to the surface. 

To take over and hurt the people I love most in my life.

Why I didn’t listen to Addy and her spot on gut feeling, is beyond me.

Oliver– the roommate– interrupts my stare out the window when he asks “have you been awake all night?”

I raise me brows quickly as I nod “I can’t sleep without my pillow.”

He coughs a pretty nasty sounding cough as a response and I look over to him raising my brows “You okay?”

“I swallowed a bug the other day. You ever do that? I keep coughing. Like it’s still in my throat”

Disgust is probably all over my face as I scrunch my brows together “That’s disgusting, Oliver– you don’t have any idea when they unlock the doors, do you?”

Like they heard my question, footsteps sound on the other side of the door and a lock clicking sounds around our room.

“Now” he states the obvious.

Once the door to our room opens, I have Oliver agree to take me to a phone because I need out of dodge right fucking now.

He leads me outside and through the covered walkway pointing to the other people inhabiting this place they call Echo House. 

Oliver informed it’s because of how it was built, the hallways inside leave it possible for echos to carry from one side to the other. 

Oliver shrugs “Most of the people here are okay. The violent ones are in the closed unit.” 

He points to certain people as we walk past them and mutters close to me “That’s Hillary. She has OCD– that’s Gary, he thinks he’s Jesus Christ. Dan– also Jesus. That’s Mary–”

“Mary Magdalene?” I cut in and he shakes his head “No, she also thinks she’s Jesus. You’d be surprised how many Jesus’ we get”

I make a face, not surprised in the slightest “Not really.”

"Hey, how come you want to use the phone already?” Oliver turns to me once we find the payphone, though it’s being used by another one of the patients.

I sigh and look around us, resisting the urge to just make a run for it “'Cause after one night, I’ve changed my mind about this place being safe for me. Or anyone– ever.”

The woman at the payphone grabs my attention when I hear her mutter just above a whisper “No. No, I think you’re wrong. I really think I should tell them. They’re going to want to know the story. The _whole_ story.”

I furrow my brows with her words before she gains my attention even further when she continues “I really think they should know. Yes, I do. One of them is standing _right behind me_ ”

She hangs up the phone, turning and keeping her eyes cast down towards the ground as she walks past us and back the way we had come from.

I point towards her, directing my words to Oliver “Who was that?”

We walk over towards the phone and I pick it up as he answers "That’s Meredith. She’s a little weird” he states and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. 

I do however level him with a look “You’re a little weird. She’s a lot weird.”

I lift the phone to one ear, attempting to get a dial tone before I click the receiver where the phone hangs on. Getting absolutely nothing, I sigh with the realization “It’s dead”

“Yeah. They turn off all the phones for twenty four hours after a suicide” Oliver states like it wasn’t a huge waste of time to walk all the way over here to get literally no where.

My eyes follow Meredith’s retreating steps, wondering if the phone is dead, who the fuck was she talking to? Lifting my eyes back over to Oliver I grit out “Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

He just shrugs “Why didn’t you ask?”

Licking my lips to distract from wanting to punch this otherwise innocent person, I huff as I hang the phone back on the receiver and head back onto the covered patio hallway.

Oliver is right behind me when he inquires “What are you going to do now?”

Not stopping my steps I inform “I’m getting out of this nuthouse.”

Oliver falls in step with me as he corrects over my shoulder “That’s not really the appropriate way to describe a facility like this…”

Noticing the familiar face I thought I saw last night before suicide staircase happened, I stop my steps with a furrow of my brows, questioning “Malia?” 

She turns around and I wave slightly “Hey. It’s Stiles” I state with a point to my chest.

She just continues to stare at me, so I elaborate “Do you remember me? I’m friends with Scott and Addy. Remember– we were the ones who helped you out with–”

Her fist connecting with my jaw, stops my words as I’m thrown to the side and land on all fours with the distortion of that actually happening. 

“Hey, Malia!” A couple of orderlies rush over to grab her arms, forcing her onto the ground 

An orderly knocks me to the ground as well, laying me on my stomach before he pulls my arms behind my back. I attempt to fight back "Hey, what the hell? She hit me!”

Another orderly rushes over to help with containing her as the one who is already holding her grunts out “A few more like this, Malia, and you’re headed to the closed unit.”

They pull her away and the one with me still hasn’t figured out I was an innocent bystander in the face punching, so I try again "Okay, wait, wait, wait. Stop. I didn’t do anything”

I continue to grunt with the pain he’s causing in my shoulders as I shout “Stop!”

Lifting my cheek off the ground my eyes take in the metal grate I’m laying on. It feels like all the air rushes out of my lungs with the gut punch of remembering where I’ve seen this grate with tiny circles all over it before.

The other night when the Nogitsune had me sleep walk into the woods and convinced me I was laying in a basement with a steel trap attached to one of my legs.

Holy fucking shit.

A woman’s voice bellows behind the crowd that has gathered around us “Enough!”

Whoever was holding me down, gets up immediately with her words and backs away. 

My shocked eyes are still on the grate below me, wondering what the hell the Nogitsune is playing at. Did he want me here, did I subconsciously make the decision to admit myself in here because _he_ put that thought in my head.

My line of internal questioning is broken when I hear her voice closer now since she made a gap in the crowd of people. She comes to a stop in front of me “Enough”

Keeping my eyes on the grate, I set my hands next to my knees as I try to work through everything that has come to light just within these last thirty seconds.

The crowd is slowing dispersing when she states softly “Stiles” just before she kneels next to me. 

I lift my eyes from the grate and am slightly shocked to see the face of our old guidance counselor Ms. Morrell kneeling next to me.

I jerk my head back with a furrow of my brows as she continues “You saw something, didn’t you?”

I release a shaky breath before I digress “That basement. I’ve been down there before”

Both of our eyes move to the grate that is just above the basement that I know all too well, for never actually being here before.

***

_Stiles POV_

After being punched for whatever reason, finding out Morrell also works here, being enlightened to the fact that I was psychologically tortured in the basement, and having lunch I’m now sitting in a group therapy circle talk– hating every minute if you couldn’t gather.

Morrell begins the discussion “I want to go back to the topic of guilt today. It might surprise you to hear me say that guilt is a good thing. It’s a rather mature emotion”

Malia flicks her eyes over to me and I don’t really offer any emotion on my face before I drop my eyes to the ground and hear Morrell continue “Malia, you said something about guilt the other day. You said it came with a visceral reaction.”

“I said it made me feel sick to my stomach” Malia fills in before Oliver coughs next to me a few times.

“Guilt often becomes physical. You feel it in your gut. It’s not just psychological.” I lean forward with Morrell’s words, however, muttering behind me gains my attention and I turn to look over my shoulder. 

The sound drowns out around me when I notice a patient talking to a doctor, however the doctor isn’t a doctor. 

His head is wrapped in the same bandages that the Nogitsune has been wrapped in every time I have seen him in my head. He turns his bandaged cover head my direction and I see his mouth, showing off his dark silver fangs.

I turn back around on a gasp as I face the circle again and Morrell’s voice breaks through “How does guilt make you feel, Stiles?”

Realizing she said my name I lift my eyes from the floor to connect with hers as I croak out “I’m sorry, what?”

“Guilt. What does it make you feel?” She tries again softly and I shake my head once as I breathe out shakily “Nervous.”

“Like a sense of urgency? You feel an urgent need to make up for something you’ve done.” She tries to get me to engage in any type of agreement to the words she’s saying, however, movement from my peripheral gains all my attention. 

The Nogitsune walks out from behind a pillar and I see him in all his bandaged self glory as Morrell continues “To apologize. These are healthy responses”

I turn my attention back to the circle in front of me, leaning my elbows on my knees that I start bouncing as the feeling to get the hell out of here grows stronger by the second.

“Does anyone know what we call someone who doesn’t experience guilt?” Morrell asks the group and I watch as Oliver raises his hand slightly “Sociopath”

She nods, offering an encouraging smile “That’s right, Oliver.”

I drop my head forward and rub the back of my neck roughly, it feels like the shit Deaton injected me with is itching or wearing off. Which is either true or I’m losing my mind.

“I’m sorry, everyone, but we need to take a break,” Morrell’s voice cuts through the quiet of the room, and we all look over to her. 

She closes her binder that was in her lap and comes to stand in front of me as she mutters “Come with me, Stiles. I’d like to talk to you for a minute.”

Morrell leads me to her office and I fill her in on the Nogitsune, the shot Deaton gave me, and a brief summary of what’s been happening. 

She listens intently before she tells me to turn around and show her the mark on my back that she can clearly see running up my neck.

I do as she asks, holding the back of my shirt up against my shoulder as she runs her fingers over the mark and states “It’s called a Lichtenberg figure. They appear on lightning strike victims”

I drop my shirt and turn back to face her as she sets her hands on her hips, tilting her head to the side “The fact that they’re appearing on you after a shot of Wolf Lichen is both significant and strange…”

She turns to walk towards a white cabinet against the wall that she unlocks and starts looking on the shelves. 

I lift my hands out to my side as I make a face and quip back “By significant and strange do you mean hopeful and optimistic?”

With her back still facing me, she looks at the two bottles in her hands and states “When the marks fade, the Nogitsune’s grip over you– will return,” she looks over her shoulder with her words, closing the cabinet forcefully before she walks over towards me and reaches one of the bottles out.

I grab the bottle from her and raise it slightly in question “What are these? Sleeping pills?”

“Amphetamines,” she corrects “Sleeping is exactly what you _don’t_ want to do. You’re vulnerable when you’re asleep.”

Furrowing my brows I look to the bottle in my hand “So all I have to do is stay awake?”

“For now.” She states, earning me to lift my eyes to connect with hers before she continues “If your friends haven’t figured out something by the time those marks are gone, I’ll come find you.”

"To tell me what to do?” I ask hopefully before she crushes that dream with her answer “No, to give you an injection. Pancuronium Bromide” She informs as she looks to her hand, lifting the other bottle she was holding in her other hand up between us before she elaborates “It causes respiratory paralysis.”

Narrowing my eyes I tilt my head to the side slightly “That sounds a lot like death.”

“It’s used for lethal injection, yes.” She states like my death sentence isn’t a major life change for me.

Having enough of her emissary bullshit, I don’t even hide my frustration her words are bringing on “So when the Nogitsune takes over, you’re going to _kill_ me?”

“I’m going to do what I’ve always done. _Maintain the balance”_ she informs and I take a deep breath in and turn to walk towards her office door “Okay then. I’ve missed our talks– thanks for the illicit drugs–” 

“Stiles” her voice halts my steps, however I keep my back towards her as she continues "Stay awake”

I don’t offer her anything else before I continue my steps and leave her zero humanity presence.

I walk around a corner from the hallway and notice a white door at the other end. Assuming it’s the door to the basement, I look around at the deserted halls and walk towards the door. 

I lean my ear against it, hearing nothing, before I try the handle. Fucking thing is locked, so I try to jiggle the handle and hit the door– to do I’m not really sure what. 

However everything in my body is telling me I need to get down there. I need to know if I was ever down there, why the Nogitsune brought me there in my mind.

I hit the door a few more times when a voice behind me scares the shit out of me “What are you doing?”

I gasp and jerk back as I turn around and see Oliver standing there, looking like I scared him just as much with my reaction.

"I need to get through here– to the basement”

Oliver moves his eyes up to the door and back to me as he digresses “Doctors don’t even have a key to this door– only Brunski”

I draw my brows in as I turn back to him “Is that the head orderly?”

“He’s got keys to everything in here” Oliver happily informs before I continue “Does he keep them on him all the time?”

“If you want them, you’ll probably have to figure out a way to trick him” Oliver smiles like a little kid with a brilliant idea. 

I make a face and nod my head to the side “Well, part of me is getting very good at playing tricks” I state before walking past him and down the hall again.

I walk into the bathroom, opening the bottle Morrell gave me and taking a dose out. I turn the water on at the sink, gathering some water in my hand before bringing it up to my mouth and swallowing the water with the pills down.

Once they’re down, I look at my reflection and offer myself a little pep talk because shit is very real at this point “Okay. Okay, just got to stay awake, Stiles,” my eyes take in the reflection of the person just behind me as I attempt to continue stating “You just gotta stay–” nope that’s definitely not a dude. 

I turn around and it registers that Malia is in the shower, not a guy, at the same moment that I realize I’ve looking for too long.

I turn back facing the mirror and focus my eyes on my face. I hear her voice float across the room “Don’t worry, Stiles, you didn’t just accidentally walk into the girls room.”

"Thank God” I stress out and drop my eyes to the floor, clearing my throat and move to take steps towards the door.

Though my curiosity gets the better of me and I stop my steps with my back to the showers as I question “Umm– okay, so what– what are you doing in the boys room?”

“Showering” she states like it’s obvious and I roll my eyes “I can see that.” 

Realizing how that could be taken, I back track as I stumble out “Well I– I mean I _saw_ that. Well, actually I didn’t see _anything_ really. I just– there was too much steam to, uh– not that I would prefer there to be _less_ steam–”

“Stiles, I don’t care.” She calls from behind me and saves me from my rambling hole I’m digging myself in. 

Grimacing, I close my mouth and nod towards the ground before I hear her voice again “In the woods, there was no boys and girls room. And if you really need to know, they keep the water temperature in the girls room too low. It’s much hotter in here. Ever since I turned back to human, I just can’t seem to get warm.”

I rub a hand over my mouth and set my hands on my hips as I offer “Maybe you just have a low core temp. You know, you might just be sick or–”

“I used to have a fur coat” She deadpans and I make a face of agreement “Or, it could be– hey, it might be that. It’s probably that” I close my eyes, needing to get out of the awkward situation before I hear the water turn off.

I look over my shoulder and see her grab a towel before I turn back around towards the door.

“Now you’re staring” she taunts, earning me to shake my head as I look up at the ceiling “No, I’m not”

She comes to a stop just beside me, crossing her arms as he implores “Then what are you doing?”

Seeing her at least covered in her towel now, I let out a relieved breath before turning to connect my eyes with her "Uh– I was kind of wondering why you punched me”

“Did you think I was going to thank you?” she offers with zero intention of doing just that. 

I shake my head “No– well maybe. I mean we did kind of save your life, your dad was ready to kill you”

She nods “You’re right, Stiles. Thank you. Thanks for invading my home. For putting me on the run. For turning me back to human so that I could look at my father every day and try to figure out how to explain to him that the reason my sister and mother are dead is because I almost ate them on a full moon. Thank you so very much”

I feel as small as a bug with each statement of her words she said. I swallow hard and look to the side “We were just trying to help”

“You want to help me?– find a way to change me back”

I draw my brows in as an idea forms “You want to go back? To being a coyote?”

She grabs the front of my shirt and steps a little closer to me “What do you know?”

I nod towards her "I might know somebody who could teach you– how to change…”

“Okay. What do you want?” she wastes no time in trying to make a deal.

“I need to get into the basement. Which means that I need to get the _keys_ off of that orderly, the big one.”

“Brunski” she states knowing exactly who I mean and I nod “You help me, and I’ll help you.”

***

_Addy POV_

Lydia and I wait in the hall as Ally walks to the front door to open it for Scott, Aiden, and Ethan. 

She begins talking as soon as they walk inside and close the door behind them “My father said all of the Katashi evidence is being moved to a Federal Lockup by armored car tonight. Probably within the next few hours.”

She finishes as she comes to a stop next to me and turns to face the guys again.

Three sets of confused eyes move between the three of us, before Ethan raises his arms out to his side “We’re going to rob an armored car?”

I cross my arms over my front and sweet as pie digress “Weeeell, we’re going to try”

We walk into Chris’ office and fill the guys in on our plan we came up with. Scott takes it all in before he sets his hands on the desk and shakes his head “this is a really bad plan”

“It’s not that bad” Lydia offers, though even she doesn’t sound like she agrees with what she’s saying.

Ethan crosses his arms and walks around Scott, coming to a stop next to her as he shakes his head “It’s not that good”

I lean my hip against the desk next to Ally, facing everyone as I shrug “Come on guys, none of us knows the route they’re going to take. If Allison can get one of her dad’s GPS trackers on the armored car, then we can follow it.”

Ally nods and leans forward to point to a spot on the map in front of us on the desk “So when it gets here–”

“We attack them?” Ethan quips from the couch behind Scott and Lydia who turns around and shakes her head “No”

I clear my throat and fill in the rest of the plan “Your guys’ bikes will be in the middle of the road, looking like you guys got into an accident. And when the driver gets out to help–”

“We attack him” Ethan states again, earning Ally, Lyds, and I to turn towards him, exclaiming “No.”

Lydia takes a breath before she clarifies “You’ll _distract_ him and Scott will break open the back door.”

Scott raises his eyes from the desk to look between us, stating unreassuringly “I hope.”

Lydia shakes her head and looks to Aiden “And you’ll get Katashi’s finger.”

“It’s not his actual finger, is it?” he states earning Lydia to scoff “You are so out of our league”

I chuckle and fill them in “Katashi has a silver finger prosthetic, hence his nickname. Ally was brilliant as always, and we strongly believe that’s where the Shugendo Scroll that contains how to exorcise the Nogitsune is hidden”

He nods my way before questioning “Why aren’t we just going to Stilinski for help?” 

I shake my head, gaining his attention again “Because if he gets caught, then it’s the _Sheriff_ tampering with _Federal_ evidence– we can’t even think about putting him in that situation.”

Ally nods and looks around at everyone “Guys, this is going to work. We can do this. We’re losing Stiles. My Dad’s in jail for murder. We _need_ to do this.”

***

_Stiles POV_

Plan to snatch the keys from Brunski is in full operation mode as Oliver crashes into Malia, knocking her to the ground. A crowd of people gather around them, just like we hoped would happen, as he shouts “You’re lying, you’re a liar!”

Two orderlies run into the room “What the hell’s going on?” 

“You’re lying” Oliver again shouts before Malia returns with “Get this nut-job off of me”

The orderlies grab Oliver around his middle and his arms as they pull him off of her. He doesn’t relent with his shouts though “No! She said that they drill holes in your head. She said they’re gonna put a hole in my head!”

I step forward and hold my hand out to help her up. At least that’s what it looks like to everyone else. 

In reality of the con plan, she transfers the keys she took off Brunski and places them in my palm as she stands up next to me, catching her breath.

I pocket the keys in my sweatpants as we watch them pull Oliver away, his voice carrying over to us “Please, come on! Please, don’t– Please don’t drill a hole in my head”

I look over to her “You okay?”

Still catching her breath she looks between me and their retreating backs, nodding “Yeah”

Once the commotion dies down, and it looks to be clear enough for my next solo part of the plan, I head down the hallway and towards the locked door to the basement.

I grab the keys out of my pocket and take one more look around before I attempt to find the key to unlock the door.

After the first few not working I let out a sigh and grumble “Come on…”

I try a few more, looking over my shoulder at the empty hallway before flipping to another key, clenching my teeth as I mutter to the non unlocking door in front of me “Come on. I thought this guy had a key to everything–”

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I resist the urge to throw my elbow back when I hear “I do,” I lift my hand holding the keys up and he snatches them, before he continues “But nobody has the key to that room.”

He pulls me down the hall, leading me in a different direction than my room. Two of his orderly friends grab each of my arms as Brunski unlocks the door “Into the Quiet Room, little man.”

They walk me inside and Brunksi holds up the pill bottle from Morrell in his hand “Want to tell us where you got these?”

"A vending machine” I quip earning a sadistic smile to overcome Brunski’s face as he pulls a needle out of his pocket “I always love the sarcastic ones. Give him five of the Haldol”

He hands the needle over to the orderly next to me and it dawns on me what that might be. I start to fight in their arms “Wait. What’s that? Is that a sedative? Okay, hang on. Hang on!”

They increase their hold on me, preparing to inject that drug. I fight harder trying to make them listen to me “I can’t go to sleep. Okay, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Look– get off me, man!”

They jam the needle into the top of my ass, near my hip, and I grunt through the needle inducing pain that brings.

I fall to the ground as they let go of my arms, continuing to urge in a futile effort now that the drug is rushing through my system “I can’t go to sleep– you don’t understand–” 

I reach up, trying to keep hold of one of them before he knocks my arms down. With my hands on the ground, my arms become weaker and I’m no longer able to hold myself up.

I continue through panting, groggy breaths as I lay on the ground on my side “You don’t get it. I gotta stay awake. I gotta stay– I have to stay awake” the last few words are muttered just above a whisper as my eyes become too heavy to keep open.

My eyes snap open, however I’m not laying on the ground, I’m in a locker. I lift my arm up to run my fingers over the slates in the top that are letting a bit of the light in. I hit the door and it doesn’t budge, exactly like in my nightmares. 

I shake my head on a frantic whisper “No, no. Hey. Hey!”

My words get louder, as I hit my hands on the locked locker harder and faster “Hey. Hey, let me out! Let me out! Let me out!”

A shadow figure walks past the slates, taking the light away briefly and I jerk my head back watching the figure pass by. I’d recognize the way he walks, the shape of his bandaged head anywhere.

I release a shaky breath and look closer when I hear his grunt words echo around me “Let me in”

I set my hand on the locker and softly state “What– what do you mean?”

“You know” comes his ominous whisper reply that elicits a shiver to run down my spine.

Tears flood my eyes as I shake my head “Okay, fuck you and your stupid riddles.” 

I drop my head forward just before he slams a hand against the locker near me. 

The loud bang of his hand on the metal makes me jerk back into the locker, letting out a whimper before I hear his grating voice again “No riddle this time, Stiles. You know what it means…”

I release a shaky breath and mutter just above a whisper "Let me out. Just let me out” I hit the locker and shout towards him “Let me out. Just let me out!”

He returns with his own bellow, shoving his bandaged covered face against the slates of the locker “ _Let me in_!”

I jerk awake, shouting “No, no, no.”

It takes me a second to notice I’m no longer in the locker and Malia is kneeling next to me trying to calm my shouting, as I pant through trying to catch my breath “Shh! Hey, hey, hey. Shh! Shut up.” she finishes on a whisper and looks behind her.

I furrow my brows, swallowing thickly as I look up to her “How did you get in here?”

She smirks “I broke the lock. If I concentrate I can be pretty strong. Get up.” She moves to help me up and I groan with the drug wearing off effort before she states “There’s another way to the basement. Through the Closed Unit” she turns on her heels and walks out the door, throwing over her shoulder “Where they keep the real psychos.”

***

_Addy POV_

Ally, Scott, Kira and I are kneeling in between two cars a fair amount of distance away from where the armored truck is loading everything up.

Ally drops her scope on the bow in her hand down and looks to Kira who is holding the GPS tracker we need to place on said truck “You’re up”

Kira smiles with a nod before she gets up and runs down towards the truck. She gets there in no time and kneels behind the back, setting the tracker under the bumper and smiling back towards us. 

We hear the door to the station crash open and watch as Parrish walks down the steps towards the passenger door. 

Kira moves around to the other side and crouches down near the back tire on the drivers side.

Parrish draws his gun after looking into the truck, he walks slowly towards the back on his side and Scott bounces on his heels “We have to do something”

We watch as Parrish comes to a stop right behind the truck and the doors burst open. 

Some dude comes out of the back, causing Parrish to turn around just to have dude smash his head into the back bumper of the truck. 

He falls to the ground and I jerk back slightly as Scott and I mutter “Who the hell is that?”

Ally breathes out behind us as she digresses “Kincaid”

We regroup, sending an SOS text to the twins before Scott heads towards the truck, with Ally and I following behind him. 

Kincaid finds the bag he’s looking for, grabbing it and lifting the silver finger we are all after apparently up in between his fingers.

Scott, myself and Ally with her crossbow aimed right at Kincaid come to a stop behind him “We need that finger” 

He turns and looks at them before smirking and throwing the bag it was in back in the truck “Why should I give it to you?”

I nod towards the truck, earning his eyes to move my way as I try to reason “There’s a briefcase in there with one hundred and fifty thousand in it.”

Kincaid lifts the silver finger up again and states “The scroll inside this prosthetic finger is worth three million” before putting said prosthetic in his front shirt pocket.

Scott shifts on his feet “Give me the finger–” 

I share a look with Ally before Scott tilts his head to the side and continues “You know what I mean.”

Kira jumps off the top of the truck and lands on Kincaid’s back, grunting as she tries to knock him down. 

He doesn’t really budge _**dude is a beast**_ before he grabs one of her arms and throws her down in between all of us.

In the midst of throwing her to the ground Kincaid transformed and readies his stance to attack, teeth barred and were-blues shining as he growls out “I guess negotiations are over”

Scott transforms, letting out his own growl as Ally shoots an arrow at Kincaid. He grabs it out of his arm and throws it to the ground before Kira runs up to him. He grabs her around the throat, lifting her toes off the ground before throwing her into the brick way to our side.

I run over to her and set my hands on her shoulders, before ducking towards her when another body hits the wall near us. I look over seeing Ally leaning against the wall now as well. I shift on my crouched feet to check to make sure she’s okay.

Scott growls and begins punching Kincaid. He gets a few hits into his jaw and stomach, **_that look to be doing nothing except pissing Kincaid off_**

Scott notices as much and plants his feet before reaching his arm back to deliver another face punch.

Kincaid grabs his arm, stopping his movement before Scott attempts to use his other hand– that Kincaid also stops. 

Kincaid moves Scott’s arms forcefully down to his side before he releases a growl and smashes his head forward, head butting Scott. 

He takes a few steps back with the force, before he shakes it off and charges at Kincaid again.

Kincaid blocks his punch and delivers one of his own into Scott’s stomach. When Scott is doubled over, Kincaid uses the advantage to hit Scott in the back, knocking him flat onto the ground. 

Kincaid uses the level advantage and kicks Scott in the ribs, causing him to roll over gasping sharply from the onslaught of attacks.

Kincaid crouches next to Scott and taunts “You have the eyes of an Alpha– but where’s the strength?”

“Up here” the twins shout from the top of the staircase of the alley we’re in. They growl and transform just before they jump down and start fighting Kincaid. 

The twins are kicking ass when Lydia runs up and drops down next to Ally and I. 

We watch as the twins throw punch after punch before one knocks the back of his elbow into Kincaid’s face and he falls down to the ground.

Kincaid grunts out a pain filled grunt and Scott pushes off from the ground, groaning out “Stop– Ethan, Aiden–”

I rush forward shouting “Stop!” at them as well on my way over to kneel next to Scott and try to help him up.

Aiden points towards Kincaid and looks over to us as I pull Scott up to stand next to me “You want him to come after us?”

Kincaid pants out, completely exhausted from the beat down, as Ethan looks over “Scott, we’ve seen guys like this. Trust us. He’s dangerous”

Scott shakes his head and breathes out “So are we– and he looks smart enough to remember that.”

The seven of us surround Kincaid as he’s kneeling on the ground, wiping his nose and trying to catch his breath. 

Scott walks forward and reaches into the front pocket of Kincaid’s shirt where he put the silver finger in earlier. He pulls it out, taking a few steps back to stand next to me again.

Handing me the prosthetic, I grasp it between my fingers and lift my other hand up, tapping the open side against my palm. 

A tiny scroll, complete with a red string around it and everything, falls out into my open palm **_holy shit, we did it_**

I let out a breath of relief and connect my eyes with Scott, before sharing a triumphant grateful look with Ally. 

She smiles and nods before Scott looks over to the twins, stating “We’re here to save a life– not end one” he finishes with a look towards Kincaid before I drop the not needed silver finger onto the ground by Kincaid’s knees.

***

_Stiles’ POV_

Malia led me through the closed unit and it was only mildly more terrifying walking past those cells than what I was previously dreaming about.

Opening a door, I follow right behind her as we walk through the doorway. Once we’re inside, I take notice of the basement. It looks exactly like the room I thought I was in the other night.

My breath gets caught in my throat when I notice the backwards five I remember watching the Nogitsune draw when we were in here. 

He definitely drew it with chalk in my dream, which the symbol I’m looking at now isn’t drawn in. However it is right there clear as day, the exact same spot as from the dream. 

Addy said it was Kanji for self, which is the connection I need to figure out. Being down here is the first step, I can feel that in my bones.

Malia turns around and looks at me, however my eyes are still on the backwards five “Do you know what you’re looking for?”

Swallowing hard, I point towards the symbol and croak out “Something to do with that…”

She follows my line of vision before we walk over to the wall, and she kneels down to run her hand over the marking that was carved into the cement wall “What does it mean?”

“Self” I state before she looks over her shoulder at me and nods “Maybe you should tell me more.”

I shake my head “You might not like me if you know any more…”

She stands up and lets out a deep breath “Try to remember that I’m a werecoyote who murdered her own family. I won’t judge. I promise.”

Taking in her words I let out a soft chuckle before I give her a quick run down of everything. We grab some of the boxes that have files and begin to look through them. 

Looking for what I’m not really sure, but I hope that I will know when I see it.

We’ve been looking for who knows how long when she scoffs “This place definitely used to be a lot more fun. Electroshock, ice baths– trepanation?”

I look over to the papers in her hands and narrow my eyes as I recall “That’s what Oliver was talking about– trepanation is when they drill into your head.”

No wonder they don’t want anyone down here.

I sigh and throw the stack of files I was looking through on the massive paper pile mess we’ve made on the floor in front of us “There’s nothing here.” 

I set my elbow on my knee and cover my mouth with the side of my hand, moving my thumb twice before I turn my back towards her “Could you do me a favor? Could you just check the lines on my back?” I reach to lift the back of my shirt up before I continue “Just tell me if they’re fading.”

She takes a moment before she adds cheerfully “Yeah, they’re almost gone…”

I look over my shoulder with her words, dread rushing through my body which she obviously catches on to “I’m guessing that’s bad.”

I nod and jerk forward as I drop my shirt back down, hissing a quick breath in as I turn to look at her hand, making sure she doesn’t have icicles for claws.

She lifts her hands up and shakes her head “Oh– sorry. I told you I’m always cold–”

“That’s okay– here” Feeling like it’s the nice thing to do I offer her my hands, wrapping them around hers to attempt to warm them up. 

It takes less than a second for it to feel like my hands lose all their warmth I was trying to share. I jerk my head back, making a noise “Jesus, you really are”

We share a chuckle, though it dies in my throat when I notice the look that overcomes her face. 

I watch as she leans towards me and almost without thinking I lean back, out of the deliberate path she was on.

She notices and raises her brows as she leans back to her side of the couch.

I make a noise before I drop her hands and scoot back farther into the couch “I’m sorry– I– it’s just–”

“You have a girlfriend.” She fills in for my stuttering lack of a reason.

Momentarily taken back by how true I _wish_ that statement was, I shake my head “No, not officially– I just–there’s…”

An understanding look crosses her features before she nods slightly “The girl in the car that day you guys took me home– Addy, right?”

I open my mouth to clarify the situation “Oh no it’s not, I mean– she– I–”

“Stiles” Malia states, interrupting my babbling. 

I make a hmmm noise, raising my brows before she shakes her head slightly with a shrug “Mating smells are pretty similar in the animal world”

I cough with that statement “Uh-ha, well you just said _that_ – Jesus Christ,” I clear my throat and shake my head before I add “All right well that’s just–”

I widen my eyes and look back over to her quickly “Like _chemosignals_? Are– are they well known in the shapeshifter world for what they mean, because I’m best friends with her _brother–_ who is a fucking _werewolf_ ”

Malia snorts before she laughs, she fucking laughs, and I’m pretty sure I’ve died with this revelation. 

No wonder Scott wasn’t surprised when I told him, and has been giving me so much shit to talk to Addy.

I close my eyes with a groan before flopping my head forward, setting my elbows on my knees to rub my hands over the back of my head.

The silence should be awkward with everything we were just talking about, but it actually fuels my thought process. I jerk my head up with a quick inhale of breath. 

I drop my mouth open slightly with the idea, looking to Malia’s question filled face, before I push off the couch and walk over to the wall with the Kanji carving. 

I run my fingers over the carved out grooves, before I turn my hand over and knock the back of my knuckles against the wall. 

Sensing Malia behind me, I look over my shoulder “Do you hear that?”

It sounds completely hollow and the knock echos behind the wall when I hit it again.

Wasting no time I move about the area around us to grab something, anything, to smash through this fucking wall with.

I find a metal rod leaning against the side of the wall and I lift it up, adjusting it in my hands before I start hitting it against the wall over and over again.

Breaking through enough of the wall for a decent size hole to look through, I drop the rod onto the ground.

My eyes widen as I take in what I’m guessing is a corpse, covered in cobwebs and bandages. He was half assed buried here?

I kneel next to the wall, Malia coming to kneel next to me as I let her know “this is him”

“The Nogitsune?” confusion is evident in her voice and I can’t blame her. I’ve been terrorized by someone in my mind who is very much dead. I know this is him though.

Malia reaches her arm through the whole in the wall and begins searching around him. 

She lifts the flap on one of his front pockets and pulls out a picture. She turns back to me, holding the picture out towards me “Recognize them?”

I move my eyes over the picture and I take a shocked breath in at seeing Kira in the photo “One of them,” I inform back to her as I stand up and continue “I have to get this to Scott”

I feel an electric shock into the lower side of my back and I groan with the crackling noise of the electricity flowing through my side. 

I fall to the ground, sitting against the wall as I see Oliver standing in front of me now.

He lifts his arm to his side before he states “You took Brunski’s keys. I took his stun gun.”

Oliver moves forward and jams the stun gun into Malia’s stomach. She groans as she hits her back against the wall and slides down until she’s sitting on the ground, with her knees up towards her. 

Oliver kneels next to her, looking back to me as he lifts up his other hand and states "I also got his Haldol” before he jams the needle into her thigh. 

She passes out immediately before he stands up and walks over to me “Like I was saying, Stiles, I heard they used to do trepanation here.”

Through my panting breaths, I weakly ask him “Oliver– what are you doing?”

He slowly moves around, grabbing a drill and looking back over to me “I’m going to let the evil spirits out.” he states before lifting the drill up and letting a whirring noise fill the basement around us.

Opening my eyes I see Oliver standing above me now.

Not really knowing when I passed out, I furrow my brows at him and what the fuck happened when he informs “I borrowed a few pointers from the five point restraint”

I follow his line of vision and immediately start thrashing in the chair against the restraints he has on my wrists. I look up to him and state as calmly as I can muster “Oliver, stop this–”

Oliver responds by coughing his stupid bug swallowing cough he’s had since I got here. He coughs into his hand, pulling it away and revealing blood in his palm.

I try again “Oliver, listen to me– stop, Oliver!” he doesn’t stop, he walks closer and begins to lean over towards me with the whirring drill. I lean as far away from him that the restraints will allow “Oliver– stop!”

"Start with her” comes a deeper voice behind him. Oliver stops and listens, immediately walking away from me.

With his body no longer right in front of me, I see the Nogistune. Just sitting down a few feet from me.

He turns his bandaged head my direction and I state just above a terrified whisper “You did this– you got into his head”

Setting his hand on the barrel he’s sitting behind he states “Every Dracula needs a Renfield.”

My eyes move across the room and see Oliver strapping Malia’s wrists down to the arms of the chair she’s passed out in “Just let her go” I try to negotiate, feeling tears gather in my eyes. I just want this over, no other innocent people need to get hurt in the process.

The Nogitsune counters back “Let me in”

I grunt with the force of crashing my back into the chair and attempt to pull my wrists out of the restraints when his grating voice taunts “Stiles. Do you want her to leave here alive? Do you want _us_ to leave? We can walk _out_ of this place”

Watching Oliver get ready to hurt an innocent girl, makes my voice crack with a sob “Just let her go, please”

“ _Let me in_ ” I hear him grate out as he leans his bandaged covered face closer to me, his silver fangs the only part of his face that’s visible. I jerk back and scream into the room with my frustration and being completely terrified of him.

I watch Oliver, with the drill in one hand, as he lifts his other hand against the side of Malia’s head. 

The Nogitsune tries again “Let me in, Stiles! Let me in!”

Grunting through still trying to get free, I turn back towards him to shout in his bandaged face “Just let her go please!” 

The whirring of the drill in Oliver’s hand makes my stomach drop with the realization she’s going to die unless I give in to him. 

I can’t give in to him though, and I throw my body back against the chair. 

I’m completely at a loss of what to do, all I hear is the whirring of the drill and the Nogitsune’s echoing rough voice “Let me in, Stiles! Let me in!”

I rest the back of my head against the chair, closing my eyes and feeling the tears I was keeping back fall down my cheeks.

“Let me in and I’ll let her live.” 

I keep my eyes closed tight and it’s as if I was standing on one side of the line the Wolf Lichen poison drew, and Void is on the other. The line changes and becomes a door, blocking me from seeing him.

A door that I’m now standing in front of and behind me is everything I have ever loved and tried to keep safe by keeping this door closed– 

Dad, Scott, our friends– _Addy_ – 

I hear one more faint “Let me in” before I beg for their forgiveness and I reach forward.

I grasp the door handle in one hand and pull the door towards me. Opening the very door that has kept the Nogitsune at bay.

_Finally_

As soon as Void breaks through the boy’s mind, he smiles. Opening his eyes, he breaks one of the restraints around his wrist before recognizing how close the Oliver boy is to hurting the girl. 

Sighing inwardly at the promise he made if Stiles let him in, Void calls out “Oliver”

The wiring of the drill stops as Void breaks the other restraint. Rubbing his hand over the other wrist, Void flicks his eyes up to Oliver who has turned to look at him. 

Void moves across the room, coming to a stop in front of the boy who smiles nervously waiting to see what will be done. 

He listened to what Void wanted, yes, but otherwise he’s pretty useless. 

Void reaches out, grasping the drill in his hand quickly before smashing it into the side of Oliver’s face. 

Not enough to kill the boy, unfortunately. 

Enough to not have to deal with him though.

Void looks down to the drill in his hand and releases a sigh as he walks past the coyote girl, setting the drill on the table. 

He hears the girl stir and mutter “Stiles?” before looking over his shoulder, smirking at her trying to wake up before he turns and walks out of the basement, out of this hellhole facility in general.

***

_Addy’s POV_

Scott and I head on his bike towards Deaton’s, getting there in record time.

We run inside and Deaton takes the scroll from my hand, unrolling it and reading it over. 

I cross my arms over my chest, a complete antsy mess to finally know what we have to do next to save Stiles **_because not saving him is not an option._**

“There isn’t much here, unfortunately” Deaton sighs out with a shake of his head. 

Scott and I share a look before Scott takes a step towards his boss “Does it say anything?”

Deaton looks between us and tilts his head to the side “My Japanese isn’t great– but it appears to say that one method of expelling a Nogitsune is to change the body of the host.”

“Change the body?” Scott mutters softly, wheels turning in his head before Deaton shrugs “Which begs the question, how do we change Stiles’ body?”

I step forward and nod, looking at Scott with my words “By turning him into a werewolf.”


	45. The Fox & the Wolf

Hearing a knock on the front door I head down the hall and pull the door open, brows raising instantly at seeing Malia standing on our front porch with a hesitant smile.

I return with my own smile and open the door more as I question “Hey, long time no see– is everything okay?”

She shakes her head “Not really– umm I was with Stiles yesterday in Eichen–”

Taking that in, I close my eyes and shake my head once before looking at her again, interrupting her words “Why in the world were you in Eichen– wait is he still in there? Is he okay?”

I can tell Malia doesn’t show much emotion in general with the whole learning to be a human again thing, however, the look that flashes across her face is clear as day **_something happened to him_**

I nod my head inside, stepping to the left to let her pass by and hold my arm out directing her to the living room.

She reaches out and hands me a sword in a scabbard. I take it in both hands, moving my fingers around as I look over the dust covered handle.

“Scott” I mutter and a few seconds later he’s walking out of the kitchen, brows raised at seeing our guest.

She holds her other hand out, offering a square picture to him. Scott takes it in his hands and I look over his shoulder seeing the faded picture of a couple **_one of them looking exactly like Kira_**

Narrowing my eyes I lean closer “Is that?–”

I feel Scott nod next to me “It looks just like her– let me text her…”

Malia is taking in the room around her and I smile softly as I walk up to her and lay the sword on top of the back of the couch “Did– umm did Stiles tell you anything that has been going on since we last saw you?”

She licks her lips, nodding slightly and I chuckle “Well good, that saves us the time on the confusing catch up lesson.”

She returns with her own nervous chuckle and I cross my arms and shrug slightly “So uh, what’s with the souvenirs– what happened yesterday?”

***

Scott took the picture and the katana blade Malia brought over to Kira’s to ask her what the hell is up with someone who looks identical to her being in the picture.

 ** _Could be her grandmother_** but no matter which way you turn it, her family _has_ to be tied to this somehow. Especially if the body that had the picture in his jacket pocket that Malia and Stiles found, is who has been terrorizing Stiles.

Noah asked me to meet him at the station and has me wait in his office while he goes out to grab Chris and Derek.

The charges against them for Katashi’s murder were dropped and they’re currently attempting to leave once they get their things that were taken when they were arrested.

I stand up from the couch as soon as Noah walks in with Chris and Derek right behind him. I smile at them and come to a stop on the other side of Derek as Noah fills us in on his recent trip “The specialist I saw in L.A. told me the thing that every doctor says when he’s trying to avoid a lawsuit ‘we can’t say for sure’.”

I take a deep breath in as Chris shifts on his feet and Noah continues, reaching for the folder on his desk “And then I spoke with Melissa. These are brain scans– my wife’s and Stiles’.” 

He hands them over to Chris, earning Derek and I to lean over to look at the two scans while Noah continues “I knew they were similar– but those are the same.”

Chris lays them over each other and the scans line up exactly **_perfectly impossible_**

“Exactly the same” Noah stresses and Derek crosses his arms “I’m guessing this isn’t possible?”

I shake my head and mutter “Not even remotely possible.”

Derek looks from me and over to the scans again while Noah smiles softly with my words.

Chris lays the scans back on Noah’s desk stating “So the trickster is still playing tricks”

Derek uncrosses his arms and sets them on the desk as he implores “But why this trick?”

Noah nods his head to the side with his theory “When I was in the Army, an officer told me, ‘if you want to defeat your enemy, you don’t take away their courage– you take away their hope’.”

Chris raises his brows “You don’t look like a man who gives up hope easily”

I clear my throat and state softly “But Stiles might.”

Derek looks over to me, setting his hand on my shoulder reassuringly, as Noah elaborates “If this thing inside him, if it’s using his mother’s disease as some sort of psychological trick– then this isn’t just a fight for his body. It’s a fight for his mind– right?”

Chris looks over to me quickly, and back to Noah “You know, he’s left people severely injured?” **_not even remotely helping_**

“And others severely dead” Derek unhelpfully adds and I look over to the both of them, letting out a frustrated groan as I shake my head “ _Stiles_ didn’t do anything, the bastard’s name is Void or Nogitsune or whatever the hell he wants to go by– but everyone needs to stop saying it was Stiles. He’s beating himself up enough already for what’s been happening. He doesn’t deserve anyone to be putting the blame on him,” I cross my arms and continue softly “I’m not saying what’s been happening hasn’t been awful– I’ve got eight stitches in my arm that are a painful reminder of the last few days– I just– Stiles deserves to have us be on _his_ side through this and whatever comes after.”

Derek and Chris soften their faces as they nod with my words, before they share a look with each other and look back towards the desk.

Noah offers a grateful look towards me before he shakes his head softly, moving his eyes between Chris and Derek, stating “That’s why I need you guys. I need people who are experienced with this kind of thing. I need you to help me stop him.”

Chris clears his throat, looking from me over to Noah “And by stop him, you mean trap him?”

Noah nods before holding out Chris’ stun baton out towards him. Before Noah lets him take it, they share a look and silently agree with what was said.

***

We head over to Chris and Allison’s apartment, walking into Chris’ office as soon as we get there.

Ally walks in front of us, informing on her way over as she comes to a stop in front of the desk “This is everything non lethal I could find.”

“Take all of it” Chris states and I reach in front of me on the desk to grab a duffle bag, holding it open for Ally to load the items into while Noah comes to a stop next to me, asking the group “What’s the plan here?”

“Our best shot right now is for Derek to try to pick up Stiles’ scent at Eichen House. Especially if he went through something stressful there,” Chris answers and I nod, looking over at him to elaborate “Which according to Malia, definitely happened last night” **_I’m beyond grateful she was there for him in there, and that Void did not hurt her in the process_**

Noah clears his throat and looks over towards us “Should all five of us be going to the same place?”

Chris looks over to us as he implores “Where else has Stiles been showing up?” 

Ally looks to me and lists off “School, the hospital” I nod before Derek chimes in behind us “Okay, hold on. We did this already. He disappeared. We started looking for him. Then walked right into a trap at the hospital.”

Chris nods, offering “He’s getting us to repeat the same moves.”

“So, what do we do? Wait for him to come to us?” Ally implores and I shake my head “We can’t– the sun is going down soon and I guarantee the Oni will be coming after him when that happens”

Noah looks over to me “I thought you said Scott’s working on them right now, with Kira?”

I shrug “That’s if Kira’s mom will call them off, she seems pretty set in her ways to have them defeat Void– no matter what body he’s occupying” **_not her biggest fan if you couldn’t gather_**

“That’s the problem. We’re all trying to outfox the fox” Chris states incredulously and we all take a moment to think about that.

Noah clears his throat “Listen– I’ll understand if anyone wants to back out.”

I shake my head towards him **_not sure how helpful I am, but I’m not going anywhere_**

“I’m not gonna be the first wolf to run from a fox,” Derek states, reaching forward and grabbing a gun on the desk in front of him, raising his smirk filled brows once quickly towards me when I smile at his words.

“Apparently I’m carrying the lightsaber” Chris holds said lightsaber towards Ally who chuckles and finishes packing our bag, stating “Dad, you and Derek hit Eichen House. Sheriff, it’s you, me and Addy in the hospital. We all meet in the school.”

***

Ally and I walk into the elevator at the hospital behind Noah. He presses the button for the floor and the doors close in front of us.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart and watch as Noah looks down to the ground in front of him, shaking his head back and forth as he lightly chuckles “You know what, I don’t know how you guys do it. You’re all so strong. You’re fearless.”

I close my eyes with his words, feeling anything but as I open them and he continues “Hell, you even manage to keep your grades up” **_barely this year_**

Ally looks up to the ceiling and states “I– am failing Econ…”

“Is that Coach’s class?” Noah asks our way and I offer him a nod before he looks to his feet “Well, I’ll have a talk with him.”

Ally exhales deeply, through a shaky breath, gaining Noah’s attention. He shares a look with me before he walks over to the panel and stops the elevator.

The elevator bounces once with the sudden stop, and I reach my arms out to set my hands on the railing on either side of me in the corner.

Noah walks over and looks at Allison who is barely keeping it together as he inquires “Hey– you okay?”

She shakes her head and whispers out into the elevator around us “I’m not– fearless. I’m– terr– I’m terrified,” she shakes her arms out to her side as she states through her tears “I’m– I’m always terrified. I– I act like I know what I’m doing, but I don’t. I don’t know if Isaac is dying right now. I don’t know if I made a mistake with Scott”

I push off the wall when he voices cracks at the mention of my brother and set my hand on her arm. 

She reaches over and sets her hand on mine, squeezing once as she continues, getting more and more worked up with every word “I don’t know what my dad is thinking. I don’t know if we should trust Derek. I don’t know– I don’t know anything”

My brows draw in, taking in how broken she sounds as Noah pulls her in to offer a comfort dad hug that he’s so good at delivering. 

He smiles sadly at me over her shoulder and moves one of his hands onto my shoulder, bringing me closer.

I set my hands on her arms and rest my head on her shoulder as Noah chuckles out just above a whisper “You know what’s funny? You sound just like a cop.”

Ally and I offer teary sniffles with chuckles before he pulls back and leans forward trying to catch her eyes “Hey– you’re gonna be okay,” she nods and he smiles softly stating “Okay.”

He moves over to the wall panel, reaching to start the elevator when a beeping noise stops him.

Noah leans back and digs his phone out of his pocket as Ally furrows her brows towards him “What’s that?”

We look over and read the alert on his phone 

**‘Digital Life System AT &T   
Digital Life Bedroom Camera   
has detected motion’**

“Someone’s breaking into my house,” he states before closing the alert and heading to the app the alert belongs to on his homepage, as he continues “After Stiles started sleepwalking, I had some security precautions put in– motion sensors– cameras–”

“Is that his room?” Ally asks when Noah clicks on the motion alert to bring up the camera that was activated in the house.

The live video feed fills the screen on Noah’s phone and we see Stiles sitting on his bed. He has his elbows on his thighs and he’s turned slightly so he’s facing the camera **_like he knew exactly when we’d be looking_**

He lifts one hand up and waves with a dark, unnerving smirk in place, that instantly makes me shiver.

***

Ally calls Chris and has him and Derek meet us at the Stilinski house. We walk into Stiles’ room, however, he is nowhere in sight.

We walk around his room and Chris points to the chessboard on the desk that looks identical to a few weeks ago when we made the supernatural visual for Noah “What is all this? What are these sticky notes for?”

Noah smiles sadly “This is what Stiles and Addy used to try and explain to me about all of– you.”

“Cool, maybe it’s a message from Stiles– the real Stiles” Ally tries, optimistically before Derek adds “You think there’s any reason my name’s on the king?”

Noah nods his head to the side as he fills in “Well, you’re heavily guarded. Though I guess the alarming detail is that you’re one move from being in checkmate.”

Our eyes move around the board when Chris informs what we’re all guessing “It’s not a message from Stiles. It’s a threat from the Nogitsune”

I lift my eyes up from the table towards them “He’s at the loft. That’s what he’s trying to tell us”

Chris nods and looks from me and over towards Noah “And he wants us to come there”

“Night’s falling,” Derek states before Chris continues, shaking his head “This couldn’t sound any more like a trap.”

“I don’t think it is,” I state and Noah nods “Neither do I.”

“I think the two of your opinions might be slightly biased” Chris quips, earning Noah to raise his hands up towards him “Hear me out. What we’re dealing with here is basically someone who lacks motive. No rhyme, no reason, right?”

“Meaning what?” Chris looks between us as I add “Our enemy is not a killer. It’s a trickster. The killing is just a by product”

“If you’re trying to say it won’t kill us, I’m not feeling too confident about that” Derek looks over at me and Noah continues “It won’t. It wants irony. It wants to play a trick. It wants a joke. All we need to do– is come up with a new punch line”

Chris smirks “The sun is setting, Sheriff. What do you have in mind?”

***

We get to Derek’s loft and we wait in the stairwell before heading to the door as Noah walks on his own over to the door. 

He takes one last look over at us, and with my nod that he returns– he grabs the handle of the door and leans to the side to slide open the loft door. 

He looks inside for a second before he takes a step through the doorway and walks into the loft.

We follow his steps and move over towards the open door, waiting just to the side of the open doorway for our signal to move in. 

It’s a couple of seconds after Noah walks into the loft that we hear a voice I have missed, though knowing immediately it’s not actually him “Hi, Dad.”


	46. De-Void

We hear the metal clink of the trap Void plan before Stiles’ voice filters out of the open doorway “You want to handcuff me?”

Noah’s voice chimes in as he walks farther into the room “If my son is still here, if there’s still a part of him standing here in front of me, then he’ll put these on willingly and he’ll come with me, because he knows I’m here to protect him– from himself and from others.”

I share a look with Derek as we hear the handcuffs being clicked into place, however he nods towards the door when we hear Noah mutter just above a whisper, “You’re not my son.”

We push off the wall and walk into the doorway just as Void breaks the handcuffs around his wrists and they fly onto the ground next to him.

Surprise overcomes Void’s face as he takes in the four of us coming to a stop inside the door. 

Allison and Chris stand on either side of me before we head down the stairs and stand just behind Noah.

Void looks between Ally and I when we raise our arms, pointing each of the tasers we have at him. 

Ally releases hers first, electric wires flying towards Void just before he snags both wires in his hands. 

He pulls them tighter towards him, completely unfazed by the electric zap that’s coursing through the wires, before swinging his arm in a circle and snatching the gun from Ally’s hand. 

It goes crashing into the wall to the side of her, earning us all to widen our eyes at the zero effect the current from the taser had on him.

Void twitches his brows at the taser I still have pointed at him, when Derek roars on the other side of me and gains his attention.

Derek rushes forward, swinging an arm back that Void blocks and twists behind him, straining his shoulder.

Derek groans in pain as Void grabs the front of his shirt and walks a few steps to the side, smashing his head onto a table on the other side of Ally, before taking a few steps back the way he came, and throwing him across the space into a wooden pillar.

Derek lands on the ground with a grunt and Void, standing in front of me now, faces me fully.

He smirks my way, looking at the taser in my hand and back up to my eyes “Are you next, little dove?”

I steel my face and get a better grip on the handle, pressing my finger on the trigger a little harder.

Not enough to release the wires though **_since they have proven they won’t stop him_** which he obviously figures out as he takes the two steps closer, putting his chest against the end of the taser “Pull the trigger, _Adds_.”

Snapping my eyes up to his, I grit out through my clenched teeth “Don’t call me that.”

My words just fuel the amusement in his eyes, earning his smirk to deepen.

He snaps his hand forward, grabbing the taser from my hands and throwing it towards the wall with Ally’s discarded one.

Taking a step to the side of me, he lets out a deep shaky breath, bringing his face closer to mine.

I keep my eyes on the wall of windows in front of us, willing the tears away **_can’t show him how much this is affecting me._**

He runs his nose up the side of my cheek and chuckles darkly against the side of my face, near my temple “Oooh, Stiles doesn’t like me being near you– you should hear him– he’s _screaming_ ” he groans out just above a whisper next to my ear.

I close my eyes, not wanting to show any emotion, before I feel one of his hands grab my face, as the other grabs my upper arm.

His palm is on my chin, wrapping his fingers around the side of my face as he brings my face closer to him, whispering darkly “You are the _most_ interesting, Addeline– everyone in here is either scared for themselves or for you at this very moment…”

I slowly move my eyes over to connect with his dark ones, letting out a shaky breath through my nose as he tilts his head to the side and continues just above a whisper “But you– _you_ aren’t scared being this close to me. No– you are _terrified–_ but again it’s not for yourself. It’s for _Stiles._ ”

Taking in his words as my eyes move quickly between his, a tear rolls over the brim of my eye with his words. He watches it fall with his eyes before moving his thumb up to catch it.

Hating how wrong it feels for someone else to do that, I attempt to jerk back away from him, though Void responds by increasing the hold he has on my face and my arm, not letting me move away from him.

I let out a whimper and lift up my arm to wrap my hand around his wrist with the action, before we hear a gun cocking to the left of us.

I shift my eyes over and see Chris, gun pointed right at Void and his eyes never leaving his target.

“Mr. A– wait, please don’t do this” I try to sound strong enough to reason with him.

Chris flicks his eyes to me for half a second before they’re back on his target “Addy, I’m not just going to let him hurt you–”

“I’m not hurting her,” Void clicks his tongue before Noah holds up his hands and steps over “Argent, listen to me. Don’t do this.”

Derek stands up, keeping his eyes on me as I try to convey with my eyes and subtle shake of my head for him to stand down while he comes to a stop just behind Void.

Derek looks like he doesn’t want to listen to me, however the pleading of my eyes gives him pauses and he shifts his glare filled eyes over to the back of Void’s head.

Chris looks over to Noah “Why not? I’ve done it before. Werewolves, berserkers. I can easily add a Nogitsune to the list.”

Noah grabs his gun from his holster, cocking it in place as he lifts it to point right at Chris, stating “You’re not going to shoot my son”

I watch as Void raises his brows, shocked yet intrigued with this turn of events. Chris doesn’t waver as he moves his eyes from Noah and back to Void, before he stresses “You said it yourself, Sheriff. That’s not your son”

Ally walks closer to my right side and Void slowly lets my face go, though he still keeps his hand on my arm while his attention is pulled to Noah who orders “Put it down”

Chris doesn’t listen, so Noah tries again “Put it down”

Void drops his hand from my arm and turns more to face Noah. He changes his voice from his dark menacing tone, over to the impersonation of Stiles’ “Dad, he’s going to shoot me,” tears rush into his eyes as he swallows hard and elaborates "He’s going to _kill_ me, Dad.”

Noah breaks from his stare with Chris to look at Void and I close my eyes, shaking my head and muttering “Don’t listen to him.”

I open my eyes as Chris voices as much, only louder “Don’t listen”

“Put it down” Noah clips out quickly, taking a second before adding louder “Now! Do it!”

Void turns to now face Chris more as Noah bellows “Put it down!”

Void nods his head towards Chris, adding eerily calm “Pull the trigger– come on”

Noah doesn’t relent with his commands “Listen to me, you put the gun down now!”

Both ignoring Noah, Void taunts Chris more “Shoot me”

“Put the gun down now!” Noah continues and Ally steps next to me to also try to get through to them “Dad.”

“Shoot me!” Void shouts over Noah who counters back to Chris "Put the gun down!”

“ _SHOOT ME_!” He bellows, causing me to flinch back with the volume and conviction he throws across the room around us **_this is absolute chaos_**

“Argent, you put it down!” Noah continues to shout and I hear Ally barely whisper “Strife” next to me.

I gasp, flicking my gaze over to her as Noah continues to yell at Chris to put his gun down a few more times.

I share a worried look with Derek as we watch the shadows fall across the room and dusk overcomes the sky quickly **_the Oni will be here in no time_**

I turn back towards them, gaining Void’s attention with my words “Stop, stop it! This is what he wants– this is _exactly_ what he wants”

Void raises a brow and nods to the side “Not exactly, little dove. I was kind of hoping your brother would be here,” Noah still has his gun drawn on Chris who has his drawn on Void who continues as he turns towards the windows “But I’m glad you all have your guns out. Because you’re not here to kill me–”

We follow his line of sight to the windows and watch as four Oni materialize inside the loft, letting out their shrill snarl noises as Void finishes “You’re here to protect me.”

The Oni unsheathe their swords, swinging them out in front of them defensively as Noah and Chris turn their guns on them.

Void steps behind them, letting them be his barrier from the Oni.

Chris pulls his trigger on the Oni first, however his gun just clicks before he tosses it aside and pulls another one from the inside of his jacket.

Noah and Chris start firing at the Oni, bullet after bullet without doing much damage to them. Two disappear in their black smoke and re-materialize at the entrance into the loft.

Derek, Ali and I move so our backs are to Void who is now standing in a protective circle made up of the five of us. 

Ally hands me two of her extra knives and we ready our stance to the Oni who are making their way towards us.

They each swing their swords towards us, I duck with the first swing bringing my arms into an X in front of me, using the knives in each of my hands up to block the next swing. 

I hear Derek groan in pain and fall to his knee just as the four Oni disappear from around us **_they gave up way too easily_**

Our panting quick breaths are all that can be heard in the room, as we take in what just happened. 

I turn to see Derek still on the ground and I move to kneel next to him, seeing a pretty deep cut on the back of his shoulder.

Chris kneels next to me and we all turn to the door when we hear footsteps sounding closer to the door.

Noah and Chris turn their guns to the door, however we all take a sigh of relief at seeing Scott and Kira standing in the doorway.

Scott takes in the group and mutters “What happened?”

“They disappeared. They literally just vanished,” Ally answers as I shake my head looking up at my brother to digress “And so did Void.”

***

Noah takes me back home, to in his words ‘attempt to get some rest’ **_which I try not to laugh at_**

Scott and Kira pull up just as I’m unlocking the door. I wait for them and we walk inside together.

I take off my jacket and hang it up before I turn to them “Did you umm– did you find anything out about the photo?”

Kira hesitantly looks my way, offering a slight nod before she tells me everything her mother shared. How she’s apparently nine hundred years old, how it’s actually _her_ in the photo. How her mother is responsible for this Nogitsune, this monster that has taken over Stiles.

I listen intently, shock probably written all over my face as she continues to fill me in on how her mom was very weak from taking multiple gunshots back in 1943 after a mob formed in the Oak Creek internment Camp during WWII.

The mob wanted the people running the internment camp to pay for stealing medical supplies, essentially killing everyone in the camp as phenomena was spreading quickly.

She wanted everyone who was covering up the deaths from the mob attack to pay. They were moving the bodies, including hers and her Romeo and Juliet love, Rhys, who was one of the officers and who was burned badly in the mob attack to a field where they would be burned, buried and forgotten like it never happened.

Kira’s mom called out to their ancestors for Kitsune-tsuki– aka possession by a fox spirit– for a powerful Nogitsune, one that fed off chaos, strife and pain, to take control of her weakened body, imbue it with power and use it as a weapon. However she quickly learned that calling on a trickster spirit is a dangerous thing because they can have a very dark sense of humor.

Which it showed her when the Nogitsune didn’t possess her body– it possessed Rhys’ **_bandaged body makes sense now_**

Kira’s mom used the blade Stiles found buried with the body in Eichen to defeat the Nogitsune. After he was defeated and Rhys’ body was his again, they buried him in the wall, behind the Kanji for self to show that he died himself– and not the monster that inhabited his body.

Using the blade to defeat the Nogitsune shattered it into pieces, which her mom put together yesterday. The final piece to mend the pieces into one blade again was Kira and her thunder kitsune power.

We at least now have a weapon to destroy him **_basically the only good news of the day_**

Once she’s done retelling everything she learned I take a deep breath in, releasing it through my nose and offering a soft smile “I can’t believe your mom is nine hundred years old, how old is your dad?”

Scott chuckles as Kira moves her shocked eyes between us “Forty three– aren’t– aren’t you upset with me?”

I jerk my head back, furrowing my brows as I look between them “Why in the world would I be upset with you?”

She grimaces “Because it’s my fault– my family’s– my mother’s fault that this thing is here and possessing your guys’ friend.”

I scoff and walk over to her, engulfing her in a hug “My dear sweet Kira, this isn’t anyone’s fault– minus the dick bags at the internment camp that covered up a brutal murdering of innocent people. The takeaway from this story time is that you and your incredible thunder brewing self just fixed an actual weapon to defeat this thing.”

I pull back, setting my hands on her shoulders as I shrug “We just need to disconnect Stiles from him so we don’t lose him like they lost Rhys”

She makes a relieved noise and nods with a soft smile. I offer her shoulders reassuring squeezes and walk towards our bathroom from Scott’s room, calling over my shoulder “You want some jammies?”

She shakes her head and looks down at her clothes “I’m ok to sleep in this”

I roll my eyes “Maybe the shirt but I’ll grab you some sweats so you can change out of your skirt”

I don’t give her a chance to respond as I walk through the bathroom, heading to my jammie drawer and grabbing a pair of sweats before walking back through the bathroom.

I hand her the sweats and Scott chuckles when Kira just looks at them in her hands “Take them or she won’t leave”

I stick my tongue out at him and Kira chuckles lightly “Thanks for letting me stay you guys. I just didn’t want to go home yet. I feel like I don’t even know them anymore.”

I set my hand on her forearm and wait until she looks up at me “Completely understandable, and you’re welcome here anytime– night guys”

They offer their goodnights as I turn and head through the bathroom, closing my door once I’m through the room and get in bed **_for a nice restless sleep_**

***

Lydia had called me, frantically telling me that her and Aiden found Stiles. He’s currently passed out in her backseat and has a massive cut across his stomach. 

I let her know to bring him to our house and run downstairs to fill mom and Scott in on what’s happening. Scott calls Deaton and he gets here about the same time as Lydia.

Aiden and Scott carry Stiles inside with mom, Lydia and I following behind them.

“The couch, put him on the couch” Scott directs and they set Stiles down so he’s sitting upright against the back of the couch. 

His head lays against the back and lulls to the side with the movement of setting him down. 

Deaton kneels in front of him to lift his shirt and assess the wound **_doesn’t look as bad as I would think it should look_**

Mom walks up between Scott and I, reminding us she’s a nurse “Guys, this is crazy. He needs to be in the hospital”

Scott shares a look with me before facing her and stating “Mom, remember what happened last time he went to the hospital?”

I set my hand on her arm, giving a reassuring squeeze that this is the best decision before Deaton informs “It doesn’t look like he’s bleeding. I think he might even be healing”

Aiden looks around to us “You mean healing like we heal?”

“That’s good, right?” Scott offers and Deaton sits back on his heels as he looks up at us “For him, yes. Us? I’m not so sure” **_I’m going with no_**

Deaton stands up as mom walks into the other room to call Noah and let him know we have Stiles **_or at least his body_**

Aiden walks closer to us, shaking his head “Well, if we’re not going to kill him, why aren’t we at least tying him down with really big chains?”

Deaton grabs his case, moving to open it as he informs “I might have something more effective.

Lydia walks over to stand next to me when Deaton pulls out a vial, lifting it up for Scott to see. Scott and Aiden share a look before they walk up to lean towards the couch.

They each set one hand behind Stiles’ head and the other under his jaw, holding it open for Deaton to hold the dropper above him.

Deaton releases the contents of the dropper into Stiles’ mouth just before he opens his eyes and reaches a hand to grasp Aiden’s throat roughly.

Aiden growls “Get him off me! Get him off me!” as Void laughs menacingly through the effort Aiden and Scott are using to break his grip.

Aiden successfully jerks back, out of Void’s grip and Lydia moves to set her hands on his arms.

Void, with shock all over his face, looks to his hand that betrayed him by loosing strength and letting go of Aiden.

His hand shakes as he holds it out in front of him, turning it to the side. He lifts his eyes up to Deaton to shakily respond as he relaxes his paralyzing body back into the couch “Kanima venom– nice touch”

Aiden roars as he steps towards Void aggressively and Scott reaches out to stop his steps.

Void flicks his eyes over to him adding with an arrogance in his voice “You know how they say that twins get a feeling when the other one’s in pain? You didn’t lose that talent, too, did you?”

We all share a look before he makes a noise and continues “Oh, I hope not. You’re going to need it”

Scott looks from me and over to Aiden who looks worriedly between us **_well the day is about to get even more interesting_**

Void clicks his tongue and nods his head to the side “Okay, I’ll give a little hint– Ethan’s at the school” he raises his brows with his words and Scott mutters towards Aiden “Go”

With one more glare towards Void, Aiden turns and rushes out of the room towards the front door.

Void laughs with a menacing tone as he flops the back of his head on the back of the couch. 

He follows Aiden with his eyes before he lets out a sigh and adds “Oh, I hope he gets there in time– I like the non alpha twins–”

He rolls his head back to our side of the room and looks between Scott and I, adding a smirk with his words “Though you two have been just as interesting to be around, especially the not looking anything alike. Stiles particularly is grateful for that” He winks our way and I let out a scoff with my glare that has been in place since he woke up.

He laughs and continues with his speech “Those twins though, they have wonderful short tempers– homicidal compulsions. I mean they’re a lot more fun than you bakemono trying to save the world every day.” he grits out, not hiding his disdain for our do good attitude we have.

Mom steps up to my other side, setting one arm around my back to rest her hands on my upper arms as she directs her words to Deaton “Doc, you brought something to paralyze his body. You got anything for his mouth?”

Deaton reaches into his bag again as he agrees “Yes, I do” ripping a piece of the duck tape in his hands to finish his statement.

Void raises his brows, chuckling darkly with his amusement of the tape as Deaton leans forward and tapes it over Void’s mouth.

He watches Deaton’s every move as he stands back up, standing between Scott and I again.

He keeps his eyes connected to Deaton’s as he lets out a muffled shout that shakes his body before resting against the couch again and giggling as he looks up with his dark eyes at the rest of us.

Feeling the tears, that I can’t seem to fight anymore, rush to my eyes, I let out a sigh and turn to walk out of the room. I head into the kitchen, hearing Void’s muffled chuckles follow me out of the room.

Deaton and Scott follow behind me into the kitchen. I cross my arms once they get in the room with me and Scott points into the living room “How much longer do you think we have?”

Deaton looks between us and shakes his head slightly “I wish I knew– but if we don’t figure out something soon, we’re going to need to find a better place to keep him. I think we’re grossly underestimating the _danger_ here. He might be paralyzed, but it still feels like he’s got us right in the palm of his hand.”

Scott turns to look at me and then over to the living room. I turn to my left and follow his line of sight, seeing Void with his never wavering eyes right on us as we watch mom clean his stomach wound with some alcohol cotton swabs.

I flick my eyes back to Scott who shakes his head, earning me to let out a sigh as I walk a few feet over to rest my shoulder against the end of the wall, facing the living room.

Void follows me with his eyes, brow twitching ever so slightly before tears gather in his eyes.

Mom reaches across to the side table for the bandages and gets them situated over his stomach.

Hearing him sniffle mom looks up to his eyes, seeing the tearful show she leans forward to whisper with a hopeful tone “Stiles?”

He draws his brows in as he nods towards her, I push off the wall seeing right through his plan “Mom don’t–”

She doesn’t listen, instead she reaches up to take off the tape off his mouth slowly. 

He releases a few shaky breaths, letting the tears fall once the tape is off and he connects his eyes with her.

It takes him about 3 seconds with his charade before the sadness vanishes and he levels mom with a look “Really, Melissa? I shed one tear? That’s all it takes?”

He flicks his eyes over to me and smirks as he takes in my zero patience for his bullshit glare, before he continues taunting mom “Come on you can’t crumble that easily, now your daughter knew– she _always_ seems to know. Haven’t been able to trick her yet, and I’m absolutely _fascinated_ by that bit of information.”

I let out a deep breath through my nose with his words and he chuckles darkly “Oh my little dove, I have seen many things in my existence. However your connection to this boy is something I have _never_ seen.”

Resisting the urge to scream in his face, and give him a reaction he so desperately is begging for, I turn my attention to mom instead “Don’t listen to his crap, mom– tape his mouth back up, Stiles isn’t with us right now.”

“Oh sweet Addy, that is the most accurate thing I’ve heard today.” He chuckles out as I slowly move my eyes back over to him.

I shake my head and start to turn when his words stop me "Dare I say, I’m _mildly_ heartbroken for you and what you will be losing.”

Rolling my eyes, I finish my motion and turn my back on him, walking into the kitchen with Scott and Deaton again. 

Scott watches as I hastily wipe away the tears that fell as I walk into the kitchen and sets his hands on my shoulders “We’re going to get him back.”

I sniffle and nod towards him “I know we are– doesn’t make me want to punch that bastard in the face any less for fucking with our emotions for Stiles that he’s using against us”

Scott smiles sadly and brings me in for a hug before we walk over towards Deaton.

Lydia rests her hand around my back, pulling me into her side and resting her cheek on the top of my head, giving me a reassuring squeeze before standing next to me again. 

I offer her a grateful smile before hearing Deaton talk about us not having much options.

I shake my head and turn to him “But the scroll said to change his body…”

Deaton turns and looks between Scott and I “That’s if I translated it correctly. We’re looking for a cure in something that might actually be nothing more than a proverb or a metaphor.”

“And what if he doesn’t want it?” Scott leans on the counter, turning his head my way as he continues “He’s never asked to be a werewolf.”

I jerk my head back with his words, furrowing my brows as I look to him “Wha– what if it saves his life, Scotty?”

“What if it kills him?” Deaton adds unhelpfully as Scott argues with his nerves “I’ve never done this before. I mean, what if I bite him and accidentally hit an artery or something?”

I make a noise and quickly look between them, my eyes settling on Scott’s while I stress “We are _already_ losing him– okay. We are running out of time, out of options, and Void is getting stronger if him healing on his own is any sign. We owe it to Stiles to try– try something, anything to make sure that monster doesn’t take over his life and essentially kill him in the process.”

I close my eyes on a sigh, before I open them and connect with Scott’s again “We either take this risk and it ends up saving him, or it kills him. _Or_ we do nothing and Void kills him. Two of the options he’s dying anyways, and if we take this risk and it saves him– I don’t even understand how that isn’t a good enough odd for you to be on board Scotty.”

Scott moves his worried eyes between mine digesting my words, before Deaton leans closer to us to stress “The venom is not going to last long. Something needs to be done sooner rather than later”

“I can try calling Derek again,” Scott sighs and digs his phone out of his pocket before Lydia chimes in “Maybe we should call someone else…”

I look over to her and she tilts her head to side with a knowing look, Scott raises his brows and shakes his head as I mutter “Peter.”

***

Peter walks in and assesses Void in all his tape over his mouth, dark circles under his eyes, and paralyzed body on our couch glory.

He walks around the back of the couch and tilts his head to the side, looking Void over before coming to a stop in front of him as he states “He doesn’t look like he would survive a slap across the face, much less the bite of a werewolf.”

Peter sets his hands on his knees as he leans forward to be at eye level with Void who stares back completely emotionless.

“You don’t think it would work?” I ask to Peter’s back, earning him to shake his head “This is more a war of the mind than the body. There are better methods to winning this battle”

Peter stands back up next to Scott and Deaton walks up on his other side as he implores “What kind of methods?”

Peter grabs Scott’s wrist, flicking his hand out in front of him and releasing his claws as he states “We’re going to get into his head.”

Void raises his brows, completely amused as he lifts his eyes from the claws and over between Scott and I.

Peter lets go of Scott and urgently pulls Lydia into the other room to talk real quick, earning me to furrow my brows at what that could be about **_bigger problems at the moment though_**

They come out a minute later and Deaton crosses his arms as he follows Peter with his eyes “So, do we have a plan?”

Peter sets his hands on the back of the couch next to Stiles and nods “Scott is going to try and dig through pale and sickly Evil Stiles’ mind to unearth pale and sickly Real Stiles. Then guide him back from the depths of his own subconscious– but he’s not going to do it alone.”

Scott jerks his head to the side as he looks between Deaton and Peter “What do you mean?”

Peter moves his eyes over my way “Somebody needs to go in with you…”

I drop my mouth slightly open with that shocking revelation and Void flicks his amused eyes over to me as well **_fuck you, let’s do this_**

Scott walks around me on his way to stand behind the couch, slightly to the left of Void. 

Peter guides Scott’s claws out fingers to the base of Void’s head as he implores “So what do we do if we find him?”

“You’re going to have to guide him out somehow. Try to give him back control of his mind, his body” Peter states as he walks over and points to the couch for me to sit next to Void, which puts Scott standing just to the right of me.

I make noise and look between them before questioning as I sit down “Could you elaborate on the ‘somehow’?” I twist to set my hands on the back of the couch to finish my worried thought process “It’s not feeling very specific at the moment.”

Peter twirls his hand in a circle for me to face forward, which I oblige on a huff and hear him state behind me “Improvise.”

“What if this is just another trick?” Scott argues and Peter groans with his frustration “When are you people going to start trusting me?”

I chuckle and point to Void with my thumb “He meant him.”

“Oh” Peter lightheartedly corrects behind us as I feel Scott’s sharp claws at the base of my skull and see Peter come to a stop just to the left of me, crossing his arms over his chest.

Deaton clears his throat “Scott, we’re running out of time” 

I feel Scott put slightly more pressure with his sharp claws, and a few deep breaths later I drop open my mouth with the painful stab of his fingers into my skin.

The pain fades and when my eyes open I take in the dark room, the bed I’m laying in and the straps across my arms, legs and middle of my body **_what the actual fuck is this?_**

I turn and see Scott laying in a bed against the other wall from me, in much the same position. We start thrashing and pulling against the straps, getting absolutely nowhere.

Scott grunts and throws his head back against the pillow earning me to scoff lightly before I smirk over towards him “Do you _actually_ need me to remind you that you’re a werewolf?”

“We’re in Stiles’ head” He argues and I shake my head “I highly doubt that changes the fact that you’re a supernatural creature with supernatural strength– for the love of god break free, Scotty.”

He licks his lips, nodding once before forming a fist with his hand and focusing all his energy on pulling upward. 

Releasing groans with the force, his arm breaks through the strap around his wrist.

I release a breath of relief that I wasn’t wrong about him having his strength in here before Scott finishes breaking his straps. 

He gets off of the bed and walks over to me, breaking the straps around me quickly.

Scott holds out a hand to help me stand up as he mutters “What now?”

I shake my head and look at the door to the room we’re in “I don’t know,” looking back to him I shrug a shoulder to add oh so helpfully “This is my first time in someone else’s head.”

Scott chuckles out “Just stay behind me smartass” before he moves towards the door. 

I fall in step behind him as he reaches forward and opens the door outwards. It squeaks like all creepy doors do when you’re in someone’s mind, and Scott walks out. 

I set my hand on the door, about to step through the doorway when the door slams shut in my face quickly.

“Scott?” I hit the door a few times, trying the now locked handle before shouting his name again.

Hearing absolute silence both behind the door and around me, I swallow down my fear at being alone and try to focus on not hyperventilating. 

I turn around and the beds are gone, I see tile walls around me almost looking like a maze with high high the walls go.

Figuring I have to find my own way out, other than the easy peasy door Scott went through I head towards the walls.

I watch with furrowed brows as a single red balloon fall out of no where until it hits the ground. 

As soon as it hits the ground, more and more balloons continue to fall around me. Some hit my head, and I close my eyes with the onslaught of the helium filled objects falling around me. 

When I open my eyes, I’m no longer surrounded by the tile walls. I’m in the middle of the hallway at school, surrounded by the balloons that are covering the ground so much, I can’t see the floor.

I gasp when I look down and see that I’m wearing my bloody winter formal dress. I reach my hands up and feel my hair in the same style it was for the dance just as music starts blaring around me.

Instantly recognizing the song as the one Stiles and I first danced to, I smile slightly at the memory and turn to start walking down the hallway, calling out “Stiles? Are you in here?”

Hearing a bone chilling scratching noise coming from my right, I turn and look in a classroom with the door open. 

I let out a shaky breath seeing a bandaged covered figure at the chalkboard.

Chalk in its hand, it moves the chalk against the board drawing the same Kanji symbol we all have behind our ears.

Stopping its movements, the figure turns towards me and gives me the full frontal of its bandaged face. 

Its eyes are covered and the only thing visible is its mouth, that even from here I can make out the silver fangs where teeth would be. 

This must be him. 

Rhys’ body after he was burned and about to be buried in a field. 

The Nogitsune.

I take in a deep breath, feeling tears swell in my eyes at how absolutely terrifying he is **_this is what Stiles has been seeing for the past two weeks?_**

He tilts his head to the side and drags the chalk down the board, eliciting a spine chilling squeak on it’s path down the board. 

I turn to take a step past the door when a locker slamming behind me causes me to jump and turn towards it. 

The Nogitsune has moved from the room and is now behind me with his hand on the locker he previously slammed shut.

He steps towards me and slams another locker as I begin to take steps backwards, as far away from him as I can get. 

The Nogitsune follows my steps, slamming lockers in the process as he keeps his feet in step with my quick footsteps backwards. 

I flinch and take in shaky breaths with each locker slam as I feel the tears fall down my cheeks, with absolutely no hope of keeping them at bay.

The Nogitsune slams a couple more lockers before he releases a deep roar that sends goosebumps up my arms and down my spine. 

I turn away and throw my hands up over my ears when I hear Peter’s voice slamming around my head “Addy, can you hear me? Addy, you’re stronger than this. Okay, you need to concentrate. Addy– Addy!”

I release a sharp gasp and look around me, the Nogitsune is no longer in front of me and I turn back the other way. 

Taking off in a run down the hall I see a set of doors at the end of the hallway, and I run like I’ve never run before to get to them. 

I push through the balloons as I open the doors, seeing a bright industrial building space. It’s white everywhere, walls, floor, ceiling and there are so many ceiling lights keeping the space nice and bright.

I turn in a circle and watch Scott about to run past when he takes in that it’s me and stops to head my direction. 

He comes to a stop next to me and we move our shocked eyes out in front of us taking in the trunk of the Nemeton out a pretty fair distance away from us. 

The Nemeton isn’t the biggest surprise though, Stiles sitting crossed legged on top of the trunk with the Nogitsune kneeling in front of him and a tiny little footstool looking table in between them, definitely is the kicker of what we’re seeing. 

Silently, Scott and I agree to take off in a run towards the pair playing some game on the tree. 

It looks like we’re gaining on them, when the room stretches and it looks like we’re just as far away as we were when we first got in here. 

Out of breath, we stop our steps and attempt to get his attention another way **_since he hasn’t noticed us running towards him_**

“Stiles!” we both shout, with no reaction whatsoever from either of them.

I lift my arms up and try to wave and make our periph movement be bigger for him to notice “Stiles! Stiles, over here!”

Scott looks to me and I shrug before we take off running again. Which after what feels like forever we are even more out of breath and not even a little bit closer to him. 

We stop our steps, setting our hands on our knees as we catch our breaths.

“Why– is it– like we’re in a fucking loony tunes cartoon episode and the road just keeps stretching in front of us” I pant out quickly 

Scott swallows through his quick breaths and shakes his head “I don’t know”

I swallow and nod “Okay, Peter said we need to improvise– wait Peter”

Scott furrows his brows and looks to me as I widen my eyes “Stiles is part of your pack”

Scott furrows his brows “What? What do you mean? He’s human”

I roll my eyes “Yes thank you– but he’s still part of the pack, right?”

Scott nods without missing a beat “Yeah– yeah, of course”

We both stand up, and through my trying to slow my breathing breaths I smirk towards him "So how do _wolves_ signal their location to the rest of the pack?”

Scott quickly moves his eyes between mine before he registers my words and nods. 

He looks down in front of him, and I watch his face transform into his wolf features before he lifts his head slowly and states “They howl” 

Scott takes a deep breath in before he releases a deep howl out in front of us and down the long expanse of the room towards Stiles.

Stiles turns his head our direction, and I let out a shocked relieved breath that Scott’s roar broke through to him.

Stiles looks back towards the Nogitsune before he reaches his arm to his one side and sweeps it out in front of him, effectively throwing the stool and all the pieces to whatever game he was being forced to play out in every direction around them.

The Nogitsune didn’t appreciate that as he readies his body and roars a deep bone chilling roar in Stiles’ face.

His roar is the last thing I hear before my eyes open with a gasp and I fall forward with the pressure of Scott’s claws being retracted propels me forwards.

“Did it work?” Scott questions as he comes around the front of the couch and sets his hands on my shoulders and looks behind us “Did it work?”

We turn to Stiles’ body, noticing him still passed out and his head lulled forward, resting his chin on his chest.

I look over Scott’s shoulder at mom, Deaton, Lydia, and Peter “What happened?– Why didn’t it work?”

“Because it’s not science, Addy. It’s supernatural.” Peter states ominously before he pulls Lydia away from the room whispering to her. 

Scott furrows his brows and stands up, calling to their retreating forms “What name? What are you talking about?”

I move my confused eyes between Scott’s back and where Peter took Lydia before I stand up next to Scott. 

He shifts his feet back to make room for me standing next to him and I lift my hand up, rubbing under my nose and noticing blood on my fingers. 

I wipe my hand on my jeans and rub against my nose again “Why was I bleeding?”

Scott looks back to me and shakes his head “I felt my nose bleed too when I was working through where I was after I left the room with you”

I make a noise of understanding before I jerk to the side with the sudden noises coming from behind me.

Scott sets his hands on my upper arms, pulling me closer to his side as we watch Void flail his arms around, grunting and gagging through trying to pull the tape off of his mouth.

He gets the tape off, discarding it to the side before he starts gagging as he pulls all sorts of nasty from his mouth. 

His eyes are wide as he pulls the long piece of bandage from his mouth. He falls forward onto the ground on his knees as he continues to pull the _still_ connected bandage from his throat.

He lands forward on all fours as he gags and the bandage doesn’t need help being pulled as it just falls into a massive pile on the floor below him.

I drop my mouth open in complete shock at what we’re watching him go through. He continues to gag as he retches around the cloth bandage that is falling out very quickly at this point.

I widen my eyes at seeing the massive pile of the discarded bandage in front of him as he finally gets to the end of the ridiculously long piece. 

He pulls it out of his mouth with a deep gasp of air, gagging and coughing as he tries to catch his breath he was just without during that experience.

Black smoke rises from the middle of the pile, earning Void to shakily back up as we all watch as a bandaged covered hand shoots out of the pile. 

The hand is followed by an arm before a bandaged covered head like the one I saw in Stiles’ head, also climbs out of the fucking floor.

Scott moves me behind him and mom grabs my arm as we watch the rest of his body follow his head until he’s using his hands to crawl on the floor closer to us.

Standing fully upright in front of us now, his bandaged head jerks to the side as he lifts his bandaged covered hand up and turns it back in forth, like he’s taking it in. 

He moves his hand to the front of his head and tries to pull the bandage off, not succeeding he jerks forward towards our group. 

Scott and Peter don’t waste any time in stepping forward tp wrap their arms around him and push him back, forcing him to sit in the chair behind him.

The bandaged body continues to fight against them and Peter frustratedly grunts out towards Scott “Hold him–”

Scott lifts his head towards him to quip back “I’m trying”

Hearing another set of quick breaths it clicks that this bandaged face is very different from the one in Stiles’ mind **_his mouth is covered and there aren’t any silver fangs_**

“Wait, wait, wait!” I rush up behind them setting my hands on each of Peter and Scott’s shoulders as I push my way between them, noticing instantly that the bandage has fallen away to reveal lips I know belong to Stiles.

I bend forward and help pull the bandages farther away from his face, up over his nose and back behind his head, revealing the shocked face of _our_ Stiles.

Stiles’ shocked eyes widen slightly as he sits up more and I set my hands on his chest, letting out a sigh of relief **_he’s real, he’s back_**

Everyone’s quick panting breaths are the only noise in the room as he looks around my face and sits up in the chair more “Adds?” his voice is hesitant and broken as I draw my brows in and nod quickly, setting my hand on his cheek “Stiles”

Deaton’s voice sounds behind us “Scott”

Scott sets his hand on my shoulder as he turns back towards Deaton. I turn and follow their line of vision which is on our open front door.

With my hand on Stiles’ chest still I raise up slightly and look back over towards the couch where Void was standing when we watched the bandaged body pull a Jumanji and climb from the floorboards.

"Where are they?” Scott’s frantic voice filters through and I look back to Stiles before looking over my left shoulder where Lydia was standing before Peter and Scott grabbed Stiles.

Deaton shakes his head and Scott again shouts “Where are they?– Lydia!” he takes off running through the living room and towards the door “Lydia!”

Turning back to Stiles when he rests his hand around my arm, I watch as he swallows thickly and tears gather in his eyes **_the eyes I have always loved_**


	47. Insatiable

I set Stiles’ arm around my shoulders, wrapping my arm around his back and start walking him out of the living room.

Taking him upstairs so mom can check him over **_since he materialized out of bandages thrown up from his other body and that doesn’t happen all the time_**

“You’re still too short for this” Stiles grumbles as I set my shoulder up into his underarm.

I snort as we start to walk up the stairs “Oh funny guy’s got jokes people.”

Hearing his breathy chuckle is music to my ears and I smile softly as I look up at him. 

He sets his hand on the rail at the top of the stairs and we walk along it until we get to Scott’s room.

Stiles looks between Scott and I “How are we supposed to figure out if I’m me?”

“You are you” I state with zero hesitation earning Stiles to huff “We don’t know that, Adds”

I tighten my arm around his back with my words “Yes, I do.”

Scott nods before flicking his eyes to me when I shrug and offer “Let’s call the Oni.

Stiles makes a face of agreement, however Scott scoffs “No way, why would you want to offer him to them?”

I huff and lift my free arm out to my side “I’m not saying ‘we’re offering’ him to them, I know he’s him– and the Oni are the only way to put all of your guys’ worries to rest.”

“What if they kill him?” Scott argues and I shake my head “They won’t because he’s _him_ – and besides I’m not currently pacing the floor wanting to scream my head off after offering this option. That alone means he’s gotta be safe for their little test.”

Stiles swallows hard, digesting my words before he nods “She’s right Scott, we need to do something– please call Noshiko and ask her to bring them here.”

Scott takes a moment, looking between us before he nods and sets his hand on my arm, squeezing once as he walks past us and down the stairs to make the call to Kira’s mom.

I lead Stiles over to the bed and help him sit down before mom walks in and clears her throat “Lay back Stiles– Addy why don’t you wait in the hall…” 

Her voice is off and I look over to see her furrowing her brows “It’s him mom”

She swallows and nods quickly “I’m sure it is– Addy hall, please.”

Biting my tongue, I exhale deeply and turn to help Stiles lay down “Thanks Adds” he mutters just above a whisper, unable to connect his eyes with mine.

I smile softly, grabbing his hand and squeezing three times “Always, Sty.”

Mom smiles nervously when I set my hand on her arm, squeezing reassuringly on my walk past her and she heads over to the bed. 

She lets out a deep breath through her nose as she cautiously sits next to his hip and activates nurse mode.

I lean my shoulder against the doorframe, crossing my arms in front of me as I watch mom grab her light and has him focus on the wall as she moves the light over his eyes. 

She clicks the light off and sets it on Scott’s nightstand before turning back towards him. She looks at her watch before lifting her other hand out towards Stiles’ that are crossed over his stomach. She hesitates slightly, with her hand hovering over him which doesn’t go unnoticed by Stiles.

He moves his eyes between her and her hand quickly a few times before an understanding, yet broken look flashes across his face and he lifts his hand up for her. He attempts to smile at her, but even that looks heartbreakingly broken.

I let out a deep exhale with how much I despise what Void has emotionally put us all through, as mom wraps her fingers around his wrist and looks to her watch to take his pulse. 

“Well–” mom begins as she sets his hand back across his stomach and continues “Medically, you seem okay. You’re definitely a real person” she lets out a nervous chuckle with her ever lightening of the mood humor **_that’s more like herself than when she first walked in_**

Stiles raises his brows, trying to find the same humor she’s sharing, as he looks back up to the ceiling “Okay, so I’m real, but am I really me?”

Scott walks up next to me in the doorway, letting out a deep breath. I uncross my arms and turn to him when Stiles sits up on the bed to ask “Is she here?”

Scott licks his lips and nods “Yeah”

“Okay, let’s do this–” Stiles offers, before looking at mom and Scott’s hesitant eyes and elaborates “Guys, we _have_ to do this”

We gets Stiles downstairs, just walking around the corner into the living room when we notice Kira’s mom standing in our dark living room. 

I increase my hold on his arm when she asks “Do you recognize me, hmm?”

Stiles nods her way and turns to face me, setting his hand on mine and squeezing twice with a reassuring smile before turning back towards her.

We hear a door slam from the kitchen and Kira runs in, coming to a stop next to her mom “Stop”

Noshiko reaches out to keep her back and Stiles shakes his head as he takes a few steps closer to them “It’s okay. I’m the one who asked her to come”

Kira widens her eyes and shakes her head “You’re the one who’s going to get stabbed with swords. Mom, don’t do this to him.”

“It’s already done” Noshiko quips back smugly before an Oni appears behind Stiles. 

Mom gasps behind me before we see another one materialize in front of Stiles, releasing its signature shrill snarl noise. 

The Oni move quickly boxing Stiles in as the one in front of him reaches out to set a hand around the side of his head, keeping him in place. 

Yellow eyes shine brightly and the Oni turns his head from one side to the other as Stiles releases shaky breaths with the cold feeling we know is coursing through his body.

The Oni swipes his hand behind Stiles’ ear and he falls to his side on the floor with a grunt.

Scott and I move forward quickly kneeling on either side of him, as Kira’s mom oh so helpfully tells Kira “Look behind his ear” **_yes thank you we’ve done this before lady_**

I set my hand under his head as Scott pulls back his ear and we see the familiar Kanji symbol “It worked” Scott breathes out.

Stiles sets his hands on the ground, pushing himself up as he looks up to us “So, I’m actually me?”

“More you than the Nogitsune” Noshiko adds and I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her. Instead I set my hands on his upper arms and help him sit back on his heels as he looks up to her again “Can the Oni find him?”

She shakes her head and looks towards the windows “Tomorrow night. It’s too close to dawn now.” 

I huff and look over to her as well “Can they at least kill him?”

“It depends on how strong he is.” **_her vague words are beyond aggravating_**

Scott makes a noise to continue our line of questioning at what the Nogitune’s playing at “What about Lydia? Why would he take her?”

“He would only take her for an advantage,” she stresses earning me to furrow my brows looking from Stiles over to Noshiko “You mean her power?” she smiles lightly and nods towards me “Your power– the power of a banshee.” **_I’d rather he have taken me than Lyds_**

***

Scott and I walk through the station with Stiles as we come to a stop next to his dad’s office door. His back is to the door and he’s fumbling with his jacket when we hear him mutter to himself “Ah, if I could just find my keys”

"In your coffee cup.” Stiles croaks out, earning Noah to turn around quickly. Eyes widening in shock with what he sees before Stiles points to his desk to elaborate “You always drop them in your empty cup”

Noah moves his eyes over to Scott and I, the silent question written all over his face.

At our nods confirming it’s really Stiles next to us, he drops his jacket into his chair and he quickly makes his way over to his son. 

Stiles walks two steps into the office before his dad wraps him into a bone crushing hug.

“Oh–” Stiles chuckles as he hugs him back and mutters into his shoulder “Hey dad.”

Noah lets him go and turns to us, adding with a hopeful tone “Is it over?” 

I shake my head slightly as Scott walks over to his desk and grabs the keys out of the coffee cup "Not yet.”

We fill him in with the cliff notes of what happened yesterday and last night, how we got Stiles back and how Void ended up taking Lydia when we were all distracted by Stiles climbing out of the bandage pile on the floor **_he was only mildly confused_**

Noah leaves us in his office to get the deputies on duty caught up on our missing friend, coming back in a few minutes later "We got an APB out on Lydia’s car. Every unit on the road is looking for her.”

“Isn’t there anything else that we could do?” Scott asks him and Noah shakes his head in thought “At this hour? No, not really.”

"He took her for a reason dad– look if we can figure out the why, then we’ll figure out the where.”

Noah nods and looks behind him out his office door to make sure no one will be coming in before he turns back towards us, crossing his arms and directing his slightly above a whisper words to me “Okay. What would a Nogitsune need with a banshee?”

I shrug “We’re pretty good with finding dead bodies– and well warning when death could be close” I nervously look over to Stiles remembering when he was sleepwalking in the preserve and in the MRI machine.

Noah must follow my same thought process because he clears his throat and looks to Scott on the other side of Stiles “Scott, you know more about this than all of us”

“Me?” Scott flicks his gaze between us and Noah who nods back towards him “You said you got the whole story from Noshiko?”

Scott furrows his brows in thought as he shakes his head “Yeah, but that happened during World War II. Like seventy years ago.”

Stiles jerks his head towards his dad "Wait. What did you say?”

Scott, not seeing where Stiles’ eyes are directed tries to elaborate “Noshiko told me about the internment camp–”

"No, before that. You said, ‘the whole story’.” Stiles clarifies and I move my eyes between Noah’s confused face and Stiles’ deep thinking face before I nod towards him “Yeah– what is it?”

With his eyes lost in thought, Stiles informs "There’s a girl at Eichen House. Her name’s Meredith– I think she might be able to help.”

Noah nods, turning back towards his door to call Parrish over from his desk and asks him call over to Eichen to get info on Meredith.

Parrish hangs up the phone a couple of minutes later and heads over our direction as he states “Sheriff, Meredith Walker–” 

“She’s still there?” Noah questions and Parrish nods “Yeah, but they moved her to the Closed Unit.”

Having Stiles’ full attention with those words, he implores “Why?”

Parrish nods his head to the side to answer “They said behavioral issues”

I shake my head slightly gaining his attention to ask “What issues?”

Furrowing his brows he looks between us before digressing “She wouldn’t stop screaming.”

***

Noah went to Eichen to see if he could talk to Meredith, he instead found a guard passed out with his keys and Meredith missing. 

So Noah is now trying to find her, while Scott and I took Stiles back to our house so he could rest since he isn’t looking all that great **yup, dread has completely overcome my whole body.**

He’s laying on the couch at the moment, fast asleep while I’m sitting in the chair next to him **_attempting and failing at reading the book in my lap_**

Currently chewing on the side of my thumb nail, staring a hole into the space just above the top of my book as I worry about what Lyds is going through and if Stiles is going to be okay.

My whole body jumps as my soul is scared out of my body by Stiles gasping loudly next to me and shooting his body up from the couch. 

I quickly stand up with him as he starts fumbling around and I throw my arms out to rest my hands on his upper arms, stabling him from falling.

Scott runs in from the kitchen and comes to a stop next to us “Hey! You okay?”

Stiles sets his hands on my arms as well and swallows hard “What happened? How long was I out?”

"Just a couple of hours– come on you should sit down” I nod towards the couch behind him, however he just shakes his head “Where’s my Dad?”

"He’s at Eichen House, questioning everyone– looking for Meredith. We promised him we wouldn’t let you out of our sight” Scott attempts to reassure.

"Okay, what about the others?” Stiles continues to look nervously between us like he’s missing something

"Ally, Isaac, the Twins– they’re all looking for Lydia” I fill in softly for him.

Stiles nods with the information before he huffs, looking like he’s going to pass out as he states "It’s starting to feel like we’re waiting for a ransom call”

"We’ll find her” Scott reassures and Stiles nods before moving his hands off of my arms and rubbing them down his forearms. 

He turns quickly and grabs his jacket off the couch, looking back towards Scott when he asks “Are you alright?”

Stiles puts on his jacket and nods “Yeah. I don’t know why, I just can’t seem to get warm”

"Maybe you should sit down– you know take it easy” I suggest and Scott sets his hand slightly against the back of Stiles’ to guide him back. 

Black veins shoot up Scott’s hand and he jerks it back, flicking his eyes up to Stiles as he states “You’re in pain.”

I look to Stiles quickly, wondering why he didn’t say anything as he brushes off Scott’s statement with a shake of his head "It’s not that bad. Just more like a dull ache…” 

I furrow my brows and nod towards him “Where?”

He swallows, licking his lips quicklybefore hedigresses with a slight shrug “Sort of everywhere”

Scott tries to get Stiles to sit down again and moves his hand back, exclaiming “Dude, you’re freezing.”

I follow Stiles with my eyes as he pulls his hand out of Scott’s grip and sits down, rubbing his hands over his mouth. 

I share a worried look with Scott before I turn and kneel in front of Stiles. He’s slouched forward with his elbows on his knees and his clasped hands against his mouth as he fidgets around.

I reach out slowly and set my hands on his, waiting until he flicks his eyes up from the floor to connect with mine “Tell us the truth– how much does it really hurt?” 

Stiles draws his brows in, sadness and pain all over his features and I swallow hard with the realization that he doesn’t need to utter the words **_that look said it all_**

Scott’s phone vibrates in his pocket and he fishes it out of his pocket, looking at the screen “It’s Kira– Hey, what’s up?”

***

Kira informed Scott that Meredith was at the school in Coach’s class, so we pile in Stiles’ Jeep and head to the school immediately running inside once we get there. 

Kira meets us in the hall and tells us Coach had Meredith waiting in his office, however some orderlies from Eichen showed up and when Coach opened the door to his office they all saw that she was _again_ missing.

We start our search of the school trying to find her when noise from the music room gains our attention. 

Coach walks in first, stopping right behind an orderly who is just about to tase Meredith. 

When the orderly jerks his arm back to strike her, Coach reaches out and grabs his arm, stopping the orderly’s actions to stress out "this school has a _zero_ bullying policy” 

Coach jams the taser into the orderly’s side with his words and he goes down to the ground with a heavy thud.

Scott, Stiles, Kira and I run in behind Coach and he turns around to us quickly “Well? Get her outta here!” he jerks his arm out to his side to point towards the door. 

Stiles and I each hold one of our arms out for Meredith and she quickly walks towards us. We guide her out of the room just as we hear another round of the taser and the orderly shouts from the pain again.

Meredith and I climb in the back of the jeep while Scott tells Kira he’ll call her and him and Stiles climb in the front seat. 

Once their doors are closed they turn around, facing us as I turn to Meredith and implore “Okay– where’s Lydia?”

She furrows her brows “Who’s Lydia?”

I make a noise and look back to Stiles and Scott, sharing our confused at a loss as where to go from here looks.

***

We decide to head home and try to see if Meredith will be willing to share the ‘whole story’ she’s been talking about. 

We walk in the door and Scott stops his steps, causing me to crash into him and look over his shoulder as he asks “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you guys the same thing” our dad states as he takes in the three of us coming to a stop on Scott’s side. 

I make a noise looking between dad and Isaac who is also here as Stiles offers “Free period– we’re doing group study” he points around him to indicate all of us. 

Dad nods and furrows his brows at Meredith “Who’s she?”

“She’s my girlfriend” Stiles states as he reaches his arm around to rest on her shoulders. 

I try really hard not to laugh at the look on her face as she leans away from him “You’re not my type” 

Stiles raises his brows quickly “Well, obviously we have a lot to talk about”

I snort and look from the trouble in paradise pair to Scott as I offer “We should maybe move group study upstairs?”

Meredith looks past me and nods towards Isaac “He’s my type”

I look over my shoulder at Isaac who drops his mouth open slightly. Chuckling at his expression I turn back to face forward when Stiles makes a noise, scratching his jaw as he rushes out “Okay– Isaac can come too.”

“Uh–” Isaac shakes his head at me stepping towards him as Meredith and Stiles walk past him. Nodding my head at their retreating backs, I draw my pleading brows in and barely whisper for him and his were-hearing to hear “Please?”

He rolls his eyes and begrudgingly turns around in front of me to follow behind them. Dad however softly grabs my upper arm as I try to walk past him.

Scott walks up next to me and I shake my head lightly as I state “Dad– I promise we will explain all this later”

He smiles softly as he drops his hand and shoves both of them into his pockets “I don’t care that you’re not in school. I know both of your grades are fine. All I want to do is talk”

"Now’s really not a good time” Scott answers and sets his hand on my arm to guide me past but dad moves in front of us “Kids– we _need_ to talk”

He guides us over to the couch and has us sit down **_couldn’t have picked a worse time_**

Scott and I share a look when he doesn’t start talking and Scott looks up towards the stairs, muttering “Dad, can’t we do this tomorrow?”

“That’s actually something I’ve been saying for a long time. Both of you come here–” he walks over to the front foyer and points to the ground once we get up and follow him “You see this? This indent in the floor–”

Scott looks hesitantly over to me when dad kneels next to the spot he’s looking at with so much concentration before he continues “That was from your head Scott. The night before I moved out your mother and I were fighting. You came out of your room when I was yelling at Addy to get back in her room. I reached for her but you stepped in front of her with your arm raised to block me, and I ended up grabbing you by the wrist. You pulled back from me– and you fell. We watched you tumble down those stairs. You were out for probably twenty seconds. When you came to, you didn’t remember a thing. Your mom told me to be out by the morning. That was the last time I ever had a drink– and that’s why I left.” he finishes his words barely above a whisper and looks up to us.

I cross my arms over my chest and shake my head “If that was the last time you had a drink, why have you stayed out of our lives for _years_? If you were sober, no longer the angry, abusive drunk we remember– why wouldn’t you want a relationship with us? Why have you waited until we were grown and there’s a massive riff between us?”

Tears rush into his eyes and he shakes his head, at a loss for words. Scott huffs angrily and walks past me and back into the living room, calling over his shoulder "Okay, Dad. Let me show you something. See the edge of this window sill. When I got my first skateboard I slid right into it. Broke my collarbone.” 

Dad follows him looking at the window before Scott points to the coffee table “This used to be glass. Until I fell on top of it trying to catch a lacrosse ball from Stiles. I got three stitches in my cheek.” 

Scott points towards his cheek with his words before throwing his arm towards the kitchen as he continues “Addy fell from the treehouse outback because I was being a dick and telling her girls weren’t allowed that day, and she broke her arm. This house is full of accidents. The stairs? Maybe it was an accident. Maybe it was worse. But I healed. We don’t need your apology for abandoning us instead of fixing what you broke. So– we’ll see you at graduation. Or whenever you decide to _show up_ again”

Scott doesn’t wait for dad to do anything besides look sadly to the floor before he walks over to me still standing in the foyer. Scott sets his hands on my arms to guide me upstairs.

“You okay?” he asks on the trek up the stairs and I scoff wiping the last tears I will be crying for having _that_ as our father away “You just learned he gave you a concussion for saving me and you’re asking if I’m okay?”

Scott shrugs when we get to the top of the stairs and halt our steps “I will always protect you and I mean he left because of it– I know how you’ve always hated him for that– so”

I shake my head “No stop Scotty, you don’t get to say that _you’re_ the reason he left so I should be upset with _you_. He was a grown ass man that chose alcohol over his family. He then chose his _career_ over his family since not drinking anymore obviously made him a better Suit– _he_ made all those decisions. Mom gave him an out and he took it, running away from us like a coward. I will only ever blame _him_ for not fixing his relationship with us.”

Scott nods and I reach my arms out, wrapping them around his middle and offering him the same supportive hug he’s so good at giving me when I need it.

He chuckles softly and squeezes me back before we hear Stiles and Isaac’s voices coming from my room “Okay, just try to focus on the sounds around you”

"On what you’re hearing” Isaac elaborates and Stiles tries again "Just focus on the silence”

"Listen to the silence” I snicker at Isaac’s attempt to _slightly_ be different than Stiles who again tries a different phrasing "Focusing on the silence”

"Listening to the–” Isaac tries to be helpful again but Stiles interrupts him “Okay, will you just let me handle this, Isaac. Please? I just– I have more experience with Banshees”

Scott and I share a chuckle before we walk towards my doorway and hear Isaac mutter “Yeah– and mental patients.”

As soon as Meredith notices me, she silently gets up from sitting on my bed and walks past Stiles who looks quickly between us. 

I shrug at his questioning face as she comes to a stop in front of me. She turns her head to the side as she flicks her eyes around my face and states “You aren’t _listening_ ”

I make a noise, jerking my head back slightly with a furrow of my brows as I look at her “Listening to wha–”

She interrupts my words by placing each of her hands over my ears, earning me to set my hands around her wrists as I gasp loudly with the onslaught of noise that crashes over me. 

Slamming my eyes closed, I drop my mouth open as goosebumps rise up my arms and down my spine with the voices and screams filling my ears **_and two names thrashing around in my head_**

Opening my eyes, tears I didn’t even realize had gathered start to stream down my face as I fall down into a kneel with Meredith’s hands still connected to my head **_no they have to be wrong_**

She lets go and I fall back with a deep gasp for air as I land against the wall. Scott kneels next to me and Stiles replaces Meredith in front of me as he cups my cheeks in his hands, wiping the tears away with his thumbs “Adds– what’s Coupe de something?”

Through my panting breaths I shake my head in his hands slightly to correct him “Coupe de Foudre” **_how the fuck do I know that_**

Stiles shakes his head and looks over to Scott “Is that Spanish?”

I look over to Scott when he shakes his head “It’s French” 

Stiles looks back to me and I lick my lips quickly as he grabs my hands and pulls me to stand back up while I fill in what just became very clear “He’s holding Lydia at Oak Creek– and we need to hurry.” 

***

My leg starts bouncing, as I rest my elbow on the window frame and rub my thumb and index finger over my forehead. 

I have a _terrible_ feeling, not just for Lydia but for the guy sitting next to me, who looks like he hasn’t slept in a year. 

He has dark purple circles under his eyes and he’s paler than he was earlier today **_he looks like he’s dying, which is exactly what the voices screamed at me earlier_**

I look over to him and fight back the tears that rush to my eyes wondering if we’re already too late to save him.

Stiles looks over to me quickly, noticing my eyes he glances at the road quickly before looking back at me again and asking softly “Hey– you okay?”

I make a noise and sit back in my seat more, dropping my arm from the window frame “Yeah, you uh– you don’t have to worry about me.”

Isaac clears his throat “All right, I’ll say it. You look like you’re dying.”

I look into the backseat quickly with Isaac’s words, sharing a shocked look with Scott sitting next to him before I glare daggers at him **_which he ignores_** and continues, “You’re pale, thin and you look like you’re getting worse. And we’re all sitting here thinking it– when we find the other you, is he gonna look like he’s getting better?”

Scott huffs, sharing a look with me before he looks over to the side of Stiles’ face “What happens if _he_ gets hurt?”

“You mean if he dies, do I die?” Stiles fills in, sharing a look with me quickly before making a face and stabbing me with his words “I don’t care. Just so long as no else dies because of me.”

Stiles looks in the rearview mirror at Scott and over to me as he finishes “I remember everything I did, guys. Everything he made me _say_ and do to you Adds. I remember pushing that sword into you Scott– I remember twisting it–”

"It wasn’t you” Scott and I waste no time in exclaiming over to him.

Stiles just shakes his head with our words “Yeah, but I _remember_ it. You guys gotta promise me. You can’t let anyone else get hurt because of me”

“No” I quip back with a shake of my head at his unsaid words of letting him die to make sure that happens.

Stiles scoffs and looks in the rearview mirror for help as he sighs out “Addy–”

“I’m not promising that Stiles– we’re not going to let anyone else get hurt _and_ we’re not fucking losing you to make that happen.”

The rest of the car ride is quiet, and a little awkward but I don’t try to make it better. I look out the window and ask time to hurry and get us to Lydia in time **_which thankfully we were only a few mins away_**

We pull up behind Ally’s car and watch as her and Kira get out and close their doors, stopping just in front of the already slightly opened gates with a sign that reads Oak Creek at the top of the gates.

We get out of the jeep and come to a stop just outside of the metal fence, looking around and taking in the plants and vines that are overgrown all over the gate and the rundown building just behind it.

Scott looks around at us and nods "We’ve done this before, guys. A couple of weeks ago we were standing around just like this and we saved Malia, remember?”

At all of our shared head nods, he continues “That was a total stranger. This is Lydia”

Allison grabs my hand and squeezes “I’m here to save one of our best friends.”

Scott looks fondly to Stiles and nods “I came to save mine.”

I squeeze Ally’s hand again and look over to Stiles, smiling softly to agree with Scott’s words “We’re going to save you both” **_I feel like I’m missing something though_**

Isaac chimes in “I just didn’t feel like doing any homework.”

We all look over to him and his smug face as he shrugs, chuckling lightly we follow behind him as he turns and we all head through the open gate towards the building.

Kira, Isaac, and Allison head one way while Stiles, Scott and I head inside to try and find Lydia.

We run down a hallway and Scott stops, sniffing the air and turning back towards us, stating “She’s here– this way”

We follow closely behind Scott as he quickly navigates us through the building and narrow hallways. He turns quickly to his right through a small door opening and runs down the steps. 

We follow him and watch as Lydia walks up to the gate at the bottom and Scott rushes out “Lydia? Are you all right?”

“No. No, no, no. Why are you here?” She frantically looks between the three of us.

‘Lydia, we’re here for you” Scott states with a shake of his head and Lydia gasps “You weren’t supposed to be here– you didn’t get my message?”

“Lydia, what message– what’s happening?” I call down to her as Scott gets the gate open and she looks up to me, setting her hand on the side of the open gate “You haven’t heard it?”

I shake my head looking between Scott and her “I’ve been hearing _your_ name Lyds– what is it?”

Lydia quickly moves her eyes between the three of us, rushing out “Who came with you?– who else is here?”

**_Why wasn’t I warned about her as well?_ **

We take off running through the hallways of the building, back the way we came as quickly as we can.

Stiles’ gasps through his panting breaths “Addy–” I stop my steps and turn around to see him falling against the wall as I gasp and rush back over to him and he continues out of breath "Adds I can’t– I can’t” 

I set my hands on his upper arms as he falls more towards the ground “Oh– okay, hey you’re okay”

Stiles’ tries to look up at me, however, his eyes are droopy and he looks like he’s on the verge of passing out. 

I set my hands on his cheeks and hold his face up “Hey, stay with me Sty–”

I look down the hall, watching Scott and Lydia continuing their quick steps down the narrow hallway **_please let them get to her in time_**

I set Stiles back so he’s sitting on the floor and resting against the wall. Noticing that his eyes are no longer open now, I move to kneel in between his legs “Stiles?” 

I set my ear against his chest, sighing softly at hearing his heart beating and even breaths in his lungs **_still breathing, good sign_**

Like I was punched in the chest, I gasp loudly as I quickly lift my head off his chest and turn towards the entrance of the hallway.

I don’t even think to hold anything back as both of my hands land on each wall surrounding us and I drop my mouth open, letting the name of my best friend tangled with my scream come barreling out of my throat.

This scream is different, it doesn’t calm my nerves, it sets them on a raging fire. For this isn’t a banshee scream to give me time to save someone who is close to death.

This is the scream of absolute death as it settles around me, making everything cold and lifeless to the touch.

This is a scream as someone I love is taken away from me. 

Tears fall in a constant stream, as I hiccup through a sob that cracks my chest open. 

I drop my hands from the walls and face Stiles, who still has his eyes closed. Another sob rips through my throat as I fall forward, setting my forehead into the side of his neck. 

I feel Stiles lift his arms up to wrap around me, pulling me into him more and bringing me all the comfort he can as I lose one of my best friends.

**_Allison_ **


	48. Divine Move

My vision is blurry with the constant tears that won’t leave my eyes as I still try to process what just happened not even an hour ago. I feel empty, broken, and defeated and the war is just beginning. 

That’s what he did by killing her, Void declared war **_and he’s going to pay with his life as he loses_**

Kira sits on one side of me, near the slightly longer side of the L-shaped couch at her house. She hesitates for a second before she sets her hand on my upper back. 

Attempting to offer her a smile, I lift one side of my mouth and reach over to grab her other hand, squeezing once as a thank you. My throat feels raw with holding back the tears as best I can, so I don’t trust my voice at the moment. 

Stiles sits on the other side of me, causing the seat to move with his body weight. He leans forward resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together in front of him **_he looks worse, even more pale and he looks to be shivering_**

I take a deep breath in, as Noshiko pours some of the hot water from the kettle into a cup and moves it in front of Stiles “Here, it’ll calm you”

“What is it?” Stiles mutters as he points towards the cup and Noshiko answers like it should be obvious “Tea”

“What? Like magic tea?” he implores and reaches for the cup as Noshiko smirks at his assumption “No, chamomile tea– drink it”

Mr. Yukimura comes out from down the hall and gains our attention with his words “He’s not safe here”

Noshiko looks over to her husband to point out “He’s not safe anywhere”

Kira shifts in her seat to address her parents “But Allison killed one of them. Doesn’t that mean something?– She killed an Oni”

“Is that even possible?” disbelief lacing her dad’s words as her mom adds “I’m not sure how.”

“But she did it– she killed one of them” Kira stresses softly and my heart soars with pride for my best friend for killing at least one of the monsters that took her away from us. 

Stiles sets his cup down as he states “Yeah, and then they killed her– Allison’s dead”

I close my eyes from the pain of actually hearing those words out loud for the first time, before Stiles continues “Now I guess the only good thing is it looks like I’m dying, too”

I suck in a quick hiccup of a breath with his words, my eyes moving up from their previous stare on the coffee table enough of an action for the tears to fall over the brims of my eyes. I squeeze Kira’s hand again and stand up from the couch, excusing myself to walk over near the kitchen. 

Wiping away the tears on my way, and trying to take deep breaths so I don’t make things awkward by sobbing uncontrollably in the Yukimura’s household my first time being here.

I feel a hand on my shoulder a moment later and a soft mutter of “Addy, I shouldn’t have– I’m sor–”

I sniffle quickly before turning around to Stiles, interrupting his words when he sees my tear stained cheeks.

Noticing the family still in the living room attempting to give us privacy by drinking their tea, I shake my head when I connect my eyes with his “You have got to stop blaming yourself for what that monster is doing Stiles. _You_ didn’t kill Allison. _He_ did– and you don’t deserve to die because of it– I’m not going to let you.”

He opens his mouth to argue but I don’t let him. I let out a quick humorless laugh and raise my hands out to my sides “You want to put blame on anyone for her dying, then you’re looking at the person you should be blaming, okay”

Stiles sadly draws his brows in with my words, and I notice out of my periph that I have the other three people’s attention but I keep going, not even attempting to stop the tears that are falling with my frantic words “I– I _held_ _hands_ with my best friend as we walked through those gates, I _walked_ her into her death sentence, and I gave her absolutely _no_ warning. I’m a pretty shitty banshee if I couldn’t even save the closest thing to a sister I’ve ever had.”

Stiles reaches out and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into him. Once my face hits his chest, the sob I was holding back rips through. I lift my arms up his back and grab his shirt by the top of his shoulder, bunching into my fists as I completely break down. 

Through my soft cries I croak out “I can’t– I can’t believe I heard everything else, _everything_ else but her name”

Stiles increases his hold on me and lays his cheek on the top of my head as he whispers “This isn’t on you Adds, it’s just not. You’re okay– I’ve got you.”

Noshiko walks over a few minutes later and smiles softly, setting her hand on Stiles’ shoulder to bring us back to our current battle, “He made a powerful move by splitting the two of you”

Kira smiles softly as I compose myself and watch as she sets a piece on the game table in front of her “So what’s our move?”

“At this point, you need a divine move.” Her dad answers her before I look over to him and shrug a shoulder, imploring “What’s that?”

Noshiko offers a supportive look and raises her arm out for us to follow her back into the living room as she explains “In the game of Go, it’s what we call a truly inspired, or out-of-the-box move. The Nogitsune has had sente, the advantage, until this point. What you need is a divine move in order to turn the game around.”

"Okay, so is anyone feeling divinely inspired?” Stiles croaks out once we are settled back on the couch, and he keeps his arm wrapped around my back.

Kira looks across us “Mom, you said you trapped it in a glass jar, right?”

“It wasn’t the jar that trapped it. It was where I buried it.”

“The Nemeton.” Stiles answers in thought, earning her to nod his way and continue “A place I don’t know too much about”

“Who does?” Kira looks between us and I nod at Stiles before I turn to them and state “Deaton– Deaton does.”

***

Chris had activated hunter mode and coached Scott, Lydia and Isaac on what to say for their statements at the Sheriff’s station. 

How it was an attempted carjacking, the attackers had something shiny that could of been a knife, and that it all happened so fast. 

After giving their statements, Isaac went back to the apartment with Chris while Scott and Lydia headed to Deaton’s once we told them about the Nemeton being what held the Nogitsune before. 

I offer to make more tea for everyone while we wait for what Deaton’s going to enlighten us with. 

It’s about ten mins after Scott said they were getting there when he calls and says Derek actually has a wooden box that was holding his mother’s Alpha claws in– which is important because Deaton made that box specifically to hold the claws **_and he made it from pieces of wood that the Nemeton was cut into._**

We get into Stiles’ Jeep and head to Deaton’s to meet Scott and Lydia. I help Stiles climb out of the jeep, setting his arm around my shoulders since he is barely able to walk on his own **_he’s getting weaker and weaker_**

Headed down the hall past the front counter, an onslaught of whispers crashes around me and I feel light headed from the feeling. My steps falter and Kira, who was walking behind us, reaches her arms out to steady us.

Stiles reaches across me to press his hand on the wall to keep him from slamming into me as he mutters “What was that– are you okay?”

I let out a deep breath and nod “Something’s happening– I had this sudden rushing feeling, like we’re running out of time”

He swallows thickly and I regain my hold on him as we walk through the doorway into the room where Deaton, Scott and Lydia are, gaining their attention as he mutters “Yeah– yeah I kind of got that feeling too.”

I lean him back to rest on the table, and Lydia rushes over to envelop me in a hug. I close my eyes, not wanting to cry since we are so not out of the woods, but still want to comfort her. 

I squeeze her reassuringly and hear her sniffle before she pulls back, teary eyes connecting with mine before she nods and steps to my side, keeping an arm around my back. 

Scott clears his throat and I move my watery eyes his way as he pockets his phone “Derek’s got the triskele box. He’s gonna meet us”

***

Scott pulls up to the school and Stiles immediately opens the passenger door of his jeep, the motion of getting out propelling him over to the railing a few feet away.

I climb out of the back and quicken my steps to get over to him. I set my hands on his back before he turns to look over his shoulder at me. 

I smile softly and move one of his arms up to set around me “I know I’m short, but I got you okay”

He offers his signature breathy chuckle and pulls me closer into his side to get situated “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Adds”

We start walking behind Scott and Kira and head for the doors inside the school. 

Scott reaches for the doors, however Stiles’ words stop him “Scott, hold on– I know what you’re all thinking. If this works, it might kill me, too.”

I look up at him, watching as he swallows thickly and keeps his eyes on Scott **_deliberately not looking at me_**

“But even if it does, you just– you have to go through with it. Stick with the plan, okay?” **_not a chance_**

Scott moves his eyes from Stiles and over to me quickly before looking back at him to stress his words “The plan is to save you. That’s the plan I’m going with” **_that’s my brother ya’ll_**

I smile inwardly as I look down to my feet and shift my hold around Stiles’ middle to get a better hold on him, while Scott moves to open the doors to the school.

Pushing the doors open, we follow right behind Scott, our steps faltering slightly when instead of the hallways to school we see a snowy winter garden scene in front of us. 

Based on what Deaton told us about the mansion he went to in Japan to get the Wolf Lichen strand, I’m guessing that is what the Nogistune created with this scene for us.

The doors creak just before they slam behind us, causing us to jump slightly with the noise. 

We turn back around and Stiles lifts his arm from me, stepping forward slightly as he takes in the snow falling quickly on us “Well, this is definitely not part of the plan.”

I lift my hand up and smile softly at seeing the snow fall in my open palm. This may all be a trick, but the snow definitely feels very real and cold. 

We hear footsteps crunching in the snow near the doors and turning behind us we see the bandaged body of the Nogitsune jerk it’s body forward with it’s steps from behind one of the stone pillars.

He turns his head our way before slowly making his way closer. 

Kira and Scott turn towards him defensively and I feel Stiles wrap his hand around my forearm, pulling me back towards him as he moves to stand in front of me.

Kira unsheathes our Katana weapon she thunder power fixed as he stops his steps and his deep voice booms around us, sending shivers down my spine “Like I promised, Stiles. We’re going to kill _all_ of them. One by one.”

An Oni materializes behind Kira with his words and she swings her katana blade to block the Oni’s swinging sword.

The Oni steps back from her and another materializes on his other side, stepping closer to us. 

Stiles pulls me closer to his side, wrapping his arm around my back as two more materialize behind us, boxing us in as Scott breathes out “What the hell is this?– Where are we?”

The Nogitsune answers, showing off his disgusting dark silver fangs “Between life and death”

“Bardo” I answer thoughtfully and he turns his head my way to argue “But there are no peaceful deities here, Addeline.”

“You’re dying, Stiles.” The Nogitsune adds just above a whisper, earning Scott and I to share a look before looking to Stiles, who increases his hold on me when the Nogitsune continues louder “And now everyone you care about is dying, too.”

“What? What do you mean?” Stiles replies with a shake of his head

“I’ve captured almost all of the territories on the board, Stiles. The hospital. The Sheriff’s station. And now the animal clinic”

Trying not to focus too much on the possible terrifying meaning behind ‘capturing those territories’, I take a few deep breaths before he continues to taunt Stiles “Do you know the ritual of seppuku, Stiles?”

Stiles tightens his hand on my waist, shifting on his feet to keep himself slightly more in front of me as we watch the Nogitsune walk in front of us and Stiles clips out his answer “No, and I don’t want to.”

“When a samurai disembowels himself with his own sword to maintain his honor, but that’s not the cut that kills him. The killing stroke is made by his kaishakunin, who beheads the samurai with his own katana.”

He stops his steps to points his bandaged hand towards us “Scott– Scott is your kaishakunin. I’m going to make your best friend kill you, Stiles.”

The Nogitsune continues moving his steps our way as he finishes his dark command “And you’re going to let him. Because just like you, they’re all going to die. Everyone touched by an Oni’s blade. Unless Scott kills you first.”

I let out a few shaky breaths, being this close to him, hearing his dark menacing voice, and his twisted words. 

Scott is glaring daggers into the side of his bandaged face that is now just a few inches away from Stiles’.

I tighten my hold on Stiles as he doesn’t stand down and shakily ponders to the silver fanged psycho “Why? Why are you doing this?”

“To win the game” he states eerily calm before he takes quick steps away from us and lifts up one of his hands, throwing it forward quickly to signal the Oni to attack. 

Which they do, swinging their swords defensively in front of them as we all move our group closer together.

Scott transforms and lets out a growl as Kira lifts her katana up, ready to fight.

Stiles pulls me and Lydia backwards with him as we watch Scott and Kira take on the Oni in the snow as it still falls quickly around us.

“How is this happening? How are we in this place?” Scott rushes out when him and Kira lean their backs together in the middle of the attacking Oni.

Kira looks around and answers just as quickly “You’re asking me? A month ago, I’d never even touched a sword.”

Watching Scott and Kira continue to be badasses and fight the onslaught of the Oni, I move my eyes around at the garden we’re in and the snow falling.

I turn to Stiles and swallow quickly as I shake my head “This can’t be real”

He looks to me quickly and nods towards the fighting scene in front of us “Yeah, tell that to them.”

Kira throws her arms up to block with her katana, the Oni overpowers her hold and the katana flies from her hands, landing a few feet away from her as two Oni point their swords towards her, backing her up near the tiny footbridge Stiles and I are kneeling near.

Stiles shakes off my hold on him and falls forward, grabbing the katana that Kira dropped and standing up while holding the end towards his stomach “Stiles, no!” Scott growls as I hold my hands out to my side and stop just beside him.

I hear the Nogitsune growl excitedly and I stress softly “Stiles” 

He moves his eyes to me quickly and over to Scott with his words “What if it saves you? What if it saves all of you?”

I shake my head to rush out quickly towards him “What if it’s just another trick?”

“No more tricks, Addy.” The Nogitsune grunts out darkly from the other side of the garden.

Stiles shifts on his feet, grasping the handle in his hand tighter before the Nogitsune’s dark voice filters around us “End it, Scott. Let your friend fall on his own sword. Do for him what he cannot do for himself. Do it, Scott. Be his kaishakunin. Give up the game.”

Tears rush in my eyes as I watch Stiles weakly hold up the sword against his stomach, shaking with the effort.

The Oni have stopped fighting Scott and Kira and they’re watching Stiles, who breathes out shakily with his decision he’s battling with.

Stiles gasps and his eyes widen as he looks at the blade in front of him. Stiles looks to me quickly before looking to his other side as we hear the Nogitsune taunt out “You have no moves left.”

Stiles drops the end of the katana from him and holds it in both hands, looking down to the blade before nodding and looking across the garden and stating “I do.”

Stiles turns to his left and throws the katana back to Kira, who catches it no problem, before he turns to me and holds out his arm. 

Taking the two steps into him, he takes a deep breath as he wraps his arm around my waist and turns his head back to the Nogitsune to state confidently “A divine move”

I increase my hold around Stiles’ shoulder as the Nogitsune snarls loudly and angrily our way.

Stiles turns his words to Scott and Kira “Stop fighting them. It’s an illusion. You have to stop fighting them. It looks real and it feels real, but Scott, you gotta trust me, it’s an illusion.”

Scott digests Stiles’ words and turns from us as we make our way over to him, facing the Nogitsune who is in front of the stone doors. 

Kira walks over to us as we watch the four Oni stand with two in a row on each side of the Nogitsune. In formation to fight as we try to make our escape.

Scott walks forward first, the first Oni swipes his sword across Scott’s chest. I flinch back with the grunt of pain Scott growls out, however he takes a breath and continues his steps.

Kira follows behind him, earning an Oni to swipe his sword across her back and another to swipe across her stomach. She grunts through the pain, however, like Scott she continues her steps behind him.

The Nogitsune tilts his head to the side watching as Scott gets closer to him. Another Oni sword swipe to his leg causes his steps to falter, but he keeps going until he’s right in front of the Nogitsune. 

Scott sets his hands on the Nogitsune’s upper arms and pushes him backwards, growling with the effort of forcing his steps back into the stone doors. 

As soon as he pushes him into the doors, we all fall forward through the doorways of the metal doors at the school landing in the hallway. Surrounded by the lockers we see everyday, snowy garden and Oni forgotten behind us.

Scott looks down and the bloody slashes across his body and Kira’s are gone. Stiles was right, it felt and looked real but it was just an illusion **_fucking tricky fox bastard_**

Scott moves his shocked eyes our way “We’re okay. We’re–”

I flinch back into Stiles when I notice Void punching Scott into the lockers on his other side was what interrupted his words.

Stiles pulls me back a few steps as Kira and Lydia turn around and Void smacks them down to the ground, completely unconscious before he croaks out darkly “This was _my_ game.” 

Void moves his eyes up and connects with ours as he tilts his head to the side, imploring smugly “You think you can beat me at my game?”

Stiles increases his hold on my waist and pulls me backwards, quickening our steps away from Void as he walks just as quickly towards us and clips out “Divine move– divine move. You think you have any moves at all? You can kill the Oni. But me?– Me? I’m a _thousand_ years old. _YOU_ _CAN’T KILL ME_!”

Noticing Scott in position, I stop our steps and state back just as smugly “But we can change you”

Surprise flashes across Void’s face as he stops his steps as well and tilts his head to the side, moving his eyes to me and croaking out “What?”

Stiles pulls me into his side more to elaborate “You forgot about the scroll”

I smirk at the dark look that falls over Void’s face as I fill in “The Shugendo scroll”

Recognition fills Void’s eyes as he mutters above a scared, shaky whisper “Change the host”

Stiles levels him with his own smirk as he shows our divine checkmate move “You can’t be a fox and a wolf.”

Right on cue Scott shines his Alpha reds and jams his claws into Void’s shoulder, lifting the arm up and biting Void’s upper arm with his fangs. 

Void bellows out in pain as he watches the events unfold to his host body. 

Scott clamps his jaw down harder, earning even louder screams to echo around the halls around us from Void. 

Scott lets go and Void stumbles to the side before we see the katana blade as it comes straight out of his chest, with Kira standing behind him.

The lights start flickering in the previously dark hallway as we hear thunder crash outside above us.

Kira pulls the katana out of Void’s back and he flails with his wide eyes before he falls to his knees in between us. 

Stiles shifts on his feet as we watch Void pant out through a gurgling breath. He drops his mouth open and a fly comes zipping out, flying past us and down the hall. 

I turn into Stiles and look over his shoulder as Isaac comes from the side hallway and traps the fly in the Nemeton made box Derek had said he would bring us.

Isaac locks the lid and smiles at our wide thankful eyes that he was in the perfect spot to catch the fly.

Awful noises cause us to turn back around to Void whose host body looks like it’s on the verge of being destroyed without that fly.

He flails his arms around, making awful gagging noises before he stops and his skin becomes even more pale looking **_almost like a dusty stone_**

Cracking lines cover in every direction across his face before he falls forward, turning into a black dust as soon as the body crashes to the floor. 

The dust blows away, leaving nothing behind to indicate anything was ever there.

I widen my eyes looking up towards Scott and sharing a relieved sigh of relief that our plan worked and he’s actually gone.

However, the sigh of relief is short lived as Stiles’ arm around me falls away and we watch him fall to the ground in between us.

Stiles lands on his side and I fall down to my knees next to him, rolling him onto his back “Stiles!”

Tears rush in my eyes, making the vision of him laying there with his eyes closed become very blurry “no, no, no, no” I lean forward and rest my ear on his chest, sighing when I hear a faint beating of his heart. 

Scott takes off his jacket when he hears what I hear, and kneels on his other side. I lift Stiles’ head so he can put the jacket under his head, and lean back to sit on my heels, wiping the tears that have fallen away **_he’s alive_**

Isaac kneels next to me, setting the container down near the lockers as I reach forward to grab Stiles’ hand in mine and rest my arm against his stomach. 

Isaac shifts back and moves to sit down, resting his back against the lockers. He brings his legs up and wraps his arms around them, clasping his hands together.

I sniffle and look over to him, noticing the tears in his eyes before I reach over to set my hand softly on his forearm, adding softly “Thank you for your excellent timing.”

He lets out a shaky chuckle, nodding and setting his hand over mine to offer a reassuring squeeze, before letting go and resuming his previous sitting position. 

Scott sets his hand on my shoulder and squeezes once as we wait for Stiles to wake up.

It’s a few minutes later when I watch his eyes flutter open, connecting with mine right away before moving around to look at everyone else us.

He tightens his hand in mine as he sighs out with a nod of his head “Oh, God, I fainted, didn’t I?”

We all let out relieved laughs with his words and offer small nods with his question before he swallows and states incredulously “We’re alive. We _all_ alive?”

Scott kneels next to him, taking a moment before he nods “Yeah. We’re okay.”

Stiles sighs and makes a grateful face with the confirmation before I gasp and look to my right to share a look with Lydia.

She shakes her head and stands up, before I nod towards the front of school “Go, Lyds”

She quickens her steps as Scott and I pull Stiles up from his lay on the ground. We follow Lydia’s steps out through the front doors we first came through and watch as she rushes to the railing near the steps towards the underpass bridge of school. 

Stiles and I come to a stop behind her, with Scott, Isaac, and Kira stopping next to me. 

Lydia lets out a broken sob and turns quickly crashing her body into Scott’s, who wraps his arms around her. 

I share a heartbroken look with Scott, before turning as we all look sadly down the steps.

Ethan is slouched forward, crying over Aiden’s body. Derek is kneeling next to them and Chris is standing just behind them. 

I share a sad look with Stiles, who looks guiltily down at the scene. I turn into his side and rest my forehead on his shoulder as he pulls me closer and rubs his other hand over my back in small circles.

I wasn’t close to Aiden, however it breaks my heart all over to lose another person close to us **_for Ethan losing his brother, and for Lydia losing another person she loved_**

***

Chris opted to not have a proper funeral for Allison, him and Isaac are honoring her memory by taking the triskele Nemeton box housing the Nogitsune fly as far away from human hands as they can find.

We chose to honor her a different way since we couldn’t all go on an impromptu halfway around the world flight this week **_it’s the middle of the school year after all_**

Instead Scott, Stiles, and I met Lydia and Kira at the cliffs in the preserve. At the same spot Scott and Allison would sneak off to last year when they weren’t supposed to be dating anymore.

Ally loved coming here ‘to watch the city lights’ as Scott shared with us. I smile sadly with his words and reach over, grasping his hand in mine as we let our tears fall.

Stiles walks up on my other side and clasps our hands together, squeezing twice which I respond with my three squeezes back. 

Lydia walks up on his other side and Kira walks up on the other side of Scott, as we all silently watch the city lights and say goodbye to our friend.

***

“Addy?”

I turn around quickly with his questioning voice, making a noise as I point towards the door “I didn’t knock– right? Or did I?”

Stiles chuckles and walks out onto the porch with me, closing the door behind him “Um no you didn’t, but dad saw you pacing out here for ten minutes and figured you needed to talk about something”

I swallow nervously “I do– yup umm– well actually first, how are you feeling? You– uhh– you look a lot better”

It’s true, the color is back in his skin and the dark purple circles under his eyes are gone. There’s a sadness is his eyes, but even that looks like it’s slowly fading **_which is good, he needs to stop blaming himself for what void did_**

Stiles chuckles nervously and reaches up to rub behind his neck as he shrugs “All things considering? Yea I feel more like the old me”

I nod a few times “Good– that’s good…”

Silence settles over us and Stiles clears his throat, which snaps me out of my stare at the wood boards on the porch. 

I smile lightly, pointing my thumb over my shoulder “Right, well I should be going…”

He takes a few steps towards me and stops my steps “Wha– why? You really were pacing out here for ten minutes to ask me how I am?”

I shake my head, losing all the nerve I had built up before he walked out here “No– no that wasn’t why I came over, but yelling at you just seems ridiculous at this point after what you’ve been through”

He looks taken aback by my words before he makes an understanding face and nods towards his feet “I really don’t even understand how any of you– how you can look at me after what I did” he mutters as he leans back against the porch railing.

I groan and step closer to him “Me yelling at you was more along the lines of thinking it was remotely okay for you to just decide you get to die for the good of the cause. That we all– _that I_ – wouldn’t be absolutely devastated to lose you! I mean Jesus Christ Sty, we _just_ lost Ally and there you were ready to stab your fucking self in front of us.”

He scoffs and shakes his head “Exactly, we just lost Allison because of me, what I brought into our lives! I wasn’t going to let anyone else, especially you, die next.”

I turn away as I groan out “It wasn’t because of you–”

He lifts his hand out to his side “Right you all keep saying that, but I close my eyes and I remember– I see everythi–”

I turn back towards him quickly, stopping his words **_he needs to understand_** “I know, and I’m sorry that you have those memories, but none of us blame you Stiles. _You_ didn’t ask for some thousand year old twisted fox spirit to cling onto you and hitch a ride out of the Nemeton. _You_ didn’t make the decisions to hurt people, to hurt us, _you_ didn’t do anything wrong! You are not responsible for any of the hurt or destruction he left in his wake. You are still our Stiles, you are still the Stiles I have been _in love_ with for years–”

Stiles snaps his head my direction, pushing himself off his lean against the railing to take a step closer and point at me as he interrupts my words “Wha– what did you just say?”

Widening my eyes slightly at the realization I got _that_ carried away, naturally I freak out and dodge the question “Hmm? What part?– you know because I said _a lot_ of things in the last ninety seconds, so just asking me to randomly–”

“Addy”

“Repeat just some bit of what I said without _actually_ knowing what it is you need repeated, could just make us go in circles for—”

“Addy”

“A ridiculous amount of time honestly. I mean, you know my rambling can rival even you on a good day and today feels like a really good day to show off my rambling skills that would make even you jeal–”

“Adds!”

I close my mouth with his bellow of my name, my nickname only he has ever called me. I’ve never known if people just knew that, or what **_but he’s only ever been the one to use it_**

I move my eyes quickly between his a few times before I take a deep breath and silently thank Ally for giving me the push towards the jump I’ve been too scared to do on my own.

I sigh quickly, drawing my brows in softly as I shake my head and lay it all out there as confidently as I can, “You heard what I said. Is it really that crazy for you to imagine in that incredibly brilliant brain of yours? That I could love you, that I am in love with you? That I _have been_ in love with you since we were eight–”

Stiles interrupts my words as he closes the distance between us with two quick steps and sets his hands on either side of my face, cupping my cheeks as he slams his lips against mine.

I make a surprised noise as my eyes close and I rest my hands against his chest, bunching his shirt in my hands as I get lost in the blissful feeling of his lips against mine.

Keeping my eyes closed as I pull slightly away, I make a noise to clarify once I connect my eyes with his “What was that? Because if that was just a way to stop my rambling you need to figure out a different way–”

“I’m in love with you, Adds” Stiles states just above a whisper **_did he just say what I think he said_**

Shock completely overcomes my face as I stutter through digesting his words “You– you are? What? When? I thought–”

He chuckles as he closes his eyes and shakes his head to state “I’ve been in love with you since before I even fully grasped what the feeling was.” 

He opens his eyes and moves his hands to rest on my waist, pulling me slightly closer as he smiles softly and continues “It wasn’t until 8th grade that I actually realized that’s what I was feeling. I wasn’t brave enough to tell you and when I tried to tell Scott to get his advice, you ended up walking our way. I had already brought half of it up to Scott, I just hadn’t informed him it was _you_ I was talking about. So when you walked up, I was so nervous for you to find out, I just blurted out the first girls name that I saw down the hall behind you”

“Lydia” I whisper, completely floored with this bit of information.

He grimaces and nods “Which you unfortunately heard Scott repeat, and then the lie just snowballed from there. I figured when you didn’t react to the lie confession that I was probably alone in how I was feeling so it didn’t really matter. I just let it be and let you both think that’s how it was, because I didn’t want to lose you.”

Somewhat still speechless, wrapping my mind around everything I shake my head slightly with another thought “Wow, okay so what about the Formal?”

Another soft grimace before he divulges “Allison seemed pretty adamant when she asked that I take Lydia as a favor to her, Scott wanted to make Allison happy, so being the dutiful best friend I obliged.”

I chuckle sadly at the memory of us picking out dresses, clearing my throat I shake my head softly “Ally played matchmaker to get you to see that Lydia wasn’t your dream girl”

Stiles jerks his head back slightly as he drops open his mouth in mock hurt “She played me?”

I shrug, moving my hands up his chest to rest behind his neck “Not if it worked”

He narrows his eyes at me “Literally still the definition of being played, but it didn’t matter I never needed convincing because Lydia was never my dream girl. The car ride there, Lydia had said how it was obvious we wanted to be at the dance with other people so we should do just that once we got there. Even told me to stop staring at you when we were in the parking lot, and that I needed to grow a pair and ask you to dance or else.”

Tears gather in my eyes as I laugh softly at the amazing friends, who even after only knowing me a short while at the time, were trying to get me with the man of my dreams.

Stiles swallows thickly and continues with making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world “I wanted to be there with you, and I made sure you were the only one I danced with that night– that was as brave as I could be when it came to you that night.”

I hum thoughtfully and close my eyes, not wanting to disturb the dream “This is real? You’re here and saying these words to me? You– you love me?”

I hear him chuckle softly, opening my eyes as he moves his thumbs against my cheeks softly. Never wavering his honey amber eyes with my blues, he states with so much conviction “Addy McCall, I am so in love with you.”

I smile the biggest smile with his words before I softly state “I know”

He lets out a soft breathy chuckle before I feel him rest his forehead against mine as he mutters just above a whisper “It’s always been you, Adds.”

If it was at all possible, my smile deepens before I push up on my toes and connect my lips to his. 

Nothing has ever felt as right or as natural as the way his lips feel while they move in sync with mine. I feel him wrap his arms around my waist, pulling me closer as he deepens the kiss with a slight moan.

Seeming to come to the realization that we’re on a porch for all the neighbors to see, we pull back. Stiles smiles softly as he moves his nose against mine, causing me to crinkle mine with a soft laugh. 

So much love shines through his eyes as he moves them around my face and clears his throat “So you know this officially makes you mine, right– well I mean if you’ll have me…”

Scoffing playfully, I level him with a look “You think you can declare a love like that, kiss me like _that_ and I was just going to call it a day?”

Chuckling deeply he shakes his head “I’m still not convinced this isn’t a dream, so I wouldn’t be surprised.”

My brow twitches before I lean forward and offer a short but sweet kiss to go with my words as I pull away “I love you and I’m all yours, Stiles Stilinski.”

Stiles tightens his grip on my hips as he groans out “Fuck, officially will never get tired of hearing that.” 

I sigh playfully “Oh goodness you’re already setting the swoon level to strong.”

Lifting one side of his mouth in the lopsided smile I’ve always loved, he nods “Damn straight, if you’re going to do me the honor of being mine– you best be prepared to be treated right, McCall.”

I chuckle softly and run my fingers through the hair resting just above his neck. Stiles makes a noise of appreciation before he continues “And as a thank you, you just– you just always have to do that.”

Smiling wide, I nod once “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Stilinski.”


	49. Dark Moon

A throat clearing has us turning towards the door to see Noah with a hard look on his face as he flicks his eyes between us quickly “I’m going to need confirmation that what I just witnessed is actually happening, and not a trick of my aging eyes…”

Stiles’ grip on my hips tightens a little as he scoffs lightly towards his dad “You were watching us?”

Noah waves his hand absentmindedly as he dismisses Stiles’ accusation with his words “Son, give me some credit I’m an officer of the law– I don’t _watch_ people, I _observe._ ”

I snort, dropping my head forward to rest my forehead against Stiles’ chest, who groans in embarrassment with his dad’s words “That’s just as bad, please leave the observing to actual crime potential perps, and far, _far_ away from me and my girlfriend” **_will I ever get used to the way my heart soars with him calling me his? Spoiler alert– nope_**

Lifting my head off of Stiles, I turn towards Noah just as he smiles a shit eating grin and takes the few steps over to us quickly.

He sets his arms around us, setting a hand on each of our shoulders as he envelops us in a hug.

He shakes us slightly, earning light chuckles from the both of us as he states happily, “It’s about damn time you two!”

Noah chuckles before he leans back, keeping his hands on our upper arms for a second before he clears his throat and steps back pointing over his shoulder towards the front door “Man this is great– plus we get your mom’s famous lasagna dinner now.”

I share a confused look with Stiles, before it seems to click with both of us. Widening our eyes, we turn back to him quickly as we exclaim “You guys bet on us?!”

Noah widens his eyes ever so slightly as he walks backwards towards the door as he makes a noise and rushes out “Hmm? What’s that? No– no don’t be ridiculous, go back to kissing your girlfriend.”

***

Walking into the kitchen with Stiles, mom turns slightly to look over her shoulder before she goes back to filling the coffee pot with water “Hey guys.”

I clear my throat once she stops the water and faces us on her way over to the coffee maker “Sooo Mr. S has requested lasagna for Friday night dinner…”

With her back to us still, mom snorts “Since when do we have a Friday nig–”

She looks over to us quickly, looking down to our linked our hands, before looking back up to us and smiling wide as she walks over to us “It’s about damn time,” she wraps us in much the same hug as Noah before she pulls back and glares playfully at Stiles “You couldn’t have waited until this summer?”

I scoff and shake my head softly at her “I can’t believe you guys bet on if we would get together”

Mom jerks her head back, drawing her brows in with a smirk as she looks between us “Oh sweetheart, stop being ridiculous it wasn’t on ‘if’– it was a matter of when.”

***

Scott and Lydia do a double take, noticing my hand linked with Stiles’ as we walk away from the jeep and towards the school.

Lydia points between us and smirks as we come to a stop in front of them, before crossing her arms in front of her and stating “Explain”

I playfully roll my eyes, failing at hiding my smile “You know perfectly well what this means, we didn’t want to make a big deal–”

“It’s a huge deal!” Lydia and Scott shriek at the same time before Lydia shakes her head at us “You two were the _blind_ love struck idiots who couldn’t see what we’ve all seen for a long time”

Scott smirks looking between us as he states “Some longer than others…”

I narrow my eyes at him, nodding my head towards him “How long is ‘longer than others’?”

Scott shrugs, chuckling to his feet before he looks up to us “I was pretty sure Stiles was lying in 8th grade–”

Stiles groans next to me as Scott continues, directing his words to his best friend “Dude you were hella nervous when she walked up. Then everything was confirmed last year after I was bit, and it was pretty entertaining to give you shit since”

“Fucking chemosignals– you need to learn to turn that ability off” Stiles grumbles, wrapping his arm behind me to rest on my other hip, as I look between them quickly “What does that mean?”

Scott shakes his head quickly “Nothing– and trust me I wish I could. It wasn’t just that though, it’s also your heartbeats when you guys are around each other. I can’t really explain it, but it’s an immense calm feeling almost– it’s uh– it’s similar to how Allison made me feel” **_well that’s equally amazing and heartbreaking to hear_**

I reach over and set my hand on Scott’s arm as Lydia clears her throat, trying to change the subject before we all get sad “So– why on Earth wouldn’t you guys want to make this a big deal?”

Stiles squeezes my side as I look between them and shrug “Just with everything we went through _and lost_ a few days ago, we didn’t want to seem insensitive to everyone going through–”

Lydia pulls me into a bone crushing hug, interrupting my words and Stiles lets me go so I can return her hug as she states for us both to hear “You two deserve to be happy, _especially_ happy together,” she pulls back and sets her hands on my arms, tears welling in her eyes as she continues “Ally would want you both to celebrate the end of you being idiots– flaunt the hell out of this you two.”

Adding my own teary eyed chuckle, I nod at her before she flicks her eyes to Stiles “You got the girl, you should be shouting from the rooftops”

Stiles smiles when I look back at him over my shoulder and he nods, keeping his eyes on me as he directs his answer to her “I have been– just on the rooftops downtown, pretty shocked you guys didn’t hear it honestly.”

***

Stiles and I follow behind Scott through the hallway at Deaton’s to the back exam area **_that has become the supernatural problem solving room_**

Scott asked us to meet him here because he hasn’t heard from Derek in a while and he’s officially worried.

Stiles sets his hand on my lower back for me to walk in front of him into the room behind Scott as he asks him “Okay, so how long has it been?”

Scott looks back to us “Weeks– he hasn’t gotten back to any of my texts.”

“Has Derek ever returned your texts?” Stiles offers and Scott contemplates that before nodding “Once. Definitely once– but this time it felt different. So I went to the loft. The alarm was on, everything looked okay–”

Scott trails off before he grabs a container out of the cupboard, turning back towards us as he hands Stiles a bullet shell casing and continues “But then I found these. So I sent a picture of it to Deaton. He said that it’s the mark of a family of hunters based out of Mexico. The Calaveras”

I furrow my brows as I lift my eyes from the casing with a skull engraving up to Scott “What would they want with Derek?”

Stiles looks between us “You don’t think they killed him, do you?”

“I… I don’t know. That’s why I asked you to meet me here” he moves the container holding the shell casings in front of me.

I look between both of them and their supportive faces before Stiles sets his hand on my lower back and nods towards the container.

I take a deep breath and reach my hand in, moving my fingers around the casings as I close my eyes. I hear a man shouting in pain and gasp as I retract my hand quickly

“What is it– did you hear something?” Stiles mutters quickly and I nod, looking between them before I reach my hand in again.

I grab a handful of the casings and move them around my hands before I close my eyes and slowly tilt one hand to the side, letting the casings fall onto the metal table.

Each casing sounds like a bullet being fired as they land on the table and I furrow my brows as the man’s, who I now can make out to be Derek, screams get louder and louder until the casings are all laying on the table.

I take a shaky breath in with the feeling that overcomes me, it isn’t death however it definitely feels off **_something’s wrong_**

“Addy– what? Is he dead?” Scott rushes out quickly.

I shake my head and roll a casing between my fingers “No, it feels different– something’s definitely not right, I mean it– it doesn’t feel like he’s alive either”

Stiles frowns “What does that mean?”

I shake my head “I don’t know– we need to find him”

Stiles nods and looks between Scott and I “So if the Calaveras have him, how do we find them?”

Scott picks up one of the casings that rolled in front of him and looks at it as he states “Mexico.”

***

Stiles and I are walking around the little town where we were informed by Chris that the Calavara family is located.

Our slow steps are moving us towards the building where Scott, Malia, and Kira are already inside. They are supposed to be laying low to blend in with the crowd until Stiles and I get brought in the back hopefully for looking suspicious

I shove my phone in the back pocket of my light blue cut off shorts after checking that they’re all set and safe inside. 

Moving my eyes around and taking in the little town with outside fruit and veggies markets and people mulling about, I let out a little squeak as Stiles pulls me into his side when a taxi zooms past us.

I smile gratefully at him, raising a brow as I mutter “I wasn’t close to being hit”

He looks mock offended, as he wraps his arm around my back, lifting the hem of my maroon flowy tank top to rest his palm on the skin of my hip “Oh so now I need you to be in actual peril danger for me to pull you close to me? I feel like you have a different view on having a boyfriend than I do”

I snort and wrap my arm around his back “Never let me go Stilinski– just don’t make me trip over my feet in the process.”

Stiles chuckles as he leans over, kissing my temple as he looks around in front of us again “This doesn’t seem so bad”

Shaking my head, I shrug “It’s not the town– it’s the plan, Sherlock.”

Stiles smiles softly before he shakes his head “What’s wrong with the plan, my dear Watson?”

"Honestly? This feels like it could be the stupidest plan we’ve ever come up with. You’re aware of that, right?” I question before I look up to him.

Stiles nods his head to the side and we start walking across the road “I’m aware it’s not our best–”

“We are going to die” I grumble as I keep my steps with his.

Stiles makes a noise and looks down to me “Are you saying that as a Banshee or are you just being uncharacteristically pessimistic?”

Tightening my hold around him I mutter "I’m mainly saying it as someone who has been ridiculously happy these last few weeks and I don’t really wanna die.”

Nodding his head to side before I look back in front of us he offers “Okay– understandable. New plan– would you just mind restricting any talk of death to actual Banshee predictions?”

"This plan is stupid and we’re going to die” I cheekily reply earning Stiles to scoff “Oh, thank you– are you done?” he asks as he digs his fingers into my ribs, assaulting me in tickles that make me turn into his chest and stop our steps.

I jerk my body away from his hands as I squeak out through a laugh “I give– I’m fucking done. This is a brilliant plan and not a one of us is going to die”

He licks his lips before smirking and leaning forward catching my lips in a kiss that ends too soon before he pulls back “Better– come on, it’s supposed to be this way”

Night fell very quickly once the sun passed over the plateau this city is built into. We walk down the side street until we come to a stop in front of steps with two guys guarding the doors.

I look up and see the numbers match the intel we were told. Nodding and taking a breath to come off confident I look at the men standing with their arms crossed as they look us over.

Licking my lips I ponder like the tourist we need to look like “ _¿Estamos aquí para la fiesta?_ ”

One of the guys makes a face and shakes his head no **_why you gotta lie my man?_**

Stiles huffs and digs in his pocket for the stylized skull card we were told to show if they wouldn’t let us inside.

Once the stand guard guy looks the card over, recognition flashes across his face as he flicks his eyes from the card up to us and nods above him to a camera that is up in the corner of the awning above us.

Stiles follows his eyes, noticing the camera and looking to me before turning to the camera and showing the card to whoever is behind the lens.

The door clicks open immediately, gaining our eyes to move from the camera to the door.

Still not uttering a word the guy standing in front of the door, raises his brows and steps aside to let us pass by. 

Stiles smiles tightly and sets his hand on my lower back to have me walk in front of him.

I step up through the doorway, taking in the dark red walls of the hallway with a dark brown door at the end and a few light shades on the walls.

Stiles steps inside, setting his hand across my hip as he comes to a stop next to me when the door behind us slams shut. 

We jump with the noise, turning slightly to look at it **_we’re on our own I take it_**

Stiles turns into me, and sighs “Feel like we’re walking into our deaths yet?”

I look from him and down the hallway at the other door we’re obviously supposed to walk towards on our own, before looking back to him and shaking me head.

Nodding he moves his hand from my hip and links our hands together before we start our steps towards the door slowly.

The metal lamp shades on the walls are shaking, and it sounds like muffled music the closer we get to the door **_that looks like it belongs on the front door of a castle with the design on it_**

Stiles looks back over his shoulder at me before I offer a small smile and he turns back towards the door, pushing it open.

As soon as it opens we are hit with the full effect of the music, and absolute party scene of an underground club.

The music is loud, the room is packed with people, dancing, drinking, and having the time of their life.

Stiles moves his shocked eyes to me and I let out a slight chuckle as I move my eyes around at the room we’re in. 

There’s flashing lights that catch my eye, earning me to take in the second floor balcony area where the DJ is surrounded by these longer bars of light.

To the left of the DJ, I notice a henchman looking guy standing with his hand on the railing and taking in the ground floor **_much like the guards outside looked at us when we walked up_**

Stiles pulls me closer and moves his mouth to the shell of my ear, eliciting a shiver which doesn’t go unnoticed with his arm snaked around my waist.

Licking his lips to hide his smirk he leans forward again to mutter “I think we were spotted– wanna head to the bar?”

I lift my arm up to grab his hand in mine as I nod.

Stiles nods and links our fingers before taking a step and moves our hands against his back, keeping me right behind him as we make our way through the crowd.

He squeezes through a gap at the bar, turning and pulling my hand in his until I’m pressed against him as he sets his hand on my waist and shifts us to have me stand in front of him against the bar.

Setting both of his hands on my hips, he bends forward to rest his chin on my shoulder, as we wait to order.

Though he completely stands up and moves next to me when the dude who was waiting for his drink leaves and the bartender slams two shot glasses with clear liquid in them in front of us.

Furrowing my brows, I look from the glasses and up to Stiles. He’s sporting the same confused face towards them, before he looks over to me and the bartender. 

He nods in thanks before shifting to grab his wallet, however his movements are stopped when hands land on our shoulders and a voice sounds behind us “No– on the house.”

When we don’t make a move to offer thanks or take the drinks he continues “Most American teenagers don’t cross the border to refuse a drink.”

Recognizing him as the guy keeping watch on the second floor when we walked in, I dig in my pocket and wrap my fingers around the object inside, stating “We didn’t come to drink”

To elaborate my words I drop the shell casing with the Calavera’s skull marking engraved in the side we found at Derek’s loft into the shot glass in front of me.

Stiles smirks at my delivery, turning to look over his shoulder and raise his brows at the henchman. 

Dude, who we learn is named Severo, takes us upstairs into an office with an older lady sitting behind a desk **_this must be the Araya lady Chris mentioned_**

She has a knife in her hand and is forcefully ripping the stitches or a seam out of a piece of fabric as her heavy accent voice filters around the room we’re in with her “Severo hates this music. Me? I’ve always loved the music of youth. This kind, especially. It has a savage energy.”

I share a look with Stiles before I look back towards her and inform “We’re here for Derek Hale”

Not looking up from her hands, Araya smirks “Is that so?”

“We know you have him” I state, earning her eyes to finally connect with mine before I continue “We’ve heard you can be bought.”

Stiles lifts one side of his jacket to start unloading the bundles of money we hid in his inside pockets on the desk in front of us. He points to the stacks once he’s finished “It’s fifty thousand for Derek”

Setting her knife down on the table as we have her full attention now, she clicks her tongue “Now, where does a teenage boy get money like this? Japanese mafia?”

The sound of a gun cocking to my right has me flinching slightly in my seat, moving my eyes over to connect with a girl sitting and holding said gun, smirking our way.

Another gun cocking to the left of Stiles has us turning to look at the owner of that gun, who turns to face us defensively.

Araya leans her arms on her desk and directs her smug ass face our direction as she chuckles out “Not smart to come alone.”

Stiles turns from the gun holding hench man back to her and furrows his brows as he states calmly “What makes you think we came alone?”

Araya sets her hands on the desk and stands up, looking between us as she clips out “You brought a wolf into _my_ home?”

Stiles’ lip twitches as he states “We brought an _Alpha_.”

“My friends” Araya states as she turns away from us on a sigh before she continues “I don’t think you’re aware of your poor timing. Do you know what the dark moon is?”

I shift in my seat, sharing a look with Stiles as I shrug and answer her “The part of the lunar phase when the moon is least visible in the sky”

“But do you know its meaning?” she shifts her eyes from the window to the ground with her question before I continue “Some people say it’s a time of reflection– or grief.”

Turning around to face us again, she connects her eyes with mine to correct “Grief and loss, mija.”

I swallow thickly with her words before she continues thoughtfully “I wonder why, when you and your friends have suffered so much loss, you would risk it again for someone like Derek Hale” **_he’s our friend and we’re not losing anymore people_**

Stiles nods towards her as he informs “'Cause we don’t like to lose.”

Voices over the radio in Severo’s hand fill the room “Nadia en la cantina– front door clear– south clear.”

The radio clicks and Severo brings his radio up to ask “North? Norte– donde esta Norte– Norte–”

The radio again clicks however Scott’s voice filters through, and I smirk slightly with his words and the surprise on everyone’s faces “Stiles– take ten off the table”

Stiles reaches towards the desk and grabs a bundle, stashing it in one of the pockets on the inside of his jacket as Severo leaves the room to go find Scott.

Clearing my throat once he leaves, I raise a brow back towards Araya “Maybe you should just take the deal”

Smiling towards me, Araya clicks her tongue before setting her hands on the desk and leaning towards me “While I’m keen to follow the warning of a Banshee, I’m going to have to decline.” **_you knew I was a banshee how?_**

Stiles shifts in his seat, sharing a look with me before looking back to her and trying to reason with her “All right– come on. Just give us Derek. You don’t want him anyway. Haven’t you noticed what a downer he is? No sense of humor, poor conversationalist. Just come on, take the money” he finishes lightly as he moves his arms over the money.

Araya smirks and grabs the radio off her desk “Severo? Show them how the Calaveras negotiate” **_well that doesn’t sound promising_**

***

_Stiles POV_

They took her from me, they took Addy and I out of the room with Araya before taking her down one hallway and bringing me into a room.

The room had Scott passed out and Kira and Malia sitting, waiting for him to wake up. That was about ten minutes ago. I’ve been attempting to open this fucking door with Kira and Malia in those ten minutes, much to no avail. 

So now I’m pacing wondering why they would take her, and not let her be with us– with me– while I figure out how to get out of this fucking room.

“He’s awake– guys, he’s awake” Kira rushes out and I stop my pacing steps to walk over towards Scott, who is opening and closing his eyes as he adjusts to waking up. 

I lean over into his line of vision “Scott, you okay?”

He starts to sit up and Kira and I kneel on either side of him to help him up into a sitting position as he looks over to me “Yeah. They don’t have him. They don’t have Derek.”

Kira nods towards him “We know–”

Feeling like she’s taking too long to inform Scott of who they actually have I clip out “Doesn’t matter right now Scott, they’ve got Addy– she kept Adds and moved me in here with you guys.”

On alert now Scott looks to me quickly “Addy– what do they want with Addy?”

I shake my head at him, because I have no idea why they kept her.

All I do know is that if they hurt her, it’ll be the last thing these fuckers do.

***

_Addy POV_

Araya walked me through her side entrance into the building, taking me outside to a little patio area. Pointing towards the seat across from her for me to sit, she takes her seat.

She waits until I’m sorted and pours us some coffee from her kettle she had brought out with a tray of fruit and croissants **_which I will pretend don’t look yummy as all hell at the moment_**

Her guards stand a fair distance away with their backs to us as they observe the morning hustle and bustle of the people of the little town around us.

She chuckles lightly watching me observe everything around me, before she takes a quick breath in “I have to admit I don’t have much experience with Banshees.”

Flicking my eyes back to her I raise a brow “That makes two of us, since I don’t have much experience being one”

“I have a feeling you underestimate your abilities, Addeline”

I make a face, pushing down the guilt from Ally and nod my head to the side “Addy please– and trust me, you’d have better luck with tarot cards.”

She nods with my request of my name and raises her brows with her amusement “Let’s find out– tell me, which one of these men is about to die?” she moves her hand to point to the backs of the two men standing guard for her.

Dropping my mouth slightly open, I move my wide eyes from her and over to their backs trying not to freak out with having zero clue what russian roulette shit she wants me to partake in.

***

_Stiles POV_

Scott doesn’t like my head shake and he pushes off the ground to go over towards the wall, trying to find a way for it to open.

He finds the same gap we found that is big enough for his fingers to wrap around the side of the door. He begins to pull at it, trying to slide it open and grunting from the effort.

Dropping his hands from the door, he sighs as he looks at it like he wants to just bash through it.

Kira walks over, setting her hands on her hips as she directs her words to his back “We already looked for a way out. I think a lot of people have.”

Scott moves his fingers over the scratches on the stone walls next to the door we found earlier when he was still passed out.

Malia offers her plan when he turns back to look at us “I say when that door opens again, we take out whoever’s standing in the way and run for it.”

I make a noise and turn towards her as Kira voices my same thought “What about Addy?”

Malia genuinely looks confused and it makes wanting to snap at her lessen _slightly_ “What about her?”

I scoff and flick my hand out to my side “We’re not leaving without her”

Malia furrows her brows “Why not?”

I jerk my head back and raise my brows at the humanity lessons with Scott not looking like they’re working all that well, before stating “Because we’re not, she’s Scott’s sister, she’s _my girlfriend_ – she’s pretty important to our lives, I just–”

Scott walks over, gaining her attention from my fumbling loss of words at the thought of leaving the love of my life, and he chuckles nervously as he informs “We don’t leave without people in a situation like this. Remember, we talked about this? Rules of the wild kingdom don’t apply to friends.”

Malia takes in his words and looks down to her feet, guilt looks to be radiating off of her as Kira looks over to her thoughtfully “Is that what you would do as a coyote, leave her for dead?”

Malia shrugs “If she was weak and injured, yeah– if hunting had been bad that season, I would eat her– then I’d leave”

Narrowing my eyes with that visual, Scott shakes his head “Alright, guys– we’re not dead yet. And that means Araya wants something.”

“But if the Calaveras don’t know where Derek is, that means they didn’t take him from the loft. Right?” Kira argues and I step closer to Scott to continue the thought process “Maybe he left on his own.”

“Maybe someone else got to him.”

***

_Addy POV_

Araya grabs an orange and sets her knife against it to start cutting through the skin as she implores “How does it work? Do you need to touch them? Maybe I give you something they own. Or is it just a… a feeling?”

I sigh and shake my head with her words “I don’t know, I… it’s happened when I’ve touched something, I’ve been woken up by it, someone covered my ears and it triggered it, I’m learning as I go and I’m not doing all that great.”

“You just need to train your hearing Addy. Give yourself some time to learn all that your powers can do for you, mija.”

I move my eyes between hers as I digest her words. She smiles lightly before making a noise and tilting her head to the side “I have wondered _just_ how close to death do they have to be?” She narrows her eyes and taps her fingers on the blade of the knife.

Her nail hits the blade a few times, almost calculated, and one of the men turn towards us. I widen my eyes realizing it’s him **_he’s who she’s going to kill_**

I flick my eyes back to her with the realization and she smirks before she grasps the knife and throws it into his chest.

I let out a surprised scream as I stand up from the table, looking from his body and up to her as I rush out “What did you do that for?”

Araya shrugs as she states calmly “He stole from me”

I let out a soft scoff with her reasoning before I shake my head at her “What do you want?”

“Right now? I want to know about the supernatural twins that came all this way to visit me– specifically about your brother. Scott McCall– I want to know what kind of Alpha he really is.”

***

The guard she didn’t kill walks me through the halls with a vice grip on my arm behind her. 

She opens a door and I see Scott sitting backwards in a chair. His wrists are shackled in chains on either side of him and he’s hunched forward resting his forehead against the top of the chair **_what the fuck is this?_**

I gasp and he lifts his head our direction as I whisper “Scotty–”

Scott sits up more on alert as the guard pushes me into the room and heads over to the chair next to Scott.

Scott pulls on his chains and directs his pleading words to Araya “Let her go. Look– you’ve got me. Just let my sister and the others go.”

The guard sits me down before kneeling to lock the chains on my chair around my legs and wrists, much the same as Scott.

“Let me go man–” we hear a grunt coming from behind the door before my eyes widen when I see Severo bringing Stiles into the room with us **_okay now what the actual fuck is this?_**

Severo and another guard rushes over to grab Stiles’ wrist when he starts fighting more once he sees me in front of him.

Severo pulls Stiles’ hand over towards a table as he directs him with his words “Your hand goes here”

Severo waits for Stiles to acknowledge him before he turns to Scott and I “So, let me explain what’s about to happen. The human here is going to turn the dial on his Alpha best friend– and if he doesn’t, I turn the dial on his banshee girlfriend– makes things much more entertaining than choosing the fox with an immunity to the electricity– no?”

Araya smirks with a nod as Stiles grits his teeth and begins to fight the guards holding him, clipping out “Are you insane, no– I’m not doing this.”

Severo and the other guard pull him towards the dial again “I see– are you sure? One of them has the power to heal– the other? Well she does not.”

Stiles moves his eyes to me, and I don’t think I’ve seen as much rage in him as I do right now. 

I try to offer him a look that says we’ll be okay, which he shakes his head at and licks his lips angrily.

Scott looks over to me before moving his eyes past me where Araya is standing next to me, questioning “What are you doing? Is this a game to you?”

Clasping her hands in front of her, Araya walks in front of us to answer him “This is a test, lobito. Let’s see if you pass. We’re going to ask some questions. You answer them, nobody gets hurt. You don’t answer, we turn on the dial.”

Scott looks over to Stiles and takes a deep breath to leave zero questioning of his words “Do what they say, man. Okay– whatever they want, keep her safe.”

I turn my head from Stiles to him shaking my head “Scott–”

Not wavering his eyes from Stiles, Scott ignores me and makes sure Stiles hears him loud and clear “I can take it.”

Stiles doesn’t look my way either as he nods with Scott’s words.

Araya doesn’t waste a second “So… we don’t know where Derek is. We want to find him as well. You know who took him.”

Scott scoffs with his shock, looking to my shocked eyes quickly before answering her “What? How would I know that?”

Araya moves her hands with her disapproval “That doesn’t sound like an answer to me”

I flick my head over her way as I gain her attention with the movement, and I connect me eyes with hers “We don’t know who took him. Why do you think we came here?”

“Stiles, turn the dial,” Araya shouts over her shoulder, taking half a second when nothing happens to argue “Should we turn the dial on Addy instead?”

Severo moves forward and both Stiles and Scott exclaim “No!” as Scott jerks his arms up “Do it, Stiles. Do it, man.” he nods slightly, as he silently begs him to listen.

Stiles makes a face as he sniffles angrily and moves his hand slowly towards the dial.

Araya smirks at Scott as she states “Let’s start at one”

Stiles slowly turns the dial and we hear the electricity crackle as Scott grabs the sides of the back of the chair, closing his eyes as he grunts through the pain coursing through him.

Tears well in my eyes watching him suffer through the pain, and I look over to Stiles who tries pulling against the guards holding him again.

Sparks are flying from the chains around his wrists as the electricity continues to crackle around us and she continues to shout at him without letting up “Tell me! Who actually has Derek? Who had a reason, a vendetta particular to the Hales?”

Through his panting breaths, Scott drops his head forward and shakes it as he looks up to her “I said I don’t know.”

Araya drops her mouth open in frustration to whisper out “Oh, you don’t know because you haven’t figured it out yet. So think! Who could’ve taken him?”

Severo mutters “Tres” to the dial and Stiles angrily pulls against him before Severo nods and reaches for my dial.

Scott pants, trying to catch his breath as he looks over to him “I’m fine Stiles– stop hesitating, it’s okay”

Stiles grimaces and closes his eyes as he turns the dial more, earning Scott to throw his head back as he grips the chair even harder, turning his knuckles white.

Araya continues with her ridiculous questions “Who had the power? The power of a shapeshifter?”

Scott grunts and barely breathes out “I don’t know”

I take a few quick breaths in through my tears that are free falling now watching as Scott is being tortured by this crazy family.

Araya makes a noise of frustration before she continues “Oh! Someone who could have turned without you knowing. Turned, but not by a bite!”

Scott clenches his teeth and glares up at her as he groans out “I don’t know!”

Araya glares right back with her disappointment and huffs before clipping out “Diez!”

I gasp and look to Stiles who moves his eyes from me over to Araya who shouts again “Diez!”

Stiles glares and shakes his head “Fuck you, pretty sure this goes against your _code._ ”

Araya huffs and quickly walks over to the dial to turn it all the way to ten like she wanted.

Scott screams loudly, forming fists and pulling on the chains with the onslaught of electricity assaulting him.

Feeling like I’m sharing in the electricity pain with him, I turn my head from him and to Araya adding my own screams “Stop it! Stop it, you’re killing him!”

She smirks my way and tilts her head to the side “You getting your banshee feeling you’re too confused to follow mija? Hmm?”

Taking deep breaths, I glare at her before Scott roars his Alpha roar next to me as he lifts his arms up quickly, breaking the shackles around his wrists.

Araya moves her glaring eyes to Scott and nods her head “Say the name, Scott”

Scott takes a few deep breaths in, before he looks up to her and pants out “Kate”

**_Kate shut the front door fucking Argent? Well this is a twist_ **

***

After unchaining me and saying she needed to talk to Scott about what they knew about Kate, Araya walks out of the room with him.

Stiles and I get ushered outside, heading to where we parked the jeep when we first got here. 

Once we get to the jeep and the guard dogs leave us alone, Stiles turns to me and wraps me in a hug with his arms around my hips, causing my back to hit the jeep with the force of his body crashing into mine. 

I silently lift my arms up to wrap them behind his neck as he smashes his face into the crook of my neck. 

He breathes in deeply, earning me to smile into his shoulder as I move my fingers up his neck to lightly scratch against the base of his scalp, offering as much comfort as I can.

Groaning with the action he lifts his head to rest his forehead against mine before he whispers “I’m sorry I didn’t– they just took you”

I shake my head against his, causing him to open his eyes as I reassure “As much as I love you, there wasn’t anything that was going to keep her from talking to me. It’s okay– we’re safe, _I’m safe_ because of you”

“Yea because I had to put Scott through–”

I push up on my tippy toes and interrupt his words as I lock our lips together. Keeping one hand on my hip, he lifts the other to rest against the side of my face as he moves his lips against mine and deepens the kiss. 

Leaving me absolutely breathless when I pull away, I clear my throat “Well you kept me from being tortured so I’m just going to say thank you on his behalf” I smile cheekily to lighten the mood.

Stiles chuckles and kisses my lips quickly between each of his next words “I love you– you’re– just– too– adorable” earning light chuckles from me with his actions.

He moves his thumb against my cheek as he flicks his eyes between mine, before bending forward and connecting our lips again softly.

Reluctantly pulling away, I kiss him again quickly before I nod my head back the way we came “Come on, we need to go get the others”

I smile as he rolls his eyes, grumbling “fine” before he grasps one of my hands in his and moves us to open the door for me. Helping me climb in, he closes the door for me and walks around to his side.

We pull up to the side of the building where Araya said she would have Kira and Malia waiting, which they are.

Kira runs up and wraps her arms around me “Are you okay?– is Scott? where is he?”

Malia crosses her arms over her chest and nods behind her “These jerks won’t tell us anything– they just keep manhandling us.”

Looking over her shoulder, I snort at their faces with her words before I shake my head, connecting my eyes with hers again “He’s okay now– considering the completely _unnecessary_ bonding torture session with Araya, she’s talking to him now” I state loudly **_just for her goons to hear_**

Malia nods before she furrows her brows “Who’s Kate?”

Stiles shares a look with me and looks over to her “How do you know that name?”

Malia just shrugs and looks between us “I heard it when I was trying to focus on you guys and see what was happening. When I finally focused in on your screams of them killing him, I heard him say Kate.”

I make an impressed face before I shake my head “Right, well umm– we’ll fill you in on her later, let’s just get out of here first.”

We walk with them away from the building to lean back against the side of the jeep while we wait for Scott.

Stiles reaches over and grabs the belt loop on the side of my shorts, pulling me closer to him. I chuckle as I shift my feet to move with his pull “You know you used to just say ‘come here’, what’s with all the pulling?”

He just shrugs as he sets one arm around me and rests his chin on the top of my head “We’re together now, and you need to know that I need you to stand closer to me– especially on days when you were almost electrocuted”

I set my hand on his chest as I wrap my other around his back as I mutter with a soft smile “Noted.”

It’s a few minutes later when we see Scott and Araya come out of the building and share a few words **_already been talking to him for an hour, but what’s a few more minutes_**

Scott walks our way and Stiles walks with me, lifting one arm out to his side when we come to a stop in front of Scott, questioning “So what now?”

“She thinks she knows where we can find Derek” Scott states incredulously.

I shake my head slightly “She gonna tell us where?”

Scott flicks his eyes over to me as he breathes out “Uh, actually, she’s giving us a guide”

Stiles furrows his brows down to me before we hear a motorcycle rev and pull up next to us.

We step back closer to Scott as motorcycle chick takes off her helmet and Stiles hits Scott’s shoulder “You know her?” 

“Braeden” **_aka Isaac saving, arm bruising bank message girl_**

“Who’s Braeden?” Kira asks and I look over to her to answer “She’s a mercenary”

Braeden smirks over to me and looks between us “Right now, I’m the only one who’s gonna take you to la iglesia”

I furrow my brows as I translate her words “The Church?”

“What’s ‘The Church’?” Stiles looks to me and I shrug as Braedon shakes her head, “It’s not a place you’ll find God.”

We pile into the jeep, Scott grumbling as he climbs in last into the backseat “Just because you two are dating now, doesn’t mean I’m always going to sit back here”

Stiles huffs, looking over his seat to Scott as I set the seat back and climb in the front and states “I don’t really want to rest my hand on your leg when I’m driving dude”

Scott immediately groans through his annoyance “Fucking stop oversharing that, she’s still my sister.”

I snort with Scott’s shriek and move my lips in between my teeth, holding in my laugh as I move my eyes over to Stiles who shakes his head, setting his hand on my thigh as he directs his words to Scott “Don’t care dude, sorry.”

Braedon starts up her bike and we follow her out of the city and on a dirt road into the plains south of us.

We’ve been driving for about twenty minutes when Malia leans in between the seat moving her question filled eyes between us “Okay, I’ll ask. Who’s Kate Argent?”

Kira’s voice chimes in next “Uh, I’d like to know, too”

Stiles looks over to Scott and I “Well, we were at her funeral. So, I’d like to know how she got out of a casket that was buried six feet underground…”

“She was never in it” Scott offers and I take a deep breath in before looking over my shoulder at Malia and Kira to answer them “She was Allison’s aunt– and a total sociopath”

My voice catches when I say Ally’s name and Stiles’ grip on my leg increases. I smile softly and move my hand on top of his to squeeze back.

Kira looks over to Scott “You don’t have to talk about it now if you don’t want to–”

“Um, yes, he does” Malia argues and Scott sighs softly “Yeah, she’s right. You guys should know. You need to know”

Stiles takes a breath and starts story time “All right. Kate was the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek’s family,”

“Some of them survived, like Cora, and Peter,” Scott continues.

“A very angry Peter,” I fill in and Scott elaborates “Yeah, he’s the one who bit and turned me,”

I shrug “Also who attacked Lydia and I, triggering our inner banshees before he finally caught up to Kate and killed her,”

“And we saw her buried” Stiles tries again but Scott doesn’t miss a beat “No. We saw a casket, remember? She wasn’t in it. The Calaveras heard that Kate had been killed by an Alpha’s claws. They wanted to make sure she was really dead. Her body was healing. More and more, as she got closer to a full moon. She was coming back. So they switched out the bodies. If a hunter is bit, they have to take their own life before they change. The Calaveras, they treat the code like law. They make it their responsibility to enforce it.”

“Good for her. I wouldn’t do it either,” Malia chimes in before Scott counters “Would you kill half a dozen people to get out? Because that’s what she did”

“So Kate’s a werewolf now?” Kira questions and Scott shakes his head “I don’t know. You know, there’s a saying, sometimes the shape you take reflects the person you are.”

“What kind of shape is sociopathic bitch?” I ponder just before there’s a loud clanging noise in the jeep as it lurches to the side.

Stiles stops the jeep, and we all get out, helping Stiles open the hood to the engine that is smoking **_naturally all good signs_**

Braedon noticing us not behind her, turns around and comes to a stop in front of us on her bike, taking off her helmet “What happened?”

“I don’t know. It felt like we hit something” Stiles answers and turns with me to examine the engine.

“Scott, we need to get there by night. It’s too dangerous otherwise” Braedon rushes out frantically.

Scott looks torn to go with her and leave us. Stiles shares a look with me before looking back to Scott and nodding towards Braedon “Go”

“Not without you guys” Scott steps closer to Stiles and I with his disagreeing words and Stiles shakes his head “Dude, someone needs to find Derek. We’ll figure something out. We always do. Just go.”

At my reassuring smile, Scott sets his hands on our arms and mutters ”Okay” before taking a few steps away from us. 

Kira calls for him and they exchange a few words before he hugs her. 

Braedon gives them a second before she exclaims “Scott, the sun’s going down”

We watch Scott get on the bike with Braedon before I move to walk around the tires, seeing if we got a flat because it definitely sounded all sorts of bad.

I kneel by the passenger tire and something catches my eye up above in the wheel well. 

I tilt my head to the side as I reach up to pull it out “Hey Sty– I don’t think we hit something. I think something hit us.” 

I state, gaining his attention as I stand up and hold out the massive looking animal tooth that is almost as long as my forearm to him.

He wraps his fingers around it pulling it out of my hand to examine with a furrow of his brows.

***

I grimace with dusk falling quickly and step closer to Stiles, resting my hands on the side of the open hood where he’s working as I offer softly “Maybe we should just walk.”

Stiles grabs the light out of his mouth, connecting his offended eyes with mine to rush out “Hey, I will never abandon this jeep. You understand me? Ever”

He angrily places the light back in his mouth and I scoff as I reach up to grab it.

He makes a noise with the action before I shine the light towards where he’s working, earning him to gratefully look over to me. 

I playfully roll my eyes at him “I didn’t say we should abandon the jeep and walk back to Beacon Hills, calm down sparky– just saying so Scott has back up maybe we should walk before it gets even darker”

Malia’s voice filters over to us “Work faster, guys. There’s something out here with us”

Stiles shares a worried look with me before moving my hand holding the light to where he needs it and keeps working as night falls quickly around us.

“Adds, could you please hold the light still for a second? It’s really hard to see anything if you keep shaking it like that.”

“I’m shaking it like this because we’re in the middle of nowhere, freezing and we’re being attacked by yet _another_ razor-clawed monster. And I’m terrified”

“Babe, focus okay– just be slightly less terrified, and keep your mind busy by holding this.”

“What’s this?” I flick my eyes from him to the part he placed in my hand a few times as he answers “I don’t know. I’m hoping it’s not important.”

Stiles shrugs silently telling me to cut him a break when he notices the look I send him.

He sets his tools down, taking off his jacket and then his flannel which he hands to me. 

Grabbing the light out of my hands so I can put the flannel on, he looks me over appreciatively as I lift my hair out to rest on top of the back of the shirt. 

I smirk as I grab the light back and hand him his wrench as I mutter just above a whisper “Get back to work, Stilinski.”

Licking his lips to hide his smirk, he does just as I ask before my attention is grabbed by Kira walking over.

She sets her katana blade out in front of the headlight, trying to shine the light a farther distance away from us.

“Did you see that?” Kira mutters, earning me to look over to her again just before we hear Malia screech her coyote growl and take off running.

“Malia, wait!” I exclaim and Kira nods “I’ll cover her” before she takes off after our jumping the gun coyote friend.

I’m worriedly looking where they ran off to when Stiles makes a noise “There– try starting it up babe”

I hand him the light and jump down from the side of the hood I was sitting, opening the driver’s door. It takes a few key turns before the jeep finally roars to life.

Stiles closes the hood just as Kira walks into the light of the headlights, helping a limping Malia over with her arm around Kira’s shoulders. 

I run up to them and grab her other arm to rest around my shoulder as we help her over to the jeep. 

Once we’re back on the road following the path Braedon was taking us, Kira makes a noise and directs her words to Malia “That doesn’t look good.”

“It’s okay.” Malia groans out slightly, earning me to turn to look over the seat and grimace towards her bleeding side “Are you sure? It looks deep”

Malia looks up, connecting her eyes with mine as she nods and smiles softly “I can feel it healing.”

I shake my head softly, looking between the pair in the backseat “You didn’t see anything?”

Malia grunts as she leans back in the backseat before she answers “Barely. It had a strong scent, though.”

Stiles looks over to me and up in the rearview mirror with his question “Like what?”

“Like death” she grumbles, earning me to share a worried look with Stiles as he reaches over to set his hand **_on his place_** on my thigh.

We pull up to the ruin filled city and stop in front of the only standing building left, which just so happens to be the Church. 

We get out and I drop my mouth open with who I watch Scott and Braedon carry out of the building with an arm around each of their shoulders.

I share a look with Stiles who looks just as shocked as me as he comes to a stop around the jeep next to me.

Malia stops on my other side, turning to me as she mutters “Is that him? Is that Derek?” **_he’s half his age, but yea that’s him_**

Making a noise I tilt my head to the side as I look back to Derek looking like he’s half awake and Stiles answers “Uh, sort of”


	50. 117

It is pouring down rain when we get back into Beacon Hills and pull up to Deaton’s. 

We open the back of the jeep so Scott and Stiles can grab Derek, carrying him inside the side door to the vet’s office.

Deaton clears off a metal table and we reach out to help Scott lay Derek onto the table as softly as possible.

Deaton looks over the very much younger Derek over before stating “Wow”

Stiles looks up with a raise of his brows “Wow? Wow as in, ‘I’ve seen this before and I know exactly what to do’, kind of wow? ‘Cause that’s the kind of wow we were hoping for…”

Deaton raises his brows over in our direction as he shakes his head, “I think you might be overestimating my abilities.”

I move my hand on the table and it brushes with Derek’s, earning a gasp from me with the temperature as I grasp his hand in mine “Guys, he’s cold. Really cold”

Deaton shares a look with me before grabbing Derek’s other arm and feeling for himself how cold he is **_especially for being wrapped in a blanket the whole car ride here_**

“Do you think this is permanent?” Scott questions and Deaton shakes his head before grabbing his doctor light to shine it in each of Derek’s eyes “I’m not sure a medical diagnosis is even adequate. This is _well_ beyond my experience.”

Stiles nods his head forward “So what do we do with him?”

Deaton shakes his head and looks between us and Derek as he states “Until he wakes up. Probably not much. It might be best to leave him with me. He’ll be safe here”

“You mean from Kate?” Stiles confirms and Deaton nods his way as he elaborates “If she’s alive and she is what you say she is, she won’t be able to walk past that gate.”

I look sadly at the youngin on the table and shake my head softly “Why would she want to do this to him?”

Deaton shrugs “Knowing Kate, it’s probably for a reason that won’t be any good for anyone but her–”

“And bad for everyone else” Stiles scoffs and sets his hand on my lower back as he steps closer behind me.

I close my eyes and rest the back of my head on Stiles’ chest. I hear him exhale softly as he moves both of his hands to my hips and sets the side of his head against mine.

I hear Deaton let out a sigh before I open my eyes with his words “You guys should probably go home. He doesn’t look to be in any danger. So maybe the rest of you should get some _sleep_? It is a school night… and you all need to start taking care of your own lives again” **_sleep sounds good_**

Scott clears his throat “Someone should stay with you.”

I shrug when I feel Derek’s grip on my hand increase and look to Scott “I’ll stay. My grades are fine– despite missing a few classes.”

Stiles makes a noise “Ha– yea, I’m so not okay with this.” 

I raise a brow as I look over my other shoulder at him “Guys, go– I’ll be fine”

Stiles jerks his head back slightly with the look I send his way, shaking his head at me “Adds, no– if you’re staying, I’m staying.”

Scott sets his hand on my arm, gaining my attention back towards him “Text us if anything happens”

I nod and offer a small smile towards him before Stiles’ voice chimes in behind me “Nope, still not okay with it. Not going anywhere–”

I turn towards Stiles, kissing him quickly before holding in my laugh while I watch Scott move past me to set his hands on Stiles’ chest and push him away from me, muttering “Let her make her own decisions man, besides I need you to drive me home”

Stiles makes a noise and grumbles “Drive yourself, ahh alright, just 'cause you’re stronger– at least let me say bye to her!”

***

I open my eyes slowly, taking in the morning light of the room when an iced coffee filled cup is shoved in my face and I jerk back slightly in my seat. 

I move my eyes up to the owner of the cup, smiling slightly as I take it from her “Morning Lyds”

“Morning sunshine” she states with a bright smile before lifting her cup up to take a drink.

I follow her actions with a drink of my own iced caffeinated yumminess before I shake my head at her “What are you doing here?”

She smirks and nods towards my cup “Here to check on you and bring you sustinece while hearing all about the trip I couldn’t go on because of mom’s last minute girls spa getaway weekend.”

I snort through a chuckle “I bet it was amazing and thank you for this” I lift up my cup with my words and she nods before sitting next to me, raising her brows expectantly.

Chuckling at her actions, I shrug before telling her everything that happened in Mexico.

She is silent with my story before drawing her brows in and looking sadly over to Derek “I can’t believe that psychotic bitch is still alive. Why would she do this to him?”

Offering her a look that I completely agree with her, I shake my head at her question. I clear my throat as I direct my words to Deaton who has walked in and grabbed Derek’s wrist, looking at his watch to measure Derek’s pulse “How’s he doing?”

Deaton looks over his shoulder at us with his answer “His heart rate is alarmingly high.”

Lyds and I share a look before we walk over to the table with Deaton.

I reach out and grab Derek’s hand, lifting my eyes up to Deaton to inform “He’s a lot warmer now.”

He nods and raises his brows at me “Addy, I’m going to try something. I want you to keep holding his hand if that’s okay?”

I nod as he moves over to the side of the room to dig in a drawer while Lydia moves closer to my other side.

Deaton walks up and places his hand on the top of Derek’s upper arm as he places the sharp end of the scalpel against the inside of his forearm.

Deaton slices the scalpel down Derek’s arm in a thin cut that heals almost as fast as he’s cutting through the skin **_well that’s a new trick_**

I widen my eyes and Lydia leans into my side to mutter “That looks like it healed really fast”

Deaton nods as he looks up to us, confirming “Unusually fast”

I shake my head lightly “What does it mean?”

“I’m not sure. Let’s try something else.” He sets the scalpel down and directs his words at me with a point of his hand “Grab me a five milliliter syringe. Top drawer”

I nod and walk over to the drawer as Deaton moves to the metal rolling table near me to grab whatever needs to go in the syringe.

“Guys–” Lydia’s worried voice filters over and I turn around noticing Derek now sitting up on the table. 

His claws are defensively out as he follows Lydia’s quick steps over to stand by us.

“Derek” I try softly, earning him to flick his gaze over to look at us with his bright were-blue eyes as he breathes deeply **_looking like he’s on the verge of attacking us_**

Deaton holds his hands out in front of him as he tries to calmly get through “Derek, are you all right?”

Derek just looks around, teetering on his feet and we try asking again “Derek, are you all right? Derek?”

The young scared wolf takes a few steps towards us, furrowed brows still standing strong.

Deaton throws his arm out to block us from his steps as he rushes out “Wait”

“Derek?” I try again and all it does is make him throw his hands up against the side of his head as he bounces on his feet with what to do.

He takes a couple more deep panting breaths before he growls and swipes at us, hitting Deaton on the arm and causing him to fly over into his metal supply table next to Lydia.

Lyds and I drop down next to him before I look over to see the doors to the room slowly closing after Derek rushed through them in his escape **_so much for keeping him safe here_**

***

_Stiles POV_

Catching up with Scott on our way to History, I glare at my empty notification screen. 

I think it’s absolutely insane that I’m here and just supposed to be okay with Addy being alone with whatever the hell Derek was turned into.

But I’m doing it, I’m here, letting her make her own choices of what she’s capable of handling on her own.

I don’t like it.

Especially since apart from her saying goodnight last night, I haven’t heard from her this morning.

Falling in step with Scott I huff as I shove my phone back in my pocket “Have you heard anything from Deaton, because I’ve heard not a thing from your sister”

Scott chuckles and shakes his head “Don’t be one of those boyfriends or I will kick your ass.”

Making a noise I furrow my brows at him as we walk up the stairs “I’m not being like anything, I was just hoping for some sort of update, or news that Derek’s not continuing to age backwards and is a toddler or something running around the exam room.”

Scott chuckles and shrugs as he fixes the strap on his backpack “Lydia was taking her coffee, so I’m sure once she’s no longer the morning gremlin she can be, she will respond to you–”

“She’s far from a morning gremlin” I grumble earning him to roll his eyes “Dude, how many times have you actually seen her before she’s had her coffee?”

“Handful of times, doesn’t matter don’t call my girlfriend a gremlin or I’ll kick _your_ ass.”

Scott makes an impressed face though we both know me trying to kick an Alpha’s ass is laughable. 

It’s the thought that counts, obviously.

We walk past Kira and Malia as we take our seats in Mr. Yukimura’s class just before he begins “It might surprise you to know that some of history’s greatest leaders have had to endure some pretty great failures. One you’ll recognize from last night’s reading failed in business, had a nervous breakdown, was defeated for both houses of Congress, and lost as Vice President, before he was finally elected as one of the greatest presidents that this country has ever seen– who was he?”

I raise my hand immediately knowing the answer. Scott looks over and I share a look with him, offering a wink because of course I know the answer. He shakes his head before I look back to Mr. Yukimura, though his eyes are focused behind us as he states “Malia”

I drop my hand as Scott and I turn to look at her, noticing the highlighter in her mouth and another one in her hand as she looks confusedly from us and back up to our teacher.

My phone chimes at the same time Scott’s rings, earning us to turn around to check them when Mr. Yukimura clips out “Boys, phones off– Malia? One of our greatest presidents– Gettysburg Address?”

We nod and leave our phones though that doesn’t sit well with me.

My phone chimes again and I just see Addy’s name in a text message when Mr Yukimura again snaps “Phones off. Everyone– Malia?” He sighs before he asks “Does anyone else know?”

Ignoring him at this point, I notice the three missed calls from Addy.

I hit the screen to open the notification to read her message, a pit forming in my stomach when I distantly hear another cellphone beeping and Mr. Yukimura bellowing to the class “I said phones off!”

I turn to Scott holding my phone out to him when Kira voices softly “Dad, that was yours.”

Flustered with that Mr. Yukimura looks around at everyone before turning around to his desk “Oh. Um– ‘Scott, call Addy’.”

Scott widens his eyes looking from Mr. Yukimura to me and my worried eyes.

I knew we should have stayed with her.

***

_Addy POV_

Lydia and I move about the room, grabbing the medical supplies to help tend to Deaton’s scratch on his arm. 

He needed 6 stitches and I somehow was able to keep my coffee in my stomach and not all over the sterile environment, that we took twenty minutes to prepare, as I administered those into his forearm.

Scott and Stiles rush inside the room just as I’m taping the bandage that Lydia is holding steady over the wound.

“Adds–” Stiles breathes out and I look over to him, quickly offering a reassuring smile as I rip a piece of medical tape off the roll and lay it over Deaton’s arm “We’re okay– Deaton will keep his arm even after he let me stitch him up.”

Stiles moves his worried eyes between us and Deaton shakes his head with a soft chuckle “Very steady hands, you did great”

I snort as I rip another piece of tape off and lay it on the other side as Deaton fills them in “I don’t think he’s just younger in body. I think he’s younger in his mind too”

Deaton nods in thanks and I step over towards Scott and Stiles as I shake my head “He didn’t recognize any of us, and he looked like he was scared out of his mind”

Stiles steps over to me, directing his words to Scott as he links his hand in mine “So if you’re a teenage werewolf and you’re scared, where do you go?”

Scott furrows his brows thoughtfully “A wolf goes back to its den– but Derek lives in a loft–”

“Not when he was a teenager” Stiles counters earning Lydia to offer “The Hale House?”

I nod, looking up to Stiles and over to Scott with my words “He wouldn’t remember the fire– it wouldn’t have happened yet.”

Scott turns and Stiles pulls me with him to follow him but I stop my steps “Hold on. Say we do manage to catch up to him– what are we going to say? That his whole family is dead?”

Scott shrugs and lifts his hands up to his side “I guess I’m going to have to.”

I share a scoff with Lydia before I mutter “Oh– good luck with that.”

Stiles tightens his hold around me as he directs his words to Scott “She’s probably right. Maybe you shouldn’t. You know, at least until we figure out how to get him back to normal”

“I can’t lie to him.” Scott states with a shake of his head earning Stiles to answer back quickly “Okay, I’ll do it.”

Scott shakes his head “I don’t think any of us can. Remember, he can hear a heartbeat rising– When we find him, we tell him the truth.”

Lydia nods her head to the side, “If he gets to the house first, you won’t have to.”

***

Hearing over the police radio Stiles keeps in his jeep that they have a kid in custody from the Hale house site, Stiles makes a face before turning around and heading back towards town and the station.

Scott parks his bike next to where we park and we rush inside, tripping over each other when we come to a stop just inside the door to the back area with the deputies desks.

Noah leans up from his previous bend to look at a computer screen on the desk near Parrish and his furrowed brows clear when Stiles waves like we need to talk to him.

Noah turns back to Parrish and another deputy and huffs “I’ll handle this” before guiding us over and into his office.

He closes the door and walks over to lean against his desk as we walk to stand in front of him.

Noah moves his eyes between the three of us before taking a breath and raising his hand out in front of him, “I want you to be honest with me– absolutely and completely honest. Have you been time traveling?”

I jerk my head back slightly as Stiles lifts his hands out to his side “Hang on, what?” **_question I was least expecting for 2000 Alex_**

Noah ignores that and continues like Stiles said nothing “Because if time traveling is real, you know what? I’m done. I’m out. You’re going to be driving _me_ to Eichen House.”

“We found him like that” Scott and I counter and Noah stands up from his lean to whisper shout our direction “Where? Swimming in the fountain of youth?”

Stiles shakes his head “No. We found him buried in a tomb of wolfsbane in an Aztec– temple in Mexico underneath a church in the middle of a town that was destroyed by an earthquake” **_you did too much babe_**

Scott closes his eyes with Stiles’ rambling as I scrunch my nose up in a grimace and look up to him.

Stiles notices my eyes and moves his lips between his teeth as he shifts his eyes between Scott and I, realizing what he let slip before Noah furrows his brows to continue his incredulous whisper shouting “You told me you were _camping_!”

Stiles tries to nonchalantly backtrack “Yeah, we were– it was– just in Mexico” he points to the side and Noah looks like he’s going to level up to actual shouting so I chime in “Derek’s been aged backwards. He can’t remember anything.”

Stiles nods, setting his arm back around me to rest on my side and continues towards his dad “We just need to talk to him.”

Noah sighs and leans back against his desk “Yeah, well, so far he’s not talking to anybody.”

Scott looks over to us and turns to look out the window of Noah’s office “He’ll talk to me.”

Noah agrees and brings Derek into his office, closing the door to give us privacy with Derek as Noah waits outside and observes through the window

Derek sits on the couch in the office and shakes his head at Scott “Why would I go anywhere with you?”

Stiles and I are leaning back against Noah’s desk as Scott tries to get through to him, “There was an accident. You lost some memory, but we can help you get it back.”

“How much memory?” I hear Derek say when Stiles shifting an envelope behind me on the desk gains my attention. 

I furrow my brow and look over my shoulder at him focusing on the desk. He licks his lips, before noticing my eyes and smiling softly. 

He shifts closer to me, bumping my hip with his as he reaches around my back and splays his hand on my thigh. 

I raise a brow with my silent question, earning him to kiss my temple as his silent answer of he’ll tell me later.

Scott gains my attention as he kneels down in front of Derek, answering confidently “A lot– but you can trust us”

Derek widens his eyes slightly as he states “You’re an Alpha. Okay, who are you? And who are they?” he finishes with a nod our way.

I open my mouth with a slight noise before I point to Scott’s back and answer “I’m his sister, and this is his good friend and my boyfriend.

Stiles tightens his hand on my side with my words as he lifts his other hand out in front of him “Also the people who are keeping you out of jail.”

I connect my eyes with Derek’s as I offer softly “Let us help you.”

He moves his eyes quickly between mine before he sits further back on the couch and shakes his head with his answer “No.”

Stiles scoffs “Okay, dude, you almost tore apart two cops back there. You need to listen to us. And that starts with no fangs, no claws, no wolf man. You got that?”

Derek shakes his head more to argue “I’m fine as long as it’s not on a full moon.”

Scott stands up and looks down to him “You still have trouble with the full moon?”

“I said I’m fine” Derek quips back and Stiles moves his hand off of me to stand up off his lean on the desk as he implores “All right, you coming with us or not?”

Derek moves his eyes between the three of us as he asks “You want me to trust you? Where’s my family?”

Scott lets out a sigh before he looks back to him “There was a fire. And– they’re not here anymore. They’re fine. Just had to move out of Beacon Hills. And we’re going to take you to them as soon as we figure out how to get your memories back.”

I look up through my lashes at Stiles who makes a face and holds his hand out for me to set mine in as I stand up from the desk as well.

Derek keeps his eyes on Scott as he relents “Okay.”

***

Noah took Derek to get released with a warning while Scott, Stiles and I lean against the counter waiting for him.

Scott sighs next to me and turns to look at us “I shouldn’t have done that. I lied my ass off.”

I make a face of slight agreement but Stiles leans into my side to mutter just above a whisper “Hey, your ass is fine–”

I chuckle and nod towards Scott to elaborate “You saved him a ton of unnecessary pain Scotty.”

Stiles sets his hand on my lower back before he continues “She’s right, you know– we’ll figure this out in a day or two, he goes back to being old Derek, everyone’s happy. Except for Derek, who’s never happy”

Scott lifts his linked hands up from the counter with his sigh “It’s just another person that we’re lying to.”

Remembering what Lydia filled us in on what her and Ally found when we were dealing with Void I turn to Scott and ask “Malia?” 

Scott nods as he shakes his head “Guys we have to tell her Peter’s her dad”

I share a look with Stiles over my shoulder as I nod back to Scott “We’ll figure out how to tell her, she deserves to know the truth. Especially since he already does– and she doesn’t deserve to find out through him.”

Stiles makes a noise of agreement before Scott nods his head to the side to continue “I always feel like it’s always been better when we tell the truth. With Lydia, our mom, your dad–”

Stiles sighs and lifts his other arm to point into the deputies room “Yeah, but that is Derek Hale in there. He may be a kid right now, but he’s still Derek Hale.”

Scott nods and pushes off of his lean against the front desk “All right– you guys take him to our house and don’t let him out of your sight.”

I look from Derek signing the papers to be released and over to Scott as I furrow my brows “And where are you going?”

“I’m going to go talk to the guy we should have gone to before” Scott answers before walking away from us and out the doorway into the front lobby area. 

Stiles shares a quick look with me before calling after Scott’s retreating form “Uh– yeah, I hate that guy” **_Peter hasn’t been so bad as of late_**

***

I unlock the door and walk ahead of Derek and Stiles who starts with the plan as soon as we walk through the doorway “We’re going to wait here for Scott. We’re going to sit quietly. We’re not going to call or talk to _anyone_ ” he finishes with a wave of his arm to accentuate his words.

“Do I talk to you?” Derek huffs out before Stiles shakes his head, quickly answering “No”

Derek rolls his eyes before he turns to me with a deep smirk “Please tell me I can talk to you”

I snort at Stiles’ face before I look back to Derek and laugh lightly “Yes, you can talk–” as Stiles exclaims _over_ my response “Definitely no, don’t even look at her– especially the way you are, stop it. You’re too old for her, and she’s taken– mine actually, so just– you know stop it.”

“Fine” Derek sighs turning and taking a step away from us, earning me to snort through a chuckle as Stiles counters back “Good” and silently mouths ‘what the fuck’ to me before we keep our steps with Derek’s.

I reach down and link my hand with Stiles’, squeezing once to tell him to calm down as we head through the living room towards the kitchen when Derek points out in front of him, “Who’s going to talk to him?”

Stiles furrows his brows before looking in front of him, stopping our steps abruptly as he raises his arm out to dad standing in the kitchen holding a take out bag “Ah! Are you getting taller?”

I move my lips between my teeth to hide my laugh with the noise he made following his question.

Smiling with no humor behind it, dad moves his eyes from Stiles to me “Addy, where’s your brother– we’re supposed to have dinner, remember we agreed when your mom–” **_right, fucking dinner_**

I nod, interrupting his words “Of course we remembered, mom has a late shift, we have dinner. Scott just had to finish up at the animal clinic– he’ll be here soon.”

Dad nods and tilts the bag in his hand towards us, directing his words to the guys “I brought extra. You guys hungry?”

“Yeah,” Derek answers at the same time Stiles shakes his head “No– no we’re not hungry.”

I move my eyes between the pair as Derek flicks his head our way, moving his eyes between us as he counters “No, I’m starving.”

Stiles points between them with a slight smile directed back at dad “Neither of us are hungry– thanks, though.”

Dad moves his eyes to me, noticing my trying not to laugh even more at the situation face, and lifts one side of his mouth as he looks back to Stiles “ _Okay_ , well if you’re not hungry, Stiles, your friend can still eat with us. What’s your name?”

Dad nods towards Derek who goes to answer, however, Stiles beats him to it “Miguel.”

I close my eyes before turning my head to look up at my stuttering boyfriend who slaps his hand on the back of Derek’s shoulder and keeps going “M– my cousin Miguel. From Mexico. So–” **_dad knows Spanish_**

Which dad proves as he flicks his eyes over to Derek and raises his brows “Es usted un natural de México, Miguel?”

Stiles widens his eyes and mutters “oh my god” under his breath before Derek smirks and answers dad back in his own perfect Spanish “No soy nativo, si no que pase montón de tiempo allí.”

I let out a breath of relief that Derek was able to answer that he wasn’t a native to Mexico but does spend a lot of time there **_at least he’s helping us in our lie_**

Dad nods, clearly impressed as he breathes out “Fantastic. Egg roll?” he turns to the table where he set the bag of food and Derek answers “Hell yeah” before he walks up to the table with dad.

Dad asks Derek if he likes shrimp or pork fried rice as Stiles laughs nervously muttering to their backs “Fantastic– egg roll” before turning and directing his wide eyes my way while whispering shrieking “seriously did you know he spoke Spanish?!”

Resisting the urge to laugh at his freak out, I only chuckle slightly setting my hands on his upper arms “Dad yes– Derek no, so you got lucky with your ‘Miguel cousin’ there sweets.”

Stiles rolls his eyes as he grumbles “Yes I’m aware, thank you babe.”

I smile at his words before I push up on my toes, connecting our lips softly. I hear him let out a calming breath through his nose before I pull away and slowly move my hands down his arms.

Linking our hands together, I nod towards the kitchen as I pull him with me “Come on, you love Chinese.”

Dad sits at one end of the table with Derek at the other and Stiles and I sitting across from each other in between the both of them **_like the dysfunctional family we are_**

We dish out our plates and start eating when Dad clears his throat “So, uh, Miguel. What did you say your last name was again?”

Taking a bite of my egg roll I watch as Stiles nods his head to the side and answers for him “Oh, it’s Juarez– Cinqua… Tiago”

Derek shares a what the hell is he doing look with me before I look to my plate to hide my smile **_this wouldn’t seem so out of character if you had your memories, my friend_**

Dad raises his brows to Stiles and answers “That’s a mouthful. How do you spell that?”

Dad looks over to Derek who smirks Stiles’ direction for him to answer, which Stiles answers around his mouth full of food “Phonetically”

Moving my humor filled eyes to Stiles, he glares playfully with a shake of his head before Derek’s words gain our attention “Mr. McCall, you’re an FBI agent?”

Stiles widens his eyes with mine before turning to Derek, offering “He’s low level. Very low level. He doesn’t even have a voice” **_warming up to the girlfriend’s father is going well if you couldn’t tell_**

Continuing on like Stiles didn’t say anything, Derek looks over to dad again “So do you investigate murders?”

“Sometimes– when it’s a Federal crime” Dad answers between his bites of food as I set my chopsticks down and reach for my drink.

Derek makes a face and mutters as I lift my cup to my lips “What about fires?”

I choke on the water I was attempting to drink and dad reaches over, setting his hand on my shoulder to see if I’m okay. I wave him off and croak out “Wrong pipe”

Stiles tries to turn the conversation away from the potential train wreck “Oh my God, I wonder where Scott is. Shouldn’t Scott be here by now?” 

I cough again, nodding with his statement as he pulls his phone out of his pocket and continues “We should call Scott.”

Dad sends one more look towards me, earning me to smile and shake my head that I’m okay before grabbing my chopsticks again.

Content that I’m not dying, dad continues with his conversation like nothing happened “What kind, umm what kind of fires are you talking about?”

Stiles interjects another nervous laugh as he’s typing on his phone, before Derek implores towards dad “Do you know anything about the Hale family?” ****

***

Dad sang like a canary and told Derek _everything_ about his family and the fire that killed all but two others.

Derek looked sad before he looked really angry and I excused us to wait upstairs for Scott, which dad said was fine since he was being called in for a dead body found at the gas station a few blocks over **_which Lydia and Kira found on their way over here_**

Stiles and I head upstairs with Derek and as soon as we get into Scott’s room Derek grabs Stiles and smashes him into the door.

I jump slightly from the action **_similar to the last time Miguel visited us_** and Stiles lifts an arm up as he defends “Okay, I didn’t lie. I omitted certain truths. Vital truths now that I think about it.”

Derek huffs and lets him go, walking past me as he exclaims “I don’t want to talk to you– or you, you lied to me too!” he points to me before he continues “I want to talk to the Alpha. I’ll talk to Scott”

Stiles nods and opens the bedroom door “Okay. I’m going to go get him– my phone’s downstairs. Going to call him real quick. You stay here, just don’t move, okay?”

Stiles grabs my arm and softly pulls me towards him before pointing at Derek as we move into the hall “Don’t move. Don’t–” Stiles steps quickly back into the doorway before rubbing his hand over his mouth as he barely mutters an explanation “I thought you–”

He steps my way again and I raise a brow, chuckling softly “You done?”

“Oh shut your face Adds, he’s being a punk and you know it” Stiles grumbles as he sets his hand on my lower back and fall in step in front of him as we head down the stairs.

I shrug as we walk down the last of the steps and through the foyer “He just learned his whole family died, and knows we lied about it to him all day,”

“Whatever, the old Derek needs to hurry up and come back” he grumbles as he grabs his phone off the table, moving to press the call button on Scott’s name and lifting the phone up to his ear.

I move about the kitchen, cleaning up the remains of dinner with Stiles’ help when Scott answers. 

Stiles fills him in on what dad told him and the level of pissed Derek is because of it as I dry my hands on the towel and he nods towards the hallway to head upstairs.

Stiles sets his hand on my lower back as we make our way up the stairs and he answers Scott “No, he’s in your bedroom, he’ll be totally fine. To be honest, I’m starting to miss the old Derek. So, if you actually think that Kate’s coming to find him–”

My stopping steps at actually seeing her **_very much alive_** climbing out of Scott’s window causes Stiles to crash into me and look between my shoulder and the doorframe.

We watch as Kate turns back to look at us, throwing a smirk our way before jumping down from the window.

I move my wide eyes to Stiles who grimaces and brings the phone back up to his ear to reluctantly inform Scott “You might be right.”

***

Stiles and I get to the school, meeting Lydia and Kira in the tunnel near the lacrosse field. 

We run through the tunnel and on the stairs to the left of us near the second floor of outside lockers we see Scott and Malia fighting what I’m assuming are the Berserkers Scott told us him and Braedon found the other night before they found Derek.

Kira takes off with her katana at the ready to go and help them while Lydia huffs and rolls her eyes at Stiles “You seriously need to find something better than a baseball bat.”

Stiles looks wounded as he looks at the bat and I shrug coming to his defense “But having the bat has always kinda been his thing…”

She chuckles “You two really are made for each other.”

Stiles smiles at me with her words as we fall in step behind her heading around the school trying to find Kate or Derek.

We hear an explosion sounding from the front of school and head around campus that way.

Seeing a hidden underground stairwell near the school’s cement sign, we all share a look before we head down the stairs.

It’s pretty foggy down here, however, we see Peter kneeling in front of an open small safe muttering quietly to himself, “It was never… never about the Triskelion. They took it, they took it while I was blinded.”

Lydia furrows her brows with me before she clears her throat “Took what?”

Peter stands up and turns around towards us to answer “Bonds. Bearer bonds and they took them all.”

“Bearer bonds?” Stiles looks quickly to me, trying not to laugh as he turns and points his bat towards Peter with a big smile on his face “Hold on. Are you saying you got _robbed_?” 

Peter narrows his eyes to correct “This was a heist. Somebody planned this”

“How much did they take?” I inquire thoughtfully and Peter answers without missing a beat “One hundred and seventeen.”

“Thousand?” Stiles raises his brows and shares a look with me before Peter turns back towards the open, very empty safe.

He takes a breath and grumbles out angrily “Million.”


	51. Muted

Stiles, Scott and I are walking to the field for morning practice before afternoon tryouts later.

“I don’t know if I’m even still team captain” Scott grumbles and Stiles turns to him “Of course you’re still the team captain. You got your grades up just like Coach told you to, right?”

Scott nods and looks between us “Yeah, but he never told me I was back on the team. He just told me to show up at tryouts today”

Stiles sighs as we come to a stop next to the bleachers and turns towards Scott “We got bigger things to deal with anyway. Did you tell Argent yet?”

Scott shakes his head with a huff “Ah, I texted him but he didn’t get back to me.”

Widening my eyes slightly I jerk my head back, making a noise as Stiles shares a look with me and voices my same thought “You told him his sister, Kate, came back from the _dead_ over a text?”

I shake my head at that bit of information as Scott shrugs to defend himself “I didn’t have the money to call France.”

Stiles nods in understanding before he breathes out “Yeah, you think you got money problems? Try paying for an MRI and a visit to Eichen House” he grumbles and I turn to him, furrowing my brows to ask softly “Another notice?”

Stiles nods and sets his arm around me as he answers “Yeah, this one said, ‘Final’. Now, what the hell are we even doing here anyway? We got like a _one hundred and seventeen million_ problems and worrying about our status on the lacrosse team is not one of them” **_like the fact that Derek is back to his rightful age, however his eyes are no longer blue– they’re the were-yellow color_**

Scott widens his eyes and looks past us as he incredulously mutters “It is now”

Stiles shares a look with me before he looks over his shoulder. He looks down to me quickly before turning our feet and facing us both towards the field as he grumbles “Who the hell is that?”

We watch as this kid in the goalie blocks and catches every ball thrown his way.

He takes his helmet off and laughs with another kid as they celebrate his awesome defensive goalie skills.

“His name in Liam” Scott answers absentmindedly as he listens in on their conversation.

Stiles makes a noise and nods towards the field “Okay, maybe we should just practice a little bit.”

***

“I don’t like him” Stiles grumbles, wrapping his arm around my waist, and pulling me into his side as we make our way through the hall on our way to math.

I snort and lean my head on his shoulder “What could Liam possibly have done in an hour to make you not like him?”

Stiles huffs “He caught every shot Adds, every shot! That doesn’t happen.”

I shrug muttering absentmindedly “He was in goal.”

Stiles flicks his offended eyes down to me and I playfully roll my eyes “Come on babe, you said his stepdad taught him? Maybe he’s just that good– he probably wanted to impress everyone since he’s a freshman.”

“Well we don’t need any more good players” He grumbles as we sidestep a group standing completely in the way of the flow of traffic in the hallway.

I snort as a response and he laughs with zero humor in it “Keep your comments to yourself.”

Scoffing lightly I look up to him “I didn’t say anything”

“Yea, well your face did and you’re a horrible liar” he states and I shrug **_because we both know that to be true_**

Stiles makes an aggravated noise before he continues with his ranting “Plus he was kicked out of Devenford Prep”

“Sooo–” I stress wondering where he’s going with that bit of information before he huffs and throws the arm not around me out in front of us “Sooo you don’t get kicked out of a prep school without doing something terrible– he’s just– he’s bad news and just– just be on my side, damn it.”

I chuckle as we turn around the corner and I stop our steps, turning into him causing his hand to move from my back and down to my waist as I smile up at him “Hey I’m always on your side– I just happen to think he’s harmless”

He narrows his eyes, earning me to push up on my toes and connect our lips. I hear him release a content breath of air through his nose before I pull away and he mumbles just above a whisper “It’s not fair that you can do that.”

“Do what?” I ask feigning innocence

Stiles lifts one side of his mouth in a smirk as he lifts one hand up to tuck a piece of hair that has fallen out of my side braid behind my ear “You know perfectly well what you’re doing– distracting me from whatever it was I was talking about.”

I lift a shoulder to defend “I’m just kissing you, if that happens to be distracting to your train of thought… well I take zero responsibility to that fact.”

He gives me the breathy chuckle that brings a smile to my face before I nod to the door to our right “Shall we?”

Moving his eyes to the door he shakes his head “Eh, I vote we leave”

Malia walks past us as she mumbles “I second that vote, fuck math seriously guys… it’s pointless.”

I move forward, setting one arm around her back to rest both of my hands on her upper arms as I walk with her into the classroom with Stiles following behind us “It’s school– school is important, and math is kind of essential to life, my dear”

Malia sits in her seat with me sitting behind her and Stiles sitting next to me.

Malia huffs and turns around quickly as she faces me and implores “To what exactly?”

I shrug about to answer when Stiles points across the aisle at her to state oh so helpfully “Knowing how much to tip at restaurants”

I snort and level him with a look as I respond dryly “And other _less_ important things like medicine, economics, engineering–”

Stiles winks my way and points between us “Tipping”

Our math teacher, Ms. Flemming, sets her chalk down and turns to the class “All right, volunteers to the board” I raise my hand to take the focus off Malia and Ms. Flemming points to a few of us “Addy, Diego– Malia” **_well so much for that_**

I set my hand on Malia’s shoulder as I walk past her and up to the board hearing her stutter behind me “Um… I didn’t volunteer.”

Ms Flemming points past me to Malia as I walk up to the equation next to her “You did now– to the board”

Beginning to write my answer to my equation, I look out of the corner of my eye at Malia looking at the board like it’s about to murder her.

I clear my throat and whisper “Did you go over the notes I gave you?”

Malia draws her brows in confusion as she breathes out “I didn’t understand them”

I nod, looking over my shoulder to make sure the coast is clear before I look over her equation quickly. 

I write my answer and whisper for her to hear “X equals twenty five”

Malia lets out a relieved sigh as she writes the answer and I set my chalk down muttering for her to hear on my way back to my seat “Put the claws away, I’ll make you notes for my notes.”

I smile at her when she nods and I notice Stiles is digging in his pocket, bringing out his phone as I take my seat next to him.

He looks over to me quickly with his wide eyes as he shows me the alert on his phone for Beacon Hills News

‘Triple Homicide Developing’

***

We meet up with Scott and Kira in the hall after class and Stiles fills them in on what the article had to say about its homicide development.

Kira looks back to us “An axe murderer?”

“A family murdering axe murderer” Stiles elaborates and Scott sighs as he looks between us “I already heard about it”

Stiles jerks his head back exclaiming “Wait. What?” at the same time as I rush out “You did? How?”

Scott grimaces “Mom called me. She knew we’d see it on the news.”

Stiles nods, grabbing my hand before he turns to walk away “Perfect. Let’s go”

“Whoa, whoa” Scott’s words halt our steps and he continues when we turn back around to him “We’ve got Econ in five minutes”

Stiles makes a noise and walks us back to Scott “Alright. Did you forget the part about the family murdering axe murderer?”

“Did you forget that your dad’s the sheriff?” Scott asks softly as I shove my phone back in my pocket after looking over mom’s message and look up to Stiles as I nod “he’s right, they kinda want us to stay out of it”

Stiles moves his eyes between the three of us “Are you guys kidding me? There’s a family murdering axe murderer and we’re not going to do anything about it?”

I shrug making a noise as I share a look with Scott, before Kira offers “Maybe we should just let the adults handle it”

Not believing what’s happening in the slightest Stiles makes a face with her words, jerking his head to the side at the look Scott sends him, and throwing his hands up in frustration as he clarifies “So the three of you, you just want to stay here– school, go to class– Never heard anything so irresponsible in my life”

I reach over and link my hand in his as he shakes his head at Scott and turns us to head down the hall.

“See you at tryouts?” Scott mutters at our retreating backs and Stiles just raises his free hand up to his side as a response.

I can feel the aggravation radiating off of him, so I shrug lightly and offer “Non supernatural murders hasn’t really been our thing, mom just wants us to have a break from the crazy…”

Stiles unlinks our hands to set his arm around me. He rests his thumb in the top of the back of my shorts, rubbing the skin he exposed softly as he releases a huff “Yea, I get it– I just want to do something to help.”

Making a hum of understanding, I reach my hand across my front and over to rest against his chest as I state thoughtfully “That’s why I love you, and why you should definitely follow in your dad’s footsteps. You’d make a great detective.”

“You think so?” Stiles asks as he stops our steps a few feet from class, and I turn into him as I answer “I know so– plus the uniform? Yea that’s what dreams are made of” I sigh out the last bit of my words dreamily.

He smirks and sets his hands on either side of my hips to pull me closer, lowering his head to almost touching mine as he mutters lowly in our own little world “Detectives usually wear suits”

I groan softly and move my head up to catch his lips quickly before stating just above a whisper “Even better” and turning to continue walking down the hall.

Stiles reaches out to move his hand down my arm in my attempt to walk away, linking his fingers with mine as he groans out “Fuck Adds, we’re at school you do realize that right?”

I smirk over my shoulder at him as I walk into class, pulling on his hand to follow me.

***

Coach has me wait in his office after school while the guys all get changed for tryouts.

He walks into the doorway a few minutes later, nodding into the locker room as an all clear for me to head in there with him.

Blowing his whistle to gain everyone’s attention, Coach lets it fall back around his neck as he starts his pre tryout pep talk “As a reminder, it’s an open tryout today. All positions available– besides my note taker, play transcriber, right hand man– I’m sorry woman– She-McCall because she has _actual_ legible handwriting and I need that kind of easy reading in my life.”

I chuckle, quickly sharing a humor filled look with Stiles before looking to my left “Thanks Coach”

Grabbing the clipboard out of my hands he nods and continues his words to the players “Thank you my dear– all right this is a _rebuilding_ season, people. Jackson’s gone, Lahey’s gone… Greenberg, the one guy I actually wanted gone… was held back– again.”

Coach clears his throat before handing the clipboard back to me and throwing his arm towards the door as he bellows to the room “Get your asses on the field.”

***

Coach has everyone start running around the field, having me keep track of the players and their times when they cross back in front of Coach and I.

He grumbles as the last of the players run up to us “Terrible… horrifying… pathetic… _unbelievably_ pathetic– is that everyone?”

Stiles runs up, trying to catch his breath before he collapses on the ground and Coach rolls his eyes as he turns and crosses his arms in front of him “Yep, that’s everyone–”

He leans slightly closer to me “Addy are the rumors your dear old Coach has heard true? You and Stilinski?”

I smile softly at Scott helping Stiles up from the ground and sharing a few words with him before I look back to Coach and nod with a raise of a brow “Yes– you going to tell me your thoughts on that?”

Coach scoffs and moves his eyes back to the field “Absolutely not– I will say that he better be good to you, or I’ll whip his pathetic ass– also this conversation never happened.”

He states the last bit over his shoulder as he walks over to the guys and has them hustle to line up **_coach is just a big softy_**

Coach has everyone line up to throw passes past the goalie, Stiles is up first and has a little trouble getting the ball into the net on his lacrosse stick **_little rusty but it’s okay_**

He lines up and shoots the ball towards the goal, however, it lands right in the goalie’s lacrosse stick net **_okay maybe more than a little_**

I shift my grimace towards my clipboard as the guys share snickers on his move back to the end of the line.

Liam sets up next, shifting on his feet before taking a few steps and launching a ball at the goalie. It flies past him and hits the net with a swoosh from the force.

Coach yells with a point at him “Yes!”

A few more players set up and launch their shots at the goalie, some making it and others being blocked before it’s Scott’s turn.

Scott shifts on his feet before setting up and launching the ball towards the goal, however, he hits the post of the net with a nice tink noise **_definitely not what you want from the previous captain of the team_**

He gains the same snickers from the guys and a comment from one of them “Nice, McCall”

Stiles laughs humorlessly before he sarcastically quips back “Hey, Garrett… shut up!”

I set a mental reminder to have him and Stiles practice more **_the sacrifices and Void have really messed with their lacrosse skills they had been working on_**

They all run through the line a few more times, Liam making every shot he takes, Stiles missed all but one and Scotty– well he made it in the goal area once, the other times it went nowhere even near the goal post **_what is up with him today?_**

Coach blows his whistle gaining everyone’s attention to walk over towards us “Hustle!”

He points forward as he mutters reluctantly “McCall and Stilinski, grab the long sticks. You’re covering goal for two-on-ones. Let’s go! Line it up!”

Scott and Stiles grab the long sticks as previously instructed and get set up in front of the goalie.

Garrett sets a ball in his net and walks quickly towards the guys, he dodges to the right around Stiles and attempts with a spin to get away from Scott, however, Scott jumps and swings his lacrosse stick down, hitting Garrett’s to the ground.

There’s some shocked noises as the guys celebrate their block and Coach celebrates next to me “That’s my boys!”

Garrett sulks away to the back of the line and I smile proudly when Stiles flicks his eyes over to me, returning my smile before looking to the ground and getting set up with Scott again.

Coach turns around and boasts to a couple of the players by him “Those two are like sons to me”

I chuckle to myself with how proud he is and watch as the next player gets set up with a ball in his net. 

He charges at the guys and tries to go in between them, earning Stiles and Scott to keep their shoulders together and bring the dude down right away.

The guys do a celebratory headbutt with their helmets, earning a bright smile from me with their behavior **_they’re finally able to relax and it’s amazing to see_**

Next player gets set up and charges at them, he doesn’t try any special moves to dodge them and as a result gets one of their shoulders into his chest, knocking him down quickly.

“That’s how you do it! That’s how it’s done!” Coach bellows excitedly to the field.

Stiles and Scott do a celebratory chest bump, which causes Stiles to be knocked down before getting back up quickly. 

The smile it brings to my face falters slightly when I see Liam get set up next.

He swings his lacrosse stick in front of him, out to each of his sides before grabbing it with his other hand.

Coach blows the whistle and the three charge at each other, Liam lifts his lacrosse stick up and over Stiles before he turns and dodges Scott’s defensive strike.

Liam turns to the goalie, moving his lacrosse stick behind his back before setting up and throwing the ball straight into the goalie’s net with no problem in the slightest **_fuck he is good_**

The other players celebrate as Liam trots past Scott and Stiles with a little air of arrogance floating around his little body on his way by them.

“That was luck!” I hear from behind us, Coach furrows his brows and looks over his shoulder when we again hear Malia shouting “Do over!”

Coach chuckles and throws his hand back to her as he faces forward with his dismissive words “Sweetheart, there’s no do-overs. This is a practice.”

“Ten bucks on Scott and Stiles” Malia continues and Coach raises his brows, turning back towards her to agree “I’ll take that action. Hey! Get back in there, Liam.”

Malia smiles when I look back to her and I shake my head with a soft chuckle as I turn back around to the field.

The guys get set up in position again, seeming to have a little stare off before Liam charges at the guys again at the blow of Coach’s whistle.

Liam dodges Stiles but Scott is right there and hits Liam low, causing him to fly up and over Scott’s shoulder.

When he lands, though there’s a definite awful sounding cracking noise, followed by his groans of pain as he moves around on the ground.

Coach drops the whistle from his mouth and we rush forward to them as he yells at the guys “Don’t move! Don’t touch him!”

Liam stands up, breathing through the obvious pain as he mutters “I’m okay, Coach. I’m all right.”

He stands up on his own before trying to put pressure on his foot and falls backwards with a scream of pain.

Stiles and Scott move to catch him as they wrap his arms around their shoulders and Liam breathes out painfully “I think it’s my leg”

Stiles looks up to Coach “I think we better get him to the nurse.”

Coach nods and grabs the clipboard out of my hands “Please go with them Addy, make sure he’s treated with the best nursing service possible.”

***

The nurse advises we take Liam to the hospital because it may be a sprain but it could also be a break **_super great news obviously_**

It’s really swollen and purple and she thinks he definitely needs an X-ray, which we do not have at school.

We get to the hospital and help Liam walk inside, before we have mom paged after we walk up to the nurse’s station.

Liam has his hand resting on the desk with his other arm around Stiles’ shoulder when she walks up a few minutes later. 

She raises her brows as she looks between the four of us, earning Scott and I to lift our hands in a slight wave towards her as we mutter “Hey mom…”

We give mom the rundown of what happened at practice before she nods and grabs a wheelchair. 

Stiles helps Liam sit down in the wheelchair and mom sets his feet in the holders.

She smiles softly as she walks behind the chair and mutters “Don’t worry, Liam. We’ll take good care of you” as she wheels him away from us.

I walk over, standing in between Stiles and Scott who is looking sadly down the hall where mom took Liam.

I clear my throat gaining his attention “We need to get going, I promised to make some math notes for Malia.”

Scott nods and mutters softly “Yea no problem, I want to check on him anyway.”

Stiles nods and sets his hand on my arm turning towards the door before he stops his steps and looks back to Scott when I state softly “Hey, you know this wasn’t your fault, right?”

Scott shakes his head with a light scoff as he looks between us “I don’t know.”

Stiles furrows his brows as he steps closer to Scott and lifts his hand towards the hall with his reassuring words “Scott, if you had used any wolf power that kid wouldn’t be _limping_ , he’d be _crawling_ , back to the other half of his body.”

Scott shakes his head to argue as he looks sadly down the hall again “If I hadn’t been so worried about being captain he wouldn’t be hurt either.”

Stiles shares a sad look with me before he directs his words to Scott “It’s okay to want something for yourself once in a while. Team captain, Alpha werewolf. You’re still only human.”

Stiles slaps Scott in the shoulder to emphasize the sincerity to his words before I step forward and wrap my arms around Scott’s middle, muttering into his chest when he returns the hug He’s right Scotty, plus you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s the game, injuries happen, and people heal.”

***

We decide to study at Stiles’ and head upstairs to his room once we get to the house.

I’m not two feet in his room before Stiles grabs my wrist and pulls me towards him.

Dropping my bag to the ground in the process– he sets his hands on my hips, taking quick steps backwards, before slamming my back against his now closed door and crashing his lips onto mine.

I make a noise of surprise with the action before I set my hands against his chest and lean into him, as he moves his lips against mine in a knees go weak kiss.

Stiles increases his hold on my hips before moving them slowly down the sides of my thighs to grab behind them and hoist me up.

I set my hands on his shoulders, wrapping my legs around his waist as he uses the door to push harder into me, earning me to moan softly with the action and he takes the invitation to deepen the kiss **_well if nothing else we do this very well_**

The kiss turns from passionate to needy before Stiles pulls away, earning a whine that turns into a soft moan from me as he moves to leaving kisses along my skin on his way to my neck, muttering in between kisses “I guess– we should– study now?”

Keeping my eyes closed I lean my head to the side, allowing him better access as I lick my lips quickly and breathe out “You’re evil for starting this and wanting to stop right now..”

He groans softly and pushes his hips into me, moving me up the door slightly as he lifts his head to connect his eyes with mine and mumbles deep in his chest “I don’t want to stop– however you’re the super helpful friend that you are, resulting in– we need to study” **_fucking math_**

I lean forward, connecting our lips again as I move my hands from his neck and up the back of his head, scratching his head and pulling slightly on his hair at the base of his neck. 

He makes a noise of approval in his throat before I pull back and lean my head back against the door and sigh out “Fine– but there will be more of this before I go home?”

He opens his eyes as he answers without missing a beat “Yes– lots of that, like _so much_ ” we share a chuckle with his words before he leans forward and kisses my nose.

Stiles huffs with actually following through with our study decision as he moves his hands to support under me before turning us and walking over to his bed.

I let out a squeak as he bends forward and I land with a little bounce on his bed. Followed immediately by Stiles who drops forward, setting his hands on either side of me as leans over me, muttering just above a whisper “Hey”

I chuckle and move my hands up from his upper arms to around his neck “Hey handsome”

Letting out a breathy chuckle, he licks his lips before dropping onto one of his elbows and rubbing his thumb against the side of my head and into my hair “Guess we should get to studying then” 

“Fine” I huff with a furrow of my brows at his suggestion.

Stiles chuckles and moves his thumb to rub between my brows, before he twitches his with an obvious thought “You know what we haven’t done?”

I raise a brow at him and he barks out a laugh, before clearing his throat and smirking “Okay that wasn’t where I was headed, but good to know where your mind is at babe”

I roll my eyes and clear my throat “Only because _you_ have taken me there– anyways do tell, what have we not done?”

He smiles softly and mutters just above a whisper, “We need to go on a proper first date– whatcha doing this weekend?”

I pretend to think about it, earning him to huff before I laugh and shake my head “I’m all yours”

He leans forward to connect our lips quickly, muttering “Good it’s a date” before he pushes up off the bed and walks over to grab our bags by the door.

I sit up and move to the end of the bed just as he’s setting mine by my feet “Thanks.”

I start unpacking my notebooks and pens needed to help Malia out when Stiles makes a noise and points to my pile next to me, “Since when do you use this many highlighters?”

I shrug as I continue to unpack my bag “It’s the best way to keep track of where Malia is at– green is what she’s understanding, yellow is what she’s almost got and red means she’s pretty lost–” I grimace and look over my shoulder at him “We’re mainly using red– but she’s incredibly smart and what she’s grasped in just a few weeks is promising considering what she was doing a few months ago.”

Stiles has a look on his face that has me blushing as I shake my head “What?”

He scoots closer and sets his hand against the side of my face to cup my cheek as he leans forward and envelops my lips in a sweet kiss.

He pulls back and kisses me again quickly before he nods to the board behind him and mutters “That’s a pretty smart color system you’re using.”

I try to hide my smile with my words as I nonchalantly as possible nod my head to the side “I may have picked up a pretty good color system from someone.”

Smiling wide, Stiles moves to grab his things from his bag and sets them on his bed as he states “Well that someone is very smart”

“Oh he’s brilliant” I state as I open my notebook on the page I need to rework and grab my bag again. 

I see Stiles grab my notebook as I dig in my bag for a pen, hearing him make a noise as he flips through the pages “Adds, what the hell are these?”

I lift a shoulder keeping my eyes directed in my bag “The math notes I need to write with more directions for Malia.”

I make a noise finally finding my favorite note taking pen as I set my bag back on the ground and turn to lift a leg onto his bed as I face him.

I blow the piece of hair that came loose out of my braid away from my face as I look over his shoulder “Why can you not understand my notes either? Am I losing my math touch?”

I joke lightly however Stiles doesn’t respond as he flips the page again “Babe this isn’t math…”

Lifting my chin off his shoulder, I furrow my brows when he connects his eyes with mine “What do you mean it’s not math– what else cou–”

My words trail off as he lifts the notebook closer to me and I look over the page, finally registering the symbols, numbers, and letters across all of the lines on the pages **_that doesn’t even look like English_**

Gasping softly I move my eyes from the page and connect with his “What the hell is this?”


	52. The Benefactor

Stiles’ phone ringing brings our attention away from our code deciphering research for whatever the hell it is I wrote in my notebook.

Grabbing the phone off his desk, he informs it’s Scott before he answers “What’s up man?”

Stiles widens his eyes and turns around to look over at me, mumbling “He didn’t have a mouth?”

I furrow my brows, jerking my head back slightly as I close the lid to my laptop and move to the end of the bed to put my shoes back on.

I look up to him when he continues “A wendigo? Fuck okay– yea, yea, yea I’ll call my dad and tell him about the attack and body on the roof, and that you needed to leave because you were hurt– wait Liam?– okay questions later got it” **_what the fuck happened at the hospital?_**

They exchange a few more words before Stiles hangs up with Scott and calls his dad, mentioning the slim bit of information he was just given before ending that call.

Stiles brings his hand up to rub at his forehead before he looks at me with a huff “That kid who survived the attack on his family– he was at the hospital and attacked Scott, took Liam to the roof and then attacked Scott some more when he tried to save him,” he sets his hands on his hips, draws his brows inwards as he continues to make sense of what he’s repeating “Liam was hanging off the roof and Scott was having trouble hanging on to him, when the kid– who also called himself a Wendigo– was hit in the back with an axe, courtesy of the same guy probably who killed his family last night.” **_I don’t even know where to start to process that video game storyline_**

Completely speechless with his words I open and close my mouth twice before he lifts his hand up to rub over the side of his mouth and states “Oh also, he apparently didn’t have a mouth” **_because of course he didn’t_**

Pinching my brows together, I shake my head and choose to ignore that as I ask “Okay, so what about Liam?”

Stiles sets his hands on his hips and shrugs his shoulders “Scott said something happened with Liam and he’d explain when we got to your guys’ house– which we need to head over to meet him at right now.”

I take a deep breath and nod before turning to grab my sweater off his bed, facing him again as I go to put it on “Alright, well we shou–”

My words are stopped as Stiles sets his hands on each side of my face and brings our lips together softly.

I breathe in through my nose, savoring the calm he instantly brings as I set my hands on his chest and bunch his shirt into my fists slightly.

He moves his lips against mine for a few more seconds in a kiss that isn’t about anything other than showing me he’s here for me.

Pulling away, he kisses me quickly again before he sets his forehead against mine and takes a deep breath in.

I open my eyes, connecting with his gaze as I smile softly and lay my hands flat against his chest, murmuring just above a whisper “Not that I’m at all complaining, but what was that for?”

Lifting one corner of his mouth up in a slight smile, he moves his eyes around my face as he answers “That was me, taking advantage of our little moment of calm before we’re hit with another supernatural crisis.”

***

We get to our house and Scott meets us outside asking what we filled Mr. S on as he opens the door and we walk in behind him.

Stiles sighs “Like I said, I told my dad everything I could.”

Scott looks over his shoulder at us as we make our way towards the living room “But you didn’t tell him about Liam?”

“ _You_ barely told me about Liam,” Stiles quips and I look over towards Scott as we walk closer to the stairs, imploring to the back of his head “What did you do with him anyway?”

Scott looks between us as he sighs out reluctantly “He’s upstairs.”

“Doing what?” Stiles asks as we all stop our steps and Scott breathes out “Lying down.” **_you’re being_** ** _vague and weird_**

We get upstairs and walk into Scott’s room, though we don’t see Liam laying down anywhere. 

I furrow my brows and look from Stiles and over to Scott who grimaces and turns to continue walking… into our bathroom **_better not be laying down in my room_**

Scott stops his steps in the middle of the bathroom and turns to look at us before he pulls back the shower curtain, revealing in all his duct taped glory– Liam laying down in our bathtub. 

He’s got tape over his mouth and he’s looking between us, moving around and making muffled noises like we’re going to kill him.

Raising my brows into my hairline and dropping my mouth slightly open I turn to look at Scott, who again grimaces as Stiles reaches across us and closes the shower curtain.

Silently Scott turns and has us follow him back into his room, the three of us sitting down on the end of Scott’s bed with Scott sitting in the middle of us.

“So you bit him?” Stiles states earning Scott to nod “Yeah…”

I make a noise and narrow my eyes to the room in front of us as I add “And you kidnapped him?”

Scott again nods “Yeah…”

“And brought him here” Stiles elaborates before Scott rushes out and lifts his hands off his lap “I panicked.”

“Yup” Stiles and I murmur at the same time before Stiles sighs and looks over to our side “This isn’t going to end with us burying the pieces of his body out in the desert, is it?”

Hearing muffled cries coming from the bathroom from Liam, the three of us turn our heads to look that way **_he’s probably terrified_**

I stand up and turn to face the guys, lifting my arm out towards the bathroom “We have to get him out of the fucking shower– he didn’t do anything wrong, so he’s tied up why?”

Stiles nods and lifts a finger to point at Scott who shrugs at my question “As a reminder, this is why I always come up with the plans. Your plans suck.”

Scott looks over to his friend and nods as he sighs out “I know. Which is why I called you. So, what do we do?”

Scott and Stiles move to grab Liam out of the bathtub while I grab Scott’s desk chair and hold it steady while they set him in it.

We move to stand in front of him, hearing his deep breaths of aggravation as he moves his glaring eyes between the three of us.

Stiles leans forward to lay the rules down for the youngin’ “Liam, we’re going to take the tape off your mouth. If you scream, it goes right back on. If you talk quietly, it stays off. Got it?”

Liam takes a second flicking his eyes between us before he nods quickly.

“Okay,” Stiles nods before signaling for Scott to take the tape off.

Scott doesn’t get the message so I reach forward, drawing my brows in with my apology before grabbing a corner of the tape and pulling quickly to the side.

Liam jerks his head in the opposite direction from where I’m pulling as he exclaims painfully.

I grimace and lift my hands up to my sides “I’m so sorry.”

He breathes out through his nose and lifts his eyes up to us as Stiles huffs “Okay, Liam, now you’ve seen a lot of confusing things tonight. And more confusing things are going to happen because of the confusing things that happened tonight. Do you understand?”

I scrunch my nose up with that delivery of a vague explanation and Liam shakes his head with his answer “Not really.”

“Good. That’s good” Stiles nods and sets his hands on his hips.

Scott looks over to us and shakes his head as he states “I don’t understand either”

“Maybe you should tell him, Scotty” I offer softly and Scott looks from me to Liam who grates out “Tell me what?”

“Liam… what happened to you, what _I_ did to you, which I had to do in order to _save_ you, it’s– it’s going to change you–”

“Unless it kills you” Stiles mutters and I jab my elbow in his ribs before he grunts out “Shouldn’t have said that.”

Liam widens his eyes, lifting them up to Scott as he brokenly breathes out “What?”

“Uh… Uh-oh. Oh– oh– is he… is he crying?” Stiles asks above a whisper and I kneel down in front of the chair and softly reassure him “Liam, it’s okay. You’re going to be all right.”

Liam doesn’t meet my eyes for long as he continues to cry quietly and tries to move his head away from us.

Scott kneels down with me and tries to also reassure him “You’re not going to die–”

However, Stiles kneels down in between us as he states “Probably not.”

Scott and I flick our heads to him quickly as we state quickly “Stop it!”

Stiles looks between us as he clarifies “Okay, possibly not.”

“Jesus christ can we please untie him now?” I question, earning their nods of agreement before we stand up and rip the tape off from around his arms.

We step back as he slowly moves his arms down from the x they were in across his chest and down to his sides.

I clear my throat as I lift my hand up from my side towards him “Liam– are you okay?”

Stiles stands closer to me with Scott on his other side and states “We’re sorry about that. We’re really sorry”

Liam slowly stands up with Stiles’ words and turns to face the chair before the next thing we know, he’s grabbing the sides and turning quickly to smash it against Scott.

The force from the chair hitting his side, causes Scott to fall to the ground as Stiles steps back quickly with his hands on my arms, moving us the other direction towards Scott’s dresser.

“Liam, what the hell is your–” Stiles words are stopped with Liam throwing a punch into his jaw and causing him to also fall to the ground.

Liam stands up straight, breathing angrily my way as he works through his escape plan. Knowing I’m the last one in his way, I mutter “Ah hell” I mutter before he surprises me and stumbles past me, out through Scott’s door and rushes down the hallway.

I help the guys up and with one of their hands holding their heads where they were hit, Scott and Stiles take their turns with their own stumbles out of the doorway, before I hear Stiles exclaim in the hallway “Ah, get him!”

I set my hand on the doorframe and walk into the hallway quickly– just in time to watch as Scott and Stiles scream their battle cries while they charge at Liam who contributes his own scream before they crash into him and they all go tumbling down the stairs **_I’d pay to see that all again_**

I quicken my steps after them and look over the top of the stairs railing as all three of them are splayed out on the floor in front of the door, groaning in pain from the super graceful tumble down the stairs.

Liam thrashes in their holds as Scott and Stiles try to wrestle him to the ground, however, he breaks away and rushes out the front door.

I move my lips between my teeth, making my way down the stairs and watching as the guys each grab ahold of each others legs thinking they have a hold of Liam.

Which Stiles proves as he breathes out quickly “Leg! I got him! I got him!” at the same time as Scott who exclaims “I got him, I got him!”

They stop thrashing at the same time and take in the situation as I come to a stop on the bottom step. 

I cross my arms in front of me as I try to hide my snicker at their position, each holding the other’s leg and Stiles’ foot up against the side of Scott’s face.

I lick my lips quickly looking between them as I clear my throat and chuckle out “You two done? Because he’s long gone.”

Scott huffs before he pushes Stiles’ leg away from him angrily. They both sit up on the ground as they look from me to the open door and Scott shakes his head to grumble “Your plan sucked, too.”

***

“Adds–”

I make a hmm noise before I flick my eyes up from my computer, connecting them with Stiles’ who smiles softly and nods towards the computer in front of me “Any luck?”

I shake my head and close the lid of my laptop, reaching over to shove it in my bag as I respond “About the obvious code I don’t remember writing?”

He raises his brows like that was exactly what he wants to know and I shake my head ever so slightly as I zip up my bag. 

Setting it on the ground, I sigh and rub my hands over my face. Resting them over my eyes, I feel the bed dip next to me as I grumble behind my hands “No– other than I obviously need to figure out what the fuck it is, because pen to paper with no memory of it usually means hidden banshee talents that I’m complete shit at figuring out” **_the half lesson in Mexico did nothing for my confidence I can do this_**

I feel Stiles wrap his fingers around my wrists gently before he pulls my hands away from my face.

He draws his brows in silently asking me to continue with the pent up ranting I need to unleash and I let out a deep exhale through my nose as I move my hands into his.

He links our fingers and I continue “Lydia’s tree drawing ended up leading us to the Nemeton, so this obviously is my turn to figure out what this is before it fucking kills us all.”

“C’mere” he mumbles as he pulls me by the hands up his bed.

Stiles sits with his back against his headboard and I shift to sit next to him, laying my legs across his lap as he sets one arm around my back.

He lays his right hand on my hip and pulls me into his side more as he lays his left hand against my leg **_always trying to pull me closer than is physically possible– I love it_**

I rest my head on his shoulder as he draws lazy patterns on my leg for a few seconds before he ponders softly “So, what kind of code do you think it is my dear, loveable Watson?”

I smile softly as I shrug and move my right arm down to link my fingers with his on my hip “I think it’s a variation on something called the Vigènere Cipher, my brilliant Sherlock,”

Stiles jerks his head back slightly with a furrow of his brows as I lift my head up to connect our eyes. Thinking face in full force, he makes a noise before he elaborates “Cipher– so that means to crack it we need–”

I nod and finish his thought “A key– well a specific word key.”

Letting out an exasperated huff I digress “There’s only a couple hundred thousand _bajillion_ possibilities, so obviously we don’t need to stress about it.”

He breathes out a light chuckle at my sarcasm as my eyes travel to the full moon bag on his bed and the chains that are slightly visible from the opening. I nod towards the bag “Does Malia still need those?”

Tapping my side to have me let him up, Stiles pulls the bag closer to us as he pulls one end with the wristband out and nods “Scott said she’s dodging his questions about her finding an anchor, so I’m not really sure what that’s about. So until she can find that focus yeah she will– hopefully tonight will be the last night though because we might need them for Liam.”

I reach out and touch the band that has a rip forming from one side as I mumble thoughtfully “I’ll try talking to her and see what’s missing with the anchor connection for her.”

Stiles kisses my temple as he checks over the rest of the chain and I continue my thought “We’re sure he’s turning into one?”

Stiles shakes his head as he looks up to me “He may not even still be alive– guess we’ll see what the day brings.”

Noah walks in the doorway, though his words trail off when he looks in Stiles’ room “Hey. Um…”

Stiles looks between us and the chain between our hands and widens his eyes slightly as he stutters out “That’s– this is not what you think at all”

I snort and drop the wrist band, moving my hands on either side of me and under my thighs as Noah raises his hands and backs away, muttering “I don’t even want to know.” **_well there’s an awkward bridge I never thought we’d be crossing_**

Stiles jerks his head back, calling out after his dad who’s no longer in sight “There is nothing to know, ‘cause I just–” he trails off and looks over to me.

Raising his brows when he takes in me fighting to hold in my laugh before he fights his own smile and shakes his head at me “Why are you laughing?! I mean jesus christ why would _that_ be what he thought when he saw these?” he elaborates his words by holding up the chains in his hands.

I snort again and let the chuckle out as I shake my head and get off of his bed to grab my things for school “Have we ever _actually_ told him what a full moon with an uncontrolled Were entails?”

Stiles looks thoughtfully at the chains and back to his now empty doorway before he makes a noise and sets the chains back in the bag “I don’t know, but we don’t use them on us so he shouldn’t think weird stuff like that.”

I lift a shoulder as I continue to pack my bag for school “We’re human, so that’s probably _exactly_ why it looked weird to him for us to be holding these.”

Scoffing, Stiles zips up the bag and moves to grab his backpack as he grumbles “What’s weird is correlating extreme bondage with teenagers– like fucking christ he really thinks like a cop with everything.”

***

Stiles and I are walking down the hall towards the door Scott texted that Liam should be running through soon. Liam who is still alive and is apparently running away from Scott who tried to talk to him a few minutes ago.

We come around a corner and see the pair, Liam walking quickly towards us and Scott close behind him.

Stiles flails his arms as he clips out “Liam, hey!”

Liam makes a face of aggravation that we’re now blocking his path and turns to walk back the other way, however, Scott stops him with his hands up towards him “We need to talk.”

“No, you need to back the hell up, okay? All three of you!” Liam states angrily and Scott tries again with a more pleading tone “Can you just listen for one second. Please?”

Liam takes a moment and at his hesitant nod response, Scott continues “Liam… We’re brothers now.”

“What?” Liam exclaims as I share a grimace towards Stiles who breathes out with a shake of his head in my direction “Oh, God. That’s–”

“What are you talking about? We just met and you bit me,” Liam shouts towards Scott, who again tries to be the least comforting with his not helpful in the slightest words to explain the situation “The bite… the bite is a gift.”

“Holy shit,” I make a noise as I shake my head at my brother’s _bad_ impersonation of a Peter/Derek hybrid “Scotty, stop. Please just stop.”

Stiles nods and moves over to set his hands on Scott’s shoulders muttering “Listen to your wise sister and please stop” before pointing to Liam “You, you, we’re trying to help you, you little runt” **_not any better_**

“By kidnapping me?” Liam counters before Stiles nods his head to the side to argue “Just to clarify, Scott kidnapped you. Okay? We… we just– aided and– abetted.”

“Oh my god” I murmur to my self before I shake my head and look over to Liam and try for myself “Look Bub, we know everything you’re feeling is scary but we’ve gone through this before and we can help you through it.”

Scott nods and continues “She’s right okay– something’s happening to you. Something big.”

“Nothing’s happening to me,” Liam clips out, lifting his arm up between the three of us as he pulls off the bandage and we see the very much healed and non bitten arm wound as he states angrily, like he needs to convince us, “Nothing” **_literally so much though because that’s all healed and that doesn’t happen to average humans, sweetie_**

***

Stiles and I walk with Scott around the bus where we’re meeting up with Malia, Lydia, and Kira to go over our new plan for the full moon weekend stay at Lydia’s lake house **_date weekend has been pushed unfortunately_**

Scott brings up how we need to convince Liam to come with us since he is obviously now one of them and will need help with the full moon.

Malia shakes her head as she states to our group “I’m not sharing my basement.”

Lydia scoffs lightly as she turns to correct her “Actually, it’s my basement. And my mom noticed how you tore it up last time.”

“All right, she’s still learning” I offer to diffuse the situation and Malia smiles in thanks my way before Scott chimes in “But, we’re going to use the boathouse for Liam. It’s got support beams. We can chain him to one of them.” 

I turn to Scott “We sure they will hold him though?”

Scott nods and adjusts his backpack “They’re sturdy and with the new chains, he shouldn’t be able to break free.”

Accepting his plan I nod at him before Kira looks between us “But how do we get him out to the lake house if he doesn’t trust us?”

Stiles makes a noise and lifts his hands up to demonstrate with his next words “I say if it keeps him from murdering someone we chloroform the little bastard and throw him in the lake.”

“He’s not really working with us, so it’s not a bad plan at this point” I say earning Stiles to smile at me as he steps closer, wrapping his arm around my back and pulling me into his side.

Scott raises his brows as he looks between us and states incredulously, “We’re not killing or kidnapping him.” **_no because that’s crazy talk_**

I snort as I reply dryly back to him “Because you’ve already tried those options and they didn’t work?”

Stiles drops his forehead to the top of my head as he snickers behind me, earning Scott to scoff as he moves his eyes our direction “Thanks for that– seriously?”

I shrug as Lydia makes a noise to fight her own laugh at our antics and changes the subject with her offer “Then let’s be smarter. We tell him there’s a party and invite him.”

Stiles lifts his head from me to look over to her “So, you’re going to ask out a freshman?”

Lydia shakes her head with a huff “No, I’m done with teenage boys. _But_ , if we’re playing a trick on someone, we’ll have to use the trickster.”

We move our interest peaked eyes over towards Kira who notices our eyes before she squeaks out “Who? Me? No way– not me.”

Lydia moves to stand closer to me as she nods “Yes, you. You know what they call a female fox? A vixen.”

“Me?” Kira raises her not believing her in the slightest brows and I share a smirk with Lydia before I look over to Kira to reassure “You can do it, Kira. Be a vixen, honey.” 

***

Stiles and I pull up in Roscoe behind Lydia’s car in the circle driveway of her lakehouse as her and Malia get out and we all meet next to the jeep.

“We have to tell him” Stiles continues our car conversation and I cross my arms over my front “I’m not saying he shouldn’t know, just maybe not the night of the kid’s first full moon.”

Scott pulls up on his bike and takes in our faces when he removes his helmet “I just talked to Kira. She’s on her way– she said it’s all going fine.”

Stiles huffs and doesn’t listen to my advice “It’s not that. I have to tell you something. I asked around about Liam– I know why he got kicked out of his last school…”

Scott looks between us as he sighs out “This is going to be bad, isn’t it?” **_it’s not the best news, no_**

Stiles reluctantly elaborates “He kind of got into it with one of his teachers. And… the kid’s got some serious anger issues.”

“How serious?” Scott implores and Stiles sighs as he brings out his phone to show Scott the picture we found “Well, that’s his teacher’s car… after he took a crowbar to it”

Scott widens his eyes while taking in the picture of the car with all the windows smashed and ‘this is your fault’ deeply scratched along one side of the car.

“We’ll figure it out,” Scott states and hands Stiles his phone back when he hears Kira’s car pulling down the far end of the driveway.

Stiles sets his hand on my lower back as we all move to head inside **_so we don’t giveaway the obvious trap to Liam before he even gets out of the car_**

Kira’s car stops outside and we hear their doors close before she’s opening the front door, with Liam walking in first. 

Liam takes in the six of us standing in the dark living room, before he glares and moves to leave. 

Kira moves in front of him, closing the door when he looks back to her and she raises an apologetic brow as she mutters “Sorry.”

Liam looks around at all of us before he lifts his arms out to his sides and clips out “What the hell is this?”

“Think of it like an intervention– you have a problem, Liam.” Stiles states with slight sarcasm before I add “And we’re the only ones that can help”

Scott begins by telling him what he is, a werewolf just like he is now. Followed by the rest of us sharing our supernatural titles.

Liam takes in our words silently before starting to point to each of us as he reiterates what we all previously said “Werewolf?” he points to Scott who nods before he points to Lydia and Malia “banshee– werecoyote”

They both nod before he turns to Kira and over to me as he raises his brows “A Fox and also a Banshee?”

I smile softly and nod while Kira shrugs a shoulder to elaborate “Kitsune– but fox works.”

Liam nods and points to Stiles on the other side of me “What are you?”

Stiles makes a noise and looks over to us before answering him “Uh, for a little while, I was possessed by an evil spirit. It was _very_ evil–”

I step closer and wrap my arm around his back, resting my hand against his side.

Stiles lifts his arm around me and pulls me into his side as Liam shakes his head “What are you now?”

I tighten my hold around him and answer softly “He’s better.”

Liam nods and then points to the coffee table with the bag of metal chains “Are those for me?”

“No, they’re for me” Malia corrects as she shines her bright were-blues towards him.

Liam moves his scared eyes between Scott and us as he inquires shakily “How did you do that?”

Scott nods his head forward to reassure “You’ll learn. But first, you need to get through the full moon.”

“The moon’s already out,” Liam clips out earning Scott to raise a brow towards him “And you’re starting to feel something, aren’t you?”

Liam glares as he grows angrier with each word of his response back “I feel like I’m surrounded by a bunch of psychotic nutjobs. You guys are out of your freaking minds. I don’t know how you did that eye thing and I don’t care. I’m walking out the door right now! If any of you try to stop me, I swear to God, I’m gonna–”

Liam screams in pain, stopping his ranting words as he sets his hands on either side of his head and bends forward, panting through his labored breaths.

Scott steps forward towards him “What’s wrong? Liam?”

Liam groans out “You don’t hear that?” before he crouches down to the floor with Scott following him as we see headlights shine through the blinds, lighting up the otherwise dark living room we’re standing in.

Lydia hums out as she moves her eyes to the window “Did you tell someone about this?”

“My friend Mason” Liam breathes out just before we hear the sounds of kids revving up to party in the driveway **_aka the last thing a first full moon Were needs_**

Kira walks to the window and looks back towards us, earning Liam to defend “You said it was a party”

Stiles makes a noise and shifts on his feet, moving me with him in the process as he questions “Right and who did Mason invite?”

Kira digresses on a sigh “Everyone”

Liam groans in pain again, moving his clawed out fingers across the wooden floors, earning Lydia to exclaim “The floors! Get him off the floors!” as she moves towards him.

Liam lifts his head up and shines his were-yellows at her as he roars with his response to her, stopping her steps immediately.

I reach out and set my hand on her arm, pulling her back towards us as Scott quickly moves forward, setting his hands on Liam’s upper arms with the help of Kira as he rushes out “We need to get him to the boathouse. Now!”

They take him out the back door, earning us all to share a look of what now before Malia’s voice filters across the room “Addy–”

“Yes dear?” I question earning her deep roar as an answer when she turns towards us.

Stiles and I jerk back slightly before he moves forward and grabs the bag of chains, muttering “Hey– okay, basement. Now– now.”

Lydia makes a noise watching us grab the bag and Malia “What am I supposed to do with the hordes gathering outside the door?”

I set my arm around Malia’s back and move her towards the kitchen as Stiles turns to our angry friend “Lydia, who throws the best parties in Beacon Hills?”

Scoffing she looks between us and throws her arm out to her side with the question “What? Me, obviously.”

“Okay, then throw a party” Stiles urges before she scoffs and I plead with my eyes as I reassure “I’ll be up to help in a bit, just let me get Mal sorted okay?”

She moves her eyes between us, before understanding flashes across her face and she nods, turning towards the front door as we head to the basement door.

***

We move to the cement support block in the basement where we installed metal hooks for the chains, sitting Malia down with her back against it as we get to setting up the chains on the hooks and her wrists.

Stiles sets one of the bands on her wrists as I do the other and we pull them through the belt buckle contraption “Too tight?”

Malia shakes her head and growls out “Tighter.”

We do as instructed before we move from our kneels to standing up, moving the bag over into the corner. 

Malia watches us move about in front of her, before she nods towards us “You both should leave.”

Stiles and I share a look before I shake my head and kneel down in front of her again, “We’re not leaving you. I know Scott’s usually the one here with you through the full moon’s, but I promise we’re the next best thing to him okay?”

She tries to smile, though it looks pained, and Stiles makes a noise as he stands up with a shrug before setting his hands on his hips “Plus we’re probably safer down here than in a party with fifty freshmen and a very pissed off Lydia.”

Sweat gathers on her forehead as she fights her urges and her breaths keep coming in quick pants “Guys, please go–” she grates out through a controlled roar our direction. 

Stiles shares a look with be before he shrugs and counters back “It’s okay– I hate parties. It’s a social anxiety thing. You ever had a panic attack?”

I raise a brow at him remembering his last panic attack, which he obviously was thinking of as well because he smirks before looking to the ground.

“I’m having one now” Malia clips out before adding “What if I hurt you?” she growls out with another swipe towards us.

I shake my head, stating with as much conviction as I can “You’re not going to.”

Malia growls reaching her hands out to us aggressively as she counters “But I want to. Uh! I look at your face and I want to slash at it. I want to tear at it. I want to feel your bones crack between my hands”

Stiles makes a noise and looks to her “Surprisingly enough, you’re not the first person to ever say something like that to us.”

I nod and state over her deep growls “We’re not leaving you– and we’re not going to let you hurt anyone.”

Malia roars again, and we all take in the sound of the band around her wrist ripping more before she raises it up in between us “Ah! You’re not going to have a choice.”

Stiles shifts on his feet and tries his own way of getting through to her as her panting deep growls are coming quicker “Okay, Malia, I know you can hear me. Just listen to my voice–”

Malia snaps her head up towards us as she grates out “Listen to mine. Take Addy away from me, keep her safe and run!”

Stiles squares his shoulders and doesn’t back down “We’re not going to run. Because I don’t think you’re going to hurt us. And I think maybe you’re so afraid of hurting us because of what you did to your family.”

She looks over to him, breathing quickly before dropping her head down as he continues “I know what that’s like. I remember _everything_ I did. And the worst part is I remember _liking_ it. Because I felt powerful. I felt fearless. And most of all, in control. But when I came through it, I learned something else– Control is overrated.”

She lifts her head and looks at him, taking in his words as she releases quick labored breaths.

I kneel down in front of her, using the opportunity to continue to get through to her “Hey, you’re okay, just breathe. Remember how Scott said you need to focus on forming an anchor to focus on?”

She swipes out, the band on her wrist ripping more before she nods and looks to the ground again.

At her nod I follow with my own nod “Okay, good. Have you been able to find one?”

She growls loudly and quickly stands up, completely breaking the band from one of her wrists. 

Stiles stands up and quickly pulls me with him, keeping us out of her reach as she grates out her answer between her swipes at us “Yes– yes but I’ve been trying to find someone else because–”

Malia groans before turning to yank on the other chain around her wrist, turning back to growl out again as she connects her were-blues with mine “It’s probably not appropriate seeings how he's somewhat in a relationship”

Stiles widens his eyes and looks to her quickly, causing me to furrow my brows as I look between the two **_interesting development_**

Licking my lips quickly, I clear my throat and look back to her “Are you– does this person help you stay anchored? Do they help you want to fight to stay human, even when everything else is screaming at you to give in to your animal urges?”

She stops her yanking on the chain to look over her shoulder at me, causing Stiles to increase his hold on my upper arms attempting to pull me back, but I stand my ground **_we’re still in the safe zone, and that look was a ‘yes’ answer_**

Her increased panting breaths are all the answer I get in response as she moves her eyes between mine quickly.

Taking the opportunity, I push on as I talk over her deep growls and attempts to break the other chain “Being someone’s anchor doesn’t have to have a romantic meaning behind it Mal– okay and if they can keep you grounded enough to stay human– you need to focus on that, you need to fight to keep that feeling stronger than wanting to give in to your coyote urges to hurt us right now and anytime they want to break through. Your anchor needs to make you want to _fight_ to stay human.”

She moves her eyes above my head, causing us to turn and follow her line of sight to the window. I turn back to her and ask “What is it Mal? Do you hear something?”

She nods and growls out “Music”

Stiles makes a noise and points to the ceiling above us “Like from upstairs– that isn’t exactly calming–”

She closes her eyes, baring her teeth more as she replies deeply “No it’s slow and coming from outside…”

I share a look with Stiles before I take a step closer to her, earning a fighting pull back from Stiles, but I keep moving.

Malia moves her hesitant eyes between my face and my feet as she growls and lashes forward.

She sets her hands on my shoulders and I hear Stiles exclaim “Addy!” before I set my hands on her biceps.

She drops her head forward in between us and I whisper out “Breathe with me Mal, and focus on your anchor.”

I can hear her deep growls lessen, as her quick panting breaths bounce off the walls around us.

Stiles walks up beside us a few seconds later and I nod “She’s okay.”

Malia lifts her head up with my words and I smile softly taking in her non coyote features, brown doe eyes looking back at me filling with tears as she tries to catch her breath.

“You did it!” I exclaim as she moves forward and wraps her arms around me in a hug.

Moving my eyes up to Stiles, I notice as he licks his lips quickly mouthing “You did it” before he breathes out and sets his hand on top of mine that’s resting on Malia’s back.

She pulls back and smiles softly as she mutters just above a whisper “Thank you.”

I nod and hesitate before my curiosity gets the better of me and I ask “Did you find your anchor?”

She flicks her eyes to mine quickly, increasing her hold just above my elbows and smiling softly “Yeah-- yeah I think I did.”

***

Malia wanted to stay in the basement, not feeling up to being in the party scene right now **_can’t really blame her_**

So Stiles and I head upstairs to the main floor to help Lydia with the freshman party, though as soon as we’re walking into the kitchen Stiles has other plans and he pulls me out onto the back patio where there aren’t as many people.

There’s an awkwardness to his movements as he looks like he needs to say something, so I keep quiet letting him work up to whatever he needs to say **_don’t have the greatest feeling about it though_**

When he still hasn’t said anything I clear my throat “You going to yell at me for putting myself in danger with her?”

He smiles sadly and shakes his head “I promised I would respect your decisions and never yell at you again.”

I cross my arms in front of me before I shrug “That was before we were together and you became even more macho protective over me.”

He chuckles as he moves forward and sets his hands on my waist “Promise still stands, though I hated every second of being down there.”

I nod but keep my arms crossed in front of me, resulting in a barrier between us.

Pinching his brows together he sighs and moves his thumbs against my side, lifting my shirt up slightly in the process until he touches my skin.

I close my eyes, just wanting to get the question that’s been on my mind since we were down there off my chest– finally I take a deep breath and sigh “Why did you think you were Malia’s anchor?”

I hear his audible quick breath in before I open my eyes, connecting with his immediately.

He softens his face and increases his hold on me slightly with his next words “She was looking out the window when she answered you– so I don’t think I am, but before she did that I had a heart stopping moment of maybe I was because there was something that happened in Eichen–”

I close my eyes again with the feeling that instantly crashes over me with his words.

We weren’t together when he was in there, but it still feels like a punch to the gut to hear those words **_what the hell is ‘something’?_**

I hear his soft voice float around us “Baby, show me your blues.”

Taking a deep breath in, I slowly open my eyes and his mouth twitches as he lifts one side up “Nothing like what you you’re thinking happened, she helped me get into the basement–”

“Basements are your guys’ thing then huh?” I grumble without really thinking, instantly wanting the patio to swallow me whole once those words are said. 

A deep smirk forms on his face while he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and runs his thumb across my jaw, before resuming his hand position on my hips “Let me finish sassy pants– she made a move to kiss me and I backed away.”

I tense with his words however he just increases the pressure of his fingers on my skin as he continues “All I could think about was _you_. Even though we weren’t together yet, it just didn’t feel right. I think it was more of a comfort thing for her, than an actually having something for me, but I’d already made a deal with myself. If I survived Void, I was going to grow a pair and finally tell you I was in love with you, friendship be damned.”

I smile sadly with his words, offering a one shoulder shrug before I uncross my arms and rest them on his forearms “I’m not really sure why I’m upset by it, because we weren’t together. It’s just– you were my first– I just–”

He shrugs, not trying very hard to fight the smile his words bring to his face “You’re jealous.”

I make a noise, jerking my head back with his words “What, no that’s not–”

He moves his hands up from my hips to cup my cheeks in his palms “It’s insanely hot, Adds.”

I huff as I attempt to shake my head in his hands “I’m not trying to be hot, besides jealousy isn’t hot– plus I’m not jealous!”

Stiles widens his eyes slightly as he moves them quickly between mine “Wait I was your first what?”

“Nothing it doesn’t matter” I sigh out just wanting to forget this whole conversation.

“Wha– was I your first kiss?” Stiles murmurs just above a whisper as he rubs his thumbs against my cheeks softly.

I shift my mouth to one side as I move my eyes between his, offering a small nod “Yes okay, you were and I’m fucking jealous of a not even happening kiss between you two, because imagining you kissing someone else like you kiss me hurts. And– and I know it happened before we were together so I’m just being insanely ridiculous but you’re mine now and hearing about someone else trying to–”

Stiles stops my rambling in my new favorite way as he crashes his lips to mine. He moves his lips with mine in perfect sync before licking across my bottom lip, asking for permission which I gladly oblige. 

Deepening the kiss, Stiles moans in his throat causing me to let out a soft whimper from the feeling as he continues to shatter my world with his kissing skills.

Hours, minutes or seconds pass before he slowly pulls away, offering a few quick kisses while I let out the breath I was holding slowly and I connect my eyes with his. 

He rests his forehead against mine, never breaking our gaze as he informs “For the record– I could never kiss anyone the way I kiss you, and _that_ was how your first kiss should have been, Adds.”

“Duly noted” I squeak out breathlessly, earning him to smile brightly as he lifts his head and moves his eyes around my face with so much love shining through his eyes.

He licks his lips before he continues “I’m also making the executive decision of this relationship to hear by announce our kiss after you told me you loved me to be each of our first kisses and not on the locker room floor when I couldn’t breathe– what is the council’s response?”

Chuckling with his executive decision, I move my hands up his chest and wrap them behind his neck, though I widen my eyes slightly when I register his use of a few certain words “I was your first kiss too?”

Snorting playfully, Stiles shakes his head “Babe, I’ve been in love with you since we were four and you walked your little bright smiling self over to hand me your carpet square to share in preschool when Jackson took the entire last stack away from me and laughed with his friends. Of course you were my first kiss.”

I smile brightly at the memory before I push up on my toes and connect our lips softly. 

Pulling away after a few seconds I shake my head “Counsel decides to deny your executive decision– it may have been on the locker room floor but it was still ours and I wouldn’t change the way you looked at me after for anything else”

Playfully rolling his eyes he tightens his hold on my waist “Point well taken.”

***

We walk up the stairs after someone said they saw Lydia going up them a few minutes ago. 

We pass Liam’s friend Mason in the hall and he smiles softly as he walks past us and down the stairs.

We walk to a door to try when it is pulled open quickly revealing Lydia on the other side and I jump back slightly with the action.

Noticing the signs that she’s been crying I step forward, setting my hand on her arm “Lyds? What’s wrong?”

She holds the door open more and ushers Stiles and I inside “Come here, you have to see this.”

We walk in the room and she looks to us as the door closes. Once it does the noise of the party disappears completely.

I share a shocked look with her before I mutter “The room’s soundproof?”

She nods and moves past us to walk around the very white and not much to it room.

There’s an orange chair in one corner with a lamp behind it. A desk on one side of the chair with a red typewriter on it, and a wooden hutch shelving unit with some decorations on it.

There’s two wine glasses on the carpet surrounded with spilled wine and I make a noise pointing to it “Lyds– we need to clean that–”

She shakes her head and mutters absentmindedly “Mason is getting club soda.”

Stiles raises his brows at me as I nod and turn the other way, noticing a record player on a stand against the other wall.

Like I’m drawn to it, I walk closer to the table and reach out to press the power button. The record drops into place before it begins to spin and I gasp quickly looking over to Lydia with the noise that fills the room.

Seeing movement out of the corner of my eye I turn back to the wall above the player and move my tear filled eyes around it, taking in the faces that are forming as they push against the wall like it’s made of nothing more than a blanket.

They all have something to say as they move their mouths and their whispers float through the room, sending shivers down my spine.

Stiles voice filters through the distorted deep beeping and whispers as he sets his hands on my biceps and turns me towards him “Addy, what do you hear?”

I suck in an audible breath as I move my eyes between his, setting my hands on his forearms and looking over to Lydia as we breathe out together “Allison.”

Stiles jerks his head back “Allison– what– you hear her voice?”

I shake my head and look back to him, a tear falling down my cheek as I correct his thought “She’s the key”

Widening his eyes, he licks his lips as he bends closer to me “Allison’s the key to break your code?”

***

Stiles ran to his jeep and grabbed my bag with my laptop in it before rushing back into the room with Kira following him.

I shake my head at her as Stiles sets up my computer on the desk “Where’s Scott?”

She shakes her head and points out of the room “Liam kind of broke free, so Scott went chasing after him” **_super great news_**

Tackling one problem at a time, I sit down in the chair and log in to the computer. I bring up the code and type in the keyboard combination to bring up the cipher key enter box.

I move my hands in place with my fingers hovering over the keyboard, hesitating, before I feel Stiles rest his hand on my shoulder. 

He offers a reassuring squeeze and I swallow thickly before I slowly type in the letters to spell out Allison’s name. 

I look over my shoulder sharing a look with Lydia who smiles softly and nods before moving her eyes to the laptop screen expectantly. 

Licking my lips quickly, I face forward again and hit enter. 

When I do the code changes and in its place a list of names with numbers next to them forms down the screen. 

The Walcott family that was murdered the other night is first, followed by myself and Scott, some guy named Demarco, Derek, a few girls I don’t know, Kira, and another guy named Elias.

Once the list is done, the code resumes below it **_holy shit_** ** _there’s another list with another key to figure out_**

Stiles bends forward to rest his head near the side of mine as Lydia and Kira move closer on my other side. 

I open my mouth slightly taking in the list of names with one very damning thing in common **_we’re all supernatural_**

“What is this?” Kira asks softly with Lydia informing her “It’s a list of supernaturals in Beacon Hills”

I lick my lips quickly as I feel Stiles tighten his hold on me and I state just above a whisper “It’s a dead-pool… and we’re all on it.”


	53. I.E.D.

Stiles got a new crime board a few days ago, a gift from the station because it had faulty wheels, so they were told to donate it and they’d be shipped a new one.

He argued to his dad that _he_ was the perfect donation recipient, since it would be used for our supernatural detective work.

Noah agreed if for no other reason than to just be done with the damn board **_yes those were his exact words_**

Stiles has officially upgraded from the push pins with string to a clear board that we now use colored tape to hang up and connect patterns with our pictures.

I hand him the pictures we printed out of the crimes so far committed in honor of the dead pool we uncovered **_death toll is rising faster than the sacrifices– which is a terrifying record to beat_**

I was at the lake house with Lydia, Malia, and Kira yesterday, holed up in that same room we were in when Allison’s name came to us.

We were hoping to uncover the other cipher keys we will need, much to no avail as it seems because for twenty seven hours we heard nothing. The damn record player gave no sounds like it did that first night **_useless piece of junk_**

Kira and Malia looked on pitifully before they decided we needed a break.

So once I got home, showered and changed into a burgundy lightweight pullover sweater that says ‘Beach Bum’ across the front and my ripped light blue cut off comfy shorts, Stiles came to get me to set this up with him.

We were killing time until Scott was off work to meet us at the station so we could tell Noah what is happening, now that another name on the dead pool list showed up dead last night.

Stiles finishes with the last piece of red tape going from one picture to the other down below it before grabbing his snazzy new white erasable pen.

He uncaps it to write in a line outline of a person in the middle of the board ‘The Benefactor’ with a question mark in the middle of the head.

Scott texts he’s on his way to the station, so with a nod at our work well done, we head out the door.

Once we’re at the station, Noah raises his hands out to the side for us to start and Stiles takes a breath and begins “So, the Walcott’s were the first. At least the first that we know about. Four murders. Sean, his brother, and their parents. They were killed by a professional assassin called The Mute. Weapon of choice, a military tomahawk. But then The Mute was killed by Peter Hale after he tried to blow up Derek and you with a Claymore mine.”

I nod and connect my eyes with his as I continue “Next was Demarco. He delivered a keg to the party at Lydia’s lake house. And got decapitated outside his car”

Stiles lets out a sigh and finishes with “And then last night, twenty three year old Carrie Hudson”

Noah is looking at us like he’s already aware of all of these facts, so I nod to Scott who takes the list we had printed out of his pocket and unfolds in, laying it on the desk in front of him as I fill Noah in “It’s a dead pool. A hit list of supernatural creatures.”

Scott sets his hand on the paper and continues “This is only part of it– the rest still has to be decoded.”

Noah looks over the list in front of him and points to it “Who found this list?”

“Umm, Adds did” Stiles answers as he sets his arm around my back and I lift my almost sweater covered hand up in a small sheepish wave.

Noah furrows his brows, looking between us “How?”

I shrug before I set my hands on my hips “I kind of wrote it”

Stiles makes a noise and elaborates “Actually, she transcribed it– without realizing it.”

Nodding, Noah raises a brow with his reluctant guess “Banshee?”

“Banshee” We all mutter as I nod towards him.

His nods his head to the side and mutters “Beautiful. All right, what are these numbers next to the names?”

Stiles points his free hand towards the list on the desk “We’re getting to that. First, you need to know that the code was broken with a cipher key.”

“Wait. You mean, like a… like a keyword?” Noah scrunches his brows as he looks up to us and I feel Stiles nod before he informs “It’s actually a name.”

Scott looks up, connecting his eyes with mine before looking to Noah as he croaks out “Allison.”

Noah looks sadly between us and I feel Stiles tighten his hold around my side before he elaborates to his dad “Her name broke a third of the list”

I reach up and wipe my eyes to prevent the tears from falling as I clear my throat “Based on how the code broke down when I entered her name, my best guess is that there’s two other cipher keys we need to figure out.”

Noah nods and lifts up his hand as he states “Which will give us the rest of the names. Okay. So how do we get the cipher keys?”

“Same way we got the code” Stiles smiles reassuringly and Scott answers with a point my direction “Addy and Lydia were at the lake house all weekend trying to find the other two key words.”

Noah looks expectantly at me and I clear my throat “The way we found the first name was apparently a one in done, so we’re trying to figure out what else to do.”

Pulling me into his side, Stiles kisses my temple and Noah smiles softly before flipping through the crime scene photos of Demarco’s body **_which by the by is missing his head_** “You didn’t know about Demarco or Carrie. Hmm?” Noah looks over to us with his question.

At our slight shakes of our heads in the negative to knowing they were werewolves, he continues with a point to the list “And what about these other two names on the list? Uh, Kayleen Bettcher and Elias Town. They werewolves too?”

Scott shakes his head and connects his eyes with Noah “I don’t know– but Deaton said that the Nemeton would draw supernatural creatures here.”

“Here being Beacon Hills? Or Beacon County?” Noah questions quickly before he continues “The population of Beacon Hills is just under thirty thousand.”

“And dropping…” Stiles grumbles before Noah continues “But if we’re talking Beacon County, then you’re looking at close to five hundred thousand.”

Hearing our exasperated sighs he sits down to continue his thought processes “Look, how many werewolves, banshees, kitsunes and whatever the hell else is out there are we talking about? And what if the next cipher key uncovers not twelve names but one hundred?”

“We don’t think there would be that many. There’s a limit.” Stiles points forward and I elaborate “ _Because_ of the numbers. We think that once we decode the names, the numbers will add up to one hundred and seventeen.”

Scrunching his brows together, Noah looks between us “One hundred and seventeen what?”

“Million” Scott and I state before Stiles steps forward to grab the list from his dad. 

He starts marking a ‘K’ for thousand or an ‘M’ for million next to each of the typed out numbers next to the names on the list, hesitating on mine and looking over at me before he continues down the list.

The Walcott family of four were two hundred and fifty thousand each, Scott and I are twenty five million each, Demarco was two hundred and fifty thousand, Derek is fifteen million, the girl who died last night, Carrie, was five hundred thousand, Kira is six million, and the last two names of the people we don’t know are two hundred and fifty thousand as well.

Noah stands up once Stiles is done writing and continues as he caps his pen “One hundred and seventeen million dollars, Dad. Stolen from the Hale vault and is being used by someone to finance all these murders.”

I cross my arms over my front as I add through a sigh “Someone who wants every supernatural in Beacon Hills dead.”

“So the coded list goes out. And somehow these professional assassins get that list,” Noah begins, with Stiles adding “And a cipher key” before Noah nods and continues to work it all out “And then they go after the names on the list. They being killers with no mouths, tomahawks, thermo cut wires that can take your head off” ** _it’s all very terrifying yes_**

Stiles nods but moves forward to shift the photos to the side “Let me see– Carrie was also stabbed. What’s this mark?”

I furrow my brows as I take in the three knife wounds on her chest with a shape indentation around the marks as Noah shakes his head “We’re not sure yet. We’re still waiting on the ME’s report. There’s one other thing I don’t get. How did this new assassin know that Demarco was going to be at the lake house?”

Scott raises his brows as he stands up from his lean on the desk to inform him “ _Everyone_ knows he delivers kegs to teenagers for a little extra cash.”

Noah nods his head to the side “Ah. So whoever ordered that keg killed Demarco”

Stiles makes a noise, lifting his hand up to his side “Yeah, it was someone at the party.”

Scott nods and looks between us “A student.”

***

“Economic disparity exists in all forms. Well, take sports, for example. Some teams have better training facilities. Some have better equipment. Unlike Beacon Hills that can barely afford the duct tape to keep our equipment together.” Coach grumbles more to himself than the rest of us, earning a chuckle from me as I continue to write my notes with what he’s talking about.

He stops by my desk and makes a noise as he hits my desk with the lacrosse stick in his hand “Addy, for my best note taker you’re confusing the hell out of me with writing these same four numbers all over your page. They aren’t even the numbers I have written on the board, my dear– are you feeling all right?”

I sit up from my lean over my desk with a soft gasp as I take in the page on my notebook that has two, four, three, and six written everywhere. In different variations and styles but the same numbers written together all over the page **_hey inner banshee could you ever just help a sister out and just tell me something without it being in code, hmmm?_**

I swallow hard before looking up to nod at him as I mumble “I’m peachy, sorry Coach.” 

He nods and turns to his other side while I turn in my seat to my right and face the aisle, noticing Scott’s wide eyes next to me before I lift my notebook up to show Stiles who is sitting behind me.

Stiles furrows his brows as he looks from my eyes looking over my shoulder at him and over to my paper, pointing to the page before Coach grabs his attention. 

Coach bends forward between our desks to look at Stiles’ desk where he has crime scene photos splayed all over.

Coach reaches out to grab one before he whispers to my detective in training “You know, Stilinski, if I could grade you on how profoundly you disturb me, you’d be an A plus student.”

“Thanks, Coach.” Stiles mumbles with an awe shucks smile as I look to my right at the photos on his desk.

Coach makes a noise before he stands up from his lean and hits Stiles’ desk with the lacrosse stick a few times as he states “Put those pictures away.”

Dropping my eyes to the end of the stick, I gasp softly and reach forward to grab it– instantly stopping Coach’s movements when I get a look at the white cap on the end of it resting on the desk.

Each of the stab wounds had a slight perfect red indentation marking in the shape of an octagon. 

Which taking off the white cap, that’s exactly the shape of the metal at the end of the lacrosse stick **_a stick that is hollow and could perfectly hide a knife behind the white cap that usually covers the hollow hole_**

“Really She-McCall what the hell is up with you today?” Coach tries to pull back, however, Stiles raises his brows as he looks over at me and the stick before he catches on and grabs it out of my hands.

Noticing what I do he pulls it closer to him and puts it up to the picture of Carrie’s chest wounds as Coach pulls back exclaiming “Stilinski! The hell is wrong with you now?”

Coach succeeds in pulling away from us, sharing a furrowed brow glare with each of us before he grumbles “Don’t answer that” and moves back up the aisle.

Stiles looks up to me and whispers “It’s a lacrosse player.”

Shock all over my face, I nod and look over to Scott as I digress “The killer’s on the team.”

***

After class Stiles and I head into Coach’s office with Scott and Kira. 

We start taking the end white cap off of all of the lacrosse sticks in the supply closets and anywhere else we can get our hands on them.

Scott sighs after our efforts are all laying across the desk in between us “This… this is pointless. Most of the team plays with their own gear.”

Kira shrugs as she offers thoughtfully “Maybe instead of trying to find a lacrosse stick with a hidden dagger in it, we should be trying to get the game canceled?”

I make a noise as I shake my head and look over towards her “No way the game’s the best way to catch him red handed.”

Stiles clears his throat and sets his hands on his waist as he turns to me to argue “But sweetums, what if he’s red handed ‘cause his hands are covered in the blood of the person that he just stabbed to death? Which, by the way, could be my worth an insane amount of money gorgeous girlfriend I’ve grown quite fond of having, or either of you guys.” 

Stiles finishes with an arm flail towards Kira and Scott who nods his head to the side to add “Or Liam.” 

When we look at him he continues with a shrug “Well, we don’t have the whole list and he could be on it.”

Scott states before he looks expectantly to me and I sigh “I’m sorry– I wish I could just turn this on. I’m not like you guys. I don’t have claws, or glowing eyes or super senses. I just have voices in my head. I’m sure Malia and Lydia are dying to know how much they’re worth for someone to have the balls to come after them as well.”

Stiles stands up taller and turns to me “Hey– stop we aren’t blaming or rushing you. We just don’t know anything about that list.”

I nod and tilt my head to the side as I work out “How it’s made, how it’s updated. I mean, who’s been out taking a supernatural census anyway?”

Kira makes a noise and shakes her head “How do they even know about me?”

“They know about everyone” Scott counters before Stiles lets out a sigh “I think Kira’s right. I think we should stop the game.”

“I’m not afraid” Scott and I state before Kira nods and agrees “Neither am I.”

Stiles scoffs as he throws his arms out to his side to counter “Well, I’m fucking terrified. And I’m not even on the list. Guys, these are _professional_ killers. It’s their fucking _profession_! One of them’s got a thermo cut wire that cuts heads off. Who knows what else they have.”

I look over to him and soften my face “Yes that’s all justifiably terrifying– however we have to try something.”

***

The bus for the opposing team from Devenford Prep pulls up after school and we hear Liam shout “Brett” as he walks up to the guy in front of the group getting off of the bus **_old school, dude he knows personally, this will be bad news I’m guessing_**

Liam lifts his shoulders with his deep breath before he states “I just wanted to say– have a good game” he lifts his arm up waiting to shake hands with this Brett person. 

Brett doesn’t shake his hand, instead he laughs and looks back to the group behind him, sharing in his snickering **_what a bunch of a-holes_**

Stiles and Scott share a look with me as we watch dickbag Brett turn back to Liam “That’s cute Liam. Is that what they told you to say in anger management? Apologize and everything’s fine? You demolished Coach’s car.”

“I paid for it” Liam all but growls out earning dickbag Brett to nod as he states “Yeah, you’re going to pay for it. We’re gonna break you in _half_ out there. And it’s gonna be all your fault”

Scott mutters “Oh shit, his hand” before the three of us rush forward and I stand back slightly as Scott and Stiles come to a stop on either side of Liam.

Scott sets his hands on his shoulders, rushing out “Whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s go” before he turns Liam towards me.

I reach out to set my hands on his forearms, squeezing as hard and reassuringly as I can to let him know he’s not alone and to focus on my hands and not the anger he’s fighting “I know I’m not super strong, but _focus_ on me and _breathe_ with me okay?”

Liam lifts his glaring eyes up to me and nods as he closes them and tries to take in a deep breath, matching my own.

Stiles steps forward to draw the attention away from us as he exclaims “Hey, what’s going on prep students? Welcome to our little public high school. How you doing?”

I look over to see Stiles has raised his hand up much in the same manner as Liam to the douche **_which also gets ignored_** before he continues being adorable “Stiles– That’s a firm handshake you got there” he states before he drops his hand and looks to the group behind the asshat and continues “Uh, we’re very excited for the scrimmage tonight. Uh, but let’s keep it clean, alright? No rough stuff out there. Alright, see you on the field.”

Stiles nods to the group before he turns back to us and points behind us muttering quickly “Go.”

We rush quickly through the group that had gathered and head towards our trusty locker room so we can put Liam in a shower like we are back in sophomore year with Scott in his early Were days **_awe the nostalgia_**

Once we get in the shower area, I turn on the water quickly as Scott and Stiles set their hands on each of Liam’s shoulders and immediately push him back into the wall under the stream of water.

Liam thrashes in their hold, roaring loudly with his teeth bared and were-yellows shining brightly.

Liam growls and pushes them back so he’s out of the water and Stiles shouts “Okay, you calm yet?” 

A loud roar is all he gets as an answer so Scott nods towards him and they push harder, crashing Liam’s back into the tile wall again.

The water cascades down around him again, and Liam shakes his head a few more times before he rushes out in his non growling voice “Okay! Okay!”

Stiles looks over his face before he flicks his eyes up to me and nods. 

I reach over and turn off the water as they let him go and Liam steps back to smack his back against the other tile wall, sliding down until he’s sitting down while he catches his breath.

Stiles walks over to me, using the bottom hem of his shirt to wipe off his face from the water that sprayed onto him **_giving me a nice view of his happy trail and V’s in his hips… good looking bastard_**

He smirks at me, clearly catching me staring but I just smirk with a shrug **_because I won’t be ashamed_** , before he wraps his arm around my back and kisses my temple.

Scott lets out a huff as he looks back to Liam “That car you smashed. I thought you said that was your teacher’s?”

Liam looks up to him, and over to us quickly before looking back to Scott “He was also my Coach. He benched me for the entire season”

“What did you do?” I nod towards him and he looks down to the ground with his answer “I got a couple of red cards.”

“Just a couple?” Stiles sarcastically quips, earning a slight elbow rib jab from me.

Stiles grunts and shakes his head with my action before Scott looks back down to Liam. He takes a second before he shakes his head slightly and crouches down in front of Liam “You gotta be honest with us. What else happened?”

“Nothing,” Liam snaps before he shrugs to elaborate “I got kicked out of school. They sent me to a psychologist for evaluation.”

“What did they call it?” Scott questions and Liam looks up between us with his answer “Intermittent Explosive Disorder.”

Stiles jerks his head back as he clarifies “I.E.D? You’re literally an I.E.D?” 

Stiles smiles humorlessly and points over towards Scott as he sarcastically jabs “That’s great. That’s great– you gave powers to a walking time bomb,” he finishes with a thumbs up towards Scott and I look up at him with a smirk.

Stiles drops his eyes down to me quickly, looks back over to Scott before registering I was making a face and looks back to me, mouthing ‘what?’

I shake my head, fighting my smile as I mouth back ‘stop it’

He shrugs and pulls me into his side when Scott continues to question Liam “Did they give you anything for it?”

“Risperdal. It’s an antipsychotic.” Liam who looks all sorts of uncomfortable answers, earning Stiles to scoff “Oh, this just gets better.”

Liam looks over to us quickly “But I don’t take it.”

Stiles raises his free hand up to his side as he answers without missing a beat “Obviously.”

Liam connects his eyes with mine as he argues “I can’t play lacrosse on it. It makes me too tired.”

I smile softly with a nod, letting him know we get it **_and I believe him_**

Scott sighs and shakes his head slightly “Okay. I think you should bail out of the game. Tell Coach your leg is still hurting.”

Liam flicks his eyes back to him quickly with his words and stands up to argue “No, no! I can do this. Especially if you guys are there” he looks between Scott and I with his pleading eyes.

I make a noise gaining his attention before I state softly “But, Liam, it’s not just about the game. We think whoever killed Demarco might be on our team.”

Liam looks between the three of us before he shrugs with a shake of his head “Who’s Demarco?”

Stiles lifts his free hand up to rub against the side of his forehead “The one who brought the beer to the party. The guy who was beheaded. Remember?”

“We think the person who ordered the keg killed Demarco,” Scott fills him in before narrowing his eyes slightly and continues “Liam?”

Noticing the look that overcame his features I share a look with Scott before I lean forward slightly with my question “Liam, do you know something?”

Liam looks up and connects his eyes with mine “I don’t know who ordered the keg– but I know who paid for it.”

***

Asshat Garrett.

Who knew that little runt, was secretly a demented little murdering sociopath.

At least from what we have deducted because we have no proof of the little bastard doing anything **_not yet anyways_**

Stiles sets his hand on my back to have me walk in front of him between the bleachers towards the lacrosse field.

He makes a noise and grabs the phone from between his face and shoulder as he throws his bag down behind the team seat Scott and Kira are sitting on “Hey, Dad, you’re supposed to be here. Where the hell are you?”

He huffs and pulls the phone away from his ear after hearing whatever his dad responded with, before shoving his phone in his bag and setting it under the team bench.

I point towards his bag, stopping his steps towards the bench with my words “Is your lacrosse hoodie in there?”

“Umm hell yes it is” he answers brightly before crouching down and digging in his bag.

Stiles hands it to me and I go about putting it on, before pulling it down my torso. 

He smirks as he pulls up on the shoulders to get it situated before shaking his head “You’re swimming in it, but seeing you in my number is beyond hot.”

I smile with a shake of my head before setting my hands on his arms as they go around to rest on my waist, and push up on my toes to kiss him softly.

“Stop being gross and get padded up dude” Scott grumbles behind us, earning me to roll my eyes when we pull apart. 

Stiles smiles softly before he kisses my cheek as he steps around me. 

He goes to sit next to Scott as I turn around to face them “You know you’ve been plenty gross with _my friends_ dear brother of mine, so shut your face.”

Stiles shares a snicker with Kira as Scott scoffs and stands up in front of me, fighting his smile “That’s different.”

I grab my clipboard with the plays and notes for Coach as I scoff right back to him “That’s deadass the same thing, Scotty!”

Coach interrupts our bickering as he starts yelling to get everyone hyped up “Let’s go! Let’s go, come on!”

Scott runs over and exchanges a few words with Coach, trying to get him to stop Liam from playing the game when we hear Brett shout “Hey, Liam! Think fast!”

He follows his words by snapping his lacrosse stick forward, shooting a ball quickly towards Liam who catches it with a quick raise of his arm up to his side **_reflexes like that Coach isn’t going to let sit on the sides_**

Kira shares a wide eyed look with me before we see Liam put on his helmet and walk out onto the field with the rest of the players following behind him.

Stiles kisses me quickly, and smiles brightly when I mutter “Go get ‘em baby”.

He sends a wink my way before putting on his helmet and following the other players.

I smile at his retreating form and walk over to stand next to Coach who is clapping and muttering in Scott’s face before he turns around and also goes onto the field “There you go, Liam! Liam! Stilinski! McCall!”

The refs blow their whistles for the start of the game, Brett gets the ball immediately and scores within a few seconds **_suuuuper great start_**

Scott crouches down with Brett to get set up for the next play. At the whistle, Brett gets the ball again and takes off down the field.

Scott yells at Liam who is charging straight at two of the Devenford players. They jam both of their shoulders into Liam and he crashes down to the ground as Brett scores again.

Liam stands up with anger I can feel from over here, throwing off his helmet before throwing his gloves off of his hands next.

Scott just bellows out “Liam” before we watch as he charges at the prep boys, causing Scott and Stiles to grab him around the shoulders and pull him away from them.

The prep boys walk off and the guys get set up for the next play to begin. 

Stiles crouches down across from another player with the ref standing between them.

The ref drops the ball with the blow of the whistle and Stiles sntaches the ball into his net.

He gets set up and launches the ball to the side, right into Kira’s net.

Coach and I yell our excited cheers as Kira looks surprisingly from Stiles and down to her net before players are telling her to run. 

She does as instructed and stars to run down the field, she starts dodging opposing players running towards her, however she’s not doing the actual play **_which is to pass to another teammate_**

Coach looks at the clipboard in my hand and mumbles about the play before he yells towards the field “Pass it! Kira, pass the ball!”

Kira doesn’t listen and dodges another opposing player with a turn in the air before shooting the ball right past the goalie and into the net.

Coach lifts his hand up to his side in annoyance, grumbling “oh” and turning away from me as the crowd behind us celebrates the scoring play.

Kira does a celebratory run over to Scott before I hear Coach yell next to me “Yukimura! Get over here.”

Kira runs over right away with a big smile on her face from just scoring her first goal, probably thinking she’s going to be congratulated by our dear old coach **_this is going to be brutal_**

Once she’s standing in front of us, Coach points behind us “Take a seat. You’re benched for the rest of the game.”

I grimace and look back to the field as she makes a noise back towards him “What? Why?”

“You didn’t pass” Coach states like his frustration should be obvious, earning Kira to counter with “I had an open shot.”

Coach makes a face, looking to me and then back to her “She-McCall, please tell your friend that the play was for her to _pass_ the damn ball.”

I bit the inside of my mouth **_that being the last thing I want to say to her_**

However Coach was either being rhetorical or had zero patience to wait for me as he goes on to continue himself “This is a scrimmage– it’s about _teamwork_ , Yukimura. So, you’re benched”

Kira shares a bummed look with Scott back out on the field before she moves to go and sit down.

After Coach reiterates the next play to Scott, I move back to go and sit by Kira.

She frowns and I set my hand on her back “It was still an amazing play, so don’t let him take that away from you.”

She looks over to me and smiles softly as she offers a small nod of thanks with my words.

She furrows her brows and nods towards the clipboard in my hand “What do those numbers mean? You’ve been drawing them a lot today– any chance it’s banshee related?”

I shrug and look down to the paper as I put my pen behind my ear “I already entered them into the code cipher passcode box and it wasn’t the key, so I really don’t know.”

She makes a face before she implores “So the cipher key is definitely a word– what if the numbers are a clue to that? Like the numbers match that alphabet letter or something?”

I ponder that and shake my head softly “B, D, C, F… no matter which way we spin that, it couldn’t be a word.”

She huffs and looks back to the field earning me to smile softly before I also look back to the field and reassure her “It was a good guess though, thank you.”

Kira just nods and continues “What other way can numbers mean letters?”

I shake my head before I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. 

I stand up to pull it out of my pocket and sit back down when I notice a text from Lydia asking if there’s any luck with the next cipher keyword because she was called to the station and needs me to call Noah. 

Apparently Meredith is there and asking to talk to us, but will only talk to us _together_.

I roll my eyes with a huff and close the messaging app to bring up the phone keypad to call Noah **_Meredith wasn’t a big help last time so not really jonesing for her help this time_**

My thumb is hovering over the two when my eyes move around the other numbers and specifically what is below the numbers **_motherfucking letters_**

I gasp under my breath “Oh my god” before I reach in between Kira’s and my hips, quickly grabbing the clipboard and reaching up to grab my pen from my behind my ear.

Kira scoots closer and looks over my shoulder, muttering “Addy? What is it– did you figure it out?”

“Possibly” I murmur just above a whisper as I write out the letters below each number that they correspond with

2 4 3 6

ABC GHI DEF MNO

I hover my pen above the letters, trying to decipher which name it could possibly spell out if I’m right.

Allison wasn’t supernatural, but she was a hunter of the supernatural so she could have been linked to the deadpool because of that.

The only difference she has from the rest of the list then is that she’s no longer here with us.

I think of everyone we have lost and move the hovering end of pen over each letter of their name, coming up one letter short with both Erica and Boyd.

I groan in frustration before I widen my eyes and move my pen to match up with every letter of the last person we lost after Allison a few weeks ago **_Aiden– all the letters are here_**

I take a quick audible breath in before I move my wide eyes to Kira and out onto the field seeing the impossibility of letting either Stiles or Scott know.

I make a noise of frustration before I stand up from the bench and rush out in Kira’s direction “I think I figured it out, my laptop is in my locker– just– can you just let the guys know where I went and that I’ll text Stiles if I cracked the code.”

I step over the team bench with my words, Kira following with a turn of her body on the bench as she nods with my frantic words.

“Okay, thanks” I turn and hopefully skip out without Coach noticing before I run back towards the school.

***

I grab my laptop out of my locker, closing it and sliding my back down the lockers until I’m sitting on the ground.

I cross my legs into a pretzel and open the laptop up to turn it on.

While I wait for it to boot up, I jump when I hear a noise coming from down the hall **_because I’m alone so why wouldn’t I hear creepy noise?_**

I take a deep breath, trying to control my breathing as I listen for any other noises.

Not hearing anything else I go back to my laptop and bring up the code. I type the key combination to bring up the cipher key box and type Aiden in quickly.

As soon as I hit enter the code changes just like last time and another list starts to form with numbers next to them.

Kate Argent is first followed by Kira’s mom and Lydia– each their own amount of millions. They are followed by three more names I don’t recognize that are each one million.

Reading the 7th name though I widen my eyes slightly **_holy shit, Brett is some kind of supernatural– what the hell is he?_**

I don’t recognize anyone else on the list that are all two hundred and fifty thousand, however the last name has me making a noise and shaking my head slightly with my shock **_Jordan? As in Jordan Parrish– Noah’s main fucking deputy? What a twist_**

Deciding to leave that for later, I notice the next and last set of code that continues after the list. I move back up the screen and text Stiles a picture of the new list.

I begin to type a message to him about Brett as I stand up and set my stuff back in my locker to head back out to the field when he calls me.

Shoving my phone between the side of my face and my shoulder when I connect the call, I get my laptop back in my bag and into my locker “Hey–”

“Where the hell are you, and why would you go off _alone_ when you’re on what you know you’re on for what you’re _worth_?!”

I huff with Stiles’ frantic whisper shouting and close my locker, turning to head back to the side doors towards the field as I roll my eyes for the dark hallway to see “I’m walking back to the field now, what’s happening?”

“Hurry your cute ass up is what’s happening, Brett got hurt and they took him off the field towards the locker room– it’s halftime now.”

With his words I hear a couple of thuds coming from around the corner from where I’m walking **_definitely bodies, super great news_**

Fear crashes over my entire body as I turn the corner and see the bodies of the paramedics laying on the ground just outside of the locker room door.

I quickly move down behind the set of lockers on the other side of the locker room door, swallowing hard before muttering as quietly as I can “Sty–”

“What? Addy… babe, why are you whispering?” I close my eyes with the worry lacing his words, before I elaborate “Brett’s on the second list– paramedics that took him to the locker room are knocked out– I gotta go… you guys need to get over here now.”

I hang up the phone and shove it in my pocket as I move around the lockers, I push up the sleeves on Stiles’ hoodie before I head towards the doorway. 

I stop my steps with my back against the wall next to the door when I hear a voice growl out “What did you do to me?”

I hear a chick’s voice answer him “You were cut with a poisoned blade. It was laced with wolfsbane. It won’t kill you– but this will”

“Why? Why are you doing this?” The voice I now recognize as Brett’s cries out as I set my hands on the doorframe and lean over just enough to look inside the locker room.

I see Garrett’s tramp girlfriend Violet kick Brett down to lay on his stomach as she stands over him and state “Because you’re worth _a lot_ of money, Brett.” **_yup a million fucking dollars_**

Violet also is the owner to the thermo wire that’s been beheading people, as she wraps said wire around Brett’s neck and pulls it up **_what can I do, what can I do… right badass banshee_**

I don’t even think twice as I watch the wire light up like literal fire around his neck, before I step into the doorway gaining both of their attentions.

I drop my mouth open with the scream that calms my nerves and silences the room as it comes barreling out of my throat. 

I watch in triumph as Violet drops the wire from Brett and he collapses on the ground while she stumbles away from him.

***

_Stiles POV_

Scott and I are running back up to the school as quick as we can, when dread rushes through my body as we hear her banshee scream loud and clear.

We share a worried look before we pound our feet into the ground harder and faster, opening the doors quickly as we rush inside.

We see the bodies of the paramedics Addy mentioned earlier laying in the doorway into the locker room as we get closer.

Scott steps inside the room first and as I step in behind him, I move my eyes up from Brett lying unconscious on the ground to look everywhere around the room.

However I come up short with seeing Addy.

Where the fuck is she?

Scott turns and looks back at me sharing in my silent question when Brett gasps awake, effectively scaring the shit out of us. 

We turn towards him and his wide eyes staring back at us, which makes the next turn of events that much more of a shock.

We hear a quick soft grunt before a wire is thrown around Scott’s neck, it lights up and starts to sizzle around his skin.

The girl holding the wire pants out with trying to keep ahold of it through Scott fighting her “He said we shouldn’t try– but now I’ve got you both. I got an Alpha and his twin sister for the easiest fifty million I could ever make.”

Her words spark even more anger in Scott, and I smirk as I watch Scott’s eyes shine their Alpha red color.

I hear him let out a deep grumble of a growl in his chest as he pulls the wire farther away from his neck before he turns to face her.

Her eyes widen with the realization she, in fact, does _not_ have the Alpha before Scott rips the wire from her hands and wraps his own hand around her throat.

Scott lifts her up, just enough for the toes of her shoes to barely skim the floor as she struggles to breathe in his grip.

He pulls her closer and gets right in her face to growl out “Where’s my fucking sister?”

She quickly looks to our left, which is enough of an answer for Scott as he crashes the back of her head into the wall– effectively knocking her out before she crumbles to the floor.

I waste no time quickening my steps around the lockers in search of her “Adds?!”

Our shoes squeaking on the tile floor is the only noise in the room before I hear her groan and the blissful sound rushes air through my previously not breathing lungs.

Behind the last row of lockers I see her converse sticking out and I rush out over my shoulder “Over here” as I take the last few steps closer to her.

I set my hand on the locker to brace myself as I turn the corner to see her lying down on her back.

She has a burn mark wrapping around her arm connected to the hand that’s holding the side of her head and I see red at the thought of her being hurt.

However I just focus on her being alive and I drop down on her side, causing her to finch away before she opens her eyes and sees me. 

Her beautiful bright blue eyes connect with mine and shine in recognition before she sits up quickly and wraps her arms around my neck.

I move to sit down with my back against the lockers, bringing her with me as I wrap my arms around her tightly.

I shove my face into the crook of her neck, breathing in her intoxicating coconut and Addy smell as my heart finally feels like it can beat calmly again with her right here, in my arms, no chance of moving for the foreseeable future.

After a few seconds, I hear her tiny voice near my ear “Are Scotty and Brett safe? Where’s Violet?”

Another deep breath of her in, I tighten my hold around her waist and I mutter into the skin of her neck “They’re safe Adds, and the murdering sociopath is knocked out or dead– couldn’t care less at this moment.”

Scott walks over and crouches down next to us, setting his hands on our arms “I’m gonna call your dad, man.”

I don’t move other than to nod with his words and I hear both of their soft chuckles, but I don’t care. I have my girl and I’m not moving until she needs to stand up.

I feel her adjust her arms around me, letting out a hiss that has me pulling back to look at her arm.

I set my hands on her injured arm, drawing my brows in as I look at the two lines wrapping up her forearm “What happened?”

Scrunching her mouth to the side, in her tell sign of she doesn’t want to say, I smirk and lift my hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear and move my hand to cup her cheek.

She leans into my touch before she flicks her eyes up to connect her gaze with mine “I screamed to stop her from killing Brett, it’s nothing if not useful that my scream tends to hurt other people’s ears,” I let out a soft chuckle with her way of thinking before she continues “She dropped it from around him to hold her ears and stumbled away from him. I tried to get him to move but he had passed out– probably to heal from the attempted thermal choking.”

I nod before she sighs with a shrug “Violet came out of nowhere and I raised my arm up to block her but the wire wrapped around me and she must have heard the doors you guys opened because she turned and fucking round house kicked my upper arm, knocking me into the wall and obviously knocking me out– I need to take Jordan up on teaching Lydia and I self defense.”

She furrows her brows and huffs as she recounts the events of the evening.

I lift one side of my mouth at her adorable expression on her face and clear my throat to cover the slight chuckle, earning her to raise a brow at me.

I nod towards her arm to change the focus off of my bad cover up “Umm doesn’t look too bad gorgeous, but it may leave a scar…”

She sighs and looks at her arm with a nod before she shrugs and moves to burrow her body into my chest.

Kissing the top of her head, I lift my arms to wrap around her again when I hear her offer her easy solution “I wanted a tattoo there anyways.”

There’s my girl, always the one to twist a situation to fit her positive vibing little self.


	54. Orphaned

“Your dad is on his way, ours is too” Scott states when he walks back over to us and hands me back my phone.

I haven’t moved from my previous position in Stiles’ lap, other than to sit on the floor so I didn’t make his legs fall asleep.

Stiles wasn’t a fan of the change in position, so he scooted me back until my back was flush against his chest and his legs were on either side of me **_I’m in a Stiles bubble with zero complaints_**

I look up to connect my eyes with Scott’s, offering a nod in response to his words before we hear a gurgling noise from the other end of the locker room.

We all share a look and begrudgingly get up to go investigate the noise that can only mean good things.

We see Brett with some yellow foam type of stuff slowly coming out of his mouth, I drop down to his side and with Stiles’ help we get him turned on his side.

Scott wastes no time in calling Deaton, turning to me to ask me if Violet said anything before she attacked him.

I nod “Yea, she taunted him that he was cut with wolfsbane. My money’s on some type of yellow wolfsbane, if that’s a thing, based on the color coming out of his mouth”

Scott reiterates the information to Deaton before hanging up the phone and bending down to pick up Brett under his arms “We need to get him to Deaton now, grab his legs…”

Stiles and I do as instructed, each grabbing a leg as we walk as quickly as we can out the doors and around the side of the building to Stiles’ jeep.

“Derek’s on his way to meet you guys, I’ll stay here and deal with our dads” Scott says as he shuts the back door.

Stiles and I agree before we hop in the front seat to hopefully save Brett.

***

Derek is waiting outside when we pull up to the Vet’s and opens the back as soon as we park. 

He grabs Brett and we all quickly head inside when Deaton opens the back door for us.

Deaton heads to his medical cart and grabs a scalpel as we lay Brett down on one of the metal tables as softly as we can.

Brett opens his eyes but they’re glazed over when he begins seizing and choking on the thickening yellow foaming substance.

Deaton shouts over his shoulder that we need to keep him still so after we access the way he’s moving, Stiles and Derek hold down each one of his shoulders as I climb on the table with him.

I move to sit on his shins and set my hands just above his knees to hold his legs down as he continues to choke on the effects of the wolfsbane.

“What the hell is happening to this kid?” Stiles rushes out through our fight to keep Brett still.

I shake my head and lean forward harder on his knees as Deaton walks back over to us and states “He’s been poisoned by a rare strain of wolfsbane.” **_yea we told you that much doc, but what’s with the seizing?_**

Deaton comes to stand in between Derek and I as he rushes out “I need to make an incision and you need to hold him as still as possible.”

Stiles shares a look with me with those words as I resist the urge to scoff at that being _exactly_ what we’re already trying to do.

Stiles looks over to Derek and nods towards Brett “Hey, Derek, how about a little werewolf strength?”

Derek looks up and clips out through Brett’s thrashing around “Yeah, I’m not the only one here with _werewolf_ strength.”

“If you can’t hold him still, the incision might kill him.” Deaton states the obvious and I groan in frustration “Can we knock him out with something first then because we are fucking trying to hold him doc”

Stiles tries to get a better grip, but the yellow goop Brett is choking on is getting everywhere as it flies from his mouth and is making his skin even more slick for them to hold onto.

“Derek, he’s slipping. I don’t think I can hold him.” Stiles stresses before I watch with my own wide eyes as Brett opens his eyes with clarity.

He looks absolutely terrified as he quickly takes in the current situation that’s happening.

Brett lets out a deep bellow as he simultaneously shoots his arms up and out to his sides, lifting his legs in the process to throw me backwards and the guys to either side of the room from the table **_this is going to hurt_**

My back crashes into what I thought was the wall, but when I feel arms land under my arms, I realize it’s a chest catching me from hitting the ground.

I’m set back on the ground and I turn, moving my shocked eyes up to see Peter offering a nod when I mutter “Thank you for that” to him. 

Peter crinkles his eyes with his small smile and nod back towards me before he shines his were-blues and pushes me behind him. 

We watch as Brett hops off the table, looking at the five of us as he moves around defensively before taking quick steps our way.

Peter takes a step forward and reaches back to punch Brett right in the jaw, knocking him down to lay flat on his back on the ground.

Derek and Stiles look over with shock all over their faces before Peter shrugs and looks down to Brett “I guess I still have a little werewolf strength myself.”

Derek scoffs and looks to the kid “Yeah, maybe more than a little.”

I quickly walk around Peter to kneel down next to Brett with Stiles who in turn looks up to Deaton “Hey, Doc, I don’t think he’s breathing.”

Deaton drops down on his other side and sets the scalpel up against Brett’s chest, dragging it a couple inches down the middle of his chest.

A puff of yellow smoke comes out of the cut Deaton made and Brett makes deep labored breaths that at least sound better than when he was on the table.

“Is he okay?” I look up to Deaton who nods “I think he’ll be fine, but probably out for a while”

“Guys, can you hear that? I think he’s saying something.” Stiles looks around to us as we lean closer to Brett who is muttering just above a whisper, “The sun… The moon… The truth… The sun… The moon… The truth…”

I look up to Stiles as the saying instantly comes to me and I furrow my brows “Three things cannot long be hidden– The sun, the moon, and the truth– it’s Buddhist.” I move my eyes from Stiles’ raised brows and over to Derek who flicks his eyes over to Peter when he grits out “Satomi.”

Peter and Derek share a silent conversation before Deaton gains my attention when he sets his hand on my arm “Let’s get this cleaned up all right?”

I move my eyes to him, offering a grateful smile before Stiles reaches out to help me stand up and walks with me over to the supply cart Deaton is grabbing items from **_guess the Vet isn’t so bad_**

***

The next morning, I pair my favorite black skinny jeans with some rips in the knees with a white short sleeved henley. I grab my olive green fitted button up shirt that I leave unbuttoned as I put it on and roll up the sleeves to my elbows. 

Slipping my white converse on, I walk over to the mirror to throw my hair half up into a messy top knot leaving the bottom half in soft waves down my back, when there’s a knock on my door. 

I call over my shoulder to come in and smile into the mirror when I see Stiles peek is head around the door. 

He smiles when he notices my location and pushes the door open more. He walks in, walking right over to stand behind me as I finish by framing my face with some of my baby hair whispies. 

He sets his hands on my hips and leans around my side to kiss my neck as he mutters “Morning gorgeous” against my skin. 

I spin on my toes and set my hands around his neck, smiling brightly as I push up to connect our lips softly.

Pulling away as I return the greeting “Well good morning to you too handsome man of mine.”

Releasing a soft breathy chuckle, I feel him increase his hold on my waist before he tilts his head to the side “I really think we could figure this out on our own, do we seriously need to bring all these other people into it?”

I shrug and move my fingers against the skin on the back of his neck absentmindedly with my words “It’s worth a shot, plus we need to warn Parrish”

Stiles opens his mouth to reply, however, a knock on the bathroom door stops him. I walk over and open the door seeing Scotty with an unreadable expression on his face “Hey, you okay?”

He nods in hello to Stiles before nodding with his words as he looks back to me “Yea, umm just didn’t sleep all that great. So you guys warning Parrish still on the agenda for today?”

“Yes, as well as him hopefully helping us talk to Meredith– Lydia seemed very convinced she could help us with the last part of the code” I sigh out as I answer him.

Scott nods and mutters “I’ll head to school to check on Liam, keep me posted okay?” With our nods he moves back towards his room and my eyes land over his shoulder at the area under the foot of his bed that usually has nothing under it.

I make a noise, gaining his attention to turn back towards us as I point towards his room “Scotty what’s that duffle bag under your bed?”

He turns to look over his shoulder and shakes his head as he rushes out when he look back to us “I– I sort of found something last night. But I’ll talk to you guys about it later, okay? Promise.”

***

Parrish sees Stiles, Lydia, and I in the lobby and nods his head for us to follow him. 

He walks us into the back area with all of the deputy desks and points over to Noah’s office with his words to Stiles “Your dad should be back within the hour. You want to wait in his office?”

Stiles makes a noise to correct his assumption for us being here “Actually, we want to talk to you.”

I nod my head to the side to elaborate his words “Privately, if we could…”

Parrish furrows his brows and looks between the three of us. He offers a tight nod before turning and having us follow him into Noah’s office.

Stiles closes the door and we move over to stand in front of Parrish who leans in a half sit against the desk, looking at us expectantly. 

I smile softly and take a deep breath as I grab the second list I printed out when I got home last night out of my bag and hand it over to him.

Parrish connects his eyes with mine before moving his gaze to the paper in my outstretched hand as he lifts one hand towards me to grasp the list in his fingers.

He moves to hold it in front of him with both hands as he looks the list over, “This is a hit list?”

Stiles nods his head to the side “We call it a dead pool.”

I clear my throat and nod my head towards the paper “Do you recognize any of the names?”

Parrish nods after taking a second to look them over “Yeah. The Sheriff had me run a bunch of these through the system last night– but we couldn’t find any of them.”

Stiles huffs, crossing his arms over his chest as he looks over to me “Show him the other thing, babe”

I look up to Stiles who nods towards the paper with a quick raise of his brows with a slight grimace.

Parrish looks up to me, probably expecting me to hand him something else instead I reach forward to flip the folded paper that has his name and the third part of the non decoded code below the fold line.

Parrish stands up from his lean against the desk and turns away from us as he breathes out “Okay. That’s kind of terrifying. What’s with the number?”

I grimace and elaborate “That’s how much you’re worth.”

“I’m worth five dollars?” Parrish exclaims with a look back to us and Stiles holds out his open palm to correct **_like it makes it all better_** “Five million”

Parrish scoffs as he drops the paper down to his side “I only make forty thousand a year. Maybe I should kill myself” he grumbles to himself with a look back to the list, earning us all to share a shocked look before he continues “I don’t get it. Why… why am I on this?”

Stiles shakes his head when he looks back to him “Honestly, that might be a question for another day. Right now, there’s still another third of the list we gotta crack.”

“We need the third cipher key– but we need help getting it.” I state, earning him to shrug “From who?”

Lydia makes a noise with a tilt of her head as she slowly states with a smile “Meredith.”

Parrish makes a noise before walking past us and towards the door “The girl from Eichen? The last time you saw her, you almost gave her a nervous breakdown.”

Stiles and I raise our brows with that bit of information before we look over to Lydia who makes a noise with our questioning faces “Uh– _almost_ being the key word there.” 

She shrugs before she turns to look back to me and continues “she wouldn’t talk to me without you here Addy and I _knew_ she knew something. She gave us four numbers eventually but Kira called saying you cracked the code already and her mom and I were on the list.”

Parrish makes a noise and closes the door before he walks back over to us “Are you psychic too, Addy?”

Wondering if I heard him correctly I jerk my head back slightly, furrowing my brows as I make a noise. 

Lydia immediately reaches over to set her arm around me, placing both of her hands on my upper arms as she answers him “Addy and I are of the same intuitional wavelength, yes”

She finishes her words with a slight squeeze of her hands and I take that as my queue to nod, and nervously stutter out “Yea– yes… intuition wavelength, that we are… the– the same that is.”

Stiles snorts behind us, trying to cover it as a cough when I look over my shoulder to glare at him, earning a wink and kiss blown my way from him **_cheeky bastard_**

Fighting my own smile, I shake my head at his antics and look back to Parrish when he walks over to the desk. 

He clicks on the computer until he gets the number to call over to Eichen to set up a meeting with Meredith.

***

We get to Eichen and Parrish with his badge is proving to be very helpful at getting us inside with no problems.

We meet with the orderly who has agreed to let Parrish talk to Meredith and walks us over to her room.

I cross my arms over my front with the feeling that crashes over my body at walking through these halls. 

Stiles notices and sets his arm around my back, resting his hand on my hip as he pulls me into his side and continues our steps behind Parrish.

The orderly stops at a door and shifts his keys around to unlock the door. The first two keys he tries aren’t the right one and I groan inwardly at why the patients room keys aren’t marked with a better system than with a massive keyring jumbled mess of all the keys.

He officially is taking entirely too long and gives an opportunity for someone to come around the corner.

Stiles notices and mumbles towards us as he looks down to the ground “Oh, no, not this guy. That’s Brunksi, Adds.”

I draw my brows in with his words, directing a deep glare to the asshat known as Brunski who was a right bastard to Stiles when he was staying here **_he deserves a slow death for how he treats the patients here_**

“What the hell are we running here? A bed and breakfast?” Brunski clips out before taking the keys from the orderly and reprimands him with a shake of the keys “We do not just open the door for anyone with a badge.”

Parrish channels his authority voice to state “We need to talk to Meredith Walker.”

Brunski dissmisses the other orderly with a nod of his head before he turns back towards us and Parrish continues “It involves a murder investigation”

“Well, _you_ can talk to her all you want, but these two, especially that one… They’re outta here.” He stresses with a look towards Stiles that has me wishing I had werewolf claws to slash at his stupid smug face.

Parrish shakes his head to counter “They’re crucial witnesses in an ongoing investigation. I wouldn’t have brought them here if it wasn’t absolutely… crucial.” 

Brunski moves his creepy smug face closer to Parrish “Okay, _Deputy_. How about you come back with a court order, then I’ll listen.”

Brunski raises his brows before side stepping Parrish to come stand right in front of us. 

Stiles drops his hand from my waist as he shifts his shoulder to move himself more in front of me.

Brunski notices and smirks before he continues being the world’s biggest prick “As for you, Mr. Stilinski, how about you come back with payment in full. That’s right– daddy may be the Sheriff, but he’s late on the bills. I guess those government jobs aren’t as reliable as they used to be, huh?” 

Parrish doesn’t miss a beat as he raises a brow towards the asshat “But they do help when you need a favor. Like, how a month ago, Canaan P.D. helped you get home after blowing 0.1 on a breathalyzer.”

Stiles gasps “No…” as he looks giddily from my shocked raised brows and over to Brunski, who moves his glaring eyes from Parrish to Stiles as we learn that bit of information.

Brunski smiles humorlessly as he states before looking back to Parrish “All right– I’m not against a little quid pro quo.”

Lydia drops her head onto my shoulder, as she shakes hers with her silent laugh **_Parrish is officially our new best friend_**

We watch as Brunksi reaches over and sets the keys against Stiles’ chest as he states when Stiles grabs the keys from him “Not at all. Not at all.” He grumbles as he turns away from us and walks back to the hole he crawled out of.

Stiles sets one of his hands on Parrish’s shoulders, setting the keys in Parrish’s palm with his other hand as he happily states with a slap of the hand on his shoulder “You– You, I like you. I’m gonna keep you.”

Parrish smiles like it was nothing and goes about finding the key to unlock the door to Meredith’s room.

Stiles kisses my cheek with the brightest smile on his face from watching the asshat who was awful to him get called out. 

I return his smile and reach my hand over to link our hands together and rest the side of my head on his shoulder.

Lydia shakes her head with a soft smile at us before she moves to Parrish’s other side to help him with the keys.

We finally open the door and see Meredith sitting on the side of one of the two beds in the room, turning to us like she knew we would be coming here.

I suck in a breath softly at recognizing the room as the first place Scott and I were in when we went into Stiles’ mind to free him from Void’s grasp.

Meredith sits up more when she sees both Lydia and myself walk in the room. She moves her eyes to me stating softly “You came– they knew you would find each other eventually.”

Stiles furrows his brows and shares a look with me before he turns back to her “Meredith who knew who would find each other?”

“I can’t tell you that” Meredith shakes her head quickly, confusing us all even more **_we’ll just put a pin in that for later_**

I take a deep breath and walk closer to her “Umm that’s okay– we don’t have to talk about that… we were actually hoping you might be able to help us with the last key we need to break that code Lydia asked you about last night…”

Meredith shakes her head quickly “Oh no I definitely can’t tell you that either.”

I huff and move to sit on the opposite bed from Meredith with Stiles and Lydia, while Parrish stands by the door.

Lyds sits on my other side putting me in the middle of them when she questions “Meredith, what do you mean you can’t tell us?”

Stiles tries with a raise of his hands to go with his words “We just need the third key. You can give it to us in numbers, letters, hieroglyphs.”

I shrug and turn to look at her, adding lightly “Slap your hands over my ears again, you know– whatever you want.”

Lydia furrows her brows at me and I shake my head at forgetting to fill her in on that horrible experience without her.

“I can’t.” Meredith states with a shake of her head when she moves her gaze over towards Stiles.

Lydia scoffs as she looks back to her “Then why did you demand to meet us at the station to give us the second key?”

“I wanted to help. That’s what I want to do. I want to help, and I wanted you both there together to help you both figure it out.”

Noticing she’s looking at Lydia and I, I make a noise and lean forward slightly “Meredith– help us figure out–” I begin but Lydia cuts me off “Great. So help us now. Okay? Give us the third cipher key.”

Meredith looks down to her hands has she shakily replies “Things have changed. I… I can’t.”

“Why not?” Stiles pushes and Parrish reminds “Guys, go easy on her.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t. He… he doesn’t want me to.” Meredith looks up to us and Stiles urges “He? Who’s he?”

“Meredith, who doesn’t want you to tell us the third cipher key?” Lydia states slowly before Meredith raises her brows with her answer “The Benefactor.”

Lydia stands up with her frustration as she directs her words back to Meredith “What’s his name? You could just tell us his name…”

Meredith raises her brows and shakes her head quickly with her mouth sealed shut. 

Stiles huffs and raises his hand out to her “Okay, you’re shaking your head. What’s that mean? Does that mean you don’t know? Or you don’t want to help us?”

“I can’t… I can’t help anymore, not with that. Elenor and Lorraine would want you to focus on–” Meredith stutters out quickly and gains my full attention with one of those names, however, Lydia is on a roll with her frustration fueling her aggravated train “How do you know about him?”

Meredith looks to me and murmurs “Elenor and Lorraine would wan–” before she whimpers and starts thrashing her head from side to side.

I stand up next to Lydia and soften my voice “Meredith why do you keep saying those names?”

Meredith doesn’t answer and instead keeps whimpering and thrashing her head around, earning Parrish to mutter “Guys, I think we better stop”

Lydia doesn’t care and raises her voice “Meredith, a lot of people are going to die if you don’t tell us.”

“I don’t… I don’t know. I don’t know.” Meredith quickly breathes out with a nervous voice as she shakes her head more, before she whimpers out “Please”

I raise my hands softly up towards her in surrender “Meredith, it’s okay. You’re gonna be all right.” Meredith gasps in between shaking her head back in forth as she hysterically states “Please– I don’t… I don’t… I don’t know.”

“Meredith” Parrish tries again earning Meredith to snap her head up to us as she bellows in a scream unlike one I’ve ever heard before, “I said, I don’t _KNOW_!”

I slam my eyes closed with her words, bringing my hands up to hold the sides of my head as I fall backwards and release a loud pained gasp from the pain she just caused to fill my head like it was about to explode.

Stiles catches me and wraps me in his arms as he pulls me back a few steps and I drop my hands from my head.

Opening my eyes, I look up at Stiles before looking over to see that Parrish caught Lydia in much the same way and has his hands on her upper arms as she shares a look with me **_what the hell was that trick?_**

Feeling lightheaded from that onslaught of whatever the fuck that was, I open my mouth trying to pop my ears like that will at all help.

Stiles sets his hand on my cheek and turns my head towards him, leaning me to the side to look at my ears that feel like my brain is oozing out of.

I look up to him, seeing the clench of his jaw before he sets his other arm more around my back pulling me into his chest protectively as he looks back at Meredith.

I slowly move my eyes from him and over to Meredith, seeing that she has moved to sit further back onto her bed in the corner.

She’s murmuring to herself between her quick pants as she continues to thrash her head from side to side “The sisters they would want– the sisters…”

***

Parrish offered to take Lydia home once we cleaned up our bloodied ears that Meredith caused with her special kind of scream.

Stiles and I head to get coffee from our favorite coffee shop on our way back to his house, to follow through with his original plan of figuring the code out just with ourselves **_probably should have just listened to him_**

Walking into his room and taking off my shoes, I take a drink of my delicious iced caramel caffeinated yumminess before setting it down. 

I turn to grab my laptop off of its charging place on his desk and move to go lay on his bed.

Stiles reaches out and grabs my hand when I move to walk past him, stopping my steps as he uses his free hand to grab the laptop and set it back on the desk.

Moving to stand in front of me, he sets his hands on either side of my face as he moves his worried eyes quickly between mine.

I smile softly and set my hands on his forearms to reassure him, “I’m okay”

Nodding he rubs his thumbs against my cheeks, licking his lips quickly before he whispers “I know, but you don’t have to be.”

Offering a sad smile I bring my hands up to rest on his chest as I whisper back “Well we don’t have time for me not to be… I kind of need to figure this out.”

Stiles lets out a quick huff of frustration through his nose before grumbling “I know” as he brings me forward softly and kisses my forehead.

He slowly pulls away and I push up on my toes to connect our lips softly. When I pull away, Stiles makes a noise and kisses me again quickly before murmuring against my lips “I vote we spend the night doing this instead.”

I chuckle which just ends up getting swallowed when he connects our lips again. 

He moves to snake his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest with his hands flat against my lower back.

Stiles breathes in deeply through his nose as he effortlessly moves our lips together. He swipes my bottom lip with his tongue, deepening our kiss as soon as I grant him what he asked for, causing goosies to run down my arms in the best way possible.

Getting lost in the kiss, and desperately wishing this could be our evening, begrudgingly I pull away after he succeeds in making me forget my name.

He tightens his hold on me as my actions elicit a whine from him that brings a smile to my face as I kiss him quickly between my words “So so tempting– but we– have a– code to crack, mister.”

Stiles shifts his arms to set his hands on my hips, gripping my sides slightly harder as he lets out a frustrated groan and drops his forehead to rest against mine.

He lifts his frowning eyes up to connect with mine as he grumbles deep in his chest “Yes my love.”

I chuckle as he drops one hand from my hip and moves to the side, kissing my temple when he reaches past me to grab my laptop. 

Throwing a soft smile my way, he winks as he moves past to go and lay on his bed with his back against the pillows he gets situated on the wall.

Since he’s stretched out the opposite way one would lay in a bed, his feet are hanging off the side.

I chuckle when he pats the spot next to him and lifts an arm up for me to get situated under once I move across the bed towards him.

He rests his arm on top of the pillow behind me and splays his hand against the side of my hip as he pulls me closer into his side.

Stiles hands me the laptop and I bring up the code with the cipher key passcode box staring mockingly at us.

Stiles makes a noise and taps his fingers against me, clearing his throat to offer “Okay, well, we know one thing. Both of the first two keys, Allison and Aiden, they’re both names of the dead. Right?”

I nod “Right but we’ve already tried every other person’s name that we have lost that we could think of– it was quite a few and none of them worked.” I sigh out before I bite my lip and stare off in front of us.

I hear Stiles’ reply “Yeah, I noticed– hey, what are you thinking?”

I make a noise as I blink to break the staring contest I was in with the wall and look over to him shaking my head “Just something doesn’t sit right with what Meredith was saying. It felt like she wanted to help us with something other than the key to the code–” I chuckle softly with another shake of my head before I continue “Just something to ask her about later if we didn’t completely drive her over the edge.”

Stiles furrows his brows “The names she was say… hold on– Banshees predict death. Right? So what if the third key is someone who isn’t dead…”

“But will be.” I finish for him, earning him to quickly raise his brows with his nod.

I lick my lips quickly before looking to the keyboard. I take a deep breath in before I hover my hands over the keypad and close my eyes, trying to focus on anything.

_All right inner banshee, I know I usually yell at you for not being helpful because I haven’t actually taken the time to learn anything about you– so that’s on me. I promise to study any and all of the lore on what I am, but I could really use some help right now. We need to save people, and the only way that’s going to happen is if we know the rest of the people on the list–_

“Adds–” Stiles’ whispering voice has me opening my eyes slowly. 

I take notice of letters in the key box now, however, I furrow my brows at the name it spells out “Derek? No– that can’t be right”

I turn my head to my right, connecting my worried eyes with Stiles’ over my shoulder who sadly nods towards the screen “Only one way to find out… hit enter, babe…” 

Letting out a deep breath through my nose, I hit enter and feel my stomach completely drop with what it causes.

The code changes and the last list forms in front of our eyes, beginning with the name Peter grumbled last night Satomi. Then Malia, Liam some chick named Liz before Meredith’s name is the last name I recognize on the list of twelve people.

I gasp and look back to Stiles rushing out “Call Parrish. We need to call Parrish.”

He nods as I set my computer on the bed and scoot forward to get my phone out of my bag.

Stiles sets one hand on his hip and brings the other up to chew nervously on the side of his thumb nail. 

When the call connects, I set it on speakerphone to tell Parrish that Meredith needs to be watched and protected because she’s on the last of the dead pool list we just cracked.

We hear Parrish sigh before he digresses “Addy– Meredith won’t need looking after anymore…”

Turning around I connect my wide eyes with Stiles’ as I mutter towards the phone “What are you talking about?”

“Addy, Meredith’s gone. They found her an hour ago in her room– she… she hung herself. I’m so sorry.”

Tears continued to gather in my eyes with Parrish’s words before I feel them fall as I watch Stiles draw his brows in sadly. 

I feel like I’m rooted in the spot, not registering the words correctly **_we drove her to feel like she needed to do that_**

Stiles reaches out and takes the phone from me muttering a thanks for letting us know to Parrish before ending the call.

He throws my phone onto his bed before he reaches out, setting his hands around me and bringing me closer to envelop me in a tight, comforting hug.

He sets his hand on the back of my head as I lift my hands up his back to the tops of his shoulders as I lay my face into his chest and grieve for another life lost too soon.

***

Stiles took me home once we got a message from Scott that he was home and needed to talk to us as soon as we could head over.

We walk in through the side kitchen door and mom jumps in her seat at the kitchen table. 

She moves papers around on the table before turning in her seat, offering a smile she tries to make lighthearted but it looks forced “Hey kids”

I share a look with Stiles before we walk closer to her “Mom? Are you–”

“I’m fine sweetheart, just doing the monthly books– you know how much I hate that” She laughs it off, but it sounds pained.

I return her smile, fully getting the hint that those will be her last words on the subject as I point towards the stairs “Scott needed to fill us in on something, then Stiles will–”

She sets her hands on our arms and nods to the stairs “Yes go talk– have fun.”

Mom doesn’t wait for a reply before she turns around and heads back to the table.

I follow her with sad eyes before I feel Stiles grab my hand and nod towards the stairs.

Once we’re upstairs, Scott fills us in on his event filled day that was full of Garrett kidnapping Liam, saying he would return Liam if Scott succeeded in attempting to stop the armored car that was transferring Violet to a federal prison, coming up on an accident of the car that had both of our dad’s in it– they’re okay and only had minor injuries– however the cause of the accident was Kate and her motherfucking berserkers, which took Violet, killed Garrett at the scene, and stabbed Scott with one of their knives.

Scott passed out at the accident scene and woke up at Deaton’s to see Chris there as Deaton removed the knife. 

Chris ended up taking Scott to a warehouse where Kate was supposedly hiding out in. 

She’s apparently some kind of were-cheetah who still doesn’t have control and told Chris to leave.

Chris fired at the Berserkers who then started fighting them before Scott heard Liam’s roar that ended up sharing with Scott exactly where he was being held.

With Kate gone in the wind, Scott took off to go and rescue Liam who was in a water well and also poisoned with the same yellow wolfsbane. 

Scott took Liam back to Deaton’s who performed the same chest cutting, yellow puff of smoke inducing action he did with Brett and is now sleeping it off.

Stiles and I were silent with his whole recap story and I shake my head after fully digesting all of his words “So Liam is okay?”

Scott smiles softly “Yea he’s going to be okay.” 

I let out a relieved breath and nod while Stiles makes a noise and looks between us “That’s your take away, Adds?! Come on, Kate is a _were-cheetah_ – that’s a fucking thing now?”

Scott chuckles and shrugs as he nods “Yea she wasn’t like anything I’ve seen before. Chris and I fought her Berserkers until she called them off and then they just left us.”

I nod taking in his words, before he sighs and walks over to his bed and grabs the duffle bag I saw earlier, sliding it on the floor between us.

Stiles and I share a look before we look back to Scott who shakes his head “I found this in Garrett’s locker last night once everyone left– well and then I stole it to bring it back here…”

He kneels before sitting down and moves the bag in front of him before he unzips it, revealing bundles and bundles of hundred dollar bills. 

“Holy shit” Stiles and I exclaim as we take in the contents of the bag and sit down so the bag is in the middle of the three of us.

Scott nods and drops his eyes back to the money bundles, as we all stare speechless at a literal dream come true for both of our parent’s money troubles we know they’re having **_despite them trying to keep it from us_**

Stiles sets his elbows on his knees and sets his hands over his mouth before he drops them into his lap “You counted it yet?”

Scott shakes his head with a raise of his brow “No”

I look between them on either side of me before I shrug “We should probably count it…”

The both look towards me before they nod and each grab one end of the bag to dump everything out in the middle of us.

The last thing to fall out of the bag and land on top of the countless bundles of money is a cassette tape. 

We all share a furrowed brow look before Stiles sets the bag on his other side and I reach forward to pick up the tape.

I flip it around and notice ‘play me’ written on the front before I flick my wide eyes up to the guys and turn the tape around to them.


	55. Weaponized

“After entering the IP address, you will be connected through a dark net portal to an untraceable bank. Once logged in, enter your account number to receive wire transfers. The IP address will deactivate with each transfer. You will be assigned a new IP address if you choose to continue down the list. Remember, visual confirmation is always required for payment.”

I reach over and stop the tape before setting my hands on the ground on either side of me and worriedly look over to Stiles **_seeing our names on a list was one thing, this is beyond terrifying now_**

He shakes his head as he looks between us “Either of you ever made a wire transfer?”

I shake my head when Scott voices “Never had enough money.”

“So you didn’t understand a word of that either?” Stiles offers and I huff out a frustrated breath as I stand up and start to pace in front of them “I don’t understand any of this. Why would someone use all this money just to kill us?”

Stiles softens his face before he stands up and stops my pacing, setting his hands on my upper arms “Someone wants you guys dead, babe. Badly– whoa, whoa, what are you doing?” I look over to my left with his words now directed towards Scotty who is quickly putting the money back into the duffle bag.

Scott shrugs when he looks up towards us “It’s late. We’ve got the PSATs in the morning.”

Dropping his hands from me he turns more to face Scott with his argument “No, I meant the money– Five hundred thousand, you know how much money that is?”

“It’s five hundred thousand–” Scott and I mutter like it’s obvious we just spent all that time counting it together, earning Stiles to huff with a roll of his eyes as he counters back quickly “It’s _half a million_ dollars McCall twins. What are you going to do, Scott, just slide it under your mattress?”

Scott shares a look with me as I shrug a shoulder and he looks back to Stiles “I have to talk to Derek– the money’s his.”

“You mean his and Peter’s.” Stiles clarifies and I turn to look at him with a raised brow “What does that mean?”

Stiles flicks his eyes between our sharednraised brows and lifts his hands up to his sides slowly with his words “It means _maybe_ we should proceed with caution.”

I share a look with Scott before I turn back to Stiles “You seriously don’t think we should tell Derek?”

“No. No.” he lets out a sigh before he continues “No, of course we have to tell him. I’m just… I’m just saying, some of that money’s Peter’s, right?”

“Yeah.” Scott and I stress, not really catching what he’s meaning.

Stiles makes a face with our slow catch on to what he’s saying and argues “Right? _Peter_. Homicidal killer? Remember? You guys want to give five hundred thousand to _him_?”

Scott furrows his brows as he tries to work out what he’s saying “So we should give Derek his money back– but not Peter?”

“I didn’t say that” Stiles counters quickly and Scott huffs as he looks over to his friend “Stiles, what are you saying?”

Stiles takes a second, raising his hand up to scratch the side of his head.

However he doesn’t get a chance to tell us his thinking when we hear the slam of the front door. 

Scott shares a wide eyed worried look with us before he slides forward and pushes the bag under his bed.

Quickly followed by me kneeling down to push the boombox as well before we’re all standing up and turning towards the door just as it’s swinging open.

We hear Malia’s voice as soon as she’s in the doorway “We found Satomi’s pack, Derek and I– but they’re dead.”

Scott looks to us and back to her as he takes a step towards her to clarify “All of them?”

Malia looks between us before she digresses “All the ones we found.”

I make a noise, gaining her attention “Then where’s Derek?”

She licks her lips quickly and fills us in “He found Braedon there too and took her to the hospital, she was shot and her pulse was weak.”

***

At school the next morning, we are waiting in line out in the hallway for them to let us inside the class for us to take the PSAT’s.

Kira looks around our group and shakes her head “Where’s Lydia?”

“She took it her freshman year.” I fill in absentmindedly and Stiles makes a noise flicking his eyes down to me “As did you my love, yet here you are…”

Scott scoffs with a shake of his head “That’s because she’s weird and loves tests”

“I do not– I just want to suffer through it again with you guys” I deny before I stick my tongue out at both of them.

They share a chuckle before I roll my eyes and turn to Malia when she rushes out “Does that mean I could have taken it some other time?”

Scott turns to reassure her “Malia, you studied harder for this than any of us.”

Malia worriedly looks between us before she grumbles “Doesn’t mean I’m gonna do good.”

“Well…” Stiles corrects and I tilt my head to the side to level him with a look **_but why?_**

Malia shakes her head waiting for him to continue when she states slowly “Well, what?”

Realizing he shouldn’t but still does, Stiles nods his head to the side– reluctantly filling her in “It’s do well, not good.”

“Oh, God!” Malia exclaims as I turn to Stiles with my grimace “Wonderful impersonation of Ross sweets, but stop it” I mutter through clenched teeth.

Scott chuckles and continues towards Malia, “You’re doing this, because while we’re trying not to die, we still need to live. If I survive high school, I’d like to go to college– a good college.”

“It’s only three hours. We can survive three hours.” Kira lightly offers and Stiles throws her a _why did you have to say that_ look.

I snicker into his shoulder as I wrap my arms around his middle, feeling him wrap his around my back as well to get some snuggles in before it’s test time.

***

We walk into the classroom, adding our thumb prints to a paper before being handed a booklet and pencil from a creepster dude while Lydia’s mom reaches envelopes out to us “Cell phone in the envelope, Scott. You’ll get it back after the test.”

Scott does as instructed and moves to take his seat when I walk up to Ms. Martin and do the same with my phone.

I move down one aisle to sit next to Scott, Stiles sits behind me, squeezing my shoulder on his way. 

I smile over my shoulder at him as he takes his seat, earning a wink sent my way before I face forward again. 

Malia sits in front of me and I offer her a _you totally got this_ smile while Kira sits in front of Scott.

Creepy Mcwhatever his name is begins the instructions as he moves his eyes around the room “Please do not open the test booklet until you are instructed to do so. This test is two hours and ten minutes. There will be two twenty five minute critical reading sections, two twenty five minute math sections and an essay writing portion that will last thirty minutes. There are supposed to be two teachers monitoring this exam.” 

He mutters the last bit to Ms. Martin who smiles nervously as she rubs her hands together and looks back to him “I know. It’s Coach. He’s not exactly punctual.” 

She grabs her phone from the desk and lifts it up before moving towards the doors “Um, let me just try him again”

She walks out into the hall and the room falls into silence, though it’s an uneasy silence.

The proxy from the school board to administer the test is still standing and looking around at us with his beady little eyes **_he gives me the heebie jeebies of the highest level_**

Stiles reaches forward and I feel him move his nails to lightly scratch the skin on my back that my shirt doesn’t cover, instantly calming me into a puddle of content in my chair.

Ms. Martin comes back into the room a few minutes later and shrugs, “I can’t find him, but Mr. Yukimura is upstairs grading papers. Do you want me to try him?”

Ted Bundy’s cousin shakes his head “We have to start. We can ask for his assistance during the first break.” He reaches in front of him to the watch on the desk and looks back up to us, stating like it’s the beginning of a murder mystery “You may now open your test booklets and begin.”

The rustling of everyone’s paper booklets fill the room as we all begin our test.

I tap the eraser of my pencil against the side of my chin while I read through the first question, answering it and moving on to the next.

The test has probably only been going on for ten minutes, maybe, when there’s a crash behind us. 

I turn around and share a look with Stiles when I register that it was a girl passing out in the aisle from her seat. 

“Sydney! Are you alright?” Ms. Martin exclaims as she quickly walks down the aisle and helps her stand up.

Sydney nods and holds the side of her head with her reply “I’m okay. I just got kind of dizzy.”

Ms. Martin turns her arm to the side and attempts to whisper “Sydney, how long have you had this?”

Sydney’s wide eyes move from her arm and up to Ms. Martin as she whispers back “I don’t know.”

“Ms. Martin, do I need to stop the test?” the proxy creep asks, earning her to turn back to him and shake her head “No, um, it’s fine. Everybody stay in your seats. I’ll, um, be back in a minute” She mutters something else too quiet for me to hear which has my nerves stand on alert.

We all watch with worried eyes as she leaves quickly, and the proxy sits down, pulling out a magazine like he’s got all the time in the world.

I turn and face the other aisle towards Scott who shakes his head at my questioning face, whispering towards us “She said no one leaves the room” **_well that doesn’t sound promising_**

Stiles reaches forward and sets his hand on mine resting near the top of his desk and squeezes twice. 

I smile softly and squeeze my three back to him just before we hear Ms. Martin shouting in the hallway outside the closed door “No!– Do not come in here! Get back outside!”

We all share a look before we’re out of our seats in no time and heading out of the classroom door.

Stiles sets his hand on my waist when we get in the hallway and see Ms. Martin down at the end by the doors that she locks with a purpose **_why does it feel like she just protected other people from something that’s in here with us?_**

She brings the phone in her hand up in front of her as she addresses us in her teacher voice “Back to your seats now,” I look up to Stiles who licks his lips quickly before we start moving back inside with the rest of the students and she urges again “Please.”

Scott sets his hand on my shoulder when we walk past him and he reaches out to grab the handle, pulling the door closed after him.

Everyone slowly moves towards their seats, however I just move to lean back on my desk. 

I cross my arms over my chest as Stiles walks up and leans on my desk with me.

He sets his arm around me, resting his hand on my waist while we watch Scott walk over to us. 

However he stops his steps, furrowing his brows as he quickly looks behind him **_that’s never good_**

“Scotty?” I question softly and he looks back to me on his walk over to stand in front of Stiles and I “She’s getting ahold of the CDC.”

***

Ms. Martin opens the door at the end of the hall she previously locked and walks back over to the group of us waiting by the classroom door.

The doors at the end of the hallway open and a group of people in yellow hazmat suits, each carrying one of those big scientific briefcases you see in the movies with them, come walking into the school hallway.

They walk past our group and head down the other hallway, on their mission to turn a hallway into a decontamination area **_putting up the clear plastic tents, walkways and everything_**

We see other hazmat yellow people putting up plastic on the outside of the classroom windows **_shit’s getting real, what the hell are we dealing with?_**

Scott went with Ms. Martin, and one group of kids that are showing signs of illness of some sort, to figure out what’s going on.

Kira and Malia walk over to where I'm sitting on top of one of the desks in the front row with my feet resting on the desk to the side of mine that Stiles is sitting on top of as well, facing me with his legs dangling on either side of mine.

He scratches the side of his chin before he sets his hands on the sides of my thighs, moving his thumbs back and forth as he mumbles "Bet they're thinking smallpox"

The creepy proxy, who for some reason felt the need to stay in here with us and continue to be weird, counters back “Not likely. Smallpox was eradicated _worldwide_ in 1979.”

We all turn to look at him as he continues “We’ve only managed to completely eradicate two viruses in history. The other was rinderpest. It killed cows.”

Stiles makes a noise back towards him “So we should be comforted by that, right?”

Creepster moves his eyes from his desk and over towards us as he answers “Unless it’s something worse.”

My arm starts to itch and I scratch at it, stopping immediately when Stiles reaches forward with one hand to grab mine and move his worried eyes around me with his examination.

Malia crosses her arms and turns back to us from looking towards the window “Whatever it is, they’re taking it pretty seriously. There are a lot of cars and trucks out there– your dad’s with them.” 

Stiles scratches at his chest and gives me a reassuring squeeze, muttering “Hey, I should probably call him” before moving off the desk to go grab his phone from the envelopes we put them in earlier.

“Don’t bother,” comes the proxy reply as he looks up to Stiles and continues “They would have shut off any access to all outside communication by now. No cell service, no WiFi. No one starting a panic. Looks like we’re all just going to have to wait here and see what happens.”

I share a look with Malia and Kira before looking back to Stiles as he walks back over to us.

He sets his hands on my upper arms and leans forward to connect his eyes with mine “Hey, are you feeling okay?”

I shake my head and smile softly “Just a little claustrophobic and slightly on edge from the quarantine.”

“The banshee type of edge?” Malia questions softly and I move my eyes over to her slowly as I reluctantly nod ever so slightly.

Mr. Yukimura comes into the class and walks over to us after nodding towards the proxy who looks up from the magazine he’s reading.

Kira makes a noise towards her dad but he shakes his head and looks to me “Addy, Stiles– I need you both to come with me to have your blood drawn”

Stiles looks to me and back towards him “Why just–”

Mr. Yukimura smiles like he needs to tell us more but can’t and offers “Kira, you and Malia are lining up with another group down this hall, figured Addy would want to be near her brother right now.”

Getting his message loud and clear, I set my hand in Stiles’ outstretched one and hop off the desk before we follow him out of the classroom quickly.

Mr. Yukimura takes us into the locker room and we see Scott down the last row of lockers, leaning his shoulder against them.

I walk around in front of him and set my hands on his arms “Scotty?”

He flicks his eyes up to me and I gasp softly at seeing his Alpha reds looking back at me. His breathing is labored and his forehead is covered in sweat.

Stiles shakes his head as he comes up on my other side “Dude– what’s going on?”

Scott shakes his head “I can’t– I can’t control it–”

I look over to Stiles worriedly and back to Scott as I implore “Like on a full moon?”

I watch as Scott nods his head and I look over to Mr. Yukimura “We don’t have phones but we need to get Malia, whatever’s happening to him is more than likely going to happen to her too.”

He nods and moves toward the door, muttering he’ll go get the girls.

Stiles and I move Scott over to sit on a bench, he grunts with the effort of having to be moved and I kneel down in front of him, “Do you feel like you’re losing control on hurting anyone?”

He shakes his head and breathes out deeply “No, nothing like that– I just can’t turn back.”

Mr. Yukimura walks back in with Kira and Malia, who thankfully looks like she isn’t having trouble controlling her change at the moment.

Mr. Yukimura walks over and looks to Scott who raises his head and attempts to keep his Alpha reds at bay but they keep flashing. 

I shake my head and look over my shoulder to him, “It’s still happening”

Malia makes a noise and lifts her hands up, showing us her claws out fingers “I can’t make them go back.”

I stand up next to her and set my hand on her arm “Hey it’s okay, we’re going to figure this out.”

She smiles softly and nods before I turn back to the group and Mr Yukimura looks between them to digress “Obviously the virus is affecting the two of you in a way it won’t hit any human being.”

Stiles makes a noise and looks from me over to Scott “You guys have to stay out of sight. We have to quarantine you from the quarantine.”

Kira shakes her head and looks worriedly around at everyone “Yeah, but where? I mean, what if they get violent? Like on a full moon.”

“We shouldn’t stay in here. Not in the locker room,” Scott breathes out and Malia follows with a shake of her head “A classroom is not going to hold us”

“What about the basement?” Kira offers and I shake my head as I look over to her “Too many ways out. We need something secure, somewhere where nobody can find us.”

Stiles makes a noise as he narrows his eyes in thought “The vault”

I look quickly over to him and smile as I nod with his suggestion “The Hale vault.”

Scott nods as he stands up from the bench “The Hales always have an escape route. Like their house– there has to be another way in.”

***

Mr. Yukimura has us follow him to Coach’s office after he finds the blueprints of the school he had in his office to learn about the layout when he first got the job here.

I walk in behind Scott and Malia and feel a rush of uneasiness crash over me, dropping me to my knees as I try to breathe through the feeling.

Stiles drops down to a knee next to me, wrapping his arm around my back to help me stand up “Adds–”

Scott turns back around, almost falling in the process and Malia reaches out to stable him.

I shake my head at both of their questioning glances and clear my throat “I’m okay– just a little dizzy”

Mr. Yukimura turns back towards us and lays the map out on his desk as we all gather around to look with him. 

Kira holds one side down for him while Stiles holds the other.

I rest the side of my head on his shoulder, earning him to wrap his arm around my back before he points with his free hand at a spot on the map “This is where the school sign is, so the vault’s gotta be right about here.”

Mr Yukimura nods as he looks over the map “I suppose if there’s a second entrance, it would probably be accessible from the basement.”

Stiles nods and moves a step as he continues with his way of thinking, “It’s probably somewhere in this hallway. West corridor–” he stops his words as he falls against the desk, almost pulling me with him if not for Malia who reaches over to grab my side giving me time to set my hands on the desk. 

“Whoa–” Stiles mutters softly and pushes himself up from the desk as he takes in what just happened. 

He reaches his hand over towards me, however, Mr. Yukimura stops him as he lifts up Stiles’ jacket sleeve “It’s happening to you too. You’re getting sick.” 

He moves his eyes from Stiles’ arm that has the same red markings Sydney had and moves over to me looking behind my shoulder as he continues, “You all are.”

I furrow my brows at him and look as best as I can at my shoulder, seeing the same red mark behind it when Stiles sets his hand to turn me towards him.

I move my eyes up to Stiles, watching as he silently moves his worried eyes from my shoulder to connect his gaze with mine before he pulls me into his side.

I look over at Scott and Malia, seeing that they are sweating more, and both have purple bags under their eyes like they haven’t slept in a week.

Kira looks over at the four of us before looking back to her dad as she shakes her head “I don’t feel sick”

Mr Yukimura sets his hands on the desk as he digresses “I think it’s affecting you differently, neurologically. I found your test answers here in a pile with the others…” her dad pulls out a folded answer sheet from his pocket and shows Kira her answer bubbles **_that are filled in in spaces that aren’t actually the bubbles_**

***

Mr. Yukimura sends us on our way, closing the door behind us after making sure the coast is clear from anyone following or seeing us leave the hallway.

We rush down the stairs into the part of the basement that’s below where the school sign is outside. 

Moving around the space and checking everywhere on the walls we can see, I look behind me when I hear Stiles “Hey, guys… over here.”

I move over to him with Malia and Kira as him and Scott move the shelf rack over a few feet to reveal the part of the wall he saw.

Once they move it out of the way, Stiles walks back over and sets his hand on the design on the wall.

He points up at the wall and steps back towards me, “Look at the cracks in the wall. It’s like the entrance outside, it only opens with claws.”

Sharing a look with him I clear my throat as I look over to Scott “Anyone’s claws, right?”

Scott shakes his head ever so slightly **_because no, it’s only a Hale that can do this but we haven’t told her yet– yes we’re awful_**

Scott clears his throat and looks past us “Um… Malia, can you try?”

Malia furrows her brows and looks between us “Why me?”

Scott lifts his non claws out hands and shrugs, “I don’t have control.”

Malia shakes her head like it’s not a big deal “Okay. I’ll do it,” I can feel Scott’s relief from here however Malia pops that bubble when she continues “But first tell me what you’ve been hiding from me.”

I drop my mouth open slightly, grasping for straws at how to tell her this. 

Stiles and Scott look at each other before she lifts her arms out to her sides and looks between the three of us “I know you think you’re trying to protect me, but I can handle it,” I take a deep breath and look to Scott who licks his lips, looking like he’s about to clear the air, however she interrupts “I know I’m on the list.”

I tilt my head to the side with her words and figure that is true so I share a look with Scott who nods back to her with her suggestion “Yes…”

Malia nods before she questions “So how much?”

Stiles looks to me quickly as he mutters “How much what?”

“How much am I worth?” she clarifies and I clear my throat to answer “Umm four million.”

She looks over to me with my words before dropping her gaze to the ground between us.

Scott looks between us quickly before stepping towards her “Are you okay?”

Malia’s face clears from her furrowed brows and breathes out softly before pointing to us “Yeah– Scott and Addy are worth twenty five, Kira, six. They’ll take you guys out way before me.”

I blink quickly as I slightly jerk my head back with her reasoning, making a noise as she walks past me and heads over towards the wall **_true I guess, but damn girl_**

Scott chuckles while we all turn around to watch her unlock the vault door, whispering in relief towards us “That’s still progress.”

Stiles nods his head to the side as he pulls me into his side and we watch as Malia sets her claws in the gaps of the symbol lock.

She turns her hand to the left, hearing it click before turning to the right and pushing it into the wall after that click.

The stone makes a scraping noise before the wall slides opens to the left, revealing the massive vault in front of us.

Feeling sweat gather on my forehead and another wave of dizziness crash over me, I set my hand on the wall to try and keep upright as we take a step to walk inside.

Stiles moves closer and wraps his arm tighter around my waist “Hey– lean against me babe, I’ve got you”

I smile softly and breathe out through my shallow breaths as I look up at him “I don’t want to make you fall.”

Stiles jerks his head back as he scoffs lightly and stops our steps. He bends forward, moving his arm from my waist and up my back slightly as he sets his other arm behind my knees, lifting me up with ease **_muscle appreciation swoon_**

“What are you doing?” I breathe out as my head lulls onto his shoulder without much control from me.

I feel him kiss the top of my head, mumbling as he begins to walk again “I’m not as weak as you are right now besides, like I said I’ve got you.”

I smile and lift my hand over to rest on his chest in thanks as he moves us through the doorway behind Scott. 

As soon as we clear the door it slides closed behind us, which we all turn back to watch as it closes. 

Sharing a look of success, we move forward through the room to find as comfy of places as we can to relax and wait whatever this is out.

We find some blankets and Stiles sets me down so we can lay them out, Malia gets set up on one of them **_and falls asleep instantly it looks like_**

Scott sits down next to her and Kira moves to start pacing, which makes me tired just looking at her. 

Stiles grabs my arm and turns me towards him before he helps me sit down on the other side of Malia. Stiles moves to sit down next to me and pulls me closer to him.

Getting the hint, I chuckle softly as I move to sit in between his legs and lean my left side against his chest to face Malia and Scott.

Stiles brings one of his legs up for my back to rest against, while I rest my legs over his thigh of the leg that’s outstretched in front of him.

I lay my head on his chest and feel him rest the side of his head on mine as he wraps his arms around me “Are you cold?”

I shake my head and burrow into him “Just keep your arms around me please.”

I hear him chuckle softly before he increases his hold around me and whispers “Well that’s a given.”

Scott smiles softly over at us before I return the smile and close my eyes. I feel Stiles move his hand lightly against my arm as I bask in his comfort.

I hear Stiles’ deep rumble of his voice a few minutes later, “You know, this is where it all started. That’s where the money was. One hundred and seventeen million in bearer bonds.”

I open my eyes when I hear Kira question over by the shelves near the door “How do you even change bearer bonds into cash?”

Stiles shrugs and looks over to her “Bank, I guess. They just let it sit here the whole time collecting dust. You know bearer bonds are basically extinct?”

Kira shakes her head as she comes over to sit in front of Scott “Why does it matter?”

Stiles lifts his hand from me quickly to answer her “You know how many problems that money could solve?”

“For you?” Kira guesses and I feel Stiles nod when he sets his hand back on my arm “Me– my dad… the Eichen House and MRI bills are crushing him”

Scott looks sadly over to me as he rubs the side of his arm and states “Mom does this thing, she writes down all the items in our budget, and how much they cost, then she adds them all up and figures out how long we have until–”

“We lose the house” I softly finish for him, earning Stiles to look down to me sadly.

***

It’s been a few hours and Malia is definitely getting worse. Kira and I help her sit up while we kneel on either side of her.

Scott and Stiles walk towards the door to see if Scott can hear any of the happenings out there.

They lean against the door and I turn back to Malia’s quick breaths, smiling softly as I connect my eyes with hers “Just keep trying to keep your breaths slow and even okay?”

She nods but reaches out and sets her hands on my arm when I try to stand “Thank you for telling me about being on the list.”

Trying not to show on my face how much that gut punch hurt **_because what we’re actually still keeping from her,_** I smile softly and ignore Kira’s eyes as they swing my way and I reassure her “We weren’t keeping it from you to hurt you, I’m always going to try my hardest to protect you Mal– it’s my only stipulation to being my friend.”

She smiles with a nod and drops her hand so I can continue to get up. 

I share a sad smile with Kira before I get up and walk over to the guys **_I’m so done keeping this a secret_**

I’m in front of them as quickly as I can move and whispering once I have their eyes on me “We need to tell her the truth about Peter. She’s going to see the rest of the dead pool eventually and fuck it all if keeping this from her is still a good idea”

Scott looks over my shoulder towards her with a conflicted look on his face, earning Stiles to move closer to me “I know this sucks but guys, try to remember that Peter is the _one_ name missing on that list. Which either makes him incredibly lucky or the benefactor. She finds out about him she’s going to go to him, you know she is. And then he’s going to twist his way into her head like he does with everyone. Including us–”

Scott and I look over to him before he continues, tilting his head to the side as he moves his eyes between us “We let him walk around like _nothing_ ever happened, like he’s one of the good guys… Scott, he’s not one of the good guys. If she finds out about him, she’s gone. That’s probably what he’s waiting for and if he wins, we lose.”

“We’re already losing.” Scott states and lifts his hand up between us showing the black liquid **_that only shows up when his body can’t heal itself_** slowly running out of his cuticles and down his fingers.

“Scotty–” I whisper as I grab his hand and feel the ever familiar feeling of dread overcome my body.

Tears well in my eyes as I look up to him, he lifts one side of his mouth attempting to smile reassuringly as he nods towards me “How are you feeling?”

I shake my head as I quip back “The feeling like I’m about to pass out is lessening some, but–”

Stiles steps closer to me “But what?”

I move my eyes between them as I digress “This has to be another assassin because whatever this is, it’s affecting you and Malia more than us– and it’s killing you because I– I can feel you dying Scotty.”

Stiles licks his lips angrily and shakes his head “I’m going out there, I have to find a way to tell my dad or yours what this actually is–”

I nod towards him “I’m coming with you–”

“Uh no you’re not,” Stiles furrows his brows and turns to me like I’m insane as he continues “You’re still a top person of interest to someone in possession of that list, so yea no I won’t let you go out there with whatever new, scientifically crazy assassin we now have to deal with, Adds.”

I nod my head to the side and cross my arms over my chest “Okay and I hear you, however, I’m not going to just let you go out there on your own with the assassin either.”

Stiles looks to Scott and back to me quickly when Scott moves past us “Addy, this isn’t me not respecting your decision. This is _me_ asking you to please stay in this very safe protective vault from an assassin who doesn’t need to see that you aren’t affected in the same way as the other supernaturals on the list. I am not above begging to make sure you are safe, babe, _please_ stay here.”

Stiles reaches out and sets his hands on my arms furrowing his brows as he moves his hands up and down my arms “You’re freezing, here.”

“It’s just a fever, nothing serious” I grumble as he rolls his eyes and moves to take off his jacket. 

He lifts it up and sets it around my back, holding it up so I can put my arms through the sleeves.

I cross my arms and look up at him to set my terms if I’m staying here, “You– you have to come back to me. Okay, just because you’re not on the list doesn’t mean whoever this is doesn’t know _you_ are in our life and will be keeping us out of sight. You could be in just as much danger as we are for just being with _me_ , and if anything happens to you because of me–” I trail off as I drop my teary eyes to the floor and take a slow deep breath in.

Stiles increases his hold on my arms and whispers “Hey– show me your blues, Adds.”

I move my knee twice before I look up at him, seeing him lift one side of his mouth in a breathy chuckle. He sets his hands on my cheeks and softly pulls me closer until he presses his lips against mine.

I take a deep breath in through my nose as I uncross my arms and set them on his chest, savoring the sweet kiss and the unbelievable feeling of his lips on mine.

We pull apart slowly and with my eyes still closed I feel him rest his forehead against mine.

He moves his thumbs on my cheeks as I open my eyes and crash my gaze with his as I murmur just above a whisper “I love you and if you don’t come back, I will kick your ass Stilinski.”

His eyes crinkle in the corners as he smiles a bright smile with my words, “I love you and nothing will keep me from coming back to you McCall, literally nothing.”

He seals his words with a kiss to my forehead before he nods to Scott and walks over to the open door.

Crossing one arm in front of me and lifting the other to rest my hand against the side of my mouth, I smile sadly when he sends a wink my way and the door closes between us.

***

_Stiles POV_

After failing at finding Mr. Yukimura and figuring out from Ms. Martin that Coach was the only adult affected from today, I head to his office to figure out why.

I frantically search the room, the file cabinet, the storage rack, the top of the desk all with no luck in figuring out what the fuck was the source that affected everyone.

I slam the drawer in the top of the desk before I take a deep breath and try to come at this a different way.

I notice release of liability forms on his desk that are all stamped with red ink, however, each paper behind it the ink is fading until it’s no longer red but black ink. 

My eyes move from the papers to his coffee cup and I take notice of the black finger prints on the side of the mug. 

Instantly my mind remembers this morning when we all had to stamp our thumbs on a paper and the test proxy had an even more evil smirk in place when we were doing that.

Holy shit that’s how everyone got sick, only the kids because the adults didn’t record their thumb print.

It was him.

“I was wondering how that idiot got sick.”

Surprised to hear a voice I drop the mug as I stand up quickly, noticing the creepy proxy from earlier standing in the doorway. 

He smirks before he continues “I’m also wondering where your friends are. Since in order to get paid by the benefactor, I need to have proof they’re dead.”

Watching him attach a silencer to the end of his gun, tears gather in my eyes while I croak out “Visual confirmation.”

Pointing the gun my way he menacingly states “Exactly.”

He pushes me through the doorway into the locker room and has me walk in front of him as he continues “Still a bit feverish, Mr. Stilinski. But you should know something, the virus doesn’t kill humans, you’ll get better. So don’t you think you should tell me where they are? Shouldn’t one of you get to live?”

I stop my steps with his words, and lift one arm out to my side as I answer him without turning around “I think I saw them in the library. Or it might’ve been the cafeteria. It was definitely one of those two.”

“I know Addeline is your girlfriend, so I’m not stupid to think you’re not going to protect her, but she’s dying anyways– so I’m going to count to three, and then I’m going to kill you so the young love I witnessed today can continue to be together”

I feel my blood boil with his words and I turn around to face him, leveling him with my anger filled look “Think you can scare me?”

He raises his brows quickly “No, I think I can kill you. I just thought the countdown would make it more exciting.”

Lifting the gun to my forehead he continues, getting more impatient with each word he clips out “So… One… Two…”

Fighting off the adrenaline coursing through me and causing my body to shake with his countdown and knowing what’s coming, and finding peace in the fact that Addy will be safe from him– I close my eyes.

Waiting to hear him clip out three, I jump back when I hear a gunshot instead and let out a shocked gasp at the realization I wasn’t the one shot.

I open my eyes and widen them at seeing the now dead proxy with a bullet hole in his forehead and dead eyes staring back at me, before he collapses on the ground.

I move back a step and start spitting to clear his blood that sprayed on my face and into my mouth, as I watch someone in a yellow hazmat suit walk in from Coach’s office into the locker room with me.

They move to take off their hood and I see Addy’s dad staring back at me. 

I shake my head as I wipe my mouth and rush out through my shock at his perfect timing “Where the hell did you come from?”

He walks closer and sets his hand on my arm “Stiles, listen. I got a call from Melissa. I don’t know what it means. She said there’s an antidote. It’s in a vault, reishi mushrooms.”

Antidote.

Vault– they’re with the antidote.

I shake my head and look up to him “Wait, what is in a vault?”

Licking his lips quickly, Mr. McCall continues through his quick breaths “It’s in a jar on one of the shelves. She said to tell Scott, it’s in the vault.”

Hearing his words clear as day I nod and turn to run through the halls back towards the vault.

I lift my shirt up and wipe my face as best I can as I run down the last hallway to the stairwell. 

I rush down the steps and start yelling as soon as I see the door “Hey, Scott? Addy? In the vault, an antidote– it’s in there with you.”

I slam my hands on the door as I continue yelling, hoping with every fiber of my being I’m not too late “It’s called reishi mushrooms. Scott? Scott, open the door! It’s in there with you. It’s in a jar, it’s on one of the shelves. Scott! Addy, can you hear me?”

I let out a scream of frustration at not knowing if they can hear me as I continue to hit the wall and push the side, trying to get it to open– though knowing I never will get it open on this side.

I slide my back down the wall, feeling tears gather in my eyes as I smack the back of my head against the wall in aggravation.

***

_Addy POV_

Malia, Scott and Kira all lost their sight since Stiles left and I’m trying to keep each of them calm and as comfortable as I can, even though my nerves are screaming **_I know they’re dying and there isn’t anything I can do_**

Malia and Scott have black veins around their mouths, eyes, and the sides of their heads as they continue to get worse.

Kira is laying down next to Malia and I use Scott’s jacket to cover Malia who was still only in a tank top and getting colder to the touch **_it’s not much but at least it’s something_**

Scott crashes against the wall of the door and I quickly walk over to him setting my hands on his biceps to keep him upright “what is it Scotty?

“Stiles– he’s” Scott pants out before he falls forward and I make a noise as I attempt to catch him and move with him to the ground as softly as I can.

I lay him back against the wall and set my ear to the door as I try to listen to what Stiles is shouting.

Hearing bits and pieces of him mentioning Reishi and jars I turn around with a gasp and move towards the shelves Kira was looking at earlier.

I move around the shelves quickly, seeing a jar with something similar to what Kira brought her dad when Void had infected him with that fly.

Scott croaks out “Addy–” and I turn around to see him with his Alpha reds shining brightly. 

He nods towards the jar and pants out “That’s it– Addy smash– smash the–”

I look at the jar and don’t waste a second before I bring it above my head and quickly drop it down to the ground. 

It smashes into pieces and purple dust flies out and around between the three of them.

They all take deep inhales and gasps as the apparent magic mushrooms do their thing.

I run back over to the door and open it, Scott falls out through the doorway on his hands and knees while Stiles turns around from his sit against the door, moving his wide eyes between us when I kneel next to Scotty in front of him.

Stiles reaches out to set one hand on the side of my face and the other on Scott’s shoulder, letting out a relieved breath at seeing us.

I smile softly, however I feel tears well in my eyes as I look him over “Why the fuck are you covered in blood?”

Stiles licks his lips and shakes his head quickly to offer lightly “It’s umm– it’s not mine?”

Scott chuckles as I narrow my eyes and Stiles huffs before he tilts his head to the side, “It was the proxy, he was the assassin and got everyone sick with the ink pad we used for our fingerprints earlier– I figured it out just about when he found me in Coach’s office. He wasn’t too happy with your location being a secret to affect his visual confirmation, but your guys’ dad– he, well he saved me and delivered the message from your mom about the mushrooms.”

Gasping softly, I move forward and wrap my arms around his neck after hearing his words. 

I hear him make a noise with my action, as I shove my face in the crook of his neck and feel him wrap his arms around my waist.

Scott mutters “Thanks man” and I feel Stiles nod before Scott walks off.

Stiles increases his hold on me and I hear him try to lighten the mood “I told you nothing was keeping me from coming back to you.”

I lift my head from his neck and shake it softly as I set my hand against his cheek “That was too close babe, even you can’t deny that.”

Stiles leans into my hand before he lifts one side of his mouth with a small smile as he whispers “Yea” and leans forward to kiss my forehead.

He moves back to help me stand up and we walk back in the vault to check on the others.

“Malia?” I hear Scott mutter, bringing my eyes over to her as she stands up with tears in her eyes and looks over to us **_she knows, how does she know?_**

She walks past Scott who calls after her again, not paying him any attention before she walks past us and I reach out to her “Hey, Malia?”

She stops her steps, moving her betrayed eyes to me quickly before she hands me a piece of paper without saying a word and continues walking out of the vault.

I look up to Stiles and unfold the paper, already knowing what it is.

Stiles points to the printed out sheet of the last of the dead pool list with ‘Malia Hale’ right there clear as day “How did she get this?”

I shake my head and my eyes land on Scott’s jacket, I make a noise and turn to him “This was in your jacket pocket?”

Scott widens his eyes and nods “Yea– I wanted to figure out who the rest of the names were…”

I let out a deep sigh as I close my eyes and fold the paper back up.

Opening my eyes, I shake my head as I feel tears gather in my eyes with hurting my friend “This is my fault, I gave her your jacket. I–”

Stiles makes a noise of disagreement while Scott walks over and shakes his head “No, we should have told her a long time ago. This isn’t on you Addy– I should have told her.”

No– we all should have told her, this is on all of us.


	56. Time of Death

“He’s retelling seeing Simon with the gun aimed at Stiles” I hear Scott mutter next to me as we wait outside of Dad’s office.

I close my eyes with his words and try not to freak out with knowing just how close I was to losing him tonight **_it was ridiculously close, despite his jokes to make the situation lighter_**

Scott lifts his arm that’s next to me and wraps it around my back, pulling me closer to his side. 

I rest my head on his shoulder and open my eyes, looking towards the closed office door.

Dad had asked Scott and I if we would come with him to the station to talk to us after he recorded his statement and had to put his gun and bullets into evidence bags **_since he had to use them on someone tonight_**

Dad opens the door a few seconds after Scott says he stopped the recording tape and looks to us with a soft smile “Thanks for waiting kids– I know it’s late”

We return the smile as we push up from the desk we were sitting back on and I shrug “It’s okay,” Scott nods and continues “It’s not like we’re going to be going to school tomorrow anyway.”

Dad smiles with a soft nod before he sighs and looks between us “Well unfortunately, I’m going to have to drive back to San Francisco tonight. I’ll need to do a review at the field office– but I’ll be back as soon as I can… I might have to miss the first game of the season”

Scott shakes his head, offering lightly to reassure him “It’s no big deal.”

Dad argues back quickly “It is to me. I’m keeping my promises this time.”

I smile softly and offer him a look to say we believe him **_and we do, he’s been really trying these last few months_**

Dad shifts on his feet, causing the bags in his hands to crinkle and my eyes drop to them, he notices and looks between us “What I did, it was necessary– justifiable. You both know that, right?”

I immediately flick my eyes up to him quickly and nod “Of course we know that. I’m sorry you had to go to the lengths that you did to stop that guy, but dad– you saved Stiles.”

Offering a grateful look with my words, he nods once before Scott clears his throat “Have you done it before?”

Dad nods and looks between us while he answers “Two other times. It’s not easy, taking a man’s life, even someone who forces you to do it.”

“How do you deal with it?” I ask softly, earning him to nod his head to the side, “You look at it logically. Without emotion. You compartmentalize.”

Nodding with his words, Scott continues the questioning “How do you do that?”

Raising his brows, dad laughs once “I used to do it by drinking.”

I make a face of understanding before Dad reaches forward and wraps each of his arms around us, pulling us in for a group hug.

We return the hug before he pulls away and sets one hand on the side of my face and the other on Scott’s shoulder offering a smile that we return before he drops his hands from us.

Dad goes to step back before turning back to us quickly “Oh– one more thing. When I do come back, we have to talk about some stuff,” I raise my brows with my silent question as he moves his eyes between Scott and I, continuing in his Fed voice “You guys and your friends, the way you guys handle things, it doesn’t seem to faze you like it should. It’s like you guys know something I don’t. When I come back, I’d like to be in the know.” **_not as oblivious as we were hoping, greeeeeeat_**

I try to clear my face of any guilt and offer him a nod, because maybe he should know **_that’s future Scott and Addy’s problem to figure out though_**

I see Scott do the same from my periph before Dad nods and holds out his arm for us to follow him out of the office.

***

The next morning, we begin our plan of finding out who the fuck the benefactor is by having Kira and Liam meet Stiles, Scott and I at our house.

Stiles and I have our laptops already out on the table and wait for Liam to set his on the table as well.

Kira looks around and over to us “Is three enough?”

Stiles shrugs “Depends on how many cameras they have– but I think so.”

Liam nervously looks over between Scott and I as he questions “Are we really doing this?”

“We’re doing it,” I answer as Scott confirms with a nod “Tonight.”

Liam shakes his head with his obvious nerves “But isn’t it kind of dangerous?”

Stiles scoffs as he quips back “It’s incredibly dangerous– and borderline idiotic.” **_aka just another Monday in Beacon Hills_**

Liam raises his hands slightly off the table “Have you guys done something like this before?”

Stiles narrows his eyes as he shares a look with me and looks over to Liam with his question “Something dangerous, or something idiotic?”

Kira nods her head to the side as she looks from us and over to Liam “I think it’s a yes to both.”

Scott notices how nervous he looks and leans forward to gain his attention “You don’t have to be part of it if you don’t want to.”

Liam straightens his shoulders to argue back “I’m not scared.”

Stiles reaches his arm out to slap his hand on Liam’s shoulder “Then you’re borderline idiotic” he states with a lighter tone and a wink **_fuck, I love him_**

Stiles steps back next to me, setting his hand on my waist and I wrap my arm around his lower back as he looks to Scott and continues “If we do this, we don’t know what’s coming for us. You know that, right?”

Kira shakes her head across the table from us “How do we even know something’s definitely coming?”

I tilt my head to the side “Because the tape from Garrett’s bag said visual confirmation required.”

Stiles grips my side as he elaborates “Simon said the same thing. He couldn’t get paid by the benefactor until he had proof that you guys were dead.”

Scott looks from us and over to Kira and Liam “So the idea is, what if you kill someone on the dead pool, but you can’t send the proof?”

“You don’t get paid” Kira fills in before Liam shakes head “But how does that get us any closer to the benefactor?”

I look over to him and shrug “The benefactor still needs to know if the target is really dead.”

Stiles lifts his other hand from the table to go with his words “Especially if it’s someone high on the list.”

Catching on to what we’re getting at Liam nods “So, if he wants visual confirmation…”

Scott smirks, adding “He’s going to have to come get it himself.”

***

So borderline idiotic plan is to stop Scott’s heart to a barely there pulse with Kira’s badass thunder kitsune power and the guidance of her mother.

Once he’s ‘dead’ we call an ambulance and get him to the hospital, where mom will theatrically confirm he’s dead **_she loved her drama class in school_**

There will be nothing to leave any question to whoever the benefactor is that Scott’s really dead. 

Chris will be acting as our assassin and will send a message that visual confirmation can’t be acquired– meaning the benefactor will need to see it for themselves **_well that’s the hope anyways_**

Stiles and I are waiting in Scott’s room with Kira and Liam while we wait for Noshiko to arrive. 

My nerves are on fire and trying to tell them that it’s all apart of the plan, is doing nothing to help them calm down.

They know death is coming and it’s frankly not helping the situation be any less stressful. 

I can feel Liam’s scared and it’s just fueling my uneasiness… so I start pacing.

Scott follows me with his eyes before he sits up on his forearms “Addy–”

I shake my head and set my hands on my hips as I turn back to him “No, okay just no– let me do this instead.”

“No!” Comes the quick reply from both Stiles and Scott who stands up from the bed to stand in solidarity with his friend and their decision **_fucking overprotective men_**

I scoff and look between them “Scott you’ve already done this before, okay you cheating death twice just screams all sorts of bad. You wouldn’t let me sacrifice myself for mom, so it’s only right that I do this instead of you now.”

Stiles shakes his head “Yea no we aren’t having this conversation– you want to put yourself in front of changing werewolves with no control and assassins with thermo wires, fine but I’m not watching you borderline die tonight Adds. I didn’t get a say in your sacrifice offer but I feel like I should get a say in this.”

Swinging my eyes from Scott over to him, I draw my brows in sadly “I stayed in the vault– let me do this, it’s called compromise Sty.”

Raising his arms out to his sides, he tries to argue “Addy, this is on a whole nother level of different!”

I shake my head “You think I don’t know that? I can’t even _describe_ the feeling that is coursing through my veins right now, I do know that it’s worse than what I felt with Allison. Okay? You guys can’t watch me die– what do you think this is going to do to me to basically watch and feel _you_ dance with death, Scotty?”

I swing my sad eyes over to him and continue, “We are the _same_ price on this list, you can’t even argue that it doesn’t make sense for me to do this instead of you.”

Scott shakes his head to mutter softly “Addy, you’re missing one key difference between us though– I can heal, you can’t.”

Stiles points to Scott like that is a cased closed argument, earning me to roll my eyes and counter back “This isn’t you having to heal yourself though– you’re getting your heart stopped and jump started with thunder fox power, I could easily do that as well.” 

I look to Kira, who nods her head to the side, however a new voice chimes in behind me, “You are not wrong Addy, however Scott is right in this instance,”

I turn around with Noshiko’s words as she walks farther into the room to stand in front of me and continues “The effect that this will have on the heart can be corrected with the same kitsune power. However, as brave and pure as your heart may be, I would only advise this reckless decision to be done with the heart of an Alpha.”

Noshiko sets her hand on my shoulder, offering a gentle squeeze to go with her words “It is honorable that you would take your brother’s place, don’t let what needs to be done here tonight take that spark from you.”

I swallow hard with her words before I nod towards her, she smiles sadly and walks over to the other side of Scott’s bed.

Scott walks over and wraps his arms around me, laying the side of his head on top of mine “I love you, you stubborn pain in my ass.”

I snort and return his hug “I love you, you just as stubborn and bigger pain in my ass.”

We pull apart and he kisses my temple before he walks over to lay back on his bed.

I clear my throat as Stiles walks up beside me, setting his hand on my side before he nods to the door “We should go get situated at the hospital.”

Taking a deep breath in, I look up at him. I expect to see anger **_which he has every right to feel_** however all I see is understanding in his eyes.

I smile softly, muttering “Yea” before I walk with him to the door and grab my bag with all of our computers.

Looking over my shoulder one last time at Scott, he sends me a reassuring look and slight nod, that I return before walking down the hall towards the stairs with Stiles.

We get to the jeep and Stiles moves to open the passenger door for me, however, he just lays his open palm on the door.

I close my eyes and take a quick breath in before I open my eyes and look up at him “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for constantly offering to do things that I know you won’t like, but what am I supposed to do? Sit back and just let Scott continue to risk his life for whatever new threat we’re dealing with? I have every ounce of faith that Kira and her mom will be able to bring him back, so why would it be so crazy for me to offer to do that in his place? Especially with me being in his place means he’d be here to help with getting the benefactor when they show up?”

Stiles doesn’t say anything with my rambling, just lifts one side of his mouth in a soft smile as he tilts his head to the side and moves his eyes around my face.

Even though I’ve grown to swoon at the look he’s currently sporting as he looks at me, when I’m in the middle of rambling it just makes me let out a huff with a slight shake of my head “What?”

Licking his lips quickly, Stiles reaches over and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear as he states confidently “Your bravery and how fiercely you want to protect people– people who have a supernatural ability to heal might I add– is one of the reasons I continue to fall in love with you every day, Adds. Yes I fucking hate you offering to basically die, but I respect the hell out of your reasonings. I would have done the same thing if I was on the list to keep _you_ safe,” he sets his hands on my face, cupping my cheeks in his hands as he goes on “You talked about compromise, so all I ask is that before you make these offers– maybe just throw them by me?” He states lightly with a slight shrug, earning a soft chuckle from me before he continues “We’re in this together babe and I’ll be standing by your side more times than I’m standing in front of you to stop you.”

Lifting my arms up and around his neck as I feel him slide his hands down my sides until they rest on each side of my waist and I push up on my toes muttering “Deal” before connecting our lips and pushing all of my love for him into the kiss.

***

Mom’s screams and cries of agony fill the halls as she is told by the physician who called time of death on Scott– Liam’s dad as it so happened to work out– that Scott is dead.

Once Scott is moved into the morgue and laying on one of the cadaver pull out drawers, Stiles, Liam, Kira, her mom and I sneak into the room and wait for mom.

She comes in a few minutes later, wiping her face and calming her breathing from her Oscar worthy performance to the bystanders as she learned of her son’s death.

She walks up next to me and Stiles on one side of Scotty, Noshiko by his head and Kira and Liam on his other side.

She looks to me and shakes her head “I still hate this plan. I mean this is pretty significantly terrifyingly,” reaching up to wipe under her eye, she points to him as her voice breaks “He looks dead.”

I set my hand on her shoulder and Noshiko holds out hers to mom “Give me your hand–”

Mom draws her brows in as she looks over to us, I smile softly and Stiles reaches behind me to also set his hand on her back as he nods forward to reassure her “It’s okay.”

Mom nods before she slowly reaches across Scott to give her hand to Noshiko, who smiles softly and sets mom’s hand on his chest “Wait for it.”

Waiting a few seconds, we hear mom breathe a sigh of relief as she moves her eyes over Scott’s face “Is that enough to keep a werewolf alive?”

Noshiko looks to me quickly and back over to mom as she clarifies “Enough for an Alpha.”

“How much time do we have?” Mom gets all business again and I clear my throat “Forty five minutes, mom.”

Looking over her shoulder at me quickly, she asks the room “What happens after that?”

Kira shifts on her feet, gaining mom’s eyes as she answers “I bring him back the same way–”

Mom makes a noise and moves her eyes between Stiles and I before looking over to the Yukimura’s “No, I mean what happens if he stays like this _longer_ than forty five minutes?”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I look down and feel Stiles set his hand on my back when Noshiko looks around at the four of us “No one’s told her?”

Having no patience, mom asks again “What? What happens after forty five minutes?”

Noshiko flicks her eyes to me before they land on mom and she digress “He dies.”

***

Stiles and I head downstairs to the basement level of the hospital to meet Chris, using his computer and IP we will send our message to the benefactor that Scott is dead.

Chris types out ‘Scott McCall dead. Payment is requested’ before hitting enter.

Stiles makes a noise and points to the screen “ _That’s_ your assassin speak?”

Sharing a look with me, that I snicker into Stiles’ shoulder with, Chris looks back to Stiles with a flick of his hand towards the screen “I said he’s dead. What more do you want?”

Stiles lifts his hands up “It was a little dry. You could’ve said something like, ‘Target has been neutralized. The crow flies at midnight.’ You know– that’s always cool.”

Moving my lips between my teeth to hide my smile, Chris’ brow twitches as he makes a “Hmm” noise looking between us.

The computer beeps with an incoming message, gaining us to look over to the screen ‘visual confirmation is required’

Chris moves to type at the same time as Stiles and they both stand up looking at each other. 

Chris nods to the computer for Stiles to type what he orders “Type this, ‘Visual confirmation isn’t possible. Police coming to claim body in forty minutes’.”

The computer beeps again with another message ‘visual confirmation is required for payment’ **_listen here benefactor we’re trying to trap you, work with us_**

Chris huffs and continues “Tell him ‘number one on the list is dead. I killed him. And if the wire transfer isn’t completed in forty minutes’…”

Chris reaches over for the computer and finishes his message on his own ‘I’m coming for you’.

***

Stiles and I head back upstairs to the room mom got us set up to use with Kira, Liam and our laptops, while Chris heads up to the roof to hijack the hospital’s security cameras for us.

Stiles’ phone rings with Chris’ contact info popping up before he answers the phone.

We hear Chris’ voice “I’m here. You ready? Try it now” before Stiles nods to me and I reach forward and hit the enter key on my laptop.

As soon as I do, all three of the screens light up with the live feed from twelve cameras throughout the halls of the hospital **_holy shit, it worked_**

Sharing a triumphant look with Stiles, we breathe out a sigh of relief as we watch the cameras and the plan so far going the way we need it to be.

Chris is waiting down one of the hallways from the front doors near the morgue, while mom and Noshiko are waiting in a car outside watching the doors.

Staring at all of the screens for about ten minutes, I huff as I look at the countdown timer on my phone **_twenty eight minutes left and nothing so far_**

I set my phone on the bed and Stiles smiles softly as he wraps his arm around my back. 

Liam makes a noise and points to his computer next to mine “Addy, is that supposed to look like that?”

Stiles and I shift closer and he shakes his head as we take in one of the four window screens glitching before it goes completely black “No. No, it’s not.”

Kira looks around at the screen as well as she questions “Where is that?”

I narrow my eyes at the computer screen before I answer her “It’s the roof– someone’s gonna have to check it out”

Kira moves over to her bag as she states without hesitation “I’ll go.”

Stiles lifts his hand up to the screen “Whoa, whoa– this might not just be a malfunction.”

Turning back to us, she lifts up her katana and states strongly “That’s why I’m bringing this” before turning towards the door with Liam following right behind her “I’m coming with you.”

Stiles scoffs and calls out after them “Okay– and you’re both coming _right_ back. Immediately.”

Looking down to me he sighs and shakes his head before looking back to the computer “Kids.”

I snort and turn into his side, wrapping my arms around his waist “It’s okay old man– they’ll be fine.”

Feigning mock hurt, he wraps his other arm around my back and pulls me into his chest “Careful now– that makes you my old lady.”

I set my chin on his chest and smirk with a raise of my brow up towards him “Doesn’t sound so bad.”

Stiles releases a breathy chuckle before he drops his head forward and kisses me softly, the power going out in a loud power down surge has us pulling away with furrowed brows.

“Well that’s never good” I grumble as we turn our heads to look at the black computer screens.

Stiles tightens his arms around me in a quick squeeze before he nods to the door “Let’s go find Chris.”

Stiles links hand with mine as we walk out the door and head down the hall on our search to find Chris and let him know what’s happening.

Coming around the corner near the morgue where Chris was on watch, we see his back and then the end of his gun as he quickly turns and points it our way.

Stiles quickly steps in front of me with his arms raised, until recognition flashes across Chris’ face and he lowers the gun with a look of apology between us.

Stiles lets out a shaky breath before he digresses “The power’s out in the whole building. We lost all the cameras.”

Nodding his head towards the door Chris orders “You guys stay with Scott. Text me if you see or hear anything.”

He pulls up the countdown on his watch and we see the screen with eighteen minutes left. 

We all share a look knowing the time limit we are even more on now, before he turns and walks down the hallway while Stiles and I head into the morgue.

***

Stiles and I hear the sounds of definite people fighting outside of the doors, so he brings his phone up as he calls Chris.

He starts pacing back and forth as he waits for the call to connect, setting one hand on his hip and the other out to his side as he grumbles “Come on, come on. Answer the phone. Answer the phone, Argent. Come on, Chris, answer the phone. Why are you not answering the phone?”

Stiles’ question is answered by the double doors flying open with a body flying through and landing near our feet, causing us to jump back a step.

Looking down we see Chris as he lands on the ground with a grunt, looking up at us “Addy, Stiles run! Stiles, get her of here!”

Moving our eyes from him and over to the door when someone else walks in, I widen my eyes at seeing Kate standing in front of us “Get out of the way, kids. I’m taking the body” **_yea that’s a no_**

Chris stands up and comes closer to stand in front of us defensively as Stiles grabs my arm and pulls me closer to him, tilting his head to the side to ask her “Why? Visual confirmation?”

Kate smirks and looks between us as she takes a few steps closer to us with her words “Don’t worry, handsome. I’m not the benefactor.”

I shake my head and connect my eyes with hers over Chris’ shoulder “Then what do you want with the body?”

Looking from me to her brother she sighs “I wish I could tell you.”

Chris quickly steps closer to her and blocks her hand coming at him to put a gun under her jaw. 

Kate grunts before she mutters “I always forget you carry two.”

Chris angrily clips out towards her “Back off!”

Kate smirks as she taunts him “You sure you can pull the trigger fast enough?”

“I don’t want to,” Chris counters before Kate shakes her head at him “You’re not going to kill me.”

Pulling her closer to him, Chris shouts back “I’m not going to let you take his body!”

I grab Stiles’ arm as he shifts on his feet and tries to defuse the situation in front of us “Okay, well, obviously, you guys have a lot to talk about, so, maybe I saw some coffee, a vending machine outside–”

Chris ignores him and continues “Listen to me, Kate. We have a plan–”

Not wavering her eyes from him, Kate states “If killing Scott was part of it, you’re worse off than me.”

Stiles takes a quick breath in before looking over Chris’ shoulder to gain her attention “He’s telling the truth. We’re trying to get to the benefactor.”

“If you didn’t notice, you’re on that list too. And you’re worth more than most,” Chris tries, earning Kate to grit out through clenched teeth “That’s why I’m here.”

I step closer to them noticing Chris’ watch **_three minutes left_** and add my own anger filled demand to her “Then please back off and let us do what we planned.”

Kate and Chris look to the watch as well and Chris pleads to his sister “Take the Berserkers, and go. Kate, please. We have a plan.”

***

Kate listened, miraculously, and called off her berserkers– leaving Kira, who was fighting one on the roof, free to come and meet us in the morgue, running inside the room with just fifteen seconds left.

We already had Scott’s cadaver table pulled out while we waited for her and Kira places her hand over his chest, closing her eyes as we watch electricity flow from her hands and across his chest.

I lift my hand over my mouth while Stiles sets his arm around me and we wait for Scott to wake up.

The timer sounds on my phone and Chris’ watch just as Scott yells as he sits up on his arms on the table with a deep gasp of air.

We all take a collective breath of relief as he wakes up and looks around at us all. 

Kira sets her hands on either side of his face, smiling with her relief before she bends forward and kisses him softly.

She pulls away and Scott moves his eyes between hers “What happened? Did it work?”

Kira moves her tear filled eyes over to mine as Scott looks over to Stiles and I, with our faces full of regret that no one showed up to get the visual confirmation.

Liam runs through the doors, preventing us from saying anything.

Noticing his sad eyes on Kira’s back, I sniffle softly and shake my head towards him “What is it Liam?”

Liam swallows thickly before he digresses “It’s your mother Kira… she’s hurt.”

***

They loaded up Kira’s mom in a helicopter to take her to a hospital in Palo Alto where they haven’t lost power because of a back from the dead were-cheetah and her berserkers who are hell bent on ruining every plan we ever come up with.

Kira is going to go with her mom, and make sure she stays safe since she’s still on the dead pool list **_not a bad idea, and hopefully they’ll both be safe in another city_**

After giving her a quick hug before her and Scott head over to her car, I turn around and smile softly at seeing Stiles already having his arms open for me to walk into.

Wrapping his arms around my waist as I lay my head on his chest, I hear him clear his throat “I’m sure you’re tired, want me to take you home?”

I shake my head and pull back slightly, keeping my arms around him “Can I stay with you?”

Stiles lets out a quick breath through his nose with his soft smile “Yea of course– literally anytime.”

I chuckle as we move towards the jeep and Stiles opens the door for me, however I stop my jump up into the seat when my phone rings.

Seeing Lydia’s contact info, I turn and lean against the door frame as I answer the call “Hey Lyds–”

“I would love to know how the plan worked, if it worked and what our next step is– but you need to see something first.”

I connect my eyes with Stiles’ question filled ones before I laugh lightly and mutter “Okay all ears” 

I hold the phone out in between us as I set it on speaker phone and Lydia’s voice fills the area around us “Okay so I ran into my mom at the lake house, she was telling me all this stuff about my grandma– how she was in Eichen because she heard voices, _voices_ Addy! They commited her because she was a banshee.”

“Holy shit, that’s–” I attempt, however Lyds is right there to continue “Insane right? There’s more, my grandma told my mom before she died that she wanted me to spread her ashes at the lake when I turned eighteen. My mom gave me her urn since I’m almost eighteen, however her ashes weren’t in the urn– guys it was filled with mountain ash. The whole boat house is made of mountain ash actually which is its own set of weird. Anyways, my mom had a box of my grandma’s things and we were looking through it, we found the last thing she wrote down– it was code, as in the dead pool code you wrote Addy. I’m not even convinced at this point that my grandmother isn’t alive and actually the benefactor” Lydia grumbles through the phone.

I make a face and share a look with Stiles before I clear my throat “Well funny enough, Stiles and I were actually talking about who we think the benefactor is. The plan didn’t work in the sense that it should have because no one showed up, but it actually gave us an idea. I mean who has the power to know when someone’s dead, but doesn’t need to see the body to _know_ it happened?”

“A banshee” Lydia whispers through the phone and I nod “I’m not saying it’s your grandma Lyds, but who knows who else is a banshee and we just haven’t met them yet.”

“Right, that makes sense– oh that reminds me of something else I found, Addy my grandma knew Meredith. She has a picture and everything with her– here sending it to you now…”

My phone lights up with the photo message and I click on it, though my mouth drops open at seeing the picture **_and not just Meredith in it_**

I gasp softly and Stiles looks up to me “Adds? Babe, what is it?”

“Addy? Did it go through?” Lydia adds her own question and I clear my throat “Yea, yea it did– Lyds, umm who’s in the photo with Meredith?”

“Oh that’s my grandma Lorraine and on the other side of her is my grandma’s sister– they were twins I guess, they don’t look anything alike do they?” she chuckles as I lift my shock filled eyes up to Stiles **_fraternal twins usually don’t_**

He shakes his head slightly with his silent question, before I clear my throat again and croak out “Lyds the lady next to your grandma… that’s– that’s _my_ Grandma Elenor.”


	57. Perishable

Stiles and I head back into the hospital to talk to mom after Lydia just threw the biggest curve ball of my seventeen and a half years of existence **_this tops being a banshee which I thought was going to be number one forever_**

Lyds was going to ask her mom if she knew anything about this new development and then head home from the lake house to meet us at the station to talk to Noah.

Spotting mom at the nurse’s station filling out paperwork, I set my hand on her arm softly “Mom… are– are you busy?”

Moving her eyes between Stiles and I, mom smiles and shakes her head with her answer “No– no not really, honey what is it?”

I scrunch my mouth to the side before I take a deep breath and rip off the bandaid “I know you and grandma didn’t have the greatest relationship, but did you know about any siblings she may have had– specifically a sister?”

A look crosses over her face, before she nods her head to the side of the hallway and has us follow her into an unoccupied room.

Stiles closes the door and it’s silent for a moment before mom sets her hands on her waist and turns around to face us.

She smiles softly when her eyes land on me “Sweetheart, I will tell you anything you want to know– most is still a mystery, why your grandmother checked herself into Eichen and more importantly why she died a year later. Eichen took care of everything after she died, but I received a call a few months after she passed that some of her belongings were found with her sister after she too had passed.”

Mom licks her lips quickly and looks down to the ground quickly to take a moment. 

She lifts her head and I feel Stiles step closer to wrap his arm around my back, resting his hand on my waist as she continues softly “I didn’t– I never knew she had a sister, let alone a twin. The only thing I was able to find was her name, Lorraine, on some pictures with Elenor’s things. I was told Elenor checked herself into Eichen because the voices told her she’d be safe.” **_voices– grandma was a banshee too_**

Mom shrugs and continues, “After I had you and your brother, your grandmother was around for a little while, she stayed with us one summer when you were little. You were her own Rapunzel as she called you because of your long blonde hair she gifted you with.”

She adds with a soft chuckle that I return as I smile sadly with tears slowly gathering in my eyes at the vague memory of that nickname, and my time with grandma Elenor while mom was finishing up school.

Mom shakes her head and continues “After I got hired at the hospital here, I didn’t really continue to have contact with your grandmother. She had started to become distant from all of us and had left to San Francisco to help a friend with a case study as she called it. When I finally figured out she wasn’t in San Francisco anymore and was actually in Eichen– she didn’t want to see me. She didn’t want me to see her there, she didn’t want you or your brother to see her there. She refused any visits or questions as to why she was there.”

Tears gather in moms eyes before her voice cracks “I pushed down the guilt from trying to get through to her so I could focus on you kids, work, and of course the state your father was in– but I should of tried harder, she died feeling so alone.”

I sniffle quickly and step closer to mom, setting my hands on her upper arms “Mom, grandma made her own choices. She at least had her sister in that place for some of the time, she may not have been as alone as you think. You don’t have anything to feel guilty about, grandma didn’t want visitors or you seeing her– there wasn’t anything you could have done different. I remember we still wrote to her and drove to visit her when we could.”

“You remember that?” Mom draws her brows in with her disbelief.

I nod with a slight shrug “I remember that drive and going to the bakery on our way home to get those amazing cookies I still demand on my birthday now. Now I know where we were always going, even if Scott and I didn’t get out of the car when you walked up to the gate. We may never know why she chose to isolate herself from us, I mean her being a banshee was probably the–”

“You think grandma was a banshee too?” Mom shakes her head slightly as she interrupts my words.

I shrug a shoulder and look to Stiles quickly before looking back at her “She heard voices and checked herself into Eichen– mom, Lorraine was also a banshee who did the same thing. Which we just learned because… she was also Lydia’s grandmother.”

Shock completely overcomes mom’s features before she furrows her brows “I’m sorry, Lydia’s grandmother was _my_ mother’s twin sister? Are you sure?”

I nod and hear Stiles clear his throat as he walks up next to me “Yea, Lydia just called Adds and sent her a picture of them together. I’m guessing she was the ‘friend’ Elenor went to visit in San Francisco.”

Mom looks between us and shakes her head “I don’t understand, why would they keep each other a secret from their kids? I have a cousin– you and Scott, you’re Lydia’s cousins? How–”

I chuckle lightly as I nod “Yes, and her dad is your cousin. I guess he never had a great relationship with his mother either. She was just like grandma, she became even more distant after she got a job in San Francisco. There’s more to the story that Lydia is going to fill us in on when she gets here. I do know Lorraine was checked into Eichen after something of the banshee category happened, however she allowed Natalie to visit her. She actually had a decent relationship with her I guess before she died. Why they kept everyone a secret, we’re not sure. Lydia’s coming home from the lake house so we can figure some things out hopefully.”

The room is silent as mom processes everything before my phone dings with a message.

Pulling out my phone from my pocket, I see a message from Lydia and that she’s almost to the city.

“We have to go mom, I’m sorry for dragging this all up again I just–”

Mom shakes her head and sets her hands on my upper arms “Absolutely nothing to apologize for honey, you needed to know about her– I just put it off for too long.”

I smile at her before I make a noise with a thought “Do you still have the things of hers Eichen gave to you? Maybe we’ll find something like Lydia did”

“Yea the box was small but there’s some things in there, photos, notes in a journal I never brought myself to fully read– it’s in the hall closet on the top shelf probably all the way in the back behind the blankets we shove up there. What are you hoping to find?”

“Anything really, Lydia’s mom gave her something Lorraine wrote and it was similar to the code we cracked for the dead pool.”

Mom makes a face “Umm code– wait, what did it look like?”

Stiles makes a noise as he shifts around for his phone and pulls open the picture he took of my notebook.

He turns his phone towards mom who widens her eyes as she points to the screen “That’s code?”

Stiles and I share a look before we nod back to her “Yea…”

Mom looks up from the screen and connects her eyes with mine “Sweetheart, one of grandma’s journals was filled with pages that looked just like that.”

***

We meet Noah in the back area of the station and fill him in slightly on what we’ve learned and are thinking in regards to our grandmothers on our way to his office.

Stiles opens his dad’s office door with a huff “It’s not just that they could still be alive–”

“It’s that they would’ve had to fake their deaths.” I finish his train of thought as we enter the office and turn towards Noah.

Noah stops his steps in front of us and moves his deep in thought eyes between us as he points to Lydia and myself “ _Your_ grandmother and _your_ grandmother were _twin sisters_ that no one knew about, were both committed to Eichen because they were _banshees_ and later they both _died_ – but you think they _faked_ their deaths?” **_yes it’s insane but what part of our life isn’t insane at this point_**

Stiles nods “Definitely–”

“Maybe” Lydia and I counter back.

Stiles sets his hand on my lower back and argues “More than likely, yes.”

“Oh, I’m guessing you got a story to back this up?” Noah questions as he sets his hands on his hips.

Lydia shrugs “They might be helping The Benefactor.”

“Or it’s possible one or both of them _are_ The Benefactor.” Stiles mumbles softly and I look over at him, watching as he shrugs and makes a face like he isn’t wrong in what he’s saying.

“That sounds like a story worth hearing” Noah nods his head to the side before walking to close the door. 

We tell him about everything that Lydia found at the lake house with her mother, the pictures, the code, the ashes not being ashes and actual mountain ash instead, explaining again what mountain ash is and how it may have been a message that she isn’t actually dead. 

How my mom never saw a body of Elenor and she was actually the one to have the code for the dead pool written in a journal that we found in her things before coming here.

Noah listens intently and blinks a few times before he moves to open the door, calling out to the other room “Anybody seen Parrish?– Haigh?”

Not hearing anything from this Haigh person, Noah closes the door and walks back over to us.

He opens his mouth and is just about to say something when we hear gunshots from the other room.

I jump from the noise before I feel Stiles set his arm in front of me as he pulls Lydia and I towards him and we crouch down next to the desk.

We swing our wide eyes over watching as Noah rushes to the door in front of us, opening it and pointing his gun towards the two bodies on the ground that are fighting “Hey– hey!”

There’s another gunshot sounding around us and Stiles increases his hold on me before we see Noah grab his shoulder, and drop down to a knee with a grunt of pain.

Stiles and I share a worried look before we crawl over to check on him and he waves us off through his pain filled breaths.

Looking past him, I notice one of the bodies looks burned and is currently punching the shit out of the deputy on the ground, who grunts out between punches “But you’re dead!”

“It that Parrish?” I whisper out and Stiles nods as we continue to watch him get in a few more punches into the other guys face **_sending the sound of a broken nose our way_** before he sits up and tries to slow his quick panting breaths.

***

Finding some clothes in Jordan’s locker, he gets dressed while we call an ambulance for Noah. 

It wasn’t a through and through bullet wound so they’ll need to dig it out, however, they aren’t worried about it being life threatening **_which is at least a bit of good news._**

Stiles and him head to the hospital while Lydia and I take Jordan to meet Scott and Derek at the loft **_homeboy was just set on fucking fire and lived– we all need answers as to why_**

Derek reaches out and looks at Jordan’s hands, turning them over he flicks his eyes up with his question as he lets go of Jordan’s wrists “He covered you in gasoline?”

Lydia turns to Derek “It’s the hair and nails, isn’t it? The parts of the body that are essentially dead.”

Derek shakes his head “Well, they should be gone.”

Jordan sets one hand on his chest to argue “I was set on fire. All of me should be gone.”

Scott looks over to him and offers lightly “Not if you’re like us.”

“Like you?” Jordan questions before Derek continues Scott’s train of thought “I don’t think he’s like us.”

I make a noise as I look from them and over to Jordan “Then what is he?”

Derek looks over to me quickly with a shake of his head “Sorry, but I have no idea.”

Scott crosses his arms over his chest and shrugs towards him “But you knew about Jackson and Kira.”

Derek scoffs lightly “This is a _little_ out of my experience. There might be something in the bestiary. Did you try Argent?”

Scott and I shake our heads after we share a look and Scott looks to Derek “We don’t know where he is.”

Jordan closes his eyes as he shakes his head quickly while he rushes out “Okay, hold on. What’s a bestiary? Actually, that’s not even my first question. Just… just tell me one thing–”

I raise my brows in question when he looks over to Lydia and I before he looks back to Scott and Derek with his question, “Are all of you like Lydia and Addy? Are you all psychic?”

I scrunch my nose in a slight grimace as I look between Scott and Derek who raises his brows and questions “Psychic?”

Scott smirks as he holds in his laugh and shakes his head towards Jordan “Yeah– not exactly” **_or even a little bit_**

Jordan nods “Okay. Then what are you?”

I share a look with Derek **_who looks like he agrees with me_** before I turn to Scott and uncross one arm to lift my hand out towards Jordan “He was just set on _fire_ Scotty– he needs to know what’s going on.” 

Derek makes a face of agreement with my words towards Scott who nods slightly and faces Jordan, turning his Alpha reds on brightly for him to see.

Jordan widens his eyes and takes a step back “Holy shit, what’s going on with your eyes?”

We share a chuckle before we fill him in on _everything_ , all the supernatural happenings of the past few years, all the creatures and beings we have encountered **_and set the record straight about Lydia and I not actually being psychics_**

Jordan listens intently, nodding and shaking his head with certain details before he narrows his eyes in thought “What’s a Kanima?”

I make a noise and shift on my feet “We’ll get back to that. Just know that everyone like us, everyone with some kind of supernatural ability, is on the dead pool.”

Jordan connects his eyes with mine and shakes his head “But I don’t even know what I am.”

Derek offers a shrug, gaining his attention “I’m pretty sure they don’t care.”

Jordan looks between the four of us “How many professional assassins are we talking about?”

“We’re starting to lose count” I grumble as I share a look with Scott who furrows his brows in thought “But is it still _just_ professionals?”

Jordan looks down as he offers “I don’t think Haigh’s ever tried anything like this. I think he was taking a chance.”

Derek crosses his arms and steps closer to me “That means anyone with the dead pool _could_ take a chance.”

Jordan looks our way “But if Haigh had it, then who else does? How easy is it to get this thing now?”

Lydia shakes her head as her answer before she smiles softly and nods my way, I clear my throat and look to Scott “There’s something else we need to let you know about Scotty”

Scott looks my way and raises his brows, I take a deep breath and begin “We found another part of the code, and a few other things.”

“I found the piece of code that my mother says was the last thing my grandmother wrote with this” Lydia murmurs as she walks over to us and holds out the photo of our grandmothers together.

Scott takes the photo and brings it closer to his face “Is that Meredith?”

Lydia and I nod when he looks up at us and I nod towards the photo in his hands again “That’s not the only person you should recognize.”

Scott furrows his brows and looks again, turning the photo more into the moonlight shinning in from the window.

Doing a double take, Scott makes a noise and connects his eyes with mine “Is that grandma?”

I smile softly with another nod before stating “Our grandma Elenor and Lyds’ grandma Lorraine– they were twins Scotty, fraternal just like us.”

Derek widens his eyes and quickly steps closer to look at the photo as well.

He shakes his head as he looks up and points between us “How– wait you three are related?”

I link my arm with Lydia’s and smile towards her “Yup– our grandmothers were both banshees as well, so we’re just keeping the theme going I guess.”

Lydia smiles and sets her hand on mine as she lays her head on my shoulder.

Scott breathes out a shocked breath before he smiles and steps forward to wrap his arms around us in a little group hug.

We let out chuckles before he pulls back with slightly wide eyes. I draw my brows in with a slight shake of my head “What is it?”

Embarrassment looks to crash over him as he opens and closes his mouth twice while shaking a finger between him and Lydia “We really didn’t know about this right? because last year–”

Lydia makes a sharp noise as she lifts her hand up to stop his talking “We didn’t know– no one knew and _no one_ needs to know about _that_.”

Moving my lips between my teeth to suppress my laugh at the looks on their faces, I feel Derek lean closer to me “What they hell did they do?”

Failing at hiding my snort chuckle combo with his question, I turn to face him quickly at the look Scott sends me. 

Through my trying not to laugh noises I answer vaguely with a one shoulder shrug “Nothing terrible, but–”

“Nope that’s where we end it, guess what else we found out about our secret grandmothers Scott” Lydia urges through her clenched teeth.

Letting another soft chuckle out, I raise my hands in surrender and look to Scott as I take on the serious tone of the matter at hand “Back to Meredith being in that photo with them– we found Lorraine’s journals.”

Lydia clears her throat and goes to her bag for the other picture to show them with her story “Meredith was only at my grandmother’s lake house once. But I think once was enough.”

“How did your grandmother know her?” Derek looks over earning Lydia to shrug “She didn’t. She found her. Because of another woman named Maddy. The woman she loved.”

Lydia walks over and hands Scott the picture that she found of her younger grandmother and Maddy before she continues “I never met her, but I saw her name everywhere. She used to be part of a yacht racing team. There were plaques and trophies in the lake house from all the regattas she’d won.”

Jordan clears his throat and looks over to Lydia “How did she die?”

“How’s not the story. It’s what happened right before. My grandmother, Lorraine, used to work in San Francisco for IBM. She was there on a weekend, catching up on work. She started hearing this sound… like rain– but when she looked out the window… all she saw was blue sky.”

“But she kept hearing the rain?” Scott questions while Lydia nods “And it just kept getting louder. Rain and thunder cracking like gunshots in her head. So loud. She finally just screamed”

Derek looks over to me as he mutters softly “Like a banshee.”

Smiling softly, I nod before Lydia continues “She called Maddy who was planning on taking one of the boats out on the lake, but Maddy said that the sun was shining there too. So Lorraine didn’t say anything.”

“There was an accident?” Jordan implores and Lydia sighs out deeply “It took them four days to find Maddy’s body. And then it took decades to figure out how Lorraine knew. She started with parapsychologists, like the PhD in their name made it more scientific. They built the study in the lake house according to every pseudoscientific theory they could find. None of it worked. So then she started going to more extreme occult. Things like mediums and psychics– all of them were failures.”

I grab grandma’s journal Stiles and I went home to grab before heading to the station earlier from my bag and set it on the table as I fill in “Until Elenor reached out to her– she had found Meredith after learning what had happened with her sister and thought she could help. They found Meredith in Eichen House. This fragile girl who didn’t understand the things she heard. Lorraine and Elenor brought her to the study– and they almost killed her. She was hospitalized for over a year. She… never really recovered.” I finish softly and look over to Lydia who is staring into space on the table.

She shakes her head and looks up to us “My grandmother drove Meredith insane, I drove her to suicide– and all she ever wanted to do was help.”

“Lyds–” I attempt but she just looks at me quickly with tears in her eyes “I pushed her Addy, you guys were trying to calm her down and I kept pushing.”

Sharing a look with Jordan, I bite the inside of my cheek **_there won’t be any point in arguing with her right now, I won’t let her take this blame though_**

Unfolding the paper from her pocket, Lydia lays it out on the table while I flip the journal open to the code and look up to Scott and continue “Our grandmothers created the code for the dead pool. We’re thinking they are the banshees who put the names out in the first place. They both left us this message in the same code.” 

I finish my words by flipping to the last page of the code and tapping the sequence that is identical to the code Lydia’s mother gave to her.

Scott opens his mouth slightly looking at the pages before he looks between us “But neither of them left a cipher key, did they?” **_no that would have been easy_**

***

After leaving Derek’s loft, I head to the hospital and mom directs me to Noah’s room. I walk inside and smile softly at seeing the Stilinski men both asleep– one in the bed and one in the chair.

I close the door as quietly as I can and walk over to Stiles, weaving my fingers in his hair just above his ear– causing a soft sleep filled groan to fall from his lips.

Biting the side of my lip with how adorable he is when he sleeps, I lean forward and kiss his cheek deciding to leave them be to sleep.

I turn to head back towards the door, however I’m stopped with Stiles’ hand grabbing mine and pulling me back towards him.

I stumble slightly before placing my feet next to the chair and smiling down at him.

Lopsided smile thrown my way while he rubs the sleep out of his eye with his free hand, Stiles squeezes my hand and pulls me towards him.

I chuckle as I walk around the side of the chair to sit in his lap, laying my legs over the arm of the chair.

He wraps his arm around my back and pulls me against his chest as he gets more situated in the chair.

He snuggles me closer and makes a noise of content before licking his lips quickly “How did it go with Parrish? Any idea what he is?”

Momentarily swooning at his voice being thick with sleep, I lick my lips quickly and sit back to lay the back of my head against his shoulder “We still don’t know what he is, but we told him all about what we are and have dealt with. He took it surprisingly well.”

I feel Stiles’ silent chuckle as his chest moves slightly with the action before he kisses my forehead and lays his head on mine “Pretty sure being set on fire and living through it would make anyone have pretty open eyes to our life.”

I return his chuckle and nod over to Noah asleep in the bed “How’s he looking?”

My body moves with Stiles’ deep breath he takes in and slowly releases “Surgery is scheduled for the morning, it’s going to take a bit to dig the bullet out.”

Stiles sets his arm around my middle and I lay my hand on his “He’s going to be okay, you know.”

I feel him nod his head before he lets out a soft sigh “All right, let’s get you out of here. We have another code to crack.”

***

Stiles, Lydia and I stayed home from school and are currently at his house while we try to figure out what this fucking new code’s cipher key is.

I let out a frustrated groan and drop my head onto my crossed arms on the desk. 

I feel Stiles set his hands on my shoulders as he works through his ideas, shaking me softly “Try Maddy. It’s got to be Maddy.”

I lift my head and share a look with Lydia who shakes her head “Doesn’t Maddy feel a little obvious as a cipher key?”

“I guarantee it’s Maddy.” Stiles urges and points past me to the screen. 

I let out a soft huff, shrugging to Lydia like it’s worth a try and type it in.

I roll my eyes when we get the same error message in the stupid little passcode box.

Flicking my eyes up to Stiles he lifts his arms out to his sides “Okay– all right try either of your names, they both left you the code in their own ways. One of you may be the key– go on”

I try Lydia’s name first before beginning to type mine after the error message, Stiles clears his throat as he leans against my shoulder to point past me “You weren’t going by Addy back then so you should–”

Leveling him with a look as I look over at him, Stiles makes a noise and winks as he stands up straight again “Right, you were already going to try that– go on then, keep being your awesome self– I love you.”

Lydia snorts as I try to fight my smile with a quick shake of my head and go back to typing Addeline in the box **_aaaaaand error message two fold_**

I let out a quick huff of annoyance before Stiles offers “Either of your mom’s names?”

I type out both our mom’s names and our dad’s just to be thorough and get error messages on all of them.

I sit back in the desk chair and cross my arms over my chest as Stiles tilts his head to the side, “Do you have any beloved family pets?”

Lydia throws her head back as she lets out a frustrated groan “Oh my god, this is ridiculous.”

Stiles sits next to me and starts tapping his fingers on the desk “All right, the code was left for both of you, you guys are supposed to be able to figure this out–”

“But no one else is” I state absentmindedly as I reach across the desk to look at the pages of grandma’s journal.

Lydia sighs and leans against the front of the desk, bringing one hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she grumbles “Which is why they made this hard.”

Stiles’ printer behind us continues to make a beeping noise and I huff looking over my shoulder at it at the same time he stands up with a noise and mumbles almost inaudible “Holy… fucking… shit– okay!”

He shoves a stack of paper into the tray and walks back over to sit down when he stops “You… ‘no one else’. Adds, that’s it– No one else but you.”

Lydia furrows her brows with me as we turn to look at him, “What?”

Stiles moves his hand around with his words “Our guesses. They’re all about Elenor and Lorraine. Right? We keep trying to guess a word that has something to do with either of them. So, maybe we should be trying to guess one that’s about one or both of you.”

“Us? We never knew we were related?” Lydia shrugs and looks between us.

Stiles nods “Right, just because _you_ two didn’t know you were related didn’t mean your grandmothers didn’t know about both of you, or even had you two together at one point– is there anything you guys remember doing with your grandmas? You know, what was your guys’ special thing? Did you guys ever go to the beach? You know, did you like ice cream or…”

“We read,” Lydia and I say at the same time, earning us to look at each other with slight shock.

“Seriously is that just like a family trait thing– always saying shit at the same time?” Stiles grumbles and I roll my eyes playfully before he continues “Okay, what did you guys read?”

I shrug and look to Lydia with my answer “We read Rapunzel and Little Mermaid, they were Elenor’s favorites.”

Tears rush in Lydia’s eyes as she nods slightly “Little Mermaid was Lorraine’s favorite too.”

Stiles looks so confused as he moves his eyes between us “You read that movie?”

I snort and shake my head at him “It was a book first babe, Hans Christian Anderson”

Pointing to the screen Stiles moves his arms across his body as he sways “Type both in– Little Mermaid and Rapunzel.”

I try little mermaid and then mermaid before Rapunzel when I get error messages all three times. 

Lydia groans and shakes her head as she stands up and walks a few steps away and back towards the desk with her words “I was obsessed with it, for three months I wouldn’t respond to anything but Ariel– it drove my parents crazy,” she widens her eyes slightly as she connects them with mine and continues just above a whisper “But grandma thought it was adorable.”

I suck in a quick breath with her words and set my fingers over the keyboard, typing in Ariel and smiling up towards her “Lyds that’s it– the ashes were left for you, the cipher was probably created by Lorraine _after_ Elenor died.”

I hit enter and the code changes to another list of names **_boom baby_**

Lydia walks over to look over one shoulder as Stiles leans closer to my other side and we look over the names on the screen.

Stiles moves his finger down the side of the computer next to names as he moves his eyes to the side of my face “Either of you recognize any of these?”

I shake my head slightly answering “Just our grandmothers” as I see Lydia nodding with my words.

Stiles makes a noise of frustration as he walks back over to his printer that hasn’t stopped making noise since it got a paper refill and picks up a piece of paper “Adds–”

I make a hmm noise and swing in my seat to face him, raising my brows in question when I take in the face he’s making “What is it?”

“We need to call Scott, look” he states as he hands me the paper.

I look it over and shake my head as he continues “Derek’s not on the list anymore,”

I make a noise and flip to the other page “That’s not all that’s different, Liam’s not worth three million anymore–” I flip the page around and show him the last list as I continue grimly “Bub’s worth eighteen million now.”

***

We print out the other coded list of names including our grandmothers before we head to the station to figure out who they are.

Scott finally got back to us about the updated dead pool when we got to the station and are waiting for Jordan to finish the search of the names. 

I huff, closing our message chat before I shove my phone in the back pocket of my burgundy skinny jeans.

Stiles looks over to me and I shake my head “Scott said he already knew about Liam being worth more because Liam’s printer alerted him to as much last night and Coach’s printer was printing out copies just like yours was.”

Stiles widens his eyes as Lydia stands up from her lean against Jordan’s desk to look at me as I continue “That means we can assume _anyone_ whose printer is hooked up to wifi could have received the same copies of the dead pool list.”

“Fuck” Stiles whispers as he pulls me into his side like he wants to protect me from all the eyes that have looked over that list and figured out what it means **_huge payday if someone is bravely demented enough_**

Jordan clears his throat to keep the good news train coming “Well, choosing to set that problem on the back burner– this list is not another dead pool. More like an _already_ dead pool.”

I make a noise and point to the screen as Jordan looks over his shoulder at me “All of them? All dead?”

He nods before turning back around in his seat to look at his computer “Within the last ten years. All suicides. And all at the same place.”

Stiles tightens his hold on me when I look up at him to hear him state “Eichen House.”

We walk to the front and Lydia brings up that we have to go to Eichen to find files on the list of people who have apparently all died there.

Stiles looks between us and whispers towards her “Lydia, Eichen House isn’t a library. You need a warrant to get files from there.”

Lydia makes a noise and argues “Our grandmothers left us a list of ten suicides, including their own. There’s got to be a reason why.”

I nod and set my chin on my shoulder to look at Stiles with my suggestion “Is there anyone there who would be willing to help us?”

Stiles shakes his head on a deep sigh “No. But there might be someone willing to take a bribe.”

**_Ugh I hate that guy_ **

***

We get to Eichen House and ask the front reception area lady to let us see Brunski, she begrudgingly gets up from her chair and has us follow her into the back area towards his office.

Once she leaves us in his office, he smirks completely finding humor in our proposition before he names his price as he looks between us “A thousand”

Stiles scoffs “A thousand dollars? To use _one_ little key to open up _one_ little file room? Are you out of your mind?”

Brunski’s smirk deepens as he lightly chuckles out “When you get the keys, you make the price.”

I shake my head and resist the urge to grab behind his head and smash the smirk right off his face and onto the damn desk “Right. You actually think we have that kind of money?”

“Oh I know you don’t. Especially him, because if you did, Daddy Sheriff would’ve paid the bill by now. That’s why I’m talking to her.” He swings his eyes over to Lydia and her designer purse on her arm. 

Lydia shares a look with us before she tilts her head to the side and digs into her bag for her wallet.

Unzipping it angrily she opens it and looks up to the dickbag holding out her money “I have five hundred.”

Smirking our way again, I set my hand on Stiles’ forearm as Brunski looks from us and back to Lydia **_I seriously hate the way he’s looking at us_**

Brunski has a goofy smile on his face while he grabs the money from the desk and brings it up to smell it **_you’re a weirdo_**

Turning in his chair he grabs a cassette tape and places it in the player, hitting play before standing up and pointing to us “Follow me.”

We fall in step behind him as we head down another hallway. Lydia stops her steps with her ringing phone, looking at the screen and up to us she mutters “It’s Jordan– go I’ll meet you guys in there.”

I nod as we walk past her and I feel Stiles grip my side to keep me with him down the hallway.

We stop behind Brunski as he opens the door with ‘Records’ written across the glass on the door before he steps inside and turns on the light.

Stiles keeps me against his side and as far away from Brunski as he can as we walk inside and away from him.

Nodding our way, Brunski mutters as he looks around the room behind us “Good?”

Stiles nods back towards him “Yeah– we can help ourselves” before he steps closer to me as Brunksi turns towards the open door and sets his hands on either side of the door frame **_that looks so inconspicuous dude_**

I roll my eyes before I feel Stiles grab my elbow softly and turn me towards him “Adds, you got the list?”

I nod and dig the folded up paper out of my pocket and hand it over to him after I unfold it for him. 

Taking it from my hands he turns towards the row of drawers with the files before he turns back towards me “Babe, why did you write another name on here?”

I furrow my brows and look over at him “I didn’t write anything”

“This is your handwriting” he states as he points to the page quickly

I walk over to him, muttering “Why would I write another name?”

“Better question, why would you write mine?” He states as he flips the page over for me to see.

I suck in a quick breath seeing my handwriting of his name and grab the paper from him.

I shake my head about to say I have no idea when Brunski’s voice makes me jump a step back **_I heard the door close but I thought he left_**

“It was the tapes, wasn’t it?” he smirks before we hear the quick pulsing clicking noise as he reaches out and jams the taser into Stiles’ neck.

“Addy! Stiles!” I hear Lydia scream as she hits the window on the door and I let out my own involuntary scream as I watch Stiles fall to the ground.

“Lydia run!” I shout towards the door, trying to break through her banging on the door as Brunski lets out a dark menacing chuckle watching Stiles pass out on the ground.

He cracks his neck to the side before he turns to me showing me the taser as he states “Your turn, sweetheart” before jamming the taser into my side.

I crumple to the ground, groaning with the onslaught of pain that shoots through my body as I welcome the darkness that overcomes my vision.

***

“Addy– babe wake up” I make a hmm noise before my head rolls to the side and I breathe in quickly as I lift my head, taking in my surroundings.

I attempt to shift on the ground, but come up short when the restraint I now feel around my wrists pulls my arms back.

I take notice that the hard surface I’m sitting against is the metal support structure that Brunski walked around before he tased us **_fucking demented asshat_**

I pull on the restraints and croak out in a scared voice “Stiles–”

“Hey, hey, hey– I’m right here, move your hand back” I hear his soft reassuring voice come from near my right shoulder and I turn my head as much as I can, just making out his shoulder as I reach my hand as far back as I can go.

I slide my fingers against the ground until I feel his stretch out to wrap around mine. 

Our palms don’t reach each other, but it’s enough **_enough to keep me grounded and not completely freak out_**

I feel Stiles slam his back against the structure we’re tied to as he grunts with trying to break free.

“Should we start screaming for help?” I offer knowing it won’t do us any good before I feel Stiles increase his hold on me “There’s a lot of people screaming for help in a place like this. I don’t think anyone will be listening, my love.”

I close my eyes, savoring the way his voice sounds with his words before I set the back of my head against the beam “Where did he go? Have you heard Lydia– is she okay?”

“I don’t know, I heard you tell her to run before I passed out. Hopefully she listened and Jordan calling her was him on his way here because I’m hoping he figured it out as well.”

I feel tears well in my eyes as I look out in front of me at the dark room and nod with his hope “All of those suicides were murders.”

Stiles makes a noise of agreement “That’s why they left you guys the message–”

“Lorraine predicted her own death after Elenor’s. They knew we’d figure it out.” I finish his train of thought before another voice sounds in the room “Once you were able to predict your own.”

I look over my other shoulder, seeing Brunski standing by the open door before he walks inside and closes it behind him.

I let out a soft whimper, trying to figure out how to get out of this as I feel Stiles’ efforts on the other side trying to break free again.

Brunski walks closer to us, keeping his gaze on me as he kneels next to me and continues “But they weren’t murders. I’m not some serial killer like Ted Bundy going around cutting up college girls.”

“No, you’re just an Angel of Death.” Stiles quips behind me, earning Brunski to flick his gaze over to him quickly.

I smile to myself **_because despite the dire situation he’s still my favorite human ever_**

Brunski shifts to get closer to Stiles and whispers out menacingly “I don’t think you understand my level of commitment to my work here, Stiles. There are people here who don’t simply need treatment. They need _release_. I helped them. I helped Elenor and her sister.”

I feel my nerves stand on alert as I whisper out brokenly in front of me “You _killed_ her.”

Brunski’s grating voice chimes in behind me “I helped her” before he moves closer to the side of my face “You look just like her– you know I thought I saw a ghost when I saw you trying to talk to Meredith Walker the other day.”

The tears finally break over the bottom of my lids and fall in a stream down my cheeks as he continues “And now you can help me– because there is _something_ about it that’s always bothered me.”

He taps the tape in his hand and shows me ‘Elenor Delgado’ written across the tape. He brings over the tape player that was next to his knee and sets the tape up to play.

The player clicks and we hear a loud noise, **_probably a door closing_** before I hear my grandmother’s soft voice “What are you… Brunski, what are you doing?”

I suck in a shaky breath hearing how scared she sounds before I hear the dickbag next me voice chime in on the tape “Don’t worry, Elenor. It’s going to be alright. You’re just going to have a _little_ trouble _breathing_.”

I make a small noise and I feel Stiles grip my hand and talk over near my other shoulder “Adds, hey look at me– don’t listen.” 

I turn my head towards him more and can just barely see him as he continues to whisper towards me “Okay, babe don’t listen to it”

I let out a soft hiccup as I try to take a deep breath and I feel him grasp my fingers harder.

More tears continue to fall with no hope of them stopping as I hear grandma start to breathe heavily, however Stiles’ broken helpless to do anything more voice continues to try to soothe me “Just focus on my voice, Adds. Don’t listen to it, block it out– okay? Babe–”

I close my eyes tightly trying to focus on what he’s saying and not what’s coming out of the players speakers on my other side.

I hear him grunt and feel him slam his back against the beam before he bellows out to our other side “Hey turn it off!”

Hearing the recognizable sound of a fist meeting a jaw I close my eyes and shout out “Stop!” to Brunski as I feel Stiles let go of my hand as he falls over to the side with the force of the hit.

Brunski snakes around the other side and grips my jaw in his palm, causing me to let out a noise of pain as he continues to bark his orders on a dark whisper “Then listen… _just_ listen. I need your help with this, Addeline.”

“Please don’t–” I hear Elenor whisper out completely terrified 

Increasing his hold on my face while I try to breathe through the pain and constant tears clouding my vision, he moves me slightly with his words “Here it is. _This_ is the part I never understood. Listen–”

I hear Elenor whisper out quietly “We thought keeping them apart was going to keep them safe, they don’t deserve this life. They need each other though– they’ll be stronger together. What they are… you can only survive if you have someone like you– Don’t hurt them.”

I breathe in shakily, furrowing my brows with her words before I hear Brunski on the tape again “Don’t hurt who?”

“Ariel and my Rapunzel” Elenor gasps out weakly, causing my eyes to close as I hear her release another short breath before a long deep breath causes her breathing to stop all together.

I open my eyes when Brunski drops his hand from around my jaw and I slowly shift only my glare filled eyes over to look at him.

My brow twitches like it should be obvious who she was talking about and I watch as recognition flashes across his eyes as he looks over my face “You.”

The tape clicks and feeling another wave of tears rushing to my eyes, I lean my head back against the beam and turn my head the other direction **_trying to get as far away from him as I can_**

I feel Stiles wrap his fingers around mine again and I tighten my hold on him, feeling the calm he brings rush over me immediately.

Brunski stands up and I hear something slide across one of the shelves to the side of us as his voice grates out darkly “We get a lot of teenagers trying to break into our drug cabinets. Most of the time they don’t succeed” he states, gaining our attention to watch as he kneels down and sets the medical tin on the ground “But you two look pretty clever to me” he finishes as he grabs a needle and a tiny glass jar with a clear **_more than likely lethal_** liquid in it.

He sets the needle into the top of the jar and pulls back on the syringe filling the needle with whatever killing drug he’s grown way too comfortable using on people.

He smirks darkly and flicks his eyes over “I’ll admit, Stiles, I don’t have any unusual talents like your girlfriend, but, somehow, I just knew we were gonna get a chance to do this again.”

Brunski moves towards Stiles slowly after inhaling deeply and I fight against the restraints on my wrist more as I rush out quickly “No no no–”

I let out a squeak of surprise when he jerks from Stiles and over to me instead, setting his hand on my jaw again with his free hand and leaning my head to the side, exposing my neck to him.

Closing my eyes, I hear Stiles bellow loudly “No!” as he lunges out to the side trying to get to me before I hear “Drop it!” coming from in front of me.

I open my eyes and see Jordan as he walks quickly up behind Brunski and takes in the scene in front of him.

I feel the sharp tip of the needle press a little harder, **_not breaking the skin thankfully_** as Jordan walks closer with his gun unwavering from Brunski’s chest and demands “Take your thumb off that needle and slowly withdraw it from her neck.”

“Young Deputy,” Brunski taunts darkly, not moving either of his hands from me, and instead increasing his hold on me with his next quick rush of words “You’re just a kid. I bet you’ve never even fired a–”

I feel the needle prick me before a gunshot rings out in the room and the pressure on my jaw and neck vanish as Brunski falls to the ground beside us.

“Addy!” Stiles shouts as he yanks on his restraints and I reassure “I’m okay” before looking back up to Jordan as he walks closer.

He kneels next to me with Lydia rushing in behind him dropping on my other side to undo the restraints on my hands.

While they get my hands free, I look between them before I nod towards Brunski’s bloody chest “He– he killed our grandmothers. He was controlling Meredith–”

“He used her to create the dead pool.” Stiles elaborates behind me as I quickly crawl around to his side and undo the restraints around his wrists.

I look over his shoulder at Jordan and Lydia when I hear her finish where we were going with our quick overview “And killed her when she tried to help us.”

I nod with her words as I finish undoing the straps around his wrists **_he murdered so many people_**

Stiles pulls me into his chest tightly once his hands are free and I wrap my arms around him, returning the embrace that we are alive. 

Stiles pulls back and sets his hands on either side of my face as he moves his tear filled eyes between mine, completely at a loss for words.

I save him from figuring out something to say and lean forward to press my lips to his, letting the soft kiss express everything I cannot in this moment.

Pulling back, I shift in his lap and wrap my arms around his neck taking a moment to regroup after the almost dying for the countless time this month.

Brunski interrupts the silence as he coughs and we watch as blood spurts out of his mouth causing us to jump. 

Stiles shifts us away from his body as Brunski laughs weakly “You… you think it was me?” he pants out quickly through labored breaths before whispering “That I was controlling her?” 

Stiles pulls me closer to his chest as Brunski laughs darkly again and continues even weaker as the life is slowly draining from him “Idiots… she was _controlling_ me.”

The last breath leaves his chest as his head lulls to the side with his dead eyes staring off towards the other end of the room. 

I gasp and mutter softly as I tighten my hold on the front of Stiles’ shirt “Shit– it’s not him.”

Lifting my head slowly I connect my gaze with Stiles before I look up to Jordan and Lydia as I shake my head and continue “He’s not the Benefactor.”

They shake their confused faces at me slightly before Meredith fucking Walker shocks the fuck out of us as she walks out of the shadows and states eerily calm “No– and… he wasn’t on my list… but he was a bad person.”


	58. Monstrous

Grabbing his shirt from the bed in the hospital room mom was checking us over in, Stiles quickly makes his way over to me.

He sets his hand around my elbow and guides me to the door as he mumbles over his shoulder to mom “I’m completely and totally fine.”

Mom steps into the open doorway quickly, holding her hands up to him and stopping his steps “Uh-uh-uh. You completely and totally have a concussion, Stiles. Lie back down. The doctor said you’re not _leaving_ without a CT scan.”

Stiles raises his brows to quip back softly “We still haven’t paid for the last one.”

He tries to walk past mom again and she again stops him “Oh, no, no, no. Meredith is at the station. Your dad said it could take some time but he will get her to talk. Even if I let you go, what would you do?”

I scrunch my nose up in a soft grimace as I make a face like she has a point when he looks over to me.

A look of betrayal flashes over his face before rolling his eyes **_because he knows we’re right_** and he looks back over to mom with a sigh “Okay, fine.”

He sets his hand on my waist as he walks past me and heads back over to the bed to sit down.

Clearing his throat softly, he looks over his shoulder towards mom again “Can you do me one little favor?”

Mom sets her hands on the end of the bed and answers without missing a beat “Anything”

“Can you get me a tape player?” 

“Like cassettes?” Mom clarifies as she looks between us and Stiles makes a face as he looks to her “Yes– _tapes_.”

I snort at the face mom makes before she smiles and heads towards the door “Yeah, I’ll see what I can do.”

Stiles turns to face the door more, stopping her with his words “Okay, tapes, though, please”

Again mom looks to me, making a face that I try not to laugh at as she smiles back to him to correct “Cassettes” 

She closes the door and Stiles raises his hand out to the side, “What are we not seeing eye to eye on?”

I chuckle and walk over to stand in between his legs **_even with him sitting, my eyes still only line up to his nose_**

I set my hands on his shoulders while he grips my hips and pulls me closer to him, until my legs are resting against the bed and our chests are brushing together.

I smile towards him and set my palm on his cheek “ _Cassette_ tape is the proper name of what mom grew up listening to and what’s currently in your pocket over there,”

Leaning into my touch he shrugs before mumbling like we’re being ridiculous “That’s what I said…”

Chuckling softly I move my thumb against his skin “I know.”

I feel him move his hands from my hips to wrap around my lower back in a tight hug and I wrap mine behind his neck, resting my chin on my arms as I savor the moment of just being with him in the quiet of the room.

After a few minutes I break the silence with a small sigh “Let me call your dad and see if they’ve had any luck with Meredith talking.”

Stiles nods before moving one hand to slide down my back to grab my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and smirks up to me as he hands it over.

I chuckle as I bring up my call history and shake my head softly “Very smooth ass grab there, Stilinski.”

Stiles shrugs and offers a mock look of innocence **_that I see right through_** as he rests his hands back on my hips, pulling me closer to him “I’ve no idea what you’re going on about McCall, had to make sure I had the right pocket.”

I snort through a soft chuckle as I lean against his chest and set one arm around his neck, resting my free hand on his other shoulder.

Noah answers and after I set him on speaker phone I implore “Hey just checking in, has she said anything?”

“Hard to tell kid. There were words– I’m not sure there were actual sentences though–”

“So nothing then,” I grumble and he continues “I’m starting to think we need a psychologist or a medium.”

Noah jokes and I smile before I ask my other thought “Hey Mr. S– is she even competent to be charged with something?”

We hear him sigh before he continues “Look if Meredith is the Benefactor, then that means she was competent enough to trick Kate into opening the Hale Vault, competent enough to blackmail Brunski into helping her, and competent enough to create a hit list and pay out money for its completion. This girl’s practically a criminal mastermind.”

I shake my head and connect my eyes with Stiles’ as I softly state “There’s gotta be a reason why she would do this.”

Noah sighs through the phone “I’m only interested in the ‘why’, if it tells me the ‘how’.”

“You mean how to stop it,” Stiles chimes in and Noah makes another noise “Guys, after what happened to Scott tonight, this thing’s still going. The payments could be automatic– and as long as the killers are getting paid, and paid very well, that list is gonna keep getting smaller.”

I draw my brows in with his words and lean closer to the phone “What the hell happened to Scott?”

Stiles shares a look with me before he drops his hands from me and shifts to the side to pull out his phone, texting Scott while I raise my brows at Noah’s silence “Mr. S? Is he okay?”

“Yeah, yeah he’s okay. Ah hell, all right at the bonfire the school was having for the start of the lacrosse season– some guys who were posed as security guards for the event tried to take out Scott, Liam and Malia. Derek stopped the guys before the leading assassin umm could complete his method of killing them. They’re okay Addy.”

I nod and find my voice after trying to clear it twice “Thank you for telling me, umm let me know if you want me to try to come and talk to Meredith. We’ve gotten through to her before, well Lydia did more so than I did but still we could help.”

“I will, just for now make sure Stiles stays put until he’s cleared will you?”

Stiles drops his hands to his side as he rolls his eyes with his dad’s words and I chuckle back to the phone “You got it.”

***

Mom allowed Stiles to leave **_sans CT scan_** and we headed to my house so I could change.

I paired a light grey loose tank top with some skinny jeans and a soft navy striped light weight flannel that I left unbuttoned.

I roll the sleeves up to just below my elbows and throw on some light brown ankle boots before I grab the boombox Scott used the other night to play the tape from Garrett’s bag and rush down the stairs to meet Stiles outside.

Getting to Stiles’ he changes as well while I get the player set up and put in the tape of Lorraine Martin ** _that we may or may not have stolen from Brunski’s office_**

Stiles walks back into his room and sits in the other chair at the desk with me, nodding towards the player once he’s situated.

Hitting play we hear the click of the beginning of the tape before Brunski’s voice filters through the speaker “Let’s go, Lorraine.”

“Listen to me. Please listen. There’s something I have to do, something I have to stop. Elenor made me _promise_ to finish what we started before she died.” 

Stiles and I share a look with her words before we hear Brunski again “I have to take you back to Eichen, Lorraine.”

Stiles reaches over and turns up the volume while Lorraine’s frantic voice continues “No. No. I don’t think you’re gonna be taking me anywhere. I can hear the recorder in your pocket. It’s on now, isn’t it? You’re making a tape– just like you taped the others.”

Stiles stops the tape and looks over to me “This didn’t happen at Eichen House…”

I shake my head, agreeing with his words before I make a noise and point to the player “Right, so then where did she go?”

“That’s what we need to find out” Stiles shrugs before rewinding the tape and hitting play on the player again.

We listen to the tape a few more times, getting zero ideas for where they are.

Stiles hits play again and I set my fingers on each side of my forehead as we listen “Get back to Eichen, Lorraine.” 

Brunksi mutters for the umpteenth time before I finally focus on a different noise between Lorraine’s words **_and it clicks for me where she is_** “No. No. I don’t think you’re gonna be taking me anywhere.”

I point to the player with a soft gasp “That’s it, that’s where it is,” I reach over and rewind the tape, turning the volume dial up before hitting play again.

Stiles looks over to me while I close my eyes and listen in between her words again “No. No. I don’t think you’re gonna be taking me anywhere. I can hear the recorder in your pocket. It’s on now, isn’t it? You’re making a tape– just like you taped the others.”

The tape continues to play with seemingly no other noise, except as clear as day– I can hear the record player we listened to for _hours_ a few weeks ago.

I stop the tape and look over to Stiles with a triumphant smile “It’s the record player.”

Making a face, Stiles shakes his head having no idea what I’m talking about “Wait, what record player?”

“The one in the lake house, in the study room where we heard Ally’s name” I fill in as I stand up and start pacing in front of him.

Raising one hand off the desk, Stiles tries to work through what I’m suggesting “So she escaped from Eichen House to go back to listen to a record player?”

He doesn’t hide how crazy that sounds to him and I shrug when I turn back to face him “Well, she was a Banshee–”

Stiles makes a noise as he interrupts “Yeah, but only once. She predicted Maddy’s death and then just spent decades trying to predict something else.”

I stop my steps, connecting my eyes with his “Maybe she finally did. She said there was something she had to stop and she promised Elenor she would finish what they started. What if it wasn’t just one death they predicted. What if it was _a lot_ of deaths?”

“Like the dead pool,” Stiles mutters just above a whisper as he widens his eyes slightly and stands up in front of me.

I nod and continue “On Elenor’s tape she said ‘together they will be stronger’ when she was talking about Lydia and me. What if _them_ being together caused them to predict all the deaths from the dead pool? And Lorraine knew there was something in the study that could stop it?”

Stiles makes a noise before he leans forward and kisses me quickly. 

I raise my brows with my lips still out from the kiss as he grabs his keys from the desk “Fuck it’s always been the biggest turn on how smart you are, and I love that I can now kiss you when you do that.”

Blushing with his words, I look down to my feet before Stiles lifts my head up to connect our eyes.

Lopsided smirk thrown my way before he licks his lips quickly and nods towards the door “Come on cutie, we have a lake house to search for some answers.”

***

Scott calls on our way to the lake house and we catch him up on what we’re doing and how Lydia was heading to the station to help Noah with Meredith.

Scott tells us about how Kira saved Brett and his sister, Lori, who is also a werewolf last night from people who they think were hunters **_dead pool really is reaching everyone_**

He finishes by telling us that Chris is helping them protect Brett and Lori and the rest of Satomi’s pack which they are also apart of.

They’ve apparently been trying to leave for days but the hunters, which Chris has said are no longer hunters since they’re killing for profit now, have been hunting them down and preventing them from leaving the city.

I tell him to stay safe before letting him know that I have a feeling we’re really close to stopping this whole thing.

We get to the lake house and using the hide a key that Lydia told us where to find, we head upstairs to the soundproof study room.

I kneel in front of the record player and let the deep ominous whirring noise fill my ears. 

I close my eyes and try to focus only on the sound that already makes my nerves stand on edge.

I don’t know how much time passes before Stiles flips off the machine, causing me to open my eyes.

I sit back on my heels and look up at him as he sets his hands on his hips “I’m sorry but were you hearing anything?”

At my head shake in the negative column he nods his head to the side and throws his hand towards the player as he continues “We’re just sitting here listening to a stupid record player play a record that doesn’t play anything. Come on– there’s plenty of other things we can be totally _useless_ doing” he finishes over his shoulder towards me as he heads for the door and walks out.

I stand up from my kneel and turn to take a step towards the door with him, though I stop my steps, turning to face the wall behind the player again instead “Stiles.”

“Yes?” he walks back into the doorway and looks over at me expectantly.

I move my eyes from him and back over as I point towards the wall “I can still hear it and it’s getting louder.”

Stiles makes a noise and walks back over towards me, pointing to the player to state the obvious “But it’s not on.”

“I know– it’s something else, but something is definitely spinning.” I digress softly as I move my eyes all over the wall in front of us.

Stiles sets his hand on my upper arm and I see him nod before moving to the player “Okay, well–”

I hear him make a noise before he pulls the rolling table the player is sitting on away from the wall and we see a single black coaxial cable extending out of the wall **_not from a regular outlet either_**

Throwing a look of confusion towards the cord, I share a look with Stiles who looks back to me silently asking if we’re going to destroy this wall to figure out where the cord is coming from.

I shrug and nod towards the wall “Something is definitely back there, I’ll help them hang new drywall.”

Stiles snorts and raises his brows “You know how to hang drywall?”

I send a cheeky wink his way “Youtube is a great teacher babe, now show me your muscles and rip the cord out”

Stiles licks his lips to hide his smile as he faces the wall again. He gets a better grip on the cord before he pulls it towards him.

The cord pops out of the wall a little bit and with one last look over his shoulder to me nodding towards the wall, Stiles pulls on the cord more.

It rips through the wall in an upwards direction until he’s almost up to the top of the wall. 

Through the rip in the wall that the cord created, we can see a faint light shining through.

We share a look of curiosity before we step up to the rip and start pulling off pieces of the wall.

We drop the discarded pieces to the floor and continue to reveal three tall towers of a very old fashioned, reel driven computer tape drives.

I make a noise as we take in the towers that are working away like no time as passed “Is this–?”

“The dead pool” Stiles finishes and I swing my wide eyes to him.

Taking a deep breath I set my hand on my hips and sigh out “So what do we do?”

Stiles moves his hand out in front of him with his words, “If this thing’s being used to disseminate the list, then it’s probably gonna keep going until everyone’s dead– maybe it needs some kind of prompt or command or something, right?”

I tilt my head to the side as I narrow my eyes up towards the top of the tower near the lights and point forward with my hand “Could it really be that simple, that we just need a key?”

Stiles walks up next to me and sighs “Simple that _that_ may be _all_ we need, but then the next question is–”

“Where would she have hidden the key.” I grumble and scratch my brow with one hand as I pull out my phone with the other and facetime Lyds.

Once she answers I give her a quick rundown of what we uncovered and show her the computer. 

Stiles steps up towards the phone “You see it? There’s got to be a way to turn it off, right?”

Lydia’s frustration could be heard from here without the phone “I don’t know. I don’t know anything about computers from the 1970′s.”

“None of us do Lyds, but our only guess is there might be a key to turn it off– did you happen to find one with Lorraine’s things the other night that you can remember seeing?”

“No, not that I remember. The box is still in the boathouse though so you could try that, but first where’s the monitor?”

“Lyds there is no monitor” I state as I turn back towards the towers and Stiles elaborates “There are buttons, knobs, spindles, no monitor.”

“Wait, turn the phone back. Point it at the carpet” Lydia interrupts his words and I turn back the way I was as Stiles questions “The what?”

“The floor! Just show me the floor,” she commands quickly and I do just that before she states frantically “Where’s the stain? There should be red blotches, a wine stain.”

“There’s nothing” we state as we turn in circles looking all over the floor for these stains she speaks of.

“That doesn’t make sense. I gave the five hundred I was supposed to use to hire cleaners to Brunski last night.”

“Lydia, what the hell does wine have to do with anything?” Stiles rushes out with zero patience before she clips back “Red wine doesn’t just disappear.”

“Unless it wasn’t wine,” I state and turn the phone back to face me so I can see her furrow her brows.

Stiles walks up next to me again with his question “What? What do you mean, Adds?”

I tilt my head to the side before looking back to the phone, connecting my eyes with Lyds’ as I vocalize my thought process “The ashes weren’t ashes. The study isn’t a study. The record player isn’t a record player. So– so maybe the wine wasn’t wine.”

Lydia’s eyes widen as she nods “Addy that’s it– you guys have to find the wine. Find the bottle. There could be something about it.”

Stiles and I head towards the stairs as he questions “What kind? What’s it called?”

“It’s a 1982 Cotes du Rhone,” Lydia states as we run into the kitchen and look through the bottles in the wine fridge and on the counter.

“Here– it’s here” I state and Stiles reaches out to grab the bottle from me.

When he does we hear a rattling noise, earning Stiles to widen his eyes and look around the kitchen “Definitely something inside. Do you know where there’s a wine opener or–”

I interrupt his words as I grab the bottle from his hands and set my phone on the counter as I go over to the patio door and step outside.

I lift the bottle up and drop it onto the ground quickly watching as it smashes into pieces and liquid covers the ground near my feet.

I use the toe of my boot to move the glass around and make a noise of triumph as I bend forward and pick up the key.

Stiles makes a face like he can’t believe it when I turn back towards him, smiling brightly before we rush through the house to head up the stairs again. 

I hand him the key and he walks over to the tower, placing the key in the slot and looking over his shoulder to me quickly.

I lick my lips, smiling softly as I nod for him to turn it **_let’s see what happens_**

Stiles turns the key and instantaneously the towers make a loud power surge noise as they start to power down. 

The lights shut off and the spinning computer wheels on the front stop turning all together as the machinery whines to a halt **_we did it_**

I let out a shocked chuckle as we watch the towers power down completely “Was that it? It’s really over?”

Stiles lets out a relieved breath and wraps his arm around me to pull me into his side, reading the message on his phone from Scott telling us that one of the hunters they were fighting had a phone that got a message from the benefactor **_all contracts were terminated_**

He pockets his phone and wraps his other arm around me as he kisses the side of my head. 

I wrap my arms around his middle, returning the hug as he lays his head on mine, stating just above a whisper “It’s over, you’re safe babe.”

***

Meredith was apparently acting out Peter’s burned comatose state rambling inner thoughts **_sounds about as crazy as you could imagine_**

When Lorraine and Elenor caused her to have a seizure that required her to be in the hospital, she was put in a recovery room with Peter who was himself recovering from the Hale House fire caused by Kate.

Meredith could hear all of his thoughts inside of her head for months.

It was almost like he was standing right over her bed talking about the fire.

About getting revenge.

Peter talked about how he predicted what happened with the fire, how he told Talia something bad was going to happen.

The hunters were going to come for them.

He went on to talk about how the Hale family used to be the apex predators– until Talia turned them into sheep.

So Peter hatched a plan to start over. 

He would take out all of them– not just the wolves, but the Wendigos, the Banshees, every shape shifter.

He would obliterate the weak and would remake the supernatural of Beacon Hills in his image.

Peter planned that he wouldn’t have to do any of it himself either– he’d hire people.

Assassins. Professional killers.

People like The Mute. The Chemist. Even… Someone like the Desert Wolf.

He planned to use the money in the Vault. The bearer bonds. He was going to use every penny if he had to.

He made a plan to start with sending the list to the professionals, and then maybe disseminate the list further.

Except it wasn’t a list.

It was a dead pool.

He predicted how eventually everybody would want a chance.

As he so graciously stated– anyone can become a killer for the right price because when it comes down to it, everyone can be corrupted by money.

The dead pool– it was all Peter’s idea and he doesn’t even remember.

Stiles and I get to the station and meet up with Lydia who is draping a jacket over Meredith’s back.

Meredith smiles softly and looks between Lydia and I “You both know now– your grandmother’s always had hoped you’d find out about each other. They talked about you both all the time. Though they had their own nicknames for you.”

I make a noise as I cross my arms “Key way to make sure people find out they’re related, is to not hide it from everyone who knows you.”

Stiles sets his arm around my back as we watch Meredith tilt her head to the side in thought before she sits down next to Lydia.

Reigning in my frustration I clear my throat and nod towards Meredith “Are you okay?” **_Peter connected to her mind to learn about everything with his claws behind her neck, and we all know how awful that is_**

Lydia sighs and shrugs a shoulder as she looks from me and over to Meredith, stating “I guess you are, aren’t you? For someone who’d put their own name on a hit list”

Meredith looks up quickly, moving her eyes between us to argue “I had to”

I make a noise as I draw my brows in “Right, you keep saying that– but Meredith, why do you feel like you had to?”

Meredith looks sadly towards me “Because I heard you.”

Furrowing my brows, I jerk my head back slightly with her words before she continues “I heard you scream in the tunnels at Oak Creek.” **_Ally_**

Tears rush in my eyes as I open my mouth with a soft gasp and share a broken look with Lydia, who reaches up and grabs my hand.

Meredith looks between us with a look like she was right as she continues “That’s why I knew it was the right time– to start over.”

Stiles increases his hold on my waist and clears his throat to counter “But with Peter?”

Meredith looks up towards him with her answer “He’s the alpha. He’s always been the alpha. He’ll make it right. It never was with us. Too many people died _because_ of us. We’re the monsters. Even Banshees. Even _me_.”

Lydia clicks her tongue and looks over her shoulder at Meredith “I don’t believe that.”

I shake my head softly as I elaborate “Neither do I– not all monsters do monstrous things.”

“Like who?” Meredith questions as I share a look with Stiles and answer her “Like Scott.”

Meredith smiles softly when I look back to her and she reaches out to touch the side of my face, stating “Like you.”

I move my eyes between hers as her face looks to change with a few different emotions.

Tears rush into her eyes and she pulls her hand back, whispering barely audible as she sits back in her seat “Oh, God. What have I done?”


	59. A Promise to the Dead

It’s pouring down rain, I know my clothes are drenched and can feel my hair sticking to my face and arms, however, none of it matters– I _know_ I have to keep walking.

This is a new feeling, it’s almost like a trance.

An out of body experience as I make my way down the sidewalk, feeling the ice cold rain as it pelts every inch of my skin not covered by my clothes.

My bare feet should be freezing, my arms without a jacket should be freezing– but they aren’t.

All of my focus is centered on getting to the building up ahead.

The loft.

I have to see him.

I have to warn him, I have to warn everyone.

I open the door to the lobby and turn to head up the stairs, each step solidifying the almost suffocating feeling of impending death.

Getting to the top floor, I walk up to one side of the door.

My nerves are set on fire as I run my hand along the door as I make my way to the side of the door that opens.

I’m just making it to the end when the door to the loft slides open with such force it takes me a moment to recognize the shadow covered figures on the other side.

Derek and Braedon quickly cock their guns and point them my direction.

Quickly recognition flashes across their features and they lower their weapons to their sides.

Derek opens his mouth to say something, however I have to calm the noise.

I need peace from the overwhelming feeling running through my veins.

I don’t give him a second to speak before I take a deep breath and shake the walls with the scream that silences every voice telling me I’m about to lose another friend I can’t imagine losing.

***

I let out a deep gasp of breath, moving my eyes around as I quickly take in my surroundings.

Derek is right in front of me, hands on my biceps as he moves his worried eyes between mine. 

Braedon is standing behind him, brows drawn in as he continues with his effort to get through to me.

“Addy!” he bellows and shakes my arms again before I take a deep breath in and set my hands on his outstretched forearms.

I swallow thickly and croak out “Derek? What– what the hell am I doing here?”

Braedon makes a noise and steps up next to us “Addy, you don’t know–”

“She’s okay, come here you’re freezing,” Derek sets his arm around my back and walks me over to the couch, grabbing a blanket off the side and draping it over my back.

He walks in front of the couch and kneels in front of me, the look of worry deepening by the second. 

He makes a noise and tilts his head to the side slightly “Addy, has this ever happened before?”

I shake my head and drop my eyes to my lap as I grasp the blanket in both of my hands tighter and answer him “Being so deep in a trance that I walk barefoot three miles in the pouring rain to scream my head off in the middle of the night? Not so much”

Derek chuckles lightly, but I move my worried eyes up from my lap to connect with his “Der–”

“I called Stiles, he’s almost here” Derek interrupts my words with a throat clear as he stands up and heads over to the table to check his phone.

I share a sad look with Braedon who nods her head **_they’re aware what me being here means and are hopefully handling it_**

Whatever Kate did to him, it’s still happening. 

Scott said that it first started with the color of his eyes, changing from their ice blue to beta yellow.

Then it was his sense of smell, before his strength and finally his healing ability.

Slowly his powers are fading and we have no idea why.

We’ve enlisted Deaton to help figure out what Kate could have possibly done to him in Mexico **_so far we’re all coming up with bupkis_**

Stiles runs through the open doorway into the loft and down the steps quickly towards me. 

I just have enough time to stand up from the couch before he’s crashing his body into mine.

Stiles wraps his arms around my waist, dropping his face into the crook of my neck as I lift my arms up around his back, effectively creating our own cocoon with the blanket still wrapped around me.

I hear him take a deep breath in before he pulls back and lifts his hands to cup my cheeks, moving his worry filled eyes quickly over my face “You okay? You’re freezing–”

“I’m okay, just tired,” I nod and set one of my hands on his forearm, rubbing my thumb back and forth as I nod towards the door and mutter just above a whisper “come on, I’ve intruded on their evening enough– let’s go home?”

Stiles moves his eyes back and forth between mine a few times, catching on to the fact I need out of here and keeps his line of questions to himself for now.

He lifts one side of his mouth as he nods slightly and bends forward placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

Stiles pulls back and lets me go so I can unwrap the blanket from around me.

I turn to the side and fold the blanket up, waving off Derek’s protest to just throw it over the back.

Braedon chuckles and walks over to wrap her arms around his middle **_interesting pairing, super cute but interesting nonetheless_**

I smile at them and offer a little wave before turning back to Stiles who has taken off his flannel and is holding it out to me.

I smile at him as I put my arms through the sleeves and button it up, before throwing my hair into a messy top knot as we head towards the door.

***

“Adds,” I hear faintly, pulling me from my peaceful dream before I make a ‘hmm’ noise and raise my brows slightly, however my eyes stay shut.

I hear my favorite sound of his breathy chuckle before he nudges my cheek with his nose and his thick with sleep voice is closer to my ear “Babe we need to get up, and you need to change because as much as I love you in my shirt– you probably want to wear something else for school…”

“Immawake” I mumble under my breath as I turn my head towards him, resting my forehead into the crook of his neck.

Shifting more to the side, I turn the rest of my body to lay on my side and slide my arm to lay over his side and rest my hand against his back.

I hear him huff before he drops his head down onto mine, grumbling “Seriously, you’re turning your cuddles up a notch– are you trying to get me to stay in bed with you all day?”

“That’s exactly what we should do” I mumble into his chest hearing him answer with a frustrated groan **_because as much as that sounds amazing we can’t do that_**

I chuckle softly and lift my head up, scrunching my nose up to only open one eye towards him as he lifts his head as well.

Stiles moves his lips between his teeth, fighting a smile as he moves his eyes over my face “Morning gorgeous,”

Making a noise of disagreement I shake my head softly as I open both eyes now “Yes, I’m sure I am a sight this morning with being drenched in rain last night paired with only a few hours of sleep.”

Even though he’s propped up on one arm he still manages a slight shrug before he reaches his other hand over towards my face.

He runs his fingers through the hair just above my ear before cupping my cheek as he reassures softly “You waking up is one of my favorite looks on you. Your hair is everywhere, your face is bare of anything except faint lines from the pillow, and the morning light from that window makes you look like you’re glowing. I called you gorgeous for a reason, McCall.”

I make a face of acceptance as I digest his words before I push his shoulder, causing him to lay his back on the bed. 

He makes a noise of surprise with the action before raising his brows as I swing my leg over to straddle his lap.

I lay on his chest and tilt my head to the side, arguing “Can’t give me shit for turning my cuddles up a notch when you turn your swooniness up to the highest notch, Stilinski.”

He smirks as I feel him set his hands on my hips before I lean forward and capture his lips with mine.

Stiles kisses me back for a second before he makes a noise and pulls away as he sits up slightly on his forearms.

Drawing his brows in, he moves his eyes between mine “What are you doing? I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet.”

I smile softly and move my nose against his as I counter back “I don’t care.”

His eyes flash with what I can best describe looks like adoration before he pushes up and connects his lips with mine again.

Pulling away after a few seconds, he grumbles against my lips “Okay we need to get ready and I really don’t want to have to take a cold shower… again”

I roll my eyes playfully, pecking his lips quickly again before shifting to get off of him “Fair enough,” I throw over my shoulder as I stand up and walk over to my bag.

I grab my extra clothes I keep in there for impromptu sleepovers just like this one and head into the bathroom to change.

Heading back into his room after changing into a black henley and my favorite distressed jean shorts, I give him back his shirt he had me sleep in and work on working my hair into a loose side fishtail braid.

“Damn” I hear him grumble to himself and I look over my other shoulder at him while fastening the end of the braid with a clear elastic.

I raise a brow and watch as he finishes buttoning up his flannel and shake my head slightly as I come to a stop in front of him “Damn what?”

He lifts one side of his mouth in a lopsided smile as he sets his hands on my waist and pulls me into him “Damn, I’m lucky– ready?”

I smile as I push up on my toes and kiss him softly before pulling back and nodding on my way over to put on my shoes and grab my bag “Yup– let’s go sweet cheeks.” 

***

“Addy!” I turn from my locker and slowly close it as I watch Malia making her way down the hallway to me quickly.

We haven’t talked since almost dying in the vault right before she learned we’ve been lying to her for quite some time about her biological dad.

So her excited tone as she calls my name and makes her way down the hall is a little shocking if I’m being honest.

She comes to a stop in front of me and smiles, it doesn’t look forced however it looks uncomfortable.

I clear my throat and return with my own soft smile **_I hurt her, she’s calling the shots here_**

She groans in frustration before shaking her head “Look I don’t want to be mad at you, and I don’t even really feel like I am or was. It was a new feeling though, but I’m done with it. I want my friend back– please.”

I let out a relieved chuckle and shake my head “Mal, you never lost me as a friend. We kept a huge secret from you for a long time, begrudgingly but I still did it.”

She nods and sets her hand on my arm “I think I get why, Scott talked to me about it all the night of the bonfire. I get you guys don’t trust Peter, but if he’s able to help me find my mom– I owe it to myself to at least hear him out.”

I make a face of understanding before I shrug one shoulder “Look Peter is a sore subject for us all. He may have the best intentions when it comes to you, but that won’t stop us from being on guard around him. He almost killed all of us at one point or another, would have succeeded had supernatural interferences in our genes not stopped it.” 

I whisper the last part and look to my shoes before looking back up to her and continuing “I meant what I said in the vault Mal, being my friend means I will do everything in my limited power to make sure you’re safe– and I won’t apologize for it. I will however respect your decision to keep him close to learn about your mother.”

Malia smiles brightly and pulls me in for a hug as she mutters “I can handle that– thank you Addy.”

She pulls back and I chuckle softly as I regroup the books in my arm and she widens her eyes before digging in her bag “Oh that reminds me look! I passed!”

She shows me her math test and I make a noise as I look at the grade on the top before I mutter “C minus, Mal–”

“Your notes are great when they’re not written in code” She interrupts with a big smile on her face and looks back to her test proudly **_well it’s progress at least_**

She huffs and pulls out another test “Though the same can’t be said for Econ– failed that one. Coach even said he was ‘profoundly disappointed’.”

I snort and shake my head as I fix the strap on my messenger bag and mutter “There’s not much that doesn’t profoundly disappoint Coach.”

She connects her sad eyes with mine and I chuckle as I grab my notebook out of my bag and hand it over to her with a reassuring nod “My Econ notes.”

***

I’m laying on my stomach across the foot of Stiles’ bed while he is sitting near me with his back resting against the bed.

I have my elbow propped up on his bed, absentmindedly scratching his head down to his neck while we study.

Looking over to the open doorway when we hear a few knocks, I smile when Noah walks into the room with his hands out to his sides “Drop what you’re doing. I’m taking you both out to dinner. Whatever you want”

Stiles shifts on the floor to sit up straight as he reluctantly reminds “Uhh Dad, I don’t think a man of your debts should be treating anyone to anything.”

Noah makes a face and reaches into his back pocket pulling out a piece of paper “Well, there’s one debt we no longer have to worry about.”

“What is that?” I question as I move my legs over to sit on the end of the bed and look over Stiles’ shoulder at the paper.

“A letter of apology from Eichen House. Apparently, they’ve decided to forgive our debt due to… well, you and Addy almost getting murdered.”

I look up to connect my eyes with Noah’s as I question “They can do that?”

He smiles brightly with a small nod “They can do it and they did it.”

Stiles looks up at me and sets the paper down on the bed next to me as he exclaims “I have never been so happy to have almost been murdered.”

I smile with his words before Noah makes a noise “Well, we’re not out of it yet. But– we’re going to be okay. And at least for the moment, I can afford to take my son and his girlfriend out to dinner– Addy, your favorite food still pizza?”

Stiles snorts as he stands up and holds his hand out to me “Is the sky still blue? The day that she says no to pizza is the day we know the world is freaking ending.”

I smirk towards him as I set my hand in his and he pulls me up “Wow, a little over dramatic there don’t you think?”

“Adds you once ordered pizza every day for an entire week when Melissa went out of town, Scott complained because he was done after day three of pizza, yet you were in charge of the money and kept ordering it.”

I throw a shrug at him and look to Noah who moves his humor filled eyes between us before Stiles continues “ _AND_ then you still suggested pizza once she got home. Scott wouldn’t shut up about the pizza week from hell for months.”

I roll my eyes and grumble “That new pizza place just opened and they have bomb pizza, Scott was being a baby.”

“Scott still won’t eat pizza more than once a month” Stiles deadpans earning Noah to snort before lifting his arm out to his side “Well we aren’t burned out on pizza, so let’s go.”

I stick my tongue out at Stiles who shakes his head at me as I walk past him and out the door.

***

After dinner, Noah drops us off at the house before he heads to work. 

I start to walk up towards the stairs to the front porch, however, Stiles grabs my hand and pulls me back towards him, nodding towards Roscoe with his offer “Let’s go for a drive.”

I smile and nod as we head over to the passenger door. Stiles opens it for me and helps me hop into the seat before closing the door and heading to the driver’s side.

After backing out of the driveway, Stiles reaches over and places his hand on my thigh as we drive down the road. 

We head towards the cliffs over looking the city and I tuck my hair behind my ear from the wind with the windows down as I take a deep breath, smelling the best smell of rain almost here.

I look over to him and shake my head slightly “It’s going to rain soon, what are we doing?”

Stiles smirks as he looks over to me “You’ll see.”

He parks and it’s just starting to sprinkle onto the windshield as he looks over to me, licking his lips quickly and raising his brows once “Come on.”

We get out of the jeep and I walk around the back just as Stiles is opening the window. 

He swings the bottom part of the back open towards me before leaning inside to mess with something on the side.

I gasp softly looking inside the back as I walk around the door. 

I take in the twinkle lights that are on the inside roof and side windows with cozy pillows and blankets laid out **_how did I not see those before_**

“What’s all this?” I question as I look over to him and he shrugs as he shoves his hands into his pockets “I know how much early summer storms are your favorite to sit and watch, paired with the city lights– I thought tonight was the perfect night for a little escape from our crazy life.”

I smile brightly as I hop up onto my toes to place a grateful kiss on his lips.

Stiles sets his hands on my hips, returning the kiss before I pull away and move my eyes between his “I love you… and this is perfect.”

Stiles returns my smile before licking his lips quickly and kissing my cheek, muttering “Love you babe– come on” as he nods towards the back. 

He sets his hand on my lower back as we move closer and take off our shoes, before he helps me climb inside the back of the jeep. 

Stiles closes the bottom part of the door, leaving the top window open as I climb under the blanket and get situated leaning back against the pillows.

Stiles climbs up with me and lays down next to me, lifting his arm up so I can snuggle into his chest before he lays his arm around my back and rests his hand on my hip.

I lay my hand on his chest and take in the smell of rain drafting in through the window as it starts to fall down onto the jeep more. 

Stiles moves his free hand over to link his fingers with my hand on his chest, moving his thumb back and forth on my hand. 

I make a noise as my eyes drift up to the soft lights around us and look over my shoulder at where he was messing with something when he first opened the door.

Stiles chuckles and moves his feet against mine under the covers “I found battery powered lights, because they really have thought of everything these days.”

“So you watched the weather and set this up before I came over earlier– I can’t believe you did all of this for me” I mumble as I turn my head back towards him to rest my chin on his chest.

“I’d do anything for you, especially to see that smile” he counters, earning me to smile with his words.

“That’s the one” he murmurs just above a whisper.

I push up from my lay to bring my face closer to his, whispering back “You’re everything to me” before I connect my lips to his.

Stiles breathes in deeply through his nose as he moves one of his hands up to cradle my face as he returns the kiss and moves me to lay back on the pillow more. 

I move my arms around the back of his neck and shift my side towards him more. 

I hook one leg over his hip, bringing him closer and moaning softly when he drops his hand to grip my hip roughly.

Stiles uses the opportunity to deepen the kiss, moving his tongue effortlessly with mine and turning the kiss from passion to complete _need_. 

After a few moments, breathlessly he pulls away and rests his forehead on mine, groaning softly “Fuck Adds–”

I open my eyes and see his are still closed as he tries to catch his breath. 

I smile softly and move my nose with his, moving my nails against the back of his head and watching as he slowly opens his eyes to connect with mine. 

He releases a breathy chuckle and moves his hand from my hip and up to cradle the side of my face, rubbing his thumb against my cheek as he huskily replies “We should stop– I didn’t bring you out here for that.”

I move my hands to either side of his face as I nod slightly “I know– which is why I want to.”

He blinks his eyes quickly, digesting my words before slightly jerking his head back. 

Sitting up more, he moves to sit down beside me as he stutters out adorably “You do– now? Like right now– _now_?”

I smirk and raise a brow over to him as I move to also sit up, bumping my leg with his while I question “Are you saying no?”

“Are you crazy? No” Stiles states as he looks over to me quickly, and then elaborates with a huff when I chuckle softly “No I’m not saying no, I’m just saying are you sure you’re ready?… Because we– we don’t have to do anything–”

I lean across my side and kiss him quickly, interrupting his words before pulling back and connecting my unwavering in my decision eyes with his “Never been more sure of anything in my life Stiles. I want _you_ , I want this with you– right now if– if you want that too.” 

Stiles smiles softly and closes the small distance between us, muttering against my lips “I will always want you, Adds” before crashing his lips to mine. 

I return the kiss before setting my hands on his chest and pushing back slightly, earning him to raise his brows with his silent question. 

I throw him a knowing look as I cross my arms in front of me, bunching the bottom of my shirt in each hand before lifting my shirt up and over my head.

Stiles drops open his mouth slightly as his eyes roam over my body, before he flicks his eyes up to connect with mine. 

So much love and pure want is shining in his eyes as he moves closer, placing a soft reassuring kiss on my lips.

Stiles sets his hands on my hips and pulls me closer towards him in one swift motion. 

I wrap my arms behind his neck before he pushes into me more, laying us back on the pillows and showing me just what it means to be loved in the most intimate of ways.

***

Stiles grabs my hand and links our fingers as we make our way down the hall and towards the locker room so he can get changed for the lacrosse game tonight.

Liam rushes past a few people and right up to us in the hallway, talking immediately as he’s in front of us “Have either of you heard from Scott because I haven’t and he won’t return any of my messages or calls.”

I draw my brows in as I take in his freak out level and shake my head softly “Hey, calm down we heard from him earlier” **_it was a vague text but he at least got back to us_**

Stiles nods with my words and turns towards him, reassuring “Everything’s fine. I got a text from him this morning and he said he might be a little late.” 

“Well, how late is late?” Liam tries to clarify and at our shrugs he continues “Is he always late? We’re playing Devenford Prep again and this time it’s an _actual_ game. He shouldn’t be late.”

“Who shouldn’t be late?” Coach mutters with his furrowed eavesdropping brows as he walks closer to us.

We all share a _way to go_ look before Liam closes his eyes and digresses through a reluctant sigh “Scott and Kira.”

I make a noise and lift my arm out towards Coach as I elaborate “They might be _slightly_ late.”

Coach looks like he’s about to lose it as he starts to stammer out “Wha– wha– Slightly late is still late. What are they doing?”

Stiles clicks his tongue and raises his brows as he finally comes up with “They’re doing something that’s going to make them… slightly late.”

“What could Scott and Kira be doing right now that’s more important than playing in the first game?” Coach asks like he isn’t surrounded by ninety nine percent teenage boys who all look uncomfortable with the could be hidden meaning behind that question.

I can’t even help the snort and noise I make to not laugh at everyone’s faces as I drop my head to the side, resting my forehead on Stiles’ shoulder.

I feel him wrap his arm around my back and mutter through his own chuckle that he’s also trying to hold back “Oh, Coach”

***

Stiles and Liam sit down on the bench while I walk over and sit down next to Stiles who unzips his bag to grab his pads and gloves.

Liam looks behind us and mutters on his turn to face forward again “They’re still not here.”

Stiles shares a look with me before I lean towards him “Okay, what’s really going on bub? Are you nervous about the full moon? It’s not for another twenty four hours.”

Liam looks over to me before turning around and looking up to the almost full moon.

Quickly looking over to me, Stiles turns more to his left and sets his hand on Liam’s shoulder “Hey, you’re gonna be fine– okay? Just try not to rage out on anyone.”

“You’re not worried?” Liam argues bringing the attention back to my _definitely_ missing brother.

Stiles sighs and reaches forward to dig in his bag again as he answers his statement “Okay, I’m mildly concerned. _Mildly_.”

Stiles types out a message to Scott **_directly contradicting what he just said out loud_** ‘How late you gonna be? Very worried. Very’

I snort through a chuckle and go back to the clipboard in my hand when Stiles drops his hand holding his phone back into his bag and points to me with his free hand “Not a word from you.”

Feigning innocence, I shake my head and lean the clipboard against my nose **_hiding my smile so he can only see my eyes_**

Stiles fights his own smile and shakes his head as he moves his amusement filled eyes between mine.

“Unbelievable” Stiles lightly grumbles before he licks his lips quickly and clears his throat as he goes back to putting on his elbow pads.

Liam gains our attention again as he states through his aggravation “We’re gonna lose without him.”

Putting on his gloves now, Stiles points his non gloved hand towards him to argue “No, we’re not. We can be just as good without Scott. Okay? I’ve been practicing. Let me tell you something… I’m getting good– _really_ good”

Stiles gloats before the whistle signals the beginning of the game.

 _‘Really_ good’ must have been stated loosely unfortunately **_because sweet christ I love him, however really good at lacrosse he is not._**

Stiles drops to the ground without the ball in the beginning face off with the opposing player.

The next play he gets hit in the side of the helmet before falling to the ground as he tries to catch the ball on the following play.

The real kicker to his statement is when he gets absolutely pummeled to the ground by three of the opposing players just running straight through him by the looks of him.

I grimace behind the clipboard and watch as Liam runs up to hold out his hand and help Stiles stand back up.

Stiles runs over to the side lines and trades spots with another player on the bench, whispering to me as he walks past and kisses my cheek “texting Scott again”

I nod with a soft smile as I watch him sit down on the bench behind us before I turn to face the field.

Devenford Prep scores again and Coach yells his frustration to everyone around us “Come on!”

The ref’s whistle signals the end of the quarter and the players run off the field, grabbing drinks of water and regrouping before the next play.

Liam and I head over to Stiles who shoves his phone into his bag and stands up in front of us “All right. Neither of them are answering still.”

I tilt my head to the side as I sigh out “Okay well we need to go see what’s going on, because I’m officially past worried.” 

Stiles smiles softly and nods while Liam shares how not okay he is with this plan “Wait you’re leaving? Both of you? What are you going to tell Coach?”

Right on cue with Liam’s question, Coach gains our attention as he throws his clipboard onto the ground and has a mini freak out “Stupid! Stupid old…”

I grimace and look back to Stiles, sharing a look of agreement before he answers Liam “Uh, you don’t tell him anything”

I set my hands on Liam’s upper arms and move my head until he connects his eyes with mine “Sound like a plan? Hey, you’re gonna be okay. All right? We’re going to find Scott, everything’s going to be okay.”

He nods and drops his eyes to the ground, looking like he doesn’t believe me in the slightest.

I share a look with Stiles before I shift on my feet and talk a little quieter “Bub, I don’t know what’s going on with you, and you don’t have to tell me– just know we are here for you. Whatever you’re going through, we’ll understand more than most okay? Don’t feel like you have to push us away, or handle this on your own. You’re kind of stuck with me now, and I’m sorry– but you’re just going to have to accept that.”

Stiles releases a breathy chuckle before he clears his throat and gains Liam’s eyes with his words “She’s right man, and personally speaking from a total and complete non biased perspective– you couldn’t _dream_ of a better person to be by your side, no matter what is happening. If you trust me on anything, trust me on _that._ ”

I look over my shoulder and smile when I connect my eyes with Stiles’ **_will I ever know what I did to deserve him?_**

He returns the smile before I slightly widen my eyes and let out a breath of air as Liam steps forward and wraps his arms around my middle.

Feeling like he needs comfort more than anything, I tighten my hold around him for a moment before he pulls back and I set my hands on his shoulders “Keep kicking ass in the game and we’ll text you soon okay?”

He nods and looks between us, muttering “Just stay safe– both of you” before he grabs his helmet off the bench and walks over towards the field.

I share a worried look with Stiles before he smiles and nods his head towards the stands “He’ll be okay, let’s go find Scott.”

Nodding with his words, I take a deep breath and grab his outstretched hand feeling him intertwine our fingers and pull me towards him. 

Stiles and I walk over to where Noah is sitting in the stands and let him know we need to go and find out where Scott and Kira are **_because we’re more than likely sure that something happened to them at this point_**

Noah nods “All right let’s go then” and stands up, following us as we head behind the bleachers towards the car.

Lydia calls on our walk to the parking lot and fills us in that she’s found Deaton– he’s in Eichen House in some type of coma.

She reassures she’s got it and Stiles grabs my attention as he shows me a message from Derek telling us to get to his loft ASAP **_we currently have three problems and I don’t even know which is worse_**

***

Getting to Derek’s with Noah and Stiles, we walk through the already open door to the loft and see the mess of the room, with Derek and Braedon standing off to the side.

Stiles looks around at the broken furniture, windows and glass everywhere before we turn towards Derek “What the hell happened?”

“It was supposed to be a date,” Derek answers before Noah clarifies “They were both here?”

“And they’re both gone,” Braedon answers before a feeling crashes over my whole body and my knees give out from under me.

I fall to the side and Stiles immediately reaches out, catching me against his chest as I see everyone else move closer to me.

“Addy–”

“Adds, what is it?”

Not able to answer them, I gasp loudly as I lift my hands up and rest them on either side of my head.

My head feels like it’s going to explode and I slam my eyes closed, feeling helpless as my breathing increases.

I try to work through the overwhelming noise and the feeling of complete and utter _death_ rushing through my nerves.

I drop down to my knees, groaning through the pain and despair that’s suffocating as it’s crashing over me **_not me– it’s Scott, something’s happening to Scott_**

Slamming my hands onto the floor next to my knees, I can’t hold it back any longer– I take a deep breath and let the scream come barreling out and into the room around us, silencing everything into a peaceful bliss.

Feeling the scream die down, the room is on edge waiting for me as I come to the realization for why I was feeling _everything_ I was feeling.

I open my tear filled eyes and connect them with Stiles who has kneeled down in front of me and reaches forward to cup my cheeks “Adds–”

I hiccup through a sob that’s built in my chest and shake my head softly “Scott–”

Everyone noticeably stiffens when my voice cracks on his name before I swallow hard and digress “Scott’s _dying_ in Mexico.”


	60. Smoke & Mirrors

“Are you two out of your minds?” Noah quips in a rushed whisper before shutting the door to his office and turning around towards us.

He lifts his hand to point a finger at us as he continues, “You two are not going to Mexico.”

Stiles huffs out a frustrated breath before he argues “Dad, Scott and Kira have been kidnapped and taken to Mexico. Okay? I think that’s a pretty good reason for a trip to Mexico.”

Noah walks away from us and inhales deeply while stepping behind his desk to lean his hands on the back of his chair “Okay even if you guys are right about this– the best thing is to go through the proper channels–”

Stiles hits his hand on the desk with his objection “Dad–”

Noah nods his head and raises his hand out to his side, continuing on a little louder like Stiles didn’t say anything “ _That means_ calling the right law enforcement agencies, border patrol, putting out an all-points.”

Hearing his words I nod, however I urge “Mr. S… something happened to Scott. It’s like Derek, he’s not dead– but it doesn’t exactly feel like he’s _alive_ either.”

Noah softens his eyes but shakes his head to stand his ground.

I feel Stiles wrap an arm around me while lifting his free hand out to his side to argue “Dad, we can’t just wait around for the wheels of bureaucracy to start spinning in five different government offices. Okay? Someone needs to go down there right now, find them and rescue them. We’re going.”

Noah furrows his brows as he moves his eyes between us. He takes in our serious and not backing down faces before he stands up from his lean, raising his brows to go with his words “I can keep you two from going.”

Stiles shrugs and clarifies “We’d find a way.”

Noah shakes his head to take it a step farther “I can throw you in separate cells.”

I tilt my head to the side and elaborate softly “We’re resourceful– we’d still find a way.”

Noah softens his face with a sigh and moves from behind his desk to walk around, coming to stand in front of us with his plea “Guys, please. Just give me a little more time to verify something slightly more concrete than a banshee scream backed up by Deaton seeing a psychic vision by some guy with a third eye in a mental hospital.”

I must look offended because he sets his hand on my shoulder with a reassuring little shake “Not that I don’t trust what you feel kid–”

I close my eyes, offering a nod of understanding with his words **_he’s right no one would accept that as probable proof to go into another country after them_**

Opening my eyes when I hear Noah sigh, he looks between us and continues with his bargaining “Look, I will call every law enforcement agency all the way down to South America if I have to. If nothing turns up, then we’ll book three flights to Mexico. We’ll _all_ go. Okay?”

I smile softly with his words before Stiles makes a noise and grips his hand lower on my hip while he nods towards his dad “Okay, okay, great. Do I get a gun?”

“No.” Noah deadpans before walking towards the office door.

I try to cover my snort into my hand by coughing softly, however I just earn Stiles pulling me harder into his side.

Fighting a smile he places his mouth against my temple, murmuring “Heard that” before placing a kiss against my skin.

***

Malia smiles when I open the front door and gesture inside for her to follow us up to Scott’s room.

She volunteered to get his scent before we needed to leave for Mexico **_sorry Noah but it’s Scott– we have to do this now_**

Digging around in Scott’s closet I find the shirt I last remember him wearing and hand it over to her “Here try that.”

Stiles crosses his arms over his chest and taps his fingers on his arm while she takes a deep breath of the material.

She looks over to us and shakes her head, stating “Fabric softener.”

Stiles raises his brows and tilts his head to the side before he turns and walks into the bathroom.

He digs through the hamper and grabs an article of unmentionables that has my nose grimacing before he holds it out towards her and shrugs “Remember, Scott’s life is on the line.”

Chuckling at his bright idea, I widen my eyes slightly and move a step over to the bed.

I clear my throat after grabbing my idea and both of them turn around from the bathroom doorway while I hold out Scott’s pillow to Malia with a hopeful look on my face.

Malia sends me a grateful look before walking up next to me and taking the pillow from my hands.

She inhales deeply and smiles with a nod that she fully has his scent now.

I smile triumphantly and raise my brows quickly when Stiles moves his eyes towards me and nods his head to the side “Yeah. That works, too.”

We walk out of Scott’s room and head down the stairs with a little rush in our steps.

Stiles walks around the corner first and I hear him make a noise before we’re following behind him through the living room.

I see Liam in the kitchen waiting for us when Stiles raises his arm up with his words “Oh! Liam, go home. You’re not coming with us.”

Moving his wide eyes between, Liam quickly rushes out “Why not?”

Sidestepping around Liam, Stiles comes to a stop in the kitchen to clarify “Because it’s a full moon. And I don’t feel like driving all the way down to Mexico just to have you rip my throat out.”

Liam scoffs and offers his solution “You can lock me up, right? Chain me down to the back seat or something?”

I grimace softly to debunk that suggestion as I connect my eyes with his “You tore through the last chains, remember?”

Stiles lifts his hand out towards me and elaborates “Yeah, we would have to freeze you in carbonite to get you down there.”

Liam shrugs with a hopeful look on his face like it’s completely doable and offers “Okay, then where do we get carbonite?” **_softest puppy in the world_**

I move my lips between my teeth, trying not to laugh at the look adorning Stiles’ face when he turns towards me.

Sharing a look with me, he raises his brows before he turns back to Liam “Seriously, you haven’t seen it either?”

Stiles turns towards me to head towards the kitchen door and I shrug “Movie night when we get back? We’ll make the whole damn pack watch it with us.”

Stiles releases a slight chuckle and reaches out to grab my hand when Liam rushes forward and stops in front of us “Wait! What if we put me in the trunk?”

I soften my face and connect my eyes with his “You’d get out of that, too bub.”

Stiles shakes his head when he looks back to him “She’s right– Liam, you’ve been a werewolf all of five minutes– you don’t have to do this.”

Setting a determined look on his face, he doesn’t waver in his decision as he moves his eyes between Stiles and I “I know I don’t, but I _want_ to. There’s gotta be bigger chains, a bigger trunk or something. There has to be.”

Stiles nods his head to the side and connects his idea brewing eyes with mine “Maybe there is.”

I furrow my brows with my silent question before he gives me a knowing look and I chuckle **_well we can’t be the ones to steal it this time_**

***

Derek texted back that Braedon was on it to fulfill our request and sent us to meet at the abandoned airport hanger where we needed to meet and regroup before we leave for Mexico.

Stiles and I get out of Roscoe, heading over towards the van.

Stiles makes a noise, pointing towards the van as he asks a smirking Braedon “How did you get a prison transport van?”

“I’m a U.S. Marshal.” She states like it’s obvious and I make a noise before imploring lightly “Yeah, I just thought that was just a cover?”

She answers with a deeper smirk before Derek chimes in with zero patience as he points to Liam coming to a stop beside me “Are we really bringing him?”

“Are we really bringing him?” Stiles quickly counters in Liam’s defense with a point towards Peter who is also walking up towards our group.

I let out a groan of frustration and raise my hands out to my sides to stop the fighting “Guys stop– we have no time for this okay. We’re bringing _everyone_ that we can.”

Peter nods and chimes in with his gloating words “Addy’s right and considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon, we should probably get going.”

I furrow my brows with his words and Malia shares a look with me before she looks back towards him with her question “What’s that mean?”

Peter moves his eyes between us as he digresses “If Kate took Scott back to the same temple that she took Derek, how do we know she’s not planning to do the same thing to him?” 

Liam shrugs next to me “What, she wants to make him younger?”

Derek furrows his brows and chimes in “Or take him back to when he wasn’t a werewolf.”

“A werewolf can’t _steal_ a true Alpha’s power. But maybe a Nagual jaguar, with the power of Tezcatlipoca behind her… Maybe she can.” Peter lets out a deep exhale with his words before he continues “So, if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I say we get going.”

I shake my head and look between Peter and Derek as I answer “We can’t. Not without Lydia.”

Derek raises his brows with my words, shaking his head expectantly with his question “Okay well then where the hell is she?”

“At the school” Stiles answers as I pull my phone out of my pocket to call her.

I get her voicemail and call another two times before Derek stops my pacing steps by standing in front of me. 

I move my eyes up to his and he shrugs “We need to go Addy– what’s she doing at the school anyway?”

Malia lifts the item in her hand up slightly next to us “We got Kira’s sword, but we need something with a stronger scent.”

Derek looks back to me like he doesn’t get how the school ties into this and I tilt my head to the side, making a noise before I answer “Lydia went to get a jacket out of Kira’s locker we know she keeps in there and wouldn’t have been washed recently.”

I groan and drop my phone down from my ear as I connect my worried eyes with Stiles’ “Nothing”

Braedon shrugs “If she has a car, she can catch up to us.”

Peter gains my attention when he points towards her and nods “That’s a good point. We’ll call her from the road.”

I scoff and look over towards him quickly “No. What if something happened? She’s not answering for a reason– what if she’s in trouble?”

Peter offers a look of mock pity before he widens his eyes with his idea “Fine– you stay, you find her. We’re gonna go on without you.”

He doesn’t even wait for an answer before he’s walking away from us and towards his car **_you’re acting way to eager to get down to Mexico_**

I roll my eyes and turn to the side when Liam gains my attention “I could call Mason. He has a study group at school. Maybe he could look for her.”

Both Stiles and Derek raise their brows towards me, like that’s our best option to go with and I sigh as I set my phone in the back pocket of my jean shorts “Alright. Fine.”

Stiles sets his hand on my hip and guides me over to Malia who starts walking towards Peter’s car.

She stops her steps and looks to me when I set my hand on her arm “We need to be back there with Derek and Liam. I don’t want to leave him alone right now.”

Malia smiles and nods “If anyone’s going to help him find an anchor it’s you.”

Stiles makes a noise and nods his head to the side “Plus it helps we have got some experience dealing with out of control teen wolves.”

I chuckle with his words and look back to Malia “You’ll be okay riding with Peter?”

She makes a face and nods slightly “He is my father. Maybe we could do some bonding.”

“No. No bonding.” I quip back with a shake of my head and Stiles elaborates “Play the radio, play it _loud_.”

She chuckles and heads towards the car after giving us a slight nod with our words.

Peter shrugs on his jacket and states “Remember what we’re dealing with. It’s not just Kate, it’s Berserkers. You might see human eyes behind those skulls. Do not assume that there’s any humanity left.”

He smirks and nods towards Liam “Oh– this little one is terrified of them, aren’t you?”

Liam looks down quickly and I set my hand on his upper back when Peter continues “Don’t worry, my friend. It is that fear that will keep you alive. A reminder to everyone. You do not fight Berserkers to survive, you fight to kill” **_interesting statement since before you wanted to run away from them_**

We get into the back of the van and after Liam calls Mason, telling him to call as soon as he finds Lydia we get him double handcuffed to one side of the benches in the van.

I sit next to Stiles and after Derek finishes fastening the cuffs around Liam’s wrists, he sits down on the other side of me.

Liam looks over to us and I raise my brows with my question “All good?”

He nods before he pulls up on the cuffs and they make a decent sound of they won’t be going anywhere.

Derek clears his throat and reaches into his jacket. He pulls out the talisman that Kate was originally after when the vault was broken into.

I share a look with Stiles before we hear Derek softly inform Liam “Okay. I brought something to help you. This has been with my family for centuries. It’s a very powerful, supernatural talisman. We use it to teach Betas how to control themselves on a full moon.”

Derek finishes and reaches out to place the talisman into Liam’s hands.

Derek looks over to us expectantly and nods towards the absolutely powerless talisman with his brows raised very high.

Getting his meaning I look back to Liam who thankfully still has his eyes on the disk in his hand and Stiles clears his throat to elaborate “Yes, it’s powerful– very powerful.”

***

We’ve been driving for a couple hours at this point and night has fallen around us.

Stiles stretches his long gazelle legs out across to the other bench, sending a smirk my way as he silently gloats that he’s grown taller and is even more comfy than the last time we were waiting in the back of one of these.

I glare playfully and move my feet onto the bench we’re sitting on, bringing my knees closer to my face. 

I stick my tongue out that I’m just as comfy and move to wrap my arms around my legs when he huffs and reaches his hands towards me.

Stiles wraps his hands around my ankles and pulls my legs towards him to lay them over his lap and scoots me on the bench to be right up against him.

I chuckle with his antics and move my shoulder trying to get comfy as I cross my arms over my chest.

Liam clears his throat and nods towards us “How long have you guys been together?”

We look over to him and Stiles is beginning to answer when Derek scoffs and points over to us “These two idiots have _only_ been together a few months.”

“Months?” Liam stresses through his disbelief at the same time Stiles and I quip back towards Derek “Idiots?”

Derek fights his smile as he moves his humor filled eyes between Stiles and I “Seriously? Yes idiots– the both of you.”

He turns back towards Liam and shakes his head as he leans back against the wall behind us “Be glad you weren’t a werewolf before they were together– it’s worse than right now.”

“Fucking chemosignals” Stiles grumbles at the same time I laugh with no humor behind it and point towards Derek “One– shut your face and B–” I point towards Liam and continue on a lighter tone “Why do you ask?”

Liam tries not to laugh at the whole exchange and clears his throat “Umm you two just remind me of my parents– the way you both interact with each other, having silent conversations knowing exactly what the other is thinking and how calm being around you two even makes _me_ – it’s different… it’s nice. Also why I would have guessed years.”

I smile softly and feel Stiles wrap his arm behind me, resting his hand on my hip before he pulls me back against him.

I set my chin on my shoulder and smile softly at Stiles, earning a wink thrown my way before we all jump back with the grunt of pain from Liam as he pulls on the cuffs around his wrists.

Stiles drops his feet from across the bench and we share a worried look with Derek as Liam starts to breathe heavily.

He lifts his head slowly and connects his were yellows shining brightly with Derek as he grips the talisman with his claws out fingers and clips out “Whatever you were gonna teach me… I think you better start.”

Derek leans closer to him “Liam, you with me? We have a mantra that we use. You repeat it, you focus on the words. It’s like meditating. You say the words until you feel control coming back to you.”

“Okay. Okay, okay! What are the words?” Liam rushes out and Derek nods pointing to the talisman “Okay, look at the triskelion. See the symbol? I have a tattoo on my back, it’s the same thing. Each spiral means something.”

“Alpha, Beta, Omega.” Stiles ponders in thought and Derek nods as he continues “It represents the idea that we can always rise to one and fall back to another. Betas can become Alphas–”

“Alphas can become Betas,” I chime in and Liam looks around to us quickly with his question “Can Alphas become Omegas?”

Derek nods his answer and continues “All you have to do is say the three words. And with each one, you tell yourself you’re getting calmer, more in control. Go ahead.”

“Alpha, Beta…” Liam begins quickly and Derek reassures calmly “Slower.”

“Alpha… Beta… Omega…” Liam succeeds in saying the words slower before he groans and his claws out fingers grip the talisman even harder before he goes again “Alpha… Beta… Omega…”

“Good. Say it again. Remember, every time you say the words, you’re getting calmer,” Derek tries again and Liam pops his neck to the side.

He’s sweating more and through his panting breaths, his voice adds a definite growl behind his words “Alpha, Beta… Omega.”

Stiles pulls be back with him, making a noise of that doesn’t sound good.

“Say it again,” Derek urges before Stiles stresses quickly “Derek, I don’t think the powerful talisman of self-control is working”

Liam looks up and his were yellows are shining brightly as well as his teeth being on display while he roars towards us.

We jump backwards more and Derek bellows right back in his face “Liam, say it again!”

Liam answers with a bone chilling roar as he tries to stand up. 

The cuffs do a spectacular job of keeping him in place, however Braedon slightly loses control of the van and we serve around while Derek yells back “Liam!”

Liam roars even louder and breaks one of the cuffs around his wrist, earning Stiles to make a fearful noise as he pulls me across his lap and onto the bench on the other side of him, effectively putting himself in front of me.

“Derek?” Braedon yells from behind the wheel and since Derek is holding onto Liam’s sprung free arm, Stiles shouts back towards her through the middle gate divider between the front and back area “I think we’re gonna need to go a little faster!”

Fighting through Liam trying to break free, Derek returns with his own shout through the divider towards Braedon “Keep going!”

“We’re almost there!” Braedon informs right before Liam roars and tries to swipe at Derek again, successfully breaking the other handcuff in the process.

Noticing both hands are free now, Liam reaches forward and attempts to wrap them around Derek’s throat.

“Keep focus!” Derek again shouts through fighting to keep Liam at bay.

Stiles moves more in front of me as he helpfully adds to the situation “Derek, I don’t think Alpha, Beta, Omega is resonating with him.”

“Either of you know any other mantras?” Derek pants out and I set my hand on Stiles’ arm to let me around him “Yeah I do– Liam, Liam– what three things cannot long be hidden?”

Liam only looks at me for a second before he goes back to trying to attack Derek and Stiles lunges forward to grab Liam’s other arm, keeping it away from Derek as he bellows in his face “Liam! Liam look at her”

I kneel in between the benches, my back against the divider from the front and when I get his were yellows shining brightly towards me I continue “Bub, what three things cannot long be hidden?”

“What three things?” Stiles urges again through keeping him back on his bench.

Liam pants as the recognition flashes in his eyes and he answers slowly through strained breaths “The Sun… The moon… The truth.”

I smile and nod towards him as I move closer and kneel beside them “That’s it. Say it again.”

Liam lets go of Derek and sits back on his bench, panting out through less and less of a growl behind his words “The Sun, the moon… the truth.”

I watch as he slowly transforms out of his were features and I smile brightly when he connects his blue eyes with mine, whispering softly “You did it.”

Braedon rushes through her worry back towards us again “Derek?”

Derek sets his hand on my shoulder and squeezes once as he answers back “We’re okay.”

Liam breathes out deeply, stating even more in control with every word “The sun… the moon… and the truth.”

Stiles and Derek breathe out a breath of relief and sit back on the bench as I move to sit next to them again.

The van comes to a stop outside of the building we were at not that long ago and Liam offers a slight chuckle “I can’t believe I did it.”

We all look at him as he lets out a scoff and continues lightly “For a minute there, I thought I was gonna tear the two of you apart.”

Stiles raises his brows “Yeah. That would’ve made for an awkward ride home– wait two, there’s three of us”

Liam shakes his head “I finally know what it’s like to have a sister, you think I’d hurt her?”

I try to hide my chuckle behind my hand at the look Stiles throws him before he tilts his head to the side “Not sure you would have been at the level to _not_ hurt someone, but since it’s my girlfriend I’ll let it slide– so, thanks for not hurting _any_ of us.”

We share a chuckle and Derek flicks his eyes over to him, nodding towards the building outside “Think you can bring the same level of control and strength inside La Iglesia?”

Liam moves his eyes between us before he raises his arm out in front of us all, flicking his claws out of his fingers **_perfect level of control_**

I set my hands together and smile between them “All right– we might actually be able to do this.”

Derek smirks and nods over at us before he gets up from the bench and heads towards the door.

He opens the door and we hear a growl from none other than a Berserker before it’s pulling Derek out of the van and throwing him a few feet away from us.

The Berserker slams Derek back against a rock and starts to punch him repeatedly in the chest.

It’s when the Berserker lifts his arm up for the fourth time we see a sharp bone attached to the back of his wrist and realize he’s been stabbing Derek with every punch.

Gunshots ring out beside us from the open door and Stiles grabs my side and pulls me closer to him as we raise our arms up to block the noise.

Braedon continues to unload the clip of her gun into the Berserker before he finally runs away.

Peter and Malia run over to us as Stiles, Liam and I climb out of the van.

Derek grunts through the pain as he slides down the rock and blood starts coming out of his mouth with every quick breath he releases.

Braedon runs up to his side and pulls back his hand that is fully covered in blood.

I lift my hand over my mouth and feel Stiles set his hand on my shoulder, pulling me into his side as Peter shows his worry “How bad is it?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Just get to Scott,” Derek rushes out through his pain filled breaths and I shake my head, gaining his eyes as he urges “Just find him. We’ll be right behind you. Go.”

When we don’t move he bellows out into the otherwise silent night around us “Go!”

Peter makes a face towards his nephew, looking over to us quickly before he listens to his command and runs inside.

Malia turns to follow after him, however I’m completely rooted in the spot.

Tears are welling in my eyes, my nerves telling me exactly what this means.

I make a noise and shake my head softly, earning Stiles to reach over and link his hand with mine.

Derek pants out with shallow breaths “Hey, hey–”

I move my eyes up, connecting with his and he attempts to reassure “Addy, don’t focus on me. Scott– you need– you guys need to save him.”

I quickly wipe the few tears that fell with his words, before he flicks his eyes just past me “Stiles–guys, _go_ ”

Stiles slides his hand from my shoulder to my side and pulls me with him as he sadly states “Come on Adds–”

I draw my brows in with how much pain it brings me to turn my back on Derek, before he nods slightly and Stiles finally succeeds in pulling me with him.

Stiles looks back over our shoulders one last time before we’re fully committed to running through the open doorway and into La Iglesia right behind Malia and Liam.

“This way” Peter states as we come into an open room and start running through the building.

The stale air around us smells like death and despair the deeper into the hallways we get. 

I’m overrun with the same suffocating feeling I felt the other night, however I push it down to focus on finding them.

There’s enough holes in the structure around us and broken windows that the moonlight is lighting everything up enough for us to move around.

There’s cobwebs and other vines of nature hanging down from the walls that we have to continuously move out of our way as we make our wall through the corridors.

Peter stops our steps and turns to us quickly with his instructions “Okay, everyone stop, stop, stop, stop, stop– we gotta figure out where we are, then we gotta figure out how to find Scott and Kira.”

We nod with his words before Stiles increases his grip on my hip with one hand and reaches into his other pocket with his free hand, pulling his phone from his pocket and muttering completely flabbergasted “How do I even have service…”

He steps past me, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him as he answers the phone “Hi, Dad.”

I widen my eyes that we are so totally busted when Stiles returns my look with a grimace and continues through the phone “Okay, Dad, I know you’re angry.”

Stiles lifts his hand out to his side with his next suggestion at whatever Noah said “Okay, well, when I get back, you can ground me.”

I frown with that idea before Stiles grimaces and looks around us “You want me to lie?”

Drawing my brows in, my heart takes a little pang with the worry we’re causing Noah.

Stiles sets his arm around me and mutters “If you could try to find Lydia– she was at the school when we called Mason to look for her, but now we’re not hearing back from either of them. I don’t know, Dad, I don’t know what I’m doin’. You know, I’m just… I’m trying to save my friends.”

I shift my feet closer to him, wrapping my arm behind his lower back and setting my chin on his chest.

Stiles drops his head towards me, resting his forehead on mine and I can hear Noah’s voice filter through the phone “Okay. I’ll find Lydia and Mason. You get Scott and Kira. You save your friends and keep Addy safe.”

I smile softly with his words and Stiles lifts his head from me, kissing my forehead before he elaborates “Dad, if it’s one of the Berserkers at the school, you’re gonna need firepower. A lot.”

Stiles hangs up the phone with his dad and smiles softly towards me.

I grab his hand and shrug “Wasn’t so bad?”

Stiles scoffs and leads us back over to the group “We’ll see how bad it is when we’re in the same city with him again”

I scrunch my nose in a small grimace with his words as we stop our steps in front of them and Liam raises his arms out to his sides “What do we do now?”

Malia looks over to him and I watch as her eyes widen slightly before she grabs him behind the neck and pushes him down “Duck.”

A Berserker flies forward and his fist hits the wall where Liam was as Malia pushes him over towards Stiles and I.

I set my hands on Liam’s arms and step back quickly with Stiles and Liam as Peter shouts and pushes us in front of him to run down the passageway behind us “Go back– get back! Go! Go, go, go, go!”

We rush down the gaps in the walls as quickly as we can. I can hear everyone’s panting breaths and quick running feet behind me, as well as the bone chilling growls and bones clacking together of the Berserker armor.

We run around a corner as Peter rushes out behind us “Go, go, go!”

Stiles pulls me with him behind a pillar that I crash my back against as I try to catch my breath.

Liam runs up next to us before he shifts his feet to stand in front of me, defensively looking in the direction we just came from.

Malia runs over and throws Kira’s katana towards us, which Stiles catches with ease, before she urges “You guys go find Kira and Scott.”

I look from the sword in Stiles’ hand and over to her with my silent question, which she just shakes her head at and rushes out “We’ll cover you– go!”

Stiles grabs my hip and guides me in front of him as we turn around and quickly rush through the other side of the room.

“Adds wait, here take this a second–” I step to the side and turn slightly to face him, Stiles hands me the sword and digs into one of the lower pockets on his pants.

He grabs a flashlight and clicks it on since the passageway we’re heading down is getting even darker without the moonlight shining in.

He nods his head forward and we keep our steps quick in our search “Scott? Kira?”

“Scotty?” I whisper shout through the silent corridors, getting nothing in response.

We walk around another corner and stop our steps when we hear a slight nose almost like a crumble of rocks **_or a shoe stopping in the rocky dirt we’re walking on_**

Stiles flicks the light past my shoulder and gasps softly “Oh. Are you okay?”

I turn around just as Kira rushes forward towards us, there’s blood coming from a cut on her lip and she moves her frantic eyes between us as she informs “It’s Scott.”

I widen my eyes with her words as it clicks, everything that I’ve been feeling since stepping foot inside of this building has felt like the night at Derek’s.

I gasp and set my hand on Stiles’ arm already pulling him with my quick steps and frantic words “The Berserker they’re fighting– it’s Scott.”

“What? How?” Stiles rushes out and I’m assuming looks behind us to Kira as we make our way through the corridor as quickly as we can and she answers “Addy, Kate did it– she turned him into one. Her being whatever she is– the locals call her ‘The Bone Woman’. She controls the Berserkers and she can also make them. She makes them unrecognizable to anyone.”

“Why the fuck would she do that?” Stiles clips out through quick breaths as we turn around the last corner and make our way down the corridor, taking us to the room we left them in as I digress “She wants them to kill him– she wants them to kill Scott, and after what Peter said in the hanger– if they don’t know it’s him–”

“They’ll do it” Stiles fills in and our steps quicken even more as we rush into the room.

I quickly hand Kira her katana as we hear Peter instructing Malia “Take him. Aim for the skull!”

My eyes widen as he rushes out his command “Kill it. Kill it now!”

“No, wait!” I bellow as I rush forward and Stiles yells behind me “Wait, Malia wait!”

Malia is dropping her arm with one of the teeth weapons from the Berserkers in her hand towards Scott when Kira swipes her katana down, breaking the sharp end off.

Malia furrows her brows looking between us and over to Scott who Liam and Peter are each holding an arm of.

I breathe out quickly as I inform them “It’s Scott, it’s Scotty under the damn skull.”

Malia moves her wide eyes from where we’re standing and over to Scott. 

Liam does the same thing right before Scott grunts and pushes Liam and Peter off of him.

Scott steps forward and punches Malia in her jaw, dropping her to the ground before he moves defensively towards us.

“Scott?” Kira tries softly and I shake my head with his steps coming closer “Scott, dont!”

Stiles pushes me behind him and tries to break through to him as well, “Scott, it’s me.”

Scott answers his best friend by also punching him in the jaw and Stiles drops to the ground from the force.

I follow him to the ground, setting one hand on his shoulder and the other on his side as he groans through the pain.

We follow Scott with our eyes as he grabs Liam from the ground and smashes his back against the wall.

Liam sets his hands on Scott’s arms, trying to loosen his grip as he gasps out through a broken voice “Scott.”

Scott’s Berserker growl causes goosebumps to rise on my arms as he lifts Liam higher against the wall, lifting his feet from the ground in the process.

Scott raises his free arm back and is about to attack when Liam rushes out quickly “Scott, Scott, listen, listen, listen! You’re not a monster!”

Liam breathes out heavily as he continues attempting to break through to him “You’re a werewolf! Like me.”

Stiles sits up and we turn more towards the pair as we watch Scott lower Liam back to the ground.

Scott steps away from him and starts moving in the armor in a way that looks like he’s coming back to himself **_and wondering what the fuck is all over him_**

Scott raises his arms up, looking at the material on his arms through the small eye holes in the skull before he starts pulling the armor apart.

He drops the armor piece by piece onto the ground by his feet. From each of his arms, around his middle and chest, before finally setting his hands on either side of the skull.

Scott pulls the skull apart and as it rips a bright yellow light leaves the crack his pulling causes and we are left with his alpha reds and fangs shining bright as he roars towards the room.

Scott drops each piece of the skull in his hands onto the rest of the discarded Berserker armor pile on the ground around his feet.

Stiles and I stand up and I breathe a sigh of relief at seeing him in one piece “Scotty.”

He nods towards us before he moves his glaring eyes across the room towards Peter.

Scott pants out through aggravated breaths when he connects his eyes over to him “You.”

Stiles and I share a look with Liam before we all turn towards Peter as Scott continues “The only one who knew as much as Argent about Berserkers. About the Nagual. You taught Kate. You helped her. All for power.”

I narrow my eyes towards Peter as he clips back towards Scott’s accusation “For my _family’s power_. To be rightfully inherited by _me_. Not usurped by some idiot teenage _boy_ , so incorruptible, he won’t shed the blood of his enemies even when justified.”

I can feel the anger rolling off of Scott from here as Peter’s were blues shine bright and he continues “You don’t deserve your power. Not power like this.”

Peter rolls his head to the side and fully transforms into his werewolf features before he roars towards us.

Malia transforms as well and releases her coyote roar back towards Peter before she moves to charge at him.

Peter answers her advancing steps by knocking a punch into her chest and throwing her back into a boulder of rubble “Oh, sorry, sweetheart, we’ll talk about this later.”

Kira swings her katana around defensively, moving her feet to attack when Scott stops her with his words “Kira!”

Scott moves in slow, deliberate defensive steps as Peter continues darkly “You were my Beta first, Scott. It was my bite that changed your life. And my bite that can end it.”

“Then, end it, Peter. Because you won’t get another chance”

Peter growls before taking charging steps from his side of the room towards Scott who answers with his Alpha roar as he also rushes forward and they meet in the middle of the room, each landing their own punches.

They continue to fight each other across the room, crashing into the columns and rubble.

Peter lands a punch into Scott, knocking him on his back before Scott lifts his legs and flips forward to land on his feet again.

Scott lands punches into Peter’s chest before dropping to a knee and punching Peter’s legs.

Scott stands up and dodges Peter’s attacks, moving backwards quickly.

Peter answers his missed shots with an angry roar before rushing forward and trying again.

Scott continues to pull acrobatic moves to get away from Peter which just angers him more “Come on, Scott. Come on!”

Scott moves to punch him, however, Peter is able to block his fist and returns with a punch into Scott’s chest before lifting him up and throwing him into a pillar.

I jerk back from the pain that had to cause and Scott grunts as he lands on the ground while Peter continues to taunt him “Pathetic.”

Peter grabs behind Scott’s neck and continues to throw him around like a ragdoll into every pillar he can “Fight like an Alpha, Scott.” 

Peter sets his hand on Scott’s shoulders and pushes him back into another pillar.

Scott growls and sets his hands on Peter’s outstretched ones as he pushes him back a few steps and uses Peter’s arms as leverage to lift himself up.

Scott runs up a pillar, gaining height on Peter before pushing his feet off and using the momentum to throw Peter across the room into a wall.

Stiles tightens his hold on me as we silently cheer Scott on with the move.

Scott looks down to Peter laying on the ground before he jumps up and lands into a kneel, connecting his fist into Peter’s chest which rocks the ground over by us.

He lands another punch into Peter’s chest before grabbing his shirt and lifting him up.

Peter uses the advantage and head butts Scott quickly, not missing a beat as Scott steps back from the blow and wraps his hand behind the back of Scott’s neck.

Peter pulls him forward and makes a noise like he’s already won before he lands three quick punches into Scott’s face.

Scott drops down to a knee with the last punch and Peter growls out “You want to defeat me? You’re going to have to kill me!”

Peter roars loudly as he grabs Scott and throws him across the way into the side wall.

Scott lands on the ground with a painful grunt of pain and Liam moves forward to help him.

Peter notices and immediately grabs a crate before throwing it our way. Liam crouches down to miss the object while Stiles pulls me more behind the wall so we aren’t hit with the wooden debris.

Peter roars again before he turns back towards Scott who stands up slowly, earning Peter to swing another punch towards him.

Scott dodges it easily before Peter tries again– which Scott blocks just as easily as the first one.

Peter tries another three times and Scott looks to dodge with such quick movements you would think Peter had zero effort behind the moves.

Scott continues to move quick as lightning through Peter’s attacks before finally Scott reaches back and lands a punch into Peter’s jaw that has him flying through the air.

Peter lands flat on his back on a pile of discarded wooden crates.

Scott jumps up onto an alter table and looks down to the pitiful werewolf on the ground below him “You were never an Alpha, Peter– but you were always a monster.”

Peter groans and moves to sit up to continue getting his ass kicked when Scott jumps from the table, fist in the air as he lands and punches Peter right in the side of the jaw.

The bones cracking reverberate deep in my bones and we watch a knocked out Peter lull his head to the side.

We all move out from where we were taking cover during their fight and I rush over to Scott, crashing my body into his for a bone crushing hug that he is alive.

He chuckles lightly as he returns the hug and I feel the presence of everyone walking up behind us. 

Stiles lets out a relieved breath and sets his arms around us in a group hug that everyone else joins in soon after.

***

We make it outside and see the sun slowly rising above the building of the church. Jordan, Chris and the Calaveras are standing outside and I couldn’t hide my shock more at seeing all of them.

They apparently fought off Kate and her Berserkers out here while we were inside dealing with the betrayal of Peter.

Derek is also alive. He wasn’t dying, apparently he was evolving **_he can now change into a full wolf just like his mother could_**

Chris injected Peter with some yellow wolfsbane so we can take him back to Beacon and imprison him like he deserves.

Chris walks up to us and smiles softly as he looks between us all “There’s enough yellow wolfsbane to keep Peter out for the trip back– but be careful.”

Scott nods towards the group standing a little ways off to our side and looks back to Chris “You’re really going with them?”

Chris nods “I made a deal with the Calaveras weeks ago. They’ll leave you alone. All of you– but only if I help them catch Kate.”

“What if you can’t?” Kira questions and Chris moves his determined eyes her way “I’ll find her– someone has to.”

I fight back the tears threatening to invade my eyes that he not only is leaving but knowing what he has to do and offer him a small smile.

Chris returns with a nod before he turns and walks over to the Calaveras and they continue on their walk towards their cars.

Stiles links his hand with mine and we walk up to stand next to Scott and Kira. He looks over to us and smiles as he lifts his arm up to wrap around my shoulders, pulling me into his side.

Derek walks around the side of Peter’s car and opens the door for Braedon, they exchange a few words before she gets into the car and Derek walks around the back looking our way.

Immediately I know he’s leaving once he drops off Peter in Beacon as he nods in a goodbye towards us all.

I draw my brows in sadly, however, I return the nod and smile sadly as he moves around the other side of the car **_he needs to be happy, leaving Beacon will accomplish that_**

Jordan offers to drive the transport van and we all climb in the back, most of us falling asleep instantly as we make our way back home.

***

Jordan deals with returning the van from the U.S. Marshal’s need while Stiles and I head into the station to see Noah.

We walk up to his office and he already is out of his chair and rushing to the doorway, throwing his arms around Stiles’ shoulders in a bone crushing hug.

Stiles makes a noise from the action and breathes out “Dad, you smell terrible.”

Noah connects his humor filled eyes with mine as he slaps Stiles on the back, muttering “Yup. You do too.”

Noah lifts one arm off of Stiles and pulls me into them. Stiles shifts to the side and also wraps one arm around my lower back as we bask in Noah’s relief to seeing us alive and in front of him.

Noah pulls back and sets his hands on each of the sides of our faces.

He smiles brightly and lowers his hands back to his sides as he states “I’m just so glad you’re both safe. Hey, what do you say we get outta here, get something to eat?”

Stiles lifts his arm off of my waist to go with his words “Great. I’m starving.”

Noah smiles and sets his arm on my back guiding me out of the room “Okay.”

We take a few steps when a metal clanging noise has me turning around and watching as Stiles stands up from the desk he fell against.

I widen my eyes slightly as he mutters with a point to his handcuffed to the side of the desk wrist “Yo, Daddy?”

Noah ignores him and continues to lead us out of the office “World ended yet Addy?– because I’m craving pizza.”

I snort and shake my head “Pizza sounds amazing Mr. S.”

“Hey. Dad?” we hear the metal clanging again before he shouts back at our retreating backs “Bring me back a slice?”

***

We meet with Coach at the school and try to explain why we not only missed some of the game but also morning practice yesterday.

He raises his brows expectantly at us and Liam takes the reins, finishing with “Then Addy said that Scott and Kira were stuck in Mexico which was why they missed the game. Uh, so we went down to Mexico to drive them back from Mexico and that’s why we all missed practice. ‘Cause… we were all in Mexico.”

I grimace slightly with how it all sounds as Coach moves his unbelieving eyes between us, landing them on Scott with his question “You took Kira on a date to Mexico?”

Scott makes a noise and nods “It was our first real date.”

“In Mexico?” Coach again tries to clarify and Stiles offers “They wanted to do something special.”

Coach nods his head to the side slightly with his words “Okay. I believe you.”

“Really?” Liam mutters incredulously and Coach furrows his brows into a hard glare back towards him “Absolutely not– but I’ve had experiences south of the border that would knock the genitals off you boys.”

We all share a look like we were good with never hearing that information before Coach makes a noise and he points towards each of us with his next words “Still, let me be clear to you three. This kid’s the best talent I’ve seen in years. So he’s your responsibility now. You three are gonna stick together with him. You’re gonna look out for each other. And you’re gonna have each other’s backs. You got it?”

I smile brightly over to the youngin beside me and nod back towards Coach as Scott and I answer confidently “We got it.”


	61. Creatures of the Night

“Alright, so I found some cool two bedrooms in the Mission District, but they’re pretty expensive.” Stiles states as he hits the map laid out in front of us on the hood of Roscoe.

We are out at the cliffs, enjoying the city lights before the storm that’s rolling in hits us and we need to get to the school **_Senior Scribe night chicka chicka yea_**

I nod along with his words as he continues “A couple in Haight and Ashbury– also expensive.”

I reach over him and point to another spot near where he’s talking about “What about Berkeley?”

Scott looks over to us from where he’s sitting on the hood and elaborates my train of thought “Yeah– don’t a lot of students live around there?”

“Yeah, yeah, we could try Nob Hill. But, the Jeep would probably burn through a lot of clutches.” Stiles reluctantly confesses as he circles the city in his red sharpie and I make a face as I set my hand on his back to comfort him about his baby **_she’s not been doing all that well as of late_**

Scott looks between us and raises his brow “You’re bringing the Jeep?”

Stiles looks up to him like a wounded bird and argues back “You know the plan, okay. No one gets left behind. That’s the plan. We’re all thinking USF along with Kira, Lydia’s not gonna have a problem getting into Stanford, Malia’s, uh, gonna– you know, she’ll figure something out, okay. The plan’s perfect.”

I share a look with Scott before he shrugs with his suggestion “Or we could also wait until we actually get into college and then figure out where to live.”

Stiles flicks his incredulous eyes towards me as I rest my elbow on the hood and set my hand over my mouth to hide my smile.

He shakes his head towards me before he tilts his head to the side and connects his eyes with Scott “I have a _vision_ , dude. Okay? And it is a beautiful vision. Don’t ruin the vision.”

Scott chuckles and shifts his focus back up to the night sky and full moon above us that is shining through the clouds rolling in.

Stiles shares a look with me like he can’t believe Scott is being zero help and I chuckle behind my hand before I nod towards the map again.

Stiles sighs and looks down to the map, lifting his hand up from the jeep “Okay, we can check out the East Bay. Haven’t looked at Oakland yet, you know.”

Moving my eyes from where we were looking and across the bridge, I scrunch my nose up with that suggestion. Stiles chuckles and rests his hand on my lower back “What is that look for?”

Shrugging a shoulder I shake my head softly “That new deputy that just moved here, she was telling me about all the terrifying things she witnessed working in that city– I’m thinking we should look at dorms before we look at Oakland”

Stiles moves his humor filled eyes around my face, nodding once as he tries to fight a smile “alright fine, you make a decent case for review” 

Smiling sweetly as I lean my head on his shoulder, I slowly reach over to grab his sharpie and move to put an ‘X’ through Oakland.

Stiles barks out a laugh and slides his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side as he kisses my temple.

I look up to Scott when Stiles clears his throat and implores up to him “You alright? You’re starting to feel it?”

Scott shakes his head softly before stating “No. Just thinking.”

“About what?” I ask, earning him to connect his eyes with mine and shrug with his answer “Senior year.”

Stiles scoffs lightly “Senior year, come on, that’s, that’s… that’s _nothing_. That’s going to be easy” **_if anyone was in need of some easy life events, it’s us_**

Scott pushes up on his arms that were set behind him to lean back and sits up, rubbing his hands together in front of him “It’s more like something Deaton told me once. You ever hear of regression to the mean?”

I furrow my brows in the negative column and Stiles shares a look with me before he answers “No, I don’t think so.”

Scott nods and fills in what the great doctor had to share “It was his way of saying that life can’t ever be all bad or all good. You know, eventually things have to come back to the middle. So, think about the last few months…”

I bump my hip with Stiles’ and smile as I answer Scott “Things have been good, right?”

Stiles returns my smile and increases his hold on my hip in agreement before Scott counters “But not amazing.”

I throw a _way to bring us down_ look towards Scott as Stiles makes a noise and lifts his free hand up to argue “Yeah, but no one’s tried to kill us in six months either.”

Scott nods and moves his hands in front of him. He sets the side of one of his hands into the palm of his other hand to go with his words “Right. We’ve been pretty much in the middle for a while. Which means, at some point, the scale has to tip one way or the other.”

I nod and breathe out deeply with my understanding as I mutter softly “Basically things are gonna get really good again–”

“Or really bad.” Stiles finishes and I drop the side of my head against his shoulder.

Thunder roars above us and I breathe in deeply with the smell of rain almost here. I smile up to the sky and watch the clouds move in even faster as lightning lights up the darkness in the distance **_oh it’s gonna be an incredible storm_**

Stiles smiles and kisses my cheek, murmuring softly as he pulls away slightly “I love how much you love storms”

I smile brightly and turn my head, setting my chin on my shoulder as I connect my eyes with his and murmur back just as softly “I love you”

Stiles licks his lips quickly as he closes the small distance between us and presses his lips against mine softly, however with so much love.

He pulls back and kisses my forehead “love you babe”

“Are you guys done– I’m right fucking here” Scott grumbles up towards the sky and I roll my eyes as I pull back from our little bubble and glare at him “Don’t take your crabby ass missing Kira feelings out on us, wolf boy”

Scott flicks his eyes down to me quickly, narrow them slightly as he shakes his head “don’t call me that”

I make a contemplative face as I tilt my head to the side “Crabby ass or wolf boy? Both are true and you know how much I hate lying….” 

I trail off with a shrug earning Scott to fail at hiding his smile as he reaches forward to push my shrugging shoulder, muttering “Shut your face” 

Stiles snorts and nods his head to indicate behind us “Think it’s been long enough?”

“Yes!” We hear Liam shout behind us and I chuckle as we turn and look over to him.

Liam is currently tied to a massive tree trunk with brand new bigger metal chains wrapped around his middle a few times **_full moon and all_**

His control is better, however there was a _slight_ mishap last month.

Stiles raises his arm that’s not around me up to his other side as he addresses him “Hey– trying to have an adult conversation over here.”

“Alright, you’re two years older than me. And I’m fine– just _let me go_ ” Liam urges as we make our way over to stand in front of him.

Scott takes the key out of his pocket for the lock on the chains and assures “It’s not that we don’t trust you–”

“It’s that I don’t trust you.” Stiles raises his hand to inform when we stop behind Scott.

“But after that last full moon…” I trail off and Liam connects his eyes with mine to argue his case “It was _one_ slip up”

Stiles scoffs next to me, countering “Slip up? A dozen calls to the Sheriff’s Department about a ‘monstrous dog-boy’ running around the streets of Beacon Hills _naked_ – that’s a slip up?”

Scott pulls back from unlocking the chains to question lightly “Why were you naked?”

Liam looks down to the ground, completely embarrassed, however he answers quickly “It was really hot out that night, okay–” he looks up and moves his eyes over to Scott as he continues “Let me go.”

“You sure you’re okay?” I try to clarify and he nods as he moves his eyes over to me, reassuring confidently “It won’t happen again”

“You’re in complete and total control?” Scott asks one last time and Liam takes a second, however he nods and softly answers “Yeah. Complete and total.” **_it’s okay to admit you’re not– you’re still learning Bub_**

We unwrap the chains from around him and the tree before we pack them in the full moon bag.

Stiles bends forward and grabs the handles before we make our way back over to the jeep.

Scott and Liam climb in the backseat while I get situated in the passenger seat.

Stiles starts up the jeep, sets his hand on my thigh and we make our way through the preserve on our way to the hospital to drop off Liam and pick up Malia.

Once we get on the main road after turning out of the preserve, Liam’s voice fills the jeep “Is it a party?”

“It’s not a party.” I answer and feel the seat pull slightly as Liam leans forward to quickly ask his next question “Then what’s at midnight?”

“Your bedtime.” Stiles quips and I can feel Liam’s eye roll from up here.

“Why aren’t the other girls going?” Liam continues and I chuckle at their banter before Stiles quickly looks over his shoulder “They’re meeting us there, okay? And just stop asking questions, alright? It’s a senior thing. You’ll know when you’re a senior.”

Liam must accept that because his questions stop, however Scott’s next to chime in “You guys having trouble with your phones?”

I shift to pull out my phone, however I stop my movements as the engine sputters and the lights flash on the dash.

“Oh– what the hell?” Stiles asks to no one in particular as the headlights go out and the jeep comes to a complete and dead stop in the middle of the road.

“You out of gas?” Liam offers and Stiles huffs as he shares a look with me, answering as he opens his door “No, it’s electrical– probably the alternator again.”

I get out of my side, holding the seat for Scott before we make our way to the hood of Roscoe.

They lift the hood open and I stand on Stiles’ otherside, crossing my arms in front of me.

Wishing I’d brought a jacket because the flannel shirt, leggings and tall boots are only doing so much for this insane storm that’s rolling into the city.

I uncross one arm to hold the battery powered lantern Stiles hands me, shining it into the engine before Scott makes a noise “Whoa, that’s a lot of duct tape.”

I move my lips between my teeth, hiding my smile while Stiles throws Scott a look.

Scott notices the look screaming to shut it and chuckles softly as he backtracks “Kidding. We’ll fix it.”

Stiles sighs and looks back into the engine “I know, it’s just the last night of summer, you know, so I wanted to make sure everyone was there tonight.”

“Hey we’ll make it.” I try to reassure him and he offers a grateful smile before Scott clears his throat “Let’s do this– you got any tools?”

Stiles mutters “Yeah” and lifts up his trusty roll of duct tape.

Thunder cracks above us and I just look up towards the sky when I see lightning shoot across the sky.

“Guys…” I hear Liam faintly from inside the jeep and I look around the side of the jeep towards him. 

He’s looking out the back and not seeing anything myself, I move back to stand next to Stiles.

We hear a more frantic “Guys!” coming from Liam and Stiles answers first while ripping off a piece of the tape “Yeah, give us a second, please” followed by Scott shouting back as well “Liam, stay in the car, okay?”

There’s a loud snapping noise before a bright light shines behind us and the three of us jump back, Stiles throwing his arm around my back to push himself in front of me.

We turn around and see the fading lightning strike from where it touched down in the road just a few feet away from us.

My eyes widen slightly looking at the fading sparks as Scott and I mutter “That was close.”

“Very close, McCall twins– too close” Stiles grumbles lowly.

We jump back the other way now as Roscoe roars to life behind us, headlights shining brightly as we turn around.

We all share a _what the fuck_ look before Liam pops his head out from the driver’s side window, looking expectantly over towards us “Can we go now?”

***

We walk in through the doors to the hospital and see Malia waiting in the lobby.

I smile as I walk up to her quickly and lift my hands out to my side, shaking my head expectantly “Well?”

Malia looks lost and furrows her brows “Well what?”

Scott smirks at her confusion as he stops his steps next to me and elaborates “Did you find out yet?”

“Find out what?” Liam asks lightly as he walks around Scott and comes to a stop in front of us, next to Malia.

Stiles stops on my other side and wraps his arm behind my back, resting his hand on my hip as Malia ignores Liam’s question to state confidently between us “They’re going to email me”

“Is this about summer school?” Liam chimes in again and I grimace softly at the look Malia throws our way before she questions “You told him?”

Scott shakes his head softly stuttering “Uh–” before Liam shakes his head to defend back “Oh, no, all they said was you had to go to summer school ‘cause the principal said your test scores weren’t good enough and you might have to repeat junior year” **_softest oversharing puppy in the world_**

He finishes with a shrug and shoves his earbud into his ear while I throw him a _not helpful_ look.

Liam raises his brows, moving his questioning to what he did wrong eyes between the three of us while Malia sighs loudly at the complete and utter betrayal that just occurred.

Stiles looks past me and over to Scott as he murmurs thoughtfully “should have left him chained to the fucking tree”

I snort into a small laugh and watch as Malia shakes her head, fighting her own smile before walking over to sit down in one of the waiting room chairs **_at least she finds it funny_**

Scott and Liam head up a few floors to see when his dad will be getting off work.

The lights are flickering throughout the floor and I make a face at them as I lift my head up slightly. 

Stiles makes a noise and pulls me into him, reading my mind “they won’t cancel Scribe night even if we lose power”

I smile and flick my eyes from the ceiling and over to connect with his “they better not– this is supposed to kick off senior year”

“And it will– even if we have to break in with our own flashlights… our _slight_ vandalism act is happening, my little rebel” Stiles throws a lopsided smile my way with his words before I lay my head on his shoulder.

A few minutes later, Stiles moves down to the elevator to see what’s taking Scott so long while I chose to wait with Malia and mom at her station for Scott to get back down here.

However when the doors open for Stiles, Scott is right there and lifting up his phone towards him exchanging a few words before I turn back towards mom. 

I can hear their voices as they stop their steps a few feet away from us, Stiles makes a noise and lifts his hand up to his side as I hear the end of their conversation “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong with it. Just, I don’t know. That can be interpreted a lot of different ways.”

“Like what?” Scott questions his best friend, earning Malia and I to share a look as Stiles answers him “Well, like, ‘Don’t worry, we’re not exclusive. Go have fun with other guys’.”

Malia furrows her brows in question to what the hell they’re talking about and I make a noise with my chuckle as I shrug back to her **_never know what they’re going on about half the time, don’t look at me_**

“No. No way.” Scott argues back quickly and I feel Stiles set his hand on my arm softly pulling me to turn towards him “Adds, if _you_ were going away for the summer after we _never_ made ourselves officially dating and I told you ‘Don’t worry, go have fun’– what would you think I was talking about?”

I try to keep emotion off of my face as I deadpan “Go have fun like go to a Met’s game? Or go have sex with other guys I meet in New York City?”

I hear mom snort behind her desk and watch Stiles rub his tongue across the top of his lip as he fights his smile. 

Clearing his throat, he points towards me and looks back to Scott who widens his eyes, croaking out as he looks between us “Okay, yeah. Now I’m worried.”

Stiles chuckles as he moves behind me and wraps his arms around my shoulders. He moves his lips to the shell of my ear and whispers “You’re evil– I fucking love it” before he places a loud kiss to my cheek, earning me to laugh lightly.

Stiles lifts his head and sets his chin on top of my head, making a noise and pulling us back a few steps when a guy on a gurney is being pulled past us with EMT’s.

Mom gets up from her station and sets her hands on our arms, giving a see you later squeeze as she walks behind us **_going to be the hero that she is_**

“Hey, Mom, where’s all this coming from?” Scott asks on her walk past him and she throws over her shoulder quickly “A jackknifed tractor-trailer on one fifteen, caused a major pile up.”

We wave bye to her as she heads down the hallway with the new patient and Stiles, with his arms still around my shoulders, turns us towards Scott “Okay, okay, there’s only one way back into Beacon Hills from the airport.”

“Highway one fifteen” I grumble my answer to his question and he continues “Kira’s never gonna make it.”

“I can get her.” Scott states thoughtfully as he already starts to move his feet towards the door, turning back towards us “You guys head to the school. Lydia’s probably already there. We’ll meet you by midnight.”

Stiles uncrosses one arm from around me and lifts it out to his side with his question “How are you gonna get to her in the middle of a traffic jam?”

Scott sets a determined look on his face as he reassures “We’ll make it. Trust me.”

***

Malia, Stiles and I are walking under the awning from the parking lot as we make our way closer to the front of the school.

It’s pouring down rain now and I stop my steps to shake out my hair, running my hand through the top to lay it over to one side.

Stiles looks up from his phone and shakes his head “Nothing from Scott or Kira.”

I return with my own shake of my head as I answer back and shove my phone in the pocket of my flannel “And nothing from Lydia either.”

Malia huffs and shoves her phone in the back of her shorts pocket “And I still don’t know if I passed.”

I soften my face and look over to her watching as she frantically shakes her head as she looks over to the school. 

I follow her line of sight and watch all the seniors who are walking up to the front doors and out of the rain.

She moves her eyes to connect with mine and shrugs sadly “I don’t want to do this unless I’m actually a senior.”

Stiles is standing with his back towards us as he also looks on at the front of the school and everyone arriving inside.

He shoves his phone in his pocket as well and throws over his shoulder, sadly towards us “Yeah”

Malia shares a look with me, furrowing her brows as she sniffs the air around us. She moves closer to Stiles and steps back quickly with her statement “What’s wrong with you? You smell terrible.”

Stiles looks offended as he moves his eyes between us and shrugs “Yeah, it’s called anxiety. Should be a familiar scent for you by now, since it’s pretty much a _constant_ state for me.”

I nod towards him with a soft shake of my head “Why’s this thing so important to you?”

“It’s not. It’s not. It’s uh…” he trails off and Malia sets her hand on my upper arm “I’m gonna go inside and see if Lydia is here and just doesn’t have service to tell us”

I nod and offer her a grateful smile, which she returns before she runs through the rain to the front steps.

Stiles looks up from the hole he was staring into my shoulder. He connects his eyes with mine and I soften my face as I tilt my head to the side with my silent question.

Stiles huffs and lifts his hand up to scratch the side of his jaw “I don’t know– maybe it is important to me. I asked my dad the other day about his high school friends. Guess how many he still talks to?”

“None?” I offer, having a feeling where this is leading.

“Not a single one, Adds. You know, these were his _best_ friends and he just says he lost touch with them, you know. So I started thinking about things, like I always do–”

“Obsessively” I quip and he throws me a look before he relents with a nod “Yeah. And so I’m thinking, what if… what if Scott’s my best friend now, you know–”

“I’m not your best friend?” I try to lighten the mood and he cracks a smile before he levels me with a look to bring it back to the seriousness he was aiming for “You know you’re my best friend, and you also know it’s different”

I raise my hands up in surrender and nod “I do, keep going babe”

Releasing a breathy chuckle he shakes his head softly and continues “ _But_ what if he’s not my best friend for life?”

“I feel like that happens sometimes” I offer softly and he nods, lifting one arm out towards me as he elaborates “Yeah, but only because we let it happen. You know, that’s what I’m saying. How come when we graduate we’re just expected to go our separate ways? If I’ve already found the best people in my life, why are I not trying to stay with them, you know?”

A look of understanding takes place on my face as I nod towards him and state softly “So that’s why you wanted everyone here tonight, because you don’t want to lose all your friends after senior year.”

“And I hope they don’t want to lose me either.” Stiles shrugs sadly and I smile, agreeing with him immediately “Well, I thought that was the whole thought behind your plan with next year– the dream–” 

“The vision.” He quickly points to me and continues as he draws his brows in feigning hurt “And don’t mock the vision, beautiful”

I make a noise and step up to him quickly, closing the distance between us as I set my hands on his sides to reassure “Hey now I… I like the vision. Especially if I’m part of it.”

Stiles softens his face and moves his eyes around my face while he runs his hand down my arm, hooking his fingers around my elbow as he states just above a whisper “Adds, you are so much apart of the vision it may scare you a bit”

I increase my hold on his sides and pull him into me slightly with my words “try me, Stilinski”

Chuckling lightly, Stiles licks his lips quickly and tilts his head slightly to the side as he shrugs “Let’s just say, the only way I will accept you not being in my life is the day you finally realize you’re too good for me– even then I’m not above begging you to settle for me.”

I scoff and lift my arm to cradle his cheek in my palm “Stiles, being with you couldn’t be farther from settling, and you’re stuck with me for the long run my love”

Stiles eyes flash with so much love before he’s bending forward and capturing my lips in a searing hot kiss. 

Moving his lips effortlessly with mine, he moves his hand from my elbow to grasp my side tightly at the same time he sets his palm on my cheek.

Moving his fingers to wrap under my ear and slightly around the side of my head as he pulls me impossibly closer to him.

The action causes a small moan to fall from my lips, that gets swallowed by him as he uses the opportunity to deepen the kiss and tangle his tongue with mine in one of my favorite dances. 

I breathe in deeply through my nose, fitting my lips with his one last time before we pull away and Stiles lays his forehead against mine as we catch our breath **_and remember we’re in front of the school and not somewhere more private_**

Shoes skidding to a stop and a grunt of surprise has us pulling apart quickly and turning around.

I widen my eyes taking in Liam laying on the ground by our feet from his shoes sliding on the wet cement.

Liam looks up and breathes out through his labored breaths “Scott’s in trouble”

Stiles and I share a worried look before we help him up and I shout “Malia, tunnel!” as we begin to run down the steps to our left, into the tunnel that heads towards the sports playing fields.

As soon as we run through the waterfall of water cascading down across the entrance to the tunnel, we see Scott being held around the neck by some tall random man **_who looks like he was poured over with tar_**

He’s pulling Scott up and growling in his face as we hear Scott’s deep gasping breaths filter over towards us and I grab Stiles’ arm with my worry.

Kira and some other werewolf we’ve never seen before are off to the side and they stand up, growling defensively as Kira holds her sword up to her side.

Malia runs down the steps growling as Liam snarls next to us while we watch Scott drop down to his knees with rando dude’s hand against his chest **_who is this guy and does he not know what Scott is?_**

Scott stops sounding like he’s dying and raises his Alpha reds towards the guy holding him.

Setting one hand on dude’s outstretched arm, Scott uses him to help himself stand up slowly before setting his other hand on his arm.

In one quick motion Scott snaps the guy’s arm, causing him to growl in pain as he drops down to the ground.

Scott grasps at his own chest, pulling out claws that he then throws on the ground by his feet before he looks down to the guy “I don’t know who you are or what you thought you were going to do, but I’ll give you a choice. You can stay and I’ll break something else– or you can run.”

“I’d run” Stiles states as he wraps his arm around me, setting his hand on my waist.

We watch the guy look our way quickly and with one more look up to Scott towering over him, he grabs his broken arm and rushes through the other side of the tunnel and out into the pouring rain.

Scott transforms out of his were-features and we all walk up to each other, meeting in the middle from where we were.

Kira rushes over and we all turn to look at the new comer who has also transformed out of his were-features.

New dude **_who looks super fucking familiar_** smirks over at us as he walks the few feet closer to put him by our group “You don’t remember me, do you?–”

Stiles furrows his brows and I see him look down towards me as new dude continues “I guess I look a little different since the fourth grade.”

As soon as he says that I narrow my eyes and mutter with disbelief lacing my words “Holy shit, Theo?”

Theo smiles brightly, offering me a nod when he flicks his eyes over to me “You grew up Addeline”

Stiles scoffs as he quips back without missing a beat “That’s kind of how time works, pal.” 

I step closer to Stiles and wrap my arm around his back before I slowly drag my nails up and down his upper back, trying to reign in his frustration with Theo’s comment.

Theo’s smirk deepens as he flicks his eyes from me and over to Stiles, moving them just past us as we hear Malia question “You guys know him?”

“They used to.” Theo answers her before he moves his eyes back to moving between Scott, Stiles, and I as he continues with a small shake of his head “Trust me, I never thought I’d see you guys again. Couple of months ago, I heard of an Alpha in Beacon Hills. When I found out his name was Scott McCall, just couldn’t believe it. Not just an Alpha, but a _True Alpha_.”

Scott licks his lips quickly and nods subtly as he inquires “What do you want?”

Theo keeps his eyes connected with Scott’s as he states unwavering “I came back to Beacon Hills. Back home with my family. Because I want to be a part of your pack.”

***

Scott muttered he’d talk to Theo later before we all turned back to head inside of the school.

Pushing the doors open Stiles voices his concern immediately now that we are away from Theo “We haven’t seen this kid in years. You don’t find that highly suspicious?”

“I’m kind of more concerned about the guy who just tried to kill me.” Scott offers and I make a face of agreement as I point towards him.

Stiles huffs and sets his arm around my back when Malia stops her steps and makes a noise, causing us all to look back at her.

She has her phone right in front of her with an unreadable expression adorning her face. I raise my brows when she drops her phone and states incredulously “I’m in– I passed”

I let out a squeal of excitement as I take the few steps placing me in front of her and wrap my arms around her for a celebratory hug as I state “we’re all going to graduate together, this is the best news”

She pulls back, smile brightly shining on her face as she tries to announce like it isn’t that big of deal “I’m officially a senior” ****

Kira hugs her quickly and we all turn around with the new voice filtering down the hallway towards “Thank God”

Lydia is making her way through a few groups of people as she moves her eyes between us and continues with a small smile “Where have you guys been? The whole senior class is here– are we doing this or not?”

We share in our nods back towards her, returning her smile that we are all together to do the tradition that officially starts our Senior year.

Stiles reaches over and pulls me into his side as we all fall in step with each other on our way through the school towards the library.

We line up behind the rest of the students apart of our senior class and slowly make our way throughout the library.

Walking with the line of students up the last staircase, Stiles grabs my hand as we make our way across the top floor and down one of the aisles that they are clearing books on shelves for our Senior Scribe night.

Stiles grabs the pen from the girl in front of him, hesitating for a moment before he writes his S.S. initials onto the book shelf with everyone else.

He turns and hands the pen over to me with a flourish. Chuckling at his antics, I uncap the sharpie and smile as I turn towards the shelf and write my A.M. initials next to his before I hand the pen over to Lydia.

She smiles brightly towards me as she uncaps the pen and I make my way over to stand next to Stiles, leaning against the railing.

Lydia hands the pen over to Kira, who voices quietly to her “This isn’t vandalism, is it?”

Lydia tilts her head to the side and shrugs as her voice pitches with her answer “Not technically”

I chuckle with her as she makes her way over and leans against the railing with us.

Kira hands the pen over to Malia and I move to stand in front of Stiles.

He wraps his arms in front of me, around my shoulders and I set my hands on his arms, rubbing my thumbs back and forth against his skin.

Lydia scoots closer towards us to make room for Kira against the railing while Malia writes her initials before she hands the pen over to Scott.

Malia walks over to stand by us as well as we wait for Scott, he writes his initials and stays put for a second.

I tilt my head to the side, trying to see what he’s doing when he blinks a few times and moves the pen over a little, writing A.A. next to his S.M.

Tears fill my eyes and I draw my brows in as the pang of sadness with not having her here crashes over me.

Dropping one hand from Stiles, I reach over and grab Lydia’s hand offering her a squeeze of comfort that she returns quickly.

Scott hands off the pen to the next guy in line behind him and walks over to stand next to us.

Scott lifts one side of his mouth, trying to smile through the pain towards us all and wraps his arm behind Kira, pulling her close.

Stiles squeezes me softly as he drops his head to rest the side of his against the side of mine as he states over to him “She would have been with us.”

Scott smiles sadly, nodding when he looks at us both “Yeah.”

I squeeze Stiles’ arm as I look over to Scott and back over to the shelf of our initials as I state proudly “She still is.”

Lydia looks over to me and squeezes my hand again as she smiles with my words.

We take a few more moments taking in the shelf with all of our initials that will be here as long as this library is standing, before we all move at the same time.

We walk across the floor and head down the steps, leaving the library and the first years of high school behind us.

Smiles bright and heads held high, we walk right into our Senior year– not knowing the dangers that are just around the corner.


	62. Parasomnia

“Addy” Stiles whisper shouts into my room and I make a noise of acknowledgment while trying to wake up fully as I shift around on my bed.

I release a surprised grunt as he plops half on top of me and I hear his breathy laugh as he starts pulling the blankets away “Where in the actual fuck are you? Would you like some bed with these blankets?”

He makes a few noises of aggravation as he pulls blankets this way and that, covering me more before he continues “Sweet christ, it’s like untangling a ball of yarn– ah there we go”

Stiles successfully pulls the last bit of blanket away from my face, causing strands of my hair to fall over my eyes.

He snorts as he tries not to laugh, swiping his hands over my face as he sweeps the hairs out of the way and my furrowed brow frown comes into view.

Stiles smiles brightly “There’s my girl– morning beautiful”

I flick my eyes to the clock, raising a brow in my silent question of _I had forty more minutes to sleep, so what the hell is going on_ towards him.

Stiles chuckles and smashes his chest into me more as he reaches across the bed towards my shorter dresser.

“Fine, good morning– I’m awake, stop smushing me” I wheeze out and try to move from under him when he leans back over and shoves an iced coffee in my face.

I stop fighting to move, flicking my eyes between his adorable smirking face and my life’s sustinece a few times.

Leaning upwards off the pillow I peck his lips quickly, earning a breathy chuckle as he allows me to sit up more and hands me the coffee.

I take a sip and let out a soft moan as I burrow my back into the pillows more “Soo good, thank you babe”

Stiles clears his throat and moves his arm to drape over my blanket covered legs “We have things to do this morning so you have to stop that”

Biting my straw with my teeth, I smile and lift my free hand in surrender before I take another sip.

Registering what he said, I tilt my head to the side “What things do we have to do before school?”

Stiles makes a face and fidgets with the blanket in his fingers “Oh we just need to stop by the station real quick”

“Because…” I draw out the word laced in suspicion and Stiles shrugs as he doesn’t meet my eyes “Because we need to see my dad” he answers quickly, and I level him with a look “You really think he’s going to run a background check on Theo?”

“How did you– yes I think he will. He appreciates how in tune with my gut feeling I am” He grumbles lowly in his chest and I raise a brow as I take another sip “Mmhmm–”

Dropping his hands flat on the bed, Stiles makes a noise as he connects his eyes with mine “Come on Adds, you can’t tell me you aren’t suspicious of him as well”

I shrug “I never said I wasn’t suspicious, however I highly doubt a background check is going to bring up anything. I’m more suspicious of another werewolf coming back to Beacon because of Scott, especially after whatever that guy was last night tried to kill him. After everything with Peter, it just seems like weird timing.”

Stiles nods, lifting a hand out towards me in complete agreement “Exactly, so you think he’s not who he says he is either right?”

“You don’t and that’s enough for me” I state and set my hands on either side of me to push myself to sit up more.

Stiles sits up as well and furrows his brows as he connects his eyes with mine hesitantly “It is?”

I smile softly and set my hands on the bed, leaning closer towards him “I trust you and your gut instincts completely, Stilinski.”

Stiles releases a grateful little breath of air before he closes the distance and melds his lips with mine in a soft, sweet kiss.

I pull away and peck his cheek quickly before getting up and walking towards my closet. 

I hear him huff behind me and I chuckle as I pull my clothes off the hangers, throwing my words over my shoulder “Can’t be angry I’m getting ready to go along with the whole reason you woke me up at the ass crack of dawn.”

Stiles lays his back on the bed, linking his fingers together in the middle of his chest as he scoffs “Just because I was on a mission to get here doesn’t mean I wouldn’t much rather escape our new threat we need to figure out and just be with you in your comfy blanket fort of a bed.”

“I get cold easily” I mumble as I lift my jammie shirt over my head, grabbing my white lace tank and pulling it over my head and down my torso.

After pulling the bottom down of the shirt to its place, I look up when I hear Stiles make a noise, watching as he lays back down and moves his hands to cover his face.

“I know you do, and I’m not complaining. Apart from not being able to find you in the massive marshmallow fluff of cotton, it’s so cozy to cuddle with you in– hence why I’m aggravated… now you’re in less clothes and I can’t think straight” Stiles grumbles behind his hands.

I snort as I quickly pull down my jammie shorts before immediately pulling up my peach colored skirt “I’m decent, resume your thought process”

Stiles moves his hands back to laying on his chest, looks over to me and huffs as he looks up to the ceiling “Yea okay ‘decent’ and still hot as fuck but whatever my thought process is done.”

I let out a laugh as I walk back to my closet and grab my light jean jacket and throwing it onto the bed next to him.

I walk over to the mirror, throwing my hair into a half up messy top knot and brushing my fingers through the bottom half of my waves.

I quickly put on some light makeup **_mascara mainly since I’m still rocking the summer tan and my skin has a nice glow to it_**

Grabbing my converse I walk over to sit next to him as I slip them on, I reach over him and grab my jacket, sliding my arms through the sleeves.

I hit my hand on his thigh twice, earning him to make a noise in his throat as he sits up and I stand up in front of him, throwing my arms out to my sides “All ready– let’s go”

Stiles smiles and looks me over appreciatively “You look amazing– you need to change” his smile drops and a frown forms between his brows.

I chuckle and move the few steps placing me in front of him, Stiles sets his hands on my hips and pulls me closer in between his knees. My chest bumps into his and I wrap my arms behind his neck as I lean forward.

Not touching my lips with his, they brush as I mutter “Won’t have time to be the detective I fell in love with if I have to change” before I connect our lips quickly.

Stiles returns the kiss, breathing in deeply through his nose before he makes a noise of disapproval when I pull away “Fair point– I’ll just be glaring at every asshat who looks at you today.”

Smiling softly, I roll my eyes with his macho statement “I only have eyes for you, so save your energy and just kiss me every time you want to glare at someone.”

“That’ll be a lot of PDA violations” Stiles quips as he increases his hold on my sides earning me to laugh lightly as I pull back and slide my hands down to grab his.

I take a step back and pull him with me to stand up as I shrug, walking backwards towards the door while I connect my shimmering with mischief eyes with his “Worth it.”

***

Noah rolls his eyes with Stiles’ request and turns to walk into his office.

I offer a small grimace towards Stiles before he huffs and is walking right behind his dad into the office “I know his family left town around the time Theo was nine or ten, his older sister died in an accident when he was eight.” 

Stiles closes the door after I walk in behind them and we walk over to Noah who raises his arm with his exasperated statement “Please go to school.”

“Dad, this kid’s a _werewolf_.” Stiles stresses and Noah couldn’t look less like that should mean anything to him, which he then proves with his next words “Your best friend is _a werewolf_.”

I make a face like he has a point when Stiles looks my way before Noah continues “You are dating a _banshee_ who’s best friends are a _werecoyote_ , a _banshee_ who we just found out is also her _cousin_ and then Kira, which honestly I’m still confused about what she is.”

I nod my head to the side to fill in super helpfully “A kitsune Fox–”

Making a noise and lifting his hand out to stop me, Noah continues “When the flying monkeys come _soaring_ through this station, you will have my undivided attention. Until then, just go to school.”

“What did you do?” Stiles ignores everything that was previously said to point towards his dad.

I turn more towards Noah and try to find whatever it is that’s different. Coming up with bupkis I flick my eyes up to Noah’s face as he scrunches it up in confusion “What? What do you mean, ‘What did I do’?”

“There’s something different about you.” Stiles states again and Noah counters with a little pitch in his voice “What are you talking about?”

Stiles walks past me and quickly up to stand in front of his dad, getting all up in his personal space **_sniffing around him and everything_** as he mutters “What is it? What’s different?”

I snort and move my lips in between my teeth to hide my smile at the look Noah throws his son, flicking his eyes over his shoulder to me before he scrunches up his face again and softly pushes his son back away from him “For the love of God, Stiles, just go to school.”

Stiles moves a few steps back with the push and raises his arms out to his sides “I will go if you promise to do a full background check of the Raekens.”

“No. You know what? Just because I’m the only law enforcement officer who knows anything about this, does not make it my responsibility to do something every time you have a minor suspicion.” 

Noah argues before I shrug and nod towards the window behind us “Except you’re not the _only_ one, Mr. S.”

Stiles raises his brows, looking towards me before following my line of sight and looking excitedly back to his dad.

Noah throws me a look like he can’t believe I’m not on his side and huffs before shouting towards the door “Parrish!”

***

Stiles and I hop out of the jeep and he’s still radiating aggravation from what we found with the background check **_basically came up with nothing_**

Malia walks up to us offering a bright smile before hugging me. She pulls back with her brows furrowed and looks over to Stiles, connecting her eyes with mine as she nods his way “What’s wrong with him now?”

Stiles scoffs and rolls his eyes as he looks back towards the school.

I flick my humor filled eyes towards Malia to answer her “Well we went to the station this morning to run a background check on Theo and didn’t exactly find the ‘case closed he’s an awful dickbag who needs to be taken out stat’ like Stiles was hoping for.”

Stiles again scoffs and looks back towards me “We found something promising.”

“It was a speeding ticket” I quip back and Malia looks between us as Stiles continues “Exactly Adds, a speeding ticket signed by Theo’s dad eight years ago– it’s a start.”

“How is that a start?” I question and he nods his head to the side “because who speeds?”

“You do” I answer at the same time as he lifts a hand from his hip to point towards me, talking over me “ _People_ trying to get away from something.”

Malia furrows her brows and turns to Stiles “Well, how many tickets do you have?”

“None,” Stiles states with an innocent shrug and it’s my turn to scoff as I raise a brow towards him “Aaaaaaand how many would you have if your dad didn’t get you out of them?”

Stiles makes a face as he drags out his answer “Ssssseventeen.”

I raise my brows quickly once, shaking my head softly as I chuckle with his answer.

Malia makes a noise next to me before she offers “I don’t know, Stiles. I mean, I see why you’re worried. He’s really hot– he’s got like great hair, perfect body. You should definitely feel threatened.”

“Thank you. Because I do– now more than ever,” Stiles answers, pulling me towards him with a hand on my hip.

I look down at my feet, letting out a little squeal with the action and trying not to fall as my side crashes into his chest.

“You good?” Stiles implores and looks down to me with a smirk. Playfully rolling my eyes, I scoff lightly “Yea that was so smooth, thank you for that.”

Chuckling with my remark Stiles bends forward and kisses my temple.

Malia looks up thoughtfully “You guys want me to torture him?”

“No, we don’t want you to torture him.” I answer back quickly and she shrugs, “I’m pretty sure I can take him.”

“I’m sure you could Mal, but no– no torturing is necessary, Sherlock here has a plan,” I answer as I lift my free hand to point towards him.

Stiles grips my hip a little harder with his chest puffed up from the confidence with my words “Thank you my dear Watson, I do have a plan– all right, there are steps to doing this right.”

“What steps?” I ask cheerfully and Stiles fights a smile as he quips back “I know you’re being cheeky, however I appreciate the enthusiasm”

Malia chuckles looking between us as Stiles continues “It’s simple– we get the story, verify the facts. We find the piece that doesn’t fit and… and catch him in the act. That’s how we do it.”

Stiles makes a noise, his eyes drawn over just past Malia causing us to look over as well.

We see Theo getting out of a car and leaning in the window to say goodbye to whoever dropped him off.

Theo turns around and smiles when he sees the three of us, he lifts an arm and waves towards us. Not feeling right to just leave him hanging, I smile politely and offer a small wave back towards him **_His smile looks too innocent, like he’s trying too hard_**

I shrug a shoulder at Malia with her question filled gaze as she looks back to Stiles “Why are you so suspicious of this guy?”

Stiles huffs, looking between us and back over to the guy in question “Because I remember Theo from fourth grade. Okay? That’s not Theo.”

The warning bell rings, earning Malia to wave as she heads to her class and I pull Stiles with me towards the school “Come on babe– plan can still be in motion as we don’t miss the first day.”

Stiles smiles and pulls me into his side as we walk towards the front of school “First day of senior year.”

I smile and squeeze his side slightly “Last first day of high school ever.”

***

Lydia and I look over from our Bio table when a book sets down on the table to our left a little loudly.

Scott is getting set up and I smile with his accomplishment of making it into this class.

Kira throws a confused look our way, earning Lydia to furrow her brows over to me as well. I chuckle and nod like he’s good to be here as my answer to her silent question.

Lydia makes a noise and looks back over to Kira, they share a silent debate for who should make sure he’s in the right class.

I set my elbow on the table, resting my chin in my palm as I appreciate the humor of everything transpiring right now.

Kira nods her head to the side “Scott? Are you in the right class?”

“AP Biology” He cheerfully replies, earning Lydia to make a noise before imploring “Do you know what AP stands for?”

Scott chuckles through his answer “Advanced Placement.”

I snort and bump my shoulder with Lydia’s “Leave him be, he worked really hard this summer to prepare for the class. He’s going to do great”

Lydia makes a hmmm noise before going back to her book while Scott smiles over my way in thanks.

I nod towards him before our teacher walks in and leans against the front of her desk “Welcome to AP Biology. Let’s see who’s awake. Can somebody tell me what plasmids are?”

I raise my hand and answer as soon as Ms. Finch nods towards me “Circular, self-replicating DNA molecules often used in cloning proteins.”

“Nicely stated, Addy. Now, can you tell me what vitamin is absorbed in the stomach via parietal cell production of a glycoprotein?”

“B-12” I answer quickly, earning Ms. Finch to offer a barely there smirk and head nod **_high praise from her, I can breathe again_**

Lydia leans closer to me whispering “oh it’s on, smarty pants” earning me to smile brightly at her as Ms. Finch turns quickly tp Scott “Mr. McCall, did you know the answer?”

“Um, no.” Scott answers as he sits up more and she continues “It’s a common test question. What’s your number one college pick?”

“Um…” Scott begins, however, Ms. Finch is quick to interrupt “Stop saying, ‘Um’.”

“Sorry. UC Davis.” Scott answers and my heart fills with pride for my brother and his goal he confided in with me this summer as we prepped for the classes he would need to get in **_Scotty wants to be a Vet and I’m so fucking proud of him_**

“Good choice. It’s the best school on the West Coast for biological and physical sciences. You’re in the right class if that’s what you’re hoping for.”

I smile over at Scott white Ms. Finch addresses the class “Who else thinks they’re in the right class?”

Everyone slowly raises their hands and she continues “Good– then you should all be prepared for the test tomorrow.”

Lydia and I make notes in our planners while we hear groans behind us. Lydia smirks, tapping her pen with mine in a solidarity of we got this before Ms. Finch counters back to the sighs “Don’t be so disappointed. This test is specifically to help you determine whether you should actually be in AP Biology. You have two weeks to drop.”

Ms. Finch gets up from her lean against her deak to walk across the aisle, stopping in front of Scott and Kira’s table and setting her hand in front of Scott’s book as she continues “Tomorrow’s test will just weed out the ones who shouldn’t be here. And that could be any of you.” She finishes with a knowing look thrown Scott’s way. 

He sits up slightly with the insinuation and I can’t help but notice the determined look in his eyes– he’s going to prove you wrong **_and I’m going to love every second of it_**

***

“Hey! You– you’re coming with us.” Stiles whisper shouts to Scott as we quickly walk up to him in the quad.

Scott turns around from his sit on the top of the stairs and furrows his brows “Come on. I’ve got a free period.”

Stiles nods his head to the side “So do we– and so does Theo Raeken.”

“Let’s go.” I state with a quick raise of my brows and Scott huffs but ultimately gets up, grabbing his books and following us back inside the school.

Scott went to ask Theo to come to the locker room and when they both walk in, Theo points towards me “Should you really be in the boy’s locker room Addeline?”

“She’s standing in Coach’s office, and literally is _last_ on your list of anyone you will need to concern yourself with– literally ever” Stiles mutters as he takes a step closer to me.

I smile softly to the side of his face as Theo raises his arms up to his side, smirking while he flicks his eyes between us “Message received bodyguard– what’s this about anyways?”

Scott clears his throat and looks from us and over to Theo “Do you mind sharing with us how you got turned?”

Theo makes a face and shakes his head slightly “Of course I don’t mind– I was skating in a neighbor’s empty pool, trying to do a handplant. Nobody was home. I’m not that good of a skateboarder, but I guess I was feeling pretty determined because I completely lost track of time. I didn’t even realize that was night until the yard lights came on. Like I said, I wasn’t very good. On my last try I went down and hit hard– really hard. I was sitting there at the bottom of the pool and I realized something. I never heard the board come back down. It came at me fast. I barely had a chance to turn around before it bit me. Right here.” 

Theo points towards his right side above his hip, drawing Scott’s eyes to the spot before he digresses “It wasn’t an accident. He wanted to turn you.”

I cross my arms over my front ““Right, so why aren’t you part of his pack then?”

Stiles makes a noise and elaborates “Exactly why didn’t he come back for you?”

Theo looks from us and over to Scott with his answer “Because by the time of my first full moon, he was dead.”

Stiles makes a noise and raises his brows “How did you know that?”

“I met another one of his pack a couple weeks later. He told me the Alpha that bit me was killed by two of his own Betas– they were twins” **_Ethan and Aiden definitely told us a similar event_**

We all share a silent look knowing it was the Alpha twins, that Theo notices and shifts on his feet.

Taking our silence like we don’t believe him, he urges “Scott, listen to my pulse. I’m telling the truth.”

Stiles makes a noise and walks closer to Scott “Right– or you just know how to steady your heart rate while you’re lying your ass off.”

Theo looks between us quickly “Why would I lie?”

Stiles raises his brows and reluctantly fills in his fear with the whole situation as he drops his eyes to the ground “Because maybe you’re not who you say you are.”

Theo shakes his head as he thinks quickly for something to say to debunk that statement. Seeming to come up with something, he looks over to Scott quickly “Okay. In the fourth grade you had an inhaler, I had one too. I remember this day where I ended up in the nurse’s office with an asthma attack. A bad one. I was waiting to be taken to the ER. You were waiting for the Principal. You told me what would happen when you go to the ER for asthma. How they give you oxygen, an IV of prednisone. You made it sound easy. Like everything would be okay.”

Scott makes a face like he remembers that occurrence and Stiles rolls his eyes towards me while Theo continues “I’ve been by myself this whole time. Everybody knows that lone wolves, they don’t make it on their own. I swear I’m– I’m that same kid from fourth grade. I was hoping you are too.”

The bell rings and breaks the silence of the room. Theo sighs “I better not be late for class. You’re not the only ones I need to make a good impression on” He adds with a light smile **_I don’t trust him_**

Scott nods, returning his smile before Theo nods our way and turns towards the door.

I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder as the guys walk closer to me, Stiles shakes his head immediately when Scott looks over to us “No. Don’t give me that look.”

“We have to give people the benefit of the doubt sometimes.” Scott argues and Stiles is quick to counter with his disagreement “Not this time, all right? I’m right. There’s something off about him. I can feel it.”

“Addy’s the psychic– not you,” Scott points to me before he heads out of the locker room with Stiles arguing to his retreating back “She’s not psychic. She’s a Banshee. Okay? There’s a difference” ****

I scrunch my nose up softly as I turn to face him, opening my mouth however Stiles beats me to saying something first “I’m right, you know”

Closing my mouth, I take the one step towards him putting me right up against his side as I reach down and link our hands together, laying the side of my head on his shoulder “I know you are, babe.”

***

Stiles rushes into the library flailing about two pieces of paper before he sets them on the table in front of where Scott, Kira, and Malia are studying.

“So you found something?” Scott questions, earning Stiles to nod and point to the papers “Another signature– this is Theo’s dad’s signature on a speeding ticket from eight years ago… and this is his dad’s signature on a transfer form to Beacon Hills High School from just a few days ago.”

“How did you get his transfer form?” Kira ponders before Scott elaborates “Do you break into the Administration Office?”

“You told me you were going to the bathroom” I narrow my eyes over to him and he’s quick to deny like the idea was crazy, raising his arm up to scratch the side of his jaw “No, I did not break into the Administration Office.”

At the four of our knowing looks he raises his hand out to his side, rushing out “Okay, I might have broken into the Administration Office– can we just focus on the signatures, please… they’re different.”

“They’re sort of different.” Malia offers and Stiles makes a noise, pointing to the papers again “They’re completely different. Come on– look.”

I clear my throat and look over his shoulder before nodding and pointing to the paper “He is right– the garlands don’t match, and the undulations of the sinuous stroke are totally off.”

Three sets of confused eyes land on me and I shrug “What? This is what we research.”

Scott chuckles and shakes his head softly at us before Stiles makes a noise and points to the signature from the transfer paper “Thank you sweets– also look, look at this. Perfect example of the Criminal Tremor.”

“So now, Theo is Theo, but his parents aren’t his parents?” Kira tries to work through and Stiles nods “Someone’s not someone. And when I figure out who that someone really is, someone’s in big trouble.” Stiles finishes, furrowing his brows now that he heard his statement back.

I snort and drop my chin onto his shoulder before Scott argues “But no one’s done anything wrong.”

“Yet” Stiles counters quickly before elaborating “If Theo’s parents are both psychotic killers then obviously, we should not trust him, right?”

Malia furrows her brows and looks up towards Stiles as she offers “My parents are Peter and the Desert Wolf.”

I grimace towards Stiles with his statement being sliced through that quickly and he reaches his hand up to scratch his forehead “Okay… It’s fine. You know what? I’ll figure it out myself.” 

I raise my brows watching as he gathers up the papers and continues with a point to the three sitting down with his words “Right? I don’t need you or you or you.” 

I make a face wondering how far he’s taking this, **_which he misses completely since he’s on a roll_** as he turns and continues towards the front doors of the library, shouting without looking back towards our group “I don’t need anyone!”

I cross my arms and share a humor filled look with Scott before Stiles stops his steps **_there it is_**

Stiles drops his shoulders in an obvious sigh and with his back still to the group, he turns slightly to look over his shoulder at me “Watson, you know you weren’t apart of the category of people I don’t need.”

Smirking his way I lift a shoulder as I make my way over to him, stating softly for him to hear “It’s nice to hear that every once and awhile, Sherlock.”

Stiles lifts one side of his mouth, while he reaches out and grabs my hand when I stop next to him, linking our fingers as we make our way out of the library and towards the parking lot.

He opens my door and walks around to his side, closing the door and starting the engine to Roscoe.

“What’s a Criminal Tremor?” A voice sounds behind us, earning us to jump slightly before I look behind us and see Liam smirking with a brow raised **_he officially needs a bell_**

I chuckle now that my heart is back to beating at a normal speed and lift a shoulder with my answer “It’s a tiny shake in writing that is indicative of forgery, specifically someone who either knows they’re guilty or is terrified of messing up.”

Liam makes a face and nods as he grabs his headphone and shoves them in his ears. 

I smile softly at the puppy and shift in the seat to face forward again. Stiles moves his wonder filled eyes around my face and I feel a blush rise to my cheeks. Tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear I shrug slightly “What?”

Stiles clears his throat and throws the jeep into reverse with his answer “I love when you talk criminology to me.”

“Aaaand just like my parents, you can gross me out with a single sentence,” Liam grumbles behind us.

I snort through my chuckle as Stiles rolls his eyes, looking in the back before shaking his head and fighting his smile as he sets his hand on my thigh while we drive out of the parking lot.

***

After hours spent with literally nothing but our impersonation of a B99 stakeout episode to show, Theo finally leaves his house in the dark of night.

We follow him out to a spot in the preserve and get out of the jeep to follow the rest of the way on foot.

We hide behind a tree whose branches are hanging down in a slight cover as we watch Theo grab something out of the back of his car and head into the tree line.

“I told you he was up to something.” Stiles states proudly, earning Liam to scoff next to me “We just spent three hours watching this dude play video games in his bedroom. He better be out here covering up a mass murder.”

Chuckling softly I nod towards where we watched him disappear “Let’s find out.”

We walk through the trees and down the path Theo went. Stiles grabs my hand as he implores towards Liam “You still got his scent?”

“Don’t need it.” Liam states as he points towards the ground and we see the footprints in the path that Theo’s left behind.

Liam slows his steps, causing Stiles and I to end up a few in front of him before we notice and turn back towards him “What? What’s wrong?”

“I forgot, I was supposed to meet Mason at the school gym.” Liam states regretfully, earning Stiles to shrug “Okay, why didn’t you just tell him?”

“Tell him what?” Liam questions with a furrow of his brows.

Stiles and I share a look before I shrug “Anything–”

Liam looks over to me and shakes his head “I can’t just tell him anything.”

“Why not?” Stiles asks incredulously and Liam makes a noise as he shoves his hands into his sweatshirt pockets “Because I haven’t… I haven’t told him _everything_.”

“Still? We said it was okay.” Stiles reassures and I offer a nod towards Liam when he connects his eyes with mine.

“Yeah, I know, but it’s not that easy… it’s– it’s a lot to accept.” Liam argues which Stiles is quick to counter back “He watched my dad blow up a Berserker with a landmine. I think the groundwork has been pretty _thoroughly laid_ for acceptance.”

I clear my throat, gaining his attention before I soften my face towards him “Even if Mason hadn’t watched that with his living eyes– we’ve all been through this. Okay? More than once. It’s always been better when they know– trust us. Lydia was our Mason and she wished that we had told her sooner.”

Liam closes his eyes and nods, pulling out his phone before Stiles leads us back on the path and Liam chimes in behind us “But what if he freaks out? What if he doesn’t want to talk to me? What if he tries to stab me with something silver? Or what if–”

Liam’s words stop suddenly and we hear a loud thud behind us. We stop our steps and share a _what the hell was that_ look before we turn around and see him nowhere in sight.

I tap Stiles’ arm seeing a hole just behind us **_how the fuck did we miss that?_**

We walk over to the hole and see Liam a few feet below us in the ground. Stiles raises out his arms to his sides, whisper shouting down towards him “What the hell are you doing? I…” Stiles shakes his head and looks over my head behind us when we hear footsteps in the distance.

“There he is.” Stiles whispers before turning back towards the hole and murmuring “Hurry up. Stop screwing around” down at Liam before he pulls me with him towards a tree branch that we can hide behind.

We see Theo standing on a little bridge over a stream of water with his back towards us.

Liam runs up behind us and Stiles reaches out to brace his chest from crashing into us, pointing his free hand towards the bridge “Try and get his scent.”

Liam nods and looks over towards Theo, I shift on my feet and whisper softly “Get anything?”

“Soap. It’s nice– it smells good.” Liam quips and I smile while Stiles makes a face “Not his soap, his emotional state. Chemosignals, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. Okay. I– He’s sad.” Liam offers after a few seconds of concentrating, earning Stiles to share a look with me as he mumbles “He’s sad?”

“Well, not just sad… It’s more like grief.” Liam states and I furrow my brows watching as Theo drops a flower into the water “Grief?” **_holy shit we need to leave_**

I share a wide eyed look with Stiles at the same time as he figures out what I did and his voice pitches as he states urgently, grabbing our arms and pushing us in front of him “Oh, my God! Go! We have to go.”

“What? Why?” Liam tries and I push on his back to keep him in front of me, urging through my own whisper shout “Go– right now just go, bub”

Once we’re back on the path Liam again asks what the hell that was and I point over my shoulder as I answer him “That’s the bridge where they found his sister.”

“What sister?” Liam questions and Stiles continues “The one that got lost and died from exposure– he’s leaving a flower for her.”

“That doesn’t sound evil.” Liam states thoughtfully, earning Stiles to sigh through his frustration “I know.”

Stiles stops our steps, his hand wrapping around my elbow as we see Theo up on a ridge above us. He jumps down in front of us, smirking as he stands up straight “What you guys doing?”

Liam growls as an answer, moving a few steps and putting himself in front of me quickly.

I set my hand on Liam’s upper arm, keeping him closer as Theo raises his hands up to his sides in surrender “Whoa– why do I get the feeling this kid’s tougher than he looks?”

“Only when we let him off his leash.” Stiles offers in a warning.

Theo doesn’t miss a beat, flicking his eyes over to him “Stiles, we were in Little League together. Why are you so suspicious of me?”

Stiles looks over to me quickly, licking his lips and letting out a soft sigh as he digs into his pocket and hands over the folded papers towards Theo “Because of these.”

Theo unfolds the papers with confusion while Stiles continues “One’s a speeding ticket signed by your dad eight years ago. The other one’s a signature on a transfer form to Beacon High– they’re different.”

“Huh. Yeah, they do look a little different.” Theo offers trying to see what we do and Stiles clips back angrily “No, they’re totally different– signed by two _different_ people.”

“So my dad’s not my dad? Like he’s an imposter?” Theo states like he couldn’t believe that statement less.

I shrug “Yeah, something like that.”

Theo snaps his eyes over to connect with mine “Really Addeline, you too? I don’t get it you guys, who do you think I am?”

Narrowing my eyes I cross my arms over my front as I answer him “It’s Addy, and we don’t know yet.”

Theo smiles, trying to lighten the mood as he offers “Want me to give you a DNA sample or something?”

“No. We don’t have anything from the fourth grade to match it to.” Stiles counters back quickly.

Theo takes a second, digesting how serious we are before he looks back up towards us “You know, guys, I came back here for Scott… but I also came back for you two. Someone like you both. Someone who’s willing to walk into the woods in the middle of the night to protect their friends. I don’t have anyone like that, but Scott does. You all do. I know I’m in the right place. I’m meant to be here. I’m meant to be part of this pack” **_we shall see how true that last statement is_**

***

The rest of the walk back towards Roscoe is silent as we work through the awkward encounter with Theo.

Stiles’ steps falter slightly before he rounds the front of the jeep and I see the reason as Scott questions “Find anything?”

“Nope.” Stiles answers as he walks to the driver’s side and climbs in quickly.

Liam stops next to me and chuckles through his answer, trying to lighten the mood that’s quickly falling over us “I fell in a hole.”

I snort and look over as Scott walks up next to us and turns towards the open driver’s window “It was the bridge where his sister died, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was. Very embarrassing– so we are gonna leave now.” Stiles answers back quickly before trying to start up Roscoe **_who does not come in clutch as she sputters when he turns the key_**

I grimace and share a look with Liam as Stiles grumbles “Son of a fucking bitch– Liam, just do me a favor please, get in the car and turn the ignition when I say.”

Stiles implores as he climbs out of the seat and walks behind me on his way over towards the hood. 

Liam climbs behind the wheel as Scott connects his eyes with mine, following behind his friend and helping him open the hood.

I lean my arm on the side of the jeep near Scott while Stiles leans into the hood and begins tinkering around with the engine.

“Stiles?” Scott tries after a few seconds and Stiles is quick to answer “Be with you in a sec– try it.” 

Liam attempts to turn the key and we get the same sputtering engine noise before Stiles links his hands together in front of him.

Shifting his feet, he leans his forearms onto the front of the jeep as he sighs in frustration, dropping his head forward and moving his joined hands behind his head.

Scott again tries “Stiles–” earning him to huff out in annoyance, answering back quickly as he drops his hands forward again and lifts his head “Yes. Okay, we followed him out here. What do you want me to say? That I’m a stalker, huh? That I’m crazy, totally paranoid? None of this is new information” he finishes with a slight body turn towards Scott who raises his brows slightly.

Stiles looks between us and I soften my face towards him, letting him know it’s okay before he goes back to messing with things in the engine.

I drop my eyes to the ground as I cross my arms in front of me, wanting to be here for support, however also feeling like they need to hash this out.

Scott apparently agrees with the hashing out because he continues through his own disbelief “Not even gonna try to at least give him the benefit of the doubt?”

Stiles looks over his shoulder as he points with his argument “I give people the benefit of the doubt. I’ve given _a lot_ of benefit to _a lot_ of people.”

“Like Derek?… Kira?… Liam?” Scott argues softly and I look back up towards him quickly with my words “You were just as weary of Derek and Liam. I was weary of Kira as well– it’s not a bad thing to be on guard with the way our life has been these last few years. Plus Scott, you seriously can’t argue Theo showing up after however many years the _same_ night as tar man tried to kill you isn’t suspicious.”

Scott moves his eyes between mine digesting my words as Stiles points towards me, offering “Exactly what she said– plus we were right about Peter.”

Scott looks over to him quickly before Stiles shouts towards Liam “Try it again”

The engine sputtering yet again seems to just fuel Stiles’ aggravation. He flexes his hands out in front of him towards the engine before he takes a deep breath and turns towards Scott again “You know, I bet you still think that there’s something about him that can be saved.”

“Maybe.” Scott answers, adding to Stiles’ frustration even more **_maybe hashing this out and working on the jeep isn’t a good combination_**

Stiles fights to hold back his scream, slightly hitting his hand on the front of the jeep before reaching into the engine again and shouting towards Liam “Try it again!”

The engine sputters yet again and Scott takes the worst opportunity to keep pushing with a soft shake of his head “Why can’t you trust anyone?”

“Because you trust _everyone_!” Stiles bellows back finally losing the hold he had on himself and reaches back to punch into the engine.

I flinch back with the action, drawing my brows in with worry as I move my eyes between his hand and his pain filled face.

Stiles draws his brows inward, smashing his lips together as he fights to hold in the scream he wishes he could unleash into the night.

“Are you okay?” Scott asks immediately, flicking his eyes towards Stiles’ hand.

Releasing a shaky breath, Stiles breathes out as strongly as he can “I’m fine”

“You could’ve broken it,” I offer softly, earning his eyes to connect with mine as he shakes his head, “It’s not broken, babe”

“Let me see it,” Scott tries, earning Stiles to clip back again “I’m fine.”

“ _Let me see it_.” Scott urges again and Stiles makes a face as he slowly moves his hand out towards the space in between them.

Scott steps up next to him and lays Stiles’ hand onto his palm as he lays his other hand on top of Stiles’.

Scott grips his fingers through Stiles’ and we watch as black veins rise up from Scott’s hands and flow up his arms quickly.

Scott raises his brows, clearly shocked with the onslaught of pain he absorbs, and breathes in through a deep breath.

Stiles moves his eyes quickly from their hands and up to Scott’s face before connecting his eyes with mine.

I smile softly as Scott removes his hands and Stiles stretches out his fingers, moving his hand in a circle before looking over to Scott.

They share a silent look, they’re both still upset and both think they’re not wrong– but they’re good **_for now at least, I have a feeling this issue isn’t going away_**

I look over to Liam and nod slightly before he tires the engine again and it roars to life as the headlights shine bright in front of us.

***

I walk into Stiles’ room and reach out the ice pack towards him. Stiles raises his brows and looks to the pack like it’s offending him. 

I chuckle and shake it towards him slightly with my words “Seriously just because Scott took away the pain doesn’t mean he has the ability to heal you– you’ll thank me tomorrow, come on”

Stiles rolls his eyes and uncaps the pen, writing Theo Raeken on his crime board before capping the pen, turning back towards me and grabbing the pack to set on the back of his hand.

I smile and push up on my tippy toes, kissing his cheek before walking backwards to sit on the end of his bed.

Noah walks into the doorway and makes a noise as he looks over the board “Usually, we wait until they do something wrong before we declare them guilty.”

“Well, he’s guilty of something.” Stiles offers through a shrug as he looks towards the board.

Noah looks between us and the board, stating “Accusations require proof– and proof always trumps instinct. It has to.”

“I know, Dad.” Stiles sighs out deeply and adjusts the ice pack on his hand.

Noah nods towards his son with a little furrow of his brows “You okay?”

Stiles makes a noise and nods “Just a little mishap with the jeep”  
I smile towards Noah, earning him to nod and hit his hand softly against the frame before he tries to walk away, however, Stiles stops him “Hey, Dad.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Noah leans back into the room with his hand on the doorframe again while Stiles walks up to him and continues “I got it. There’s something different. I know what it is.”

“Okay–” Noah trails off lightly before Stiles points towards his dad’s left hand “You’re not wearing your wedding ring anymore.”

Noah looks from his hand and Stiles’ face a few times before he softens his own look towards us “You two sure this kid’s guilty?”

We both nod and Stiles states without hesitation “Absolutely.”

“Then all you gotta do is wait. If they’re really guilty, eventually, they make a mistake.”

Stiles shares a look with me, that I return with a determined nod of acceptance before Noah digresses “They _always_ make a mistake.”


	63. Dreamcatchers

“Oh, I should’ve got a haircut.” Noah mutters into the hand mirror I hand over to him, as he runs his hand over his hair.

I shake my head and connect my eyes with his as I disagree instantly “Stop it, your hair looks great Mr. S.”

Noah softens his face towards me, though his attention moves over to Stiles as he walks over towards me, shrugging with his statement “Well, you know someone your age should be happy you still have hair to cut.”

I elbow Stiles in the ribs, earning him to make a noise and share a look with me.

Chuckling at the confused look adorning his face, I shake my head softly as Scott chimes in on the other side of me “I think you look great.”

Noah shakes his head at Stiles and smiles towards Scott with his words “Well, thank you, son I should have had.”

Stiles smiles before he registers exactly what his dad said and he moves his wounded look between us.

I chuckle softly and lay the side of my head on his shoulder, watching as Noah continues to let his nerves get the best of him.

Drawing his brows in, he starts to undo the tie he has on while he lets out a sigh, “Oh, what the hell am I doing? This is a terrible idea.”

I lift my head off Stiles’ shoulder before he moves forward to stop his dad’s movements and fixes his tie “What, Dad… Dad, it’s one date, okay? The town of Beacon Hills won’t implode while you’re out with one woman. Or man.”

I snort with the look Noah throws him before he answers “It’s a woman, Stiles.”

Smirking towards Stiles, I watch as he nods once with his dad’s answer “Okay.”

Noah smirks and continues “A very beautiful woman.”

“What beautiful woman, by the way?” Stiles implores and Noah smiles brighter as he leans closer to us “None of your business. Either one of you.”

Stiles makes a face as he moves his eyes between his dad and over to us as he jams his tongue into his cheek.

I smirk and shake my head already knowing what he’s going to say when he turns back towards his dad with his brows drawn inwards “I want to know.”

Scott shares a chuckle with me as I cross my arms over my front and raise my brows quickly with my amusement.

Noah huffs and looks down to his outfit again, I step forward and fix his tie before setting my hands on his shoulders, “You look great, now go and have a great time– please, you deserve it.”

Noah smiles as he connects his eyes with mine “Thanks kid.”

“Stilinski!” a voice booms outside in the other room causing me to jump slightly and drop my hands back down to my side.

We turn towards the window and I furrow my brows, sharing a look with Stiles before we again hear the bellowing voice “Stilinski!”

Noah lets out a sigh before he walks towards the door to his office with Scott, Stiles and I following close behind him.

We walk out and come to a stop just behind Noah as the kid responsible for the shouting, connects his eyes with Noah’s and continues with pure hatred laced through his words “I’m going to kill you.”

Releasing an exasperated sigh, Noah lifts his arm out to his side “Donovan, if you think that shocks me, remember it was well-documented in your Anger Expression Inventory– deputies, escort the prisoner out.”

Jordan and the other deputy nod towards Noah before they start to walk towards the door again.

Donovan has other plans though as he pulls against them and looks back towards Noah “I’m not angry like I’m gonna throw a brick through your window. I’m angry, like I’m going to find you, I’m going to get a knife and I’m going to stab you with it until you’re dead” **_what a thorough little sociopath_**

Chills run down my spine with his words and I draw my brows in knowing this psycho means every word he is saying right now.

Donovan’s lip twitches with a small sadistic smile as he doesn’t waste a second and continues with his threat “And when you look at me and you ask me why, remember right now– because this is why.”

The awkward yet terrifying silence is broken when Stiles’ voice fills the room “Wow, that was awesome. That was awesome– that was great. Can we do one more? Give us another one, maybe like Christopher Walken this time, you know” I look over to him and watch as he rolls his shoulders, channeling his inner Christopher Walken.

If I wasn’t getting major murder vibes from this kid I would have chuckled with Stiles’ humor, however I share a worried filled look with Scott instead before we look towards the tense scene in front of us again.

Donovan flicks his eyes past Noah’s shoulder to look at us and I set my hand on Stiles’ arm just above his elbow **_he may feel safe with the deputies holding either of Donovan’s arms, but I’m hating how he’s looking at us_**

Stiles sets his hand on mine quickly before he lifts it out towards Donovan again and continues “Okay, you know what? It’s fine. You’ll have plenty of time to work on it when you’re in your tiny, little cell, you know. Just stuck there– forever.” He states cheerfully, setting his hands on his hips.

Donovan smiles with zero humor behind it while he steps back with Jordan and the other deputy.

They start to move when Donovan jerks forward and tries to come towards us.

Stiles makes a noise and sets his arm in front of me, pushing me back with him as Scott steps in front of us quickly.

We watch Donovan pull against the deputies’ grips as his lawyer also steps forward and pushes him back as well.

Noah makes a face and throws his arm forward as he yells towards Jordan “Get him out of here!”

They succeed in pulling Donovan the rest of the way down the hall and out the door, his lawyer quickly following behind them.

I set my hands on Stiles’ arm and he shifts to instead wrap his arm behind me, setting his hand on my hip before he pulls me into his side.

Scott shares a look with me as he steps closer to us, imploring “What the hell’s an Anger Expression Inventory?”

Stiles sighs as he answers “It’s a test you take when you’re applying to become a deputy.”

I make a noise and point my free hand out towards the spot previously occupied by the psycho “Threatening to murder the Sheriff like it wasn’t a big deal– _that guy_ wanted to be a cop?” 

Stiles pulls me closer against his side as he nods “At least now he’s getting the full law enforcement experience.” **_I hope he rots_**

We say goodbye to Noah before head back outside and towards Roscoe. Scott climbs in the backseat and once I’m settled in the front, Stiles turns the key in the ignition.

The engine sputters and Stiles huffs in aggravation, earning Scott to lean forward.

Stiles looks over his shoulder, moving his eyes between the two of us as he answers Scott’s non question “It’s anxiety.”

I chuckle with a soft shake of my head “What is?”

Stiles looks from me to Scott quickly “The chemo signals? Oh, I’m well aware of how you all monitor my emotional state– yeah.”

Stiles chuckles with zero humor behind it and tries to get the engine to turn over again, slamming his fist onto the wheel when it sputters instead.

I lean forward and set my hand on his fist that is still resting on the wheel. 

Stiles closes his eyes with my soft reassuring touch and lets out a deep breath. Lifting one side of his mouth, he unclenches his fist and turns his hand to rest his open palm against mine. 

I smile softly as I line up my fingers with his and intertwine them together, squeezing three times which he returns with his two squeezes back.

Stiles lets out a soft breath through his nose, moving our joined hands to rest on his thigh as he moves his thumb back and forth against the back of my hand.

Scott sighs behind us and I look over my shoulder, seeing him looking at his phone with a deep glare. I nod towards him when he flicks his eyes up to connect with mine “You okay?”

Scott shakes his head before he turns his phone towards us and I grab it with my free hand as he answers “I got this from Braeden a few hours ago. That’s the first real bit of information we’ve gotten on the Desert Wolf in months.”

I widen my eyes at the murder scene with five slashed bodies laying about a room in the photo on his screen. I shift my hand and turn it towards Stiles who makes a noise as he takes in the image, imploring “The Desert Wolf did this?”

“Yeah. And I’m the one who’s been pulling on this thread.” Scott answers through a sigh as he rubs a hand over his face. 

I look back towards him sadly when he drops his hand to his side “Maybe you should stop.”

“It’s not really up to me.” Scott mutters as I hand him his phone back and offer a look of understanding **_Malia desperately wants to find her mom, which based off that photo I’m completely against it_**

Stiles lifts our hands and kisses the back of mine before he disconnects our hold and leans forward to start the jeep.

It roars to life and I gasp softly as a very familiar feeling crashes over me, lighting up my nerves and setting them on edge.

Stiles looks over to me quickly as we begin to head down the street “What is it Adds?”

I swallow hard and close my eyes, taking a moment before I look over to him “We need to make a left at the next light”

Scott makes a noise and leans forward again “Are you sure, I thought we were meeting at the school.”

I let out a deep breath and nod as Stiles does as I instructed and turns left onto the next road “Yes I’m sure– we’re almost there.”

Stiles looks over quickly and sets his hand on my thigh **_understanding exactly what’s happening_**

He continues to drive and I let the dread feeling lead us towards the death I know we’re about to find.

Instructing Stiles to turn right, we head under the bridges of the freeway downtown and I feel Scott grip the seat as he leans forward and sees the crash site in front of us.

We hop out of the jeep, and take a few steps in front of it as we take in the crashed transport van that left the station not that long ago **_with Donovan the sociopath in occupance_**

A car pulls up behind us and I share a look with Lydia as she climbs out of the passenger seat, followed by the wide eyes of Malia and Kira.

I nod towards Lyds and we look back towards the van, seeing the bloody hand of one of the passengers lift up from the ground shakily.

Stiles wraps his arm around me as I mutter softly, “We need to call 9-1-1.”

***

Noah, his deputies and the ambulances get to our location in no time. After giving our statements, we all stand off to the side and out of the way as everyone does their thing.

Noah walks over and waves us over “Guys– Scott, you saw this kid, Donovan. He… he wasn’t like you, right?”

Scott shakes his head “I don’t think so.”

Stiles makes a noise as he nervously rubs his hands together in front of his chest “Unless he knows how to hide his scent.”

I make a face like that’s terrifyingly possible before Noah continues “Well, human or otherwise, this kid might have just murdered his lawyer and mortally wounded two officers. We’ve got an APB out on him, but you think you can find him faster?”

“I can try,” Scott states with a confident nod which Noah returns and grabs a radio from his back pocket “All right– keep it on channel two.”

Scott grabs the radio from Noah and takes off up the alley way.

Stiles turns towards me and makes a face before he looks over my head “Dad, what if it wasn’t Donovan?”

“I’m guessing you’ve already got a theory?” Noah implores earning Stiles to nod as he slings his arm around my shoulder and answers “Yeah, I think I do.”

There’s static noise on the radio and Noah waves Parrish over as he’s talking into his radio “Scott, is that you?”

“Yeah, I found Donovan. He’s completely freaked out– he keeps saying some name.”

“What name?” Noah questions back into the radio after Parrish hands him the microphone part.

“Theo,” Stiles whispers next to me, and I connect my eyes with his before Scott answers back “Tracy– he keeps saying Tracy.”

“Tracy who?” Noah is quick to respond and Lydia looks over to me quickly with the answer “Stewart. Tracy Stewart.”

***

The next morning at school we meet with everyone to go over the previous night’s events **_and try to figure out what the hell we’re going to do now_**

Lydia fills us in on how her mother and her were trying to help Tracy the day before. Tracy was suffering from a sleep disorder, however Lydia fully believes something else is going on because Tracy coughed up feathers.

Her mom waved it off and told her how night terrors have reportedly caused people to do a lot stranger things than eating their pillows **_we’re apparently not going to treat that as a big deal_**

Tracy was convinced that someone was in her room the night before and was tapping on the windows, specifically the skylight above her bed.

Jordan helped Lydia go to Tracy’s and he checked the windows in her bedroom– finding them all secure with no sign of forced entry.

Parrish had found the skylight not sealed shut, as Tracy had previously believed, and he later told Lydia that on the roof outside he found a mound of dead and bloodied blackbirds as well as some claw marks.

I make a noise gaining her attention as I implore “If Tracy coughed up feathers… does that mean her having trouble sleeping caused her to– umm to murder and or eat the birds?”

Lydia shrugs with a small shake of her head before she counters “Tracy wasn’t just having trouble sleeping. It was a real disorder– it was night terrors.”

“Well, now she’s the night terror. Especially since no one can find her.” Stiles elaborates and Scott sighs, setting his hands on the hood of Roscoe we are all gathered around “Okay, I know we’re all tired and miserable…”

I smirk as Mason looks between excitedly and I nod towards him, interrupting Scott with my amusement “Except for you.”

Mason flicks his eyes to connect with mine as he laughs lightly “Oh– I’m sorry. This is all just mind-blowing,” he turns towards Scott and points to Kira as he continues, “You’re a kitsune. I don’t even know what that is.”

Kira smiles softly as she answers “I’m still learning.”

Stiles makes a noise and turns to look on the other side of me “Liam, we said you could tell him. Not invite him to the inner circle.”

Liam grimaces while Mason looks back over to us as he clarifies with a smile “Uh, I’m in the inner circle?”

“No.” Stiles and Liam mutter at the same time and I chuckle as I hit Stiles softly on the upper arm “Stop it, Mason is just as excited as you and I were when Scotty was bit”

Stiles concedes with a nod and wraps his arm around my back while Scott steps forward “Guys, look, back to Tracy. She’s just one _lone_ wolf. We can find her.”

“One lone _serial killing_ wolf.” Malia stresses and I make a noise to argue “Wha– I mean she only killed one person, you know– the other two were mauled… not quite serial killing status yet”

Mason raises his brows, widening his eyes with my words before Stiles chimes in “All right, what do we do when we catch her?”

Malia shrugs “I say we put her down.”

We all share a look like that shouldn’t be out of the question and Mason makes a face as he takes in the vibe around us and nods “Intense.”

I snort into Stiles’ shoulder as Scott sets his hands on the hood again to stress “Guys, let’s concentrate on catching her first. We’ll figure out the rest later.”

***

“Nice to see where your priorities are, Scott.” Ms. Finch states as she finishes handing back our graded tests.

Scott smiles brightly with his grade as Ms. Finch continues “Since you have such a good grasp of the subject, how about you lead us in a review of last night’s reading.”

“Uh… sure” Scott answers and opens his book, though he’s quickly distracted **_as am I_** as we see Liam standing just out of sight of Ms. Finch in the doorway, waving his hand as he tries to get Scott’s attention to come out into the hallway with him.

“Scott?” Ms. Finch urges, earning Scott to quickly look over to her “Sorry, just looking for the page.”

“Scott?” she tries after a few seconds of silence and Scott shakes his head “Yeah, one sec. Sorry” he taps his ear signalling for Liam to talk from out there.

Liam shares a look with me, which I shrug and offer a grimace before he steps back and does just that. 

After a few seconds Scott looks over to me quickly and back down to his book **_well that look was promising to mean nothing bad is about to happen_**

The fire alarm blares a minute later and Ms. Finch huffs before instructing the class to move slowly out of the classroom.

We regroup in the hall behind the rest of the class, breaking apart with our plan of Scott and Liam heading down to his history class to get Tracy, who is apparently sitting in the class while I go and grab Stiles.

Sending him and Malia a text, I shove my phone into my back pocket and turn around the corner. I let out a shocked squeak when I crash into a chest and hands land on my arms to steady me “I got you, are you all right?”

I nod and grab Stiles’ hand as we turn and head back down the hallway to meet Scott “I’m okay, let’s go sweetcheeks.”

Hearing his breathy chuckle, I squeeze his hand and we come around the other corner just in time to see Scott carrying a passed out Tracy with Mr. Yukimura helping lead the way. 

Malia meets our group just as Stiles and I push open the doors, heading over to Roscoe and climbing inside. 

Stiles starts her up and we quickly rush over to Deaton’s with Scott and Malia holding onto Tracy in the back seat.

***

Scott lays Tracy down on one of the metal tables as soon as we get to Deaton’s who grabs his flashlight, clicking it on and beginning his investigation.

Shining the light in Tracy’s eye as he lifts her eyelid, he talks us through his findings “Pupils dilate under normal conditions”

He moves to rest his fingers against her throat, continuing “Heart rate is two fifty. Evidence of an allogeneic skin graft on the right shoulder.”

Deaton continues his examination of Tracy and furrows his brows as he takes in the next weird bit of information “Now, this silvery substance at her lips is not something I’ve seen. It almost looks like mercury.” 

Almost on cue Tracy shakes her shoulders, making a deep rumble and we check to make sure she’s still unconscious **_she is, which is good since homegirl is on a murder spree– killed her psychiatrist last night after her dad_**

“Uh… can’t you just give her a shot of something?” I offer helpfully and Deaton counters back with a furrow of his brows “She doesn’t look to be in any pain.”

Malia makes a noise, elaborating how she feels about the situation “I think she meant a shot to kill her.”

Scott and Stiles grimace with her words as Deaton looks between us, answering back curtly “I generally prescribe to a code of ethics that frowns on such measures.”

“Malia, you know we’re not going to do that.” Scott argues and I shrug back over to him “Scotty she’s killed two people already and mauled another two– how the fuck do we know she’s not going to kill us whenever she wakes up?”

Stiles makes a noise and points over to me with a wink before looking back towards Scott, “She makes a decent point– either way, eventually I’m going to have to let my dad know she’s here.”

“Agreed– and while I may argue against _euthanasia_ –” Deaton mutters with a pointed look towards Malia which causes me to roll my eyes while he reaches towards the rolling tray next to him and continues “I’m not opposed to a little… extra security.” 

He picks up a bottle with mountain ash in it, uncapping it before flipping it out to the side and a circle of ash lands around us with the six of us in the middle of it.

Stiles shifts on his feet and sets his arm around my back. He rests his hand on my hip and pulls me closer towards him, slightly away from the table.

Deaton smirks our way “Don’t worry, Stiles… Tracy won’t be able to cross a line of mountain ash– she’s not going anywhere.”

Stiles looks from me and down to Tracy as he answers him “Yeah, that’s kind of what I’m afraid of.”

Deaton nods his head to the side, “Well, Addy, you and I will be able to get out of here no problem. You two– not so much” he finishes with a smirk thrown towards Scott and Malia who makes a face and turns towards the circle.

She lifts one hand and pushes towards the air above the ash line, eliciting a blue circle of light that pushes back against her hand and she drops her arm back down to her side quickly “Weird.”

I chuckle when she looks back to us before Deaton grabs my attention “Scott, would you mind holding her down– I’m going to be trying a few more invasive tests.” he states as he lifts up a scalpel **_because that worked out so well last time with young Derek_**

Scott looks up towards us and indicates with a nod down towards Tracy. Stiles sighs, however we step forward and I hold down her leg as he holds down her arm.

Deaton reaches forward and drags the scalpel down her arm, though a significant reaction is missing **_there isn’t a cut left behind from the sharp blade_**

Deaton furrows his brows and pushes harder on the blade, earning a little ting noise to ring out throughout the room before he lifts up the broken end of the scalpel.

Stiles makes a noise as he takes in the broken scalpel “I think you’re gonna need a bigger blade.”

Deaton throws Stiles a look and I chuckle before I let go of Tracy’s leg and step back from the table.

I cross my arms over my front, arching my back in a stretch when Scott walks over to me and Stiles quickly follows with his inquiry “What’s up?”

“It’s mom– it’s about the driver of the prison transport. She’s saying he’s awake and talking” **_there’s some good news_**

Deaton chimes in behind us “Malia, help me turn her over, please.”

Scott grabs my attention again as his phone vibrates and he continues reading the message from mom “Driver didn’t have stroke or heart attack– says it was more like his body just locked up… Like he was paralyzed” **_there’s some terrible familiar news_**

“Paralyzed?” I clarify and Stiles looks to me “I think I know what she is” **_murder lizard 2.0_**

“Do you care to enlighten the rest of us?” Deaton interrupts quickly before he nods towards Tracy and continues “because this doesn’t look too good.”

Putting our thoughts on hold we walk up towards the table again where Tracy’s shirt is pulled up to expose her back.

It looks like something is moving along her spine, freaking me the fuck out as Deaton continues to push his fingers against whatever is moving.

Straight out of a horror movie, Tracy’s back cracks open with a long deep ass cut and blood immediately shoots out of her back– spraying Deaton and Scott who each step back from the onslaught of disgusting.

I grimace and move my eyes between Tracy’s body and Stiles as we watch a spine that looks like it belongs to a dinosaur move about in her back **_what the actual fuck is this shit?_**

A literal tail snaps up from Tracy and slashes Stiles across the chest, he groans and falls down onto his stomach before she turns and slashes Deaton’s arm.

He also falls onto his stomach before Tracy turns to me and slashes across my chest. I hiss with the sting and look down at the cut before connecting my eyes with hers **_won’t affect me, but sweet fuck owww_**

When I don’t fall to the ground paralyzed, Tracy tilts her head to the side and takes a moment for something to flash across her eyes before she lunges forward quickly.

I gasp deeply with the onslaught of pain, setting my hands on Tracy’s arm attached to claws that are now embedded very deeply into my side.

Tears rush into my eyes as memories of Winter Formal slam forward in my mind **_this feels so much worse though_**

“No!” Scott shouts before she retracts her hand quickly and I groan, crumbling to the side and gratefully land next to Stiles, though just out of reach for his paralyzed hand “Adds?”

I let out a shaky breath, trying to breathe though the pain as I hear Tracy continue to hiss and growl while she slashes out towards Malia and Scott who each groan with the pain and crash onto the ground.

Tracy hisses again and takes off out of the room, running straight through the mountain ash barrier with exactly zero problem **_well that’s not what you want to see_**

I move my eyes up to Stiles’ frustrated face and just see Scott disappear as he lands on the ground on the other side of him.

“It wasn’t a werewolf,” Stiles shouts out towards the room before Scott and I mutter the answer “Kanima.”

“Hey, Deaton, how the hell did she get through the Mountain Ash?” Stiles inquires and connects his eyes with mine as Deaton answers “I don’t know– it’s a barrier no supernatural creature should be able to cross.”

“Scott did it,” Stiles argues and Scott is quick to counter back “Once, but it almost killed me.”

“We should’ve killed her.” Malia quips before I groan out as I push down on my side as hard as I can, grumbling to the room “Meanwhile, she’s probably on her way to killing someone else.”

“Why are you affected by the venom, Adds?” Stiles mutters against the ground.

I shake my head before turning my head to the side and connect my eyes with his, hating that I’m about to worry him “It’s not the venom Sty–” I whisper out, though my words are loud to everyone in the room.

“What does that– what does that mean? Addy!” Stiles rushes out as he loses his grip on the control he was keeping at bay as soon as he saw me land next to him.

I lift one of my hands up from my side and I hear him suck in a quick breath as he flicks his eyes down and registers the blood covering my hand and pooling near my side.

Letting out a whimper, I roll my head back to look up at the ceiling as I set my hand back on my side, trying to keep as much pressure on it.

“How bad is it?” his voice cracks and I close my eyes causing the tears that have gathered to fall down the sides of my face.

“Addy can you reach your phone?” Scott rushes out quickly and I shake my head even though he can’t see me “It’s– it’s on the counter next to Deaton.”

I try to shift and see how far I will have to drag my body, however the flash of white hot pain is overpowering and I let out a pain filled yelp.

“Adds–” Stiles brokenly whispers next to my head and I close my eyes again.

“Addy don’t move, you need to keep your hands where they are– keep pressure on the wound. You have to try to stop the bleeding– moving will just cause you to bleed quicker” Deaton instructs with a sense of urgency and I let out a noise of aggravation as I lay my head back down “Got it, doc.”

“Listen, everyone. We need to concentrate– Scott and Malia, you two will probably be able to move long before Stiles and I can– but you need to focus.”

Malia breathes out quickly “Focus on what?”

“Healing.” Scott answers and Deaton continues “That’s right.”

“I don’t know how to tell my body to heal.” Malia rushes out

“Malia, calm down. It’s okay…” I try, however, she’s quick to clip back “I can’t calm down. I can’t move.” **_you and me both_**

“It won’t last long. We’re going to be okay– doc, how do we focus?” Scott reassures before Deaton answers “Think of a body part. Your hands, your feet, even just the tips of your fingers. Imagine them moving. See it in your mind and your body will follow.”

It’s been about ten minutes and none of us have been able to move **_however, my mind has been going a million miles a minute as I try to block the pain_**

I try to distract everyone from the current situation we’re in, my voice is small as I state slowly, “You know, there– there are cases of people who accidentally murdered their entire family while in a night terror. They had no idea what they were doing. It’s call– it’s called a homicidal somnambulism.”

Stiles makes a noise and continues my train of thought “What are you saying Adds– that if Tracy’s killing people she doesn’t really want to kill, she might not actually be awake?”

I connect my eyes with his as I try to nod and digress softly “She’s still in a night terror.”

Stiles breathes out with that bit of information “You research night terrors earlier my little Watson?”

I smile and make a face like it wasn’t a big deal “Just found a few case studies and linked murder cases during free period my brilliant Sherlock”

Stiles makes a noise, his face shining with pride as he whispers “You really are incredible you know that?”

I move my eyes between his quickly, wishing more than anything I could kiss the adorable face just a few inches away from me.

_Stiles POV_

I shift my head before I state excitedly into the room around us “Okay. I’m pretty sure I just felt my right leg move. Uh, yep, definitely felt it. Like a twinge, spasm, something” I groan out with trying to move more before Deaton shoots my hope down with his words “I’m going to have to disagree– and I think I hold an informed opinion.”

I roll my eyes and move them to connect with Addy’s, noticing they’re closed my heart feels like it stops “Adds?”

She doesn’t move or acknowledge me in any way and terror overcomes my whole body.

I silently scream at every muscle, focusing on trying to move myself to get to her “Adds– babe _please_ show me your blues.”

Letting out an aggravated noise, I feel my fingers twitch however that’s as far as I can get.

Resisting the urge to scream into the room I focus on her, taking note of how shallow her breathing is becoming. 

“Is she awake?” I hear Scott try from behind me and I rush out quickly “No and– and her breathing is slow. Too slow and she’s so pale, Scott–” My voice shakes and I’m instantly reminded of Winter Formal when I was able to hold her in my arms, I would give anything to be able to do that right now.

“We need to try to keep her awake” Deaton states and I huff before I clear my throat and try again “Yea, I’m trying– Addy, come on wake up. Listen to my voice and open your eyes, babe _wake_ _up_!”

Her eyebrows twitch and I feel a flash of hope, wishing more than anything I could cradle her face with my words “I know you can hear me, come on babe _wake_ up” my voice cracks again and I suck in a breath as I watch her eyelids flutter a few times, however they stay closed.

“Malia.” Scott breathes out before Malia answers back quickly “I don’t think she cut me that deep.”

“Keep going– keep moving.” Deaton urges before we hear Malia groaning as she does whatever she’s doing “What’s happening? I can’t see.” I question and gasp when I hear Addy’s beautiful soft voice mutter next to me “Malia’s moving, she’s standing up”

“Adds,” I whisper brokenly and she let’s out a deep shaky breath, attempting to lift her mouth into a reassuring smile “I’m still with you.”

“Malia, wait for us.” Scott urges behind me however she’s quick to argue back to him “There’s no time.”

“Look, she’s not a werewolf” Scott elaborates and Malia quips back “But she has a scent– I can find her.”

“Malia– _save_ her” Scott stresses finally conceding that he won’t be able to stop her.

A moment passes before we hear her groan again and she uses the table to move closer to us. She gets enough strength and steps over us on her way to run out the door.

She stops and turns in a circle, finding Addy’s phone and laying it down near my face. I flick my eyes from the screen seeing the 9-1-1 connecting call and up to her face, offering a grateful nod before she turns and runs out the door.

I give the necessary information to the 9-1-1 operator and connect my eyes with Addy’s once they end the call “Stay with me okay, they’re on their way.”

Her lips twitch into a small, sad smile as she tries to reassure “I’m not going anywhere.”

Finally able to move my arm, I slide my hand on the ground until I can touch her shoulder “Good because I will kick your ass.”

She chuckles softly, instantly groaning in pain and rolling her head to the side. I watch a stream of tears fall down the side of her face before I see a flash of white as a body runs past us.

I look over my shoulder when I hear a grunt behind me and watch as Scott hits his hand on the metal table.

“How did you find us?” Scott questions before I register Theo’s voice “'Cause you work here. I heard about Tracy, I’ve been looking for you.”

Theo makes a noise and quickly walks over, dropping to a kneel next to Addy. He moves his eyes around her, hovering his hands over her abdomen as he flicks his gaze over to us “What the hell happened?”

“Tracy– we called 9-1-1 but she’s been losing a lot of blood” I grunt out as I am finally able to push up on my shaky arms and fear courses through me stronger now that I’m finally able to take in the massive pool of blood surrounding her. 

Even though I hate him and don’t trust him, when he connects his eyes with mine silently asking if he can help her, I nod as I sit up and move closer to kneel on her other side and move her hands to put pressure on her side.

He grips his belt and nods towards her when I raise my brows “Lift her up so we can slide this under her.”

I set my arm under her shoulders, placing my other hand over her still bleeding wound to keep pressure on it as I lift her up slightly.

She groans through a whine with the pain of sitting up and I place my lips against her forehead whispering “I’m so sorry babe, you’re gonna be okay– you don’t really have any other option than being okay if I’m being honest though.”

She makes a noise and drops her head onto my shoulder– I’ll take that as her chuckle she can’t quite make at the moment.

Theo nods and I slowly lay her back down, handing over the end of the belt across her abdomen to him.

He pulls the belt through the loop, pulling all the way over to his side and fastens it tightly against her as a makeshift tourniquet. 

She releases a deep pain filled gasp “Jesus h fuck I think that’s good, wolf muscles” she grunts out through a deep breath.

There’s my girl.

I chuckle softly, wiping my thumb and forefinger across my eyes quickly before I grab her hand.

Theo grimaces softly “I’m sorry, it’ll help stop the bleeding until we get you to the hospital”

She nods and grasps my hand in hers tightly as she answers him “I get it, thank you”

He nods and looks above my head to Scott who is leaning against the table as he informs the newcomer “We lost Tracy.”

Addy makes a noise as she softly states “And Malia”

“And I can help.” Theo answers before shifting past us to help Deaton stand up and lean against the table as well.

“This is Theo?” Deaton questions before Theo continues with a look towards Scott “Let me help. It doesn’t have to mean I’m part of the pack. Or like you’ve accepted me or anything like that. It just means I can help catch this girl.”

We all share a look with Scott, and I nod my head to the side with my acceptance that maybe agreeing to his help with the situation we’re currently in wouldn’t be the worst thing.

Still don’t trust him in the slightest.

“Scott. I can help you” Theo urges again just as the emergency lights of the ambulance shine brightly through the windows.

Scott sets his hand on my shoulder as he steps towards the door to let the paramedics in.

They quickly get Addy loaded onto a stretcher and we follow her out to the ambulance, my hand tightly grasped in hers.

Letting go of her so they can set her inside, I step up to the back fully intended on going with her.

My eyes drop to the belt around her middle and I hesitate, turning around and looking towards Scott who’s standing right behind me. 

He moves his eyes from Addy to connect with mine and he instantly shakes his head as he registers why I’m hesitating “Go, we’ll follow Tracy’s trail and keep you updated— go with her, _please_.”

Nodding once, I give him a reassuring slap on his shoulder, giving a slight nod towards Theo before I turn and climb in the back of the ambulance.

The paramedic guides me on where to sit and gives the okay to grab her hand again, which is good because it was happening anyways.

I’m sitting up by her head as they get her set up with an IV and the driver makes good on getting us to the hospital quickly.

She turns her head towards me and I rest my elbow on the gurney with her, swiping my hand across the top of her head and into her hair.

My lungs feel like I’m suffocating as I move my eyes around her face quickly. She looks so pale and she’s having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

Feeling tears rush into my eyes, I fight them and my fear of losing her off as I attempt to smile towards her, whispering “Hey gorgeous”

She rolls her big beautiful blue eyes and for a moment I forget about the current situation, “I love you for always thinking I’m gorgeous” she states so softly if I wasn’t right up in her space I would have missed it.

She loses the battle and closes her eyes, though she tightens her hold in my hand with her weak grip. Even going through all of this she still fights like hell to reassure me that she’s okay.

With the slow, steady beeping of her heartbeat filling the ambulance as we rush down the city streets, I lean forward and rest my forehead against her clammy one. I lay my arm around the top of her head, closing my eyes with her as I state as strongly as I can muster. “I love you always Addy McCall– just stay with me, we’re almost there.”


	64. Condition Terminal

_Stiles POV_

Pulling up to the hospital, it’s all a blur as I climb out of the ambulance behind the paramedics who are pushing Addy on the gurney.

I quicken my steps to be right beside her, grabbing her hand before we rush through the doors.

Melissa’s eyes widen, stopping her movements of preparing for the incoming trauma as soon as she registers _who_ the incoming trauma actually is “Addy? Sti– Stiles what happened?”

She falls in step on the other side of the gurney, moving her tear filled eyes between Addy’s bloody side and my terrified eyes.

My throat feels dry as I try to swallow, shaking my head slightly as we move through the E.R. and into a trauma room.

Everyone starts talking, reporting her stats, a run down of what happened based off the limited information I was able to actually state, orders for a portable x-ray and tests they need to run in order of importance.

Time feels like it’s slowed down as I’m pulled away from her and Melissa sets her hands on my shoulders, moving her head around until she catches my eyes.

Her mouth is moving, however, it feels like there’s cotton in my ears and I can’t hear her.

“Stiles– Stiles take a deep breath in… try to hold it”

Licking my lips quickly, I do as she says. Breathing in deeply as best I can and holding it for as long as possible before I release it.

“There you go, come on one more time _slowly_ – breathe with me”

I lay my hands on her outstretched forearms and breathe in again, releasing it slowly and connecting my eyes with hers.

She tries to smile before her grip on my shoulders increases with her frantic words “Okay good– now, what the hell happened to my daughter?”

I clear my throat, my eyes instantly snapping to the window of the room she’s in before Melissa pulls my attention back to her “Hey she’s being looked after– now I can’t be in that room, so I need _you_ to tell me what happened. Are you alright? Where’s Scott?”

She drops her hands from my shoulders and sets them on her hips while I fill in the events that led us here “The girl– the girl, Tracy, who killed her dad last night, she was at school earlier. Scott said she passed out when him and Liam were trying to talk to her, so we took advantage of her being unconscious and we took her to Deaton’s. We thought she was a werewolf–”

Melissa moves her worried eyes between mine, listening to every word before I clear my throat “she wasn’t a werewolf– you remember Jackson?”

With her nod I continue and lift one of my hands to gesture up to my chest “Well she was like him, paralyzing tail and everything– except she’s also different because the trap that worked on him didn’t work on her.”

“So that’s why Addy has the cut on her chest?” Melissa asks and I feel tears rush into my eyes as I nod and reluctantly continue “Yeah– only the venom doesn’t affect Addy. When Tracy realized that, she– um she–” I trail off and Melissa lifts her hands, wiping them over her face before she breathes in deeply and sets her hands back on her hips.

I reach up and wipe my face on my shirt sleeve before I look down to the ground “I’m so sorry Melissa, I couldn’t move– I couldn’t get to her any quicker than we did–”

“Stiles look at me” I hear her voice, it’s lost all the shaky worry it previously held and gives me the courage to look at her. 

She lifts the sides of her mouth into a small smile and shakes her head “This isn’t on you, Stiles. I know you did everything you could have possibly done. You couldn’t move, but I more than believe you were talking to her, keeping her awake and calm. She’s strong, she’s going to be okay”

“Melissa” we turn with the voice behind us and see a doctor nodding his head indicating the room behind him that’s holding Addy.

He moves his hesitant eyes from me and towards Melissa who shakes her head before staying confidently “He’s family, go ahead.”

Nodding once, the doctor clears his throat and gives us the newest details regarding my girl “Addy is stable, the abdominal blunt injury ruptured her appendix– we’re prepping her for surgery now. She lost a lot of blood, but all things considering she was very lucky– quick thinking with the tourniquet, it more than likely is what saved her life.”

I release the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding as I digest his words. 

She needs surgery but she’s okay for now.

Even the frustration of having to thank Theo is lessened by this news.

Melissa nods and exchanges a few more words with him before he nods and walks back into the room.

Lydia rushes through the doors to our left and when her teary eyes meet mine across the emergency room– I feel my blood run cold.

Closing the distance between us, Lydia shakes her head as she comes to a stop in front of us “Where is she?”

“They’re prepping her for surgery” my voice cracks with my answer and she immediately draws her brows inwards. Lydia makes a noise in her throat before she steps closer and wraps her arms around me, offering a reassuring squeeze with her next words “She’s going to be okay.”

She has to be.

I slowly bend my elbows, laying my arms against her back to return her hug, feeling the tears I was holding back fall down my cheeks with her words.

Lydia steps back, smiling as confidently as she can and even though seeing her scared me shitless– the calmness she now is sporting gives me hope.

Scott and Liam rush up beside us, Melissa wraps Scott in a hug as Liam moves his frantic eyes between us and the room behind us.

Kira, Malia and Theo quickly walk up right behind them, their faces showing the same amount of worry as they take in the seriousness of the situation.

I take a deep breath in, finding strength with everyone here for her. I turn and set my hand on Liam’s shoulder, pulling his eyes to mine as I answer his and everyone else’s silent question “She’s getting prepped for surgery. She lost a lot of blood and her appendix was ruptured but–”

“She’s going to be okay?” his voice shows just how worried he is and despite the situation, knowing how much she means to him– I smile softly and try to set his mind at ease “She’s going to be okay.”

***

_Stiles POV_

Everything went according to plan– textbook procedure the doctor informed us.

She’s been out of surgery for a few hours– only problem is she hasn’t woken up yet.

After making sure I wouldn’t be kicked out of her ICU room for not technically being family, Melissa went home to grab herself and Addy some clothes for when she gets released.

I set my elbows on the side of her bed, making sure I’m clear of any of the countless wires and tubes that are connected to her, before I wrap my hands around her tiny one.

She looks even smaller in this bed and I can’t handle this, I feel like I can’t breathe and not being able to do anything for her is driving me insane.

Lifting my hands holding hers up, I rest my forehead on them and mutter into the quiet of the room “I’m going to believe that you can hear me because I can’t sit here and not say anything to you for another second. You need to wake up okay babe, because– because even though they said you’re in the clear and it was a textbook procedure– I don’t think they are aware of just how many of those successful surgeries have patients that don’t wake up,”

I rub my thumbs across her skin as I continue just above a whisper “I _need_ you Adds– I need you in every sense of the word. I won’t be able to handle the shit that keeps coming at us if you aren’t by my side to make everything better. That’s what you do, you make _everything_ better. You listen to my absurd theories, you help me back them up or work out the theories to actually come up with the answer. Everyone thinks that Sherlock is the genius all on his own– but he’s not. It’s always been Watson that makes Sherlock who he is. I’m nothing without you, Watson. It isn’t even just the supernatural side of things that I need you for. I need you to be here and just do life with me. You’re my person Addy McCall– my _best_ friend. After knowing what life is like to be loved by you, I can’t– I can’t even imagine it being any other way. Adds– baby I need you to show me your blues… your carribbean ocean blues that stole my heart twelve years ago. Please, just wake up–”

A soft groan has me snapping my head up from our hands. I watch as Addy rolls her head to the side facing me, her eyelids fluttering before they finally open slowly.

She blinks a few times before her gaze crashes with mine and her beautiful eyes focus on me, a smile slowly growing on her face as she squeezes my hand “hey you”

Air rushes through my lungs with those two little words and for the first time in 24 hours, I feel like I can breathe again. 

I make a noise that’s a mix between a relieved laugh and a hiccup of a shaky breath as I lift off of the chair to lean closer to her.

I return her smile, moving my eyes around her face quickly. I move my hand that was resting on top of hers, sliding it across the top of her head and into her hair as I take in her beauty filled full of life face “You’re awake, you’re okay”

She softly smiles before she tilts her head back and I offer a breathy chuckle before I lean forward, closing the gap between us as I connect our lips for the first time in what feels like years.

I hear her make a small noise of content before she breathes in deeply through her nose, earning me to smile as I rest my free hand against her cheek and move my lips with hers.

The kiss is slow and full of all the emotion of almost losing her. After a few quick kisses, I pull back and rest my forehead against hers. Keeping my eyes closed, I try to slow my breathing and calm my erratic beating heart.

“Hey, I’m okay” I hear her small melodic voice flow through my ears and with my forehead still resting on hers I nod a few times, clearing my throat “I know– just may need to keep reminding me of that fact for a little bit”

I open my eyes, our gazes instantly connecting as I continue just above a whisper “You’re never allowed to do that again.”

She smiles in the way that says she can’t promise that, however she still goes along with my threat “Deal.”

“Fuck I love you” I breathe out, moving my thumb against her cheek and watching as she leans into my touch with a smirk “I love you right back, Mr. bossy pants.”

I chuckle softly and look over my shoulder to make sure the chair is right behind me before moving to sit down again.

Addy makes a noise and pulls on our hands, stopping my movements with her request “Lay with me please?”

Moving my eyes around her, I shake my head “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Lifting one side of her mouth she reassures softly “You won’t, just– could you maybe help me turn on my side?”

I make a noise in my throat wanting to disagree however she just chuckles “Just move my hip back on the bed a bit so I can lay against you easier.”

I huff, my want to hold her in my arms outgrowing anything else and do as she stated. 

She rests her hands on my arms as I brace her and slide my hand under her, sliding her left hip back slightly so I can lay down next to her.

She lays against my chest with a soft groan, breathing in deeply through her nose with the pain and I’m on high alert trying to sit up and stop the hurting “Adds–”

“Nope you lay your ass back down Stilinski and get your snuggle on, because being in your arms is worth it” She commands and I lay back instantly, holding my arm up for her to burrow into my side.

She lays her head in the crook of my shoulder and I rest my cheek on the top of her head as she lays her hand on my chest.

I lay my hand across her hip, careful to avoid her stitches and move my other arm to lay across my chest so I can wrap my hand around hers.

“You sure this is okay?” I offer before feeling her nod her head against me “More than okay– so fill me in, what’s been happening?”

I let out a deep breath, relaxing back into the bed with her before filling her in on what Scott shared while she was in surgery “You were right about Tracy being in a night terror– she went to the station going after Lydia’s mom– who was the mystery woman my dad was going on a date with by the way.”

She makes a hmm noise before questioning “Why was she going after Lyds’ mom?”

I shrug my shoulder that’s not around her “I guess she was going after people trying to help her? We’re not completely sure but that’s what Lydia and Kira came up with. Deaton also went to see Scott last night and they were trying to work out exactly what Tracy is since she was both a werewolf and a kanima who could cross a mountain ash barrier no supernatural creature should be able to cross.”

“So he doesn’t think she’s supernatural?” She states so quickly it brings a smile to my face with how smart she is.

I make a noise of agreement before I continue “Deaton thinks someone is making supernatural creatures with non supernatural means. Someone who is able to blur the lines between science and the supernatural.”

“Well that sounds absolutely terrifying– how many different Chimeras of supernatural creatures are we going to run into?” Addy ponders with a worried tone and I shake my head “I don’t know– wait Chimera?”

She nods “It’s a creature made of incongruous parts.”

I make an impressed face and tilt my head to the side “Of course it is– well, there’s at least two right now. Remember when Liam fell in the hole the other night?”

She snorts and immediately groans in pain, dropping her head onto my shoulder and muttering “Don’t make me laugh and yes I vividly remember that.”

I chuckle softly before continuing “He remembered finding Tracy’s necklace when he was down there after seeing a picture with her wearing it. So him and Mason went back to the woods and they found another hole next to that one.”

“So Tracy was buried? What, is it like an incubation process?” She states quickly and I nod “that’s what Deaton’s thinking is apart of their process.”

She takes a moment, digesting all the new information before she implores “So where’s Tracy now?”

I breathe out through a sigh “She’s dead Adds– Malia, well we aren’t sure exactly what happened but Malia broke through Tracy’s night terror. She was able to wake Tracy up before she was able to hurt Lydia’s mom… Malia swears there were other people down in the basement with them and that they’re who killed Tracy”

Addy tilts her head back, furrowing her brows as she connects her eyes with mine and states thoughtfully “Wait, what other people?”

I shake my head and rub my thumb back and forth on her hand, “All she said is there were guys with masks in the basement.”

I feel her body tense, watching as her eyes widen slightly before her worried voice fills the room “Guys in masks– like gas masks?”

Drawing my brows in, I reluctantly nod with her question before she continues on a whisper “I saw them too– in the operating room.”

***

_Addy POV_

Stiles left to scour the bestiary with Scott, Kira and Malia so I could try to sleep. That was a few hours ago and I’m dying of boredom since sleep is not coming to me. Good news is I will be leaving and heading home in two days, possibly tomorrow depending on how something or another looks.

Mom and Scott walk in the room with me, looking on edge when they look my way. I wince as I sit up and mom scolds “Take it easy sweetheart, sitting up is going to be painful for a few days.”

I nod and breathe through the pain as I lay back against the propped up pillows and connect my eyes with Scott’s “What’s wrong?”

He shakes his head as he walks over and sits at the foot of my bed “What’s wrong is I’m looking at my sister laying in a hospital bed.”

I level him with a knowing look as I try again “You’re the best brother ever, now tell me what happened– because I know something happened.”

Mom hesitantly looks over to Scott, and I raise my brows with his silence. Rolling his eyes he rubs a hand over his face before resting it on his leg he brings up onto the bed in front of him “Stiles told you what Deaton shared with us?”

At my nod, he returns it before he continues “There was a guy from school, Lucas, that was turned into half werewolf, half scorpion and he tried to hurt Mason at a club tonight.”

“Sumerian” I state softly as an afterthought earning Scott to nod “Yeah, not even surprised you remember that from the Bestiary too. Liam, Kira and I knocked him out and were about to move him to take him to Deaton’s when someone shot an arrow into his chest. When I looked up into the rafters, I saw three guys standing above us… they were all in–”

“Steampunk gas masks?” I fill in and Scott moves his wide eyes up from the floor, connecting with mine quickly “Yes how did you know?”

“Stiles told me about Malia seeing them kill Tracy– and I’ve seen them too. I thought it was a dream but after I was administered the anesthesia and I started counting– they were in the room with me telling me to keep counting.”

Mom and Scott look terrified with that bit of information, so I move on and clear my throat “So after they shot him, they just left?”

Scott looks like he wants to keep asking questions, but shakes his head and reluctantly continues with his story time “I asked them why they did that and one of them just said ‘his condition was terminal’.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I ask with a furrow of my brows and Scott shrugs “When I asked that exact thing he just said ‘failure’– then they disappeared.”

Scott hangs his head and wrings his hands together in his lap. Mom shares a look with me before she sets her hand on his shoulder. 

Scott huffs and looks up to us “I should’ve done better. I… I… I should’ve known that this was going to happen. I should’ve been able to stop it.”

Mom clicks her tongue, earning us both to look up to her, “You know, your guys’ grandfather used to have a saying about the word should. ‘You know what you’re doing when you say should too often? You’re should-ing all over yourself’.”

Scott and I both chuckle softly with the awful joke that was so grandpa, earning mom to smile at us as she continues lightly “I know that I can’t be the Mom that says– ‘I don’t want you to do anything about this’– ‘Cause you’re always going to be involved. Because not only do you _have_ the power to do something, you _care enough_ to do it.”

I smile over at Scotty who nods with her words before she continues “So all you really need is to ask yourself, ‘What am I going to do’?”

Scott looks between us, stating like it’s the easiest thing in the world “We’re going to find out who did this– and we’re going to stop them.” **_hells to the yeah we are_**

***

I gasp awake loudly, sitting up in the hospital bed– not even registering the pain in my side as my nerves scream louder and my breathing increases in short quick breaths.

I feel like I’m drowning as I try to work through everything I’m feeling, the onslaught of emotions and fear and utter _death_ that is suffocating me. 

With no hope of holding back considering the space I’m in, my hands fly up to either side of my head, my mouth dropping open as I scream with everything I have.

Blissful silence that sets my nerves on fire follows and I shake my head, throwing the covers off of my legs with what this means **_this can’t be right– no fucking way this is happening_**

Mom rushes into the room and takes in my tear stained cheeks as she makes her way over to me “Sweetheart, are you okay– what is it?”

“I have to go– I have to go now” I state frantically and swing my legs over the side of the bed, earning mom to place her hands on my knees to stop my movements “Are you insane? You just had surgery you aren’t going anywhere. I don’t care what you’re about to say for why you need to–”

“It’s Stiles!” My voice cracks as I interrupt her words and she moves her wide eyes between mine as I elaborate with a hiccup of a sob “Mom– it’s Stiles.”


	65. Novel Approach

Getting Stiles’ voicemail for the umpteenth time, I let out a noise of frustration and drop my phone onto my lap.

Resting my elbow on the window frame, I rub my fingers across my forehead– gaining mom’s attention while she offers lightly “I’m sure he’s okay honey– is the feeling the same as when you woke up?”

I shake my head and look over to her “No it’s changed, but something is still wrong– I can feel it”

Mom pulls up into the parking lot at the school and finding it empty of Roscoe, I try Stiles again. 

When he doesn’t answer, tears threaten to invade my vision when I hesitantly look over towards mom who shrugs and offers hopefully “Maybe he’s at home? We can stop by there on our way to the house– just because you left the hospital doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for resting”

My lips twitch in an attempt to smile at her before I nod and look out the window towards the library, an unexplainable feeling overcoming me **_what the hell happened tonight?_**

About ten minutes later, I let out a relieved breath when we come around the corner onto their street and see Roscoe parked in the driveway.

Mom shares in my relief when she looks over to me “All right sweetie, I have to get back to the hospital– please take it easy and make sure you get home soon– deal?”

She gets out of the car when I nod in agreement and comes around to help me climb out of my side before I head up to the front door.

Finding it unlocked already, I furrow my brows and wave over my shoulder towards mom as she backs out onto the street.

Closing the door behind me, I take in the quiet of the house before hearing movement coming from upstairs **_well good thing he’s alive because I’m going to kill him_**

I take the stairs slowly, gripping my side with each step and cursing the werewolf instinct that chooses to impale my sides with their damn claws whenever I’m slightly in the way of their evil plan.

I head down the hall towards Stiles’ room, seeing his door open and the light shining out into the hallway.

Setting my hand on the doorframe, I jump back slightly hearing him let out an aggravated yell as he throws something loudly against his crime board.

“Sty–” I offer hesitantly and he jumps before snapping his head in my direction, wide frantic eyes taking me in and swiping across his board again with his palm.

Stiles quickens his steps towards me, rushing out through his worry “Addy– what are you doing here? Why are you out of the hospital?”

He rests his hands on my upper arms, moving his eyes between my side and my face a few times. 

I reach up and rest my hands on either side of his face, performing my own examination of making sure this is real and he’s alive in front of me “You weren’t answering your phone and I needed to make sure you were okay.”

Something flashes in his eyes before he opens and closes his mouth, finally finding his voice when he clears his throat “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

Tears cloud my vision as I slide my hands down onto his chest and answer just above a whisper “Because for the scariest twenty minutes of my life I felt like you weren’t.”

Stiles almost looks scared as he sets his hands on my face, wiping under my eyes with his thumbs before he softly pulls me against his chest, enveloping me in a hug.

I feel him lay his head on top of mine, reassuring softly as he grips me tighter “I’m okay, Adds.”

Sliding my hands up his back to return the hug, I grip his shirt into my fists as I breathe in deeply against his chest **_letting his teakwood and all him scent calm me_**

I pull back slightly, keeping our hands around each other as I connect my eyes with his “Okay but something happened… I didn’t feel like that for no– what happened in the Library Sty?”

He tries to rein in his emotions, however I see it all cross over his features before he shakes his head, stuttering out “I didn’t– nothin– nothing happened in the– in the library.”

“Stiles–” I try softly, however he doesn’t miss a beat.

Stepping away from me quickly he begins to pace in the space in front of me “You shouldn’t be here Adds– seriously you should be at the hospital or resting somewhere.”

“Stiles you know you can talk to me about anything–”

He takes a moment to look at me again, softening his features to agree “I know– I know that”

I step up towards him, closing the gap he created and soften my face as I reach up and gently lay my hand against his cheek “Good, so then talk to me Sty.”

Stiles closes his eyes and leans into my touch, releasing a shaky breath as he lifts his hand to lay on top of mine “I don’t know how to talk to you about this.”

He slowly opens his eyes and the fear I see flashing in them is suffocating.

“Because you don’t think I’ll understand or because you don’t think I’ll believe you?”

“Both” his broken whispered voice echoes around us and I swallow thickly before licking my lips “Stiles whatever happened, I know you did everything in your power to avoid it. I don’t care what it is– I will _always_ believe you.”

Stiles looks like he wants to believe me, however he still shakes his head as he implores softly “How can you say that so confidently when you don’t even know what it is yet.”

I shrug and attempt to smile at him “Because I know _you_ ”

Stiles makes a noise in the back of his throat, a mix between a gasp and a hiccup of a sob.

Tears are threatening to spill over his eyes and I wish more than anything I could take everything he looks to be feeling away for him.

He grasps my hand still resting on his cheek a little harder, almost like he’s anchoring himself to the moment, before he removes my hand and kisses my palm.

Settling our joined hands in between us, he grasps my hand in both of his “I uh– I fell asleep in the library during the bestiary search”

I don’t move even though I want to nod with his words, afraid I will break his courage to tell me what happened.

He clears his throat and continues “When I woke up, I saw what time it was and packed up. I was in the middle of texting you that I was on my way to you when I got to the jeep. I was going to finish the message to you after starting it up and getting the heat going– only it didn’t start.”

He shifts on his feet, moving his thumbs against the back of my hands before he continues “I was trying to tape up another part when this excruciating pain like a million tiny saws were slicing through my shoulder hit me out of fucking no where.”

My body tenses and I flick my eyes from his face to his shoulder quickly, connecting my gaze with his when he elaborates “they were behind me and their hand had some hole in the palm with razor sharp teeth that they were trying to connect with me again. I ended up head butting them and they released me, I reached forward and grabbed a wrench that was on the side of the open hood. When I turned around swinging, I saw it was Donovan before the wrench connected with his jaw.”

My mouth slightly drops with that information, however I hold back from saying anything since the very strong feeling that _that_ wasn’t the end of it is growing by the second.

Stiles nods his head to the side “I ran back inside the school, heading for any door that was open. The only one slightly protected was the library since you have to use a keycard to get in. I just wasn’t banking on Donovan to still have his fucking key card.”

Stiles pauses and when I give his hand a reassuring squeeze, he releases a shaky breath “Once he got inside he found my phone I somehow dropped, he threatened to have you meet me there since you were calling. He started talking about how his dad and my dad were partners back in the day and how when his dad was answering a call, my dad was in the car calling for backup. His dad was shot at and ended up getting a bullet shot into his spine– he’s paralyzed from the waist down now and blames my dad for it all. Which is obviously just the beginning of their bad blood.”

Stiles closes his eyes, his voice shaky however still strong as he fills in the last of the evening event “He was headed upstairs from where I was hiding behind one of the lower level shelves, except he wasn’t– he yanked me through the shelf and I was able to get away from him again. I ran over to where the scaffolding ladder was set up and I started to climb it– he was immediately right behind me and grabbed for my leg when I was mid climb. He said not to worry that he wasn’t going to kill me– he just wanted to eat my legs. His eyes shone white and he had a mouth full of fangs– Wendigo is what I’m going with… though I have no idea what his palm of razor teeth was. I looked up, trying to find anything that I could fight him off with and I saw a pin in the scaffolding ladder. I wasn’t sure what would happen when I pulled it but I figured whatever it was would be better than the flesh eating monster attached to my leg.”

Stiles opens his eyes and digresses just above a whisper “I reached up and was finally able to pull it. A shit ton of metal rods fell down around us and when I looked down over my shoulder after they settled– one was imbedded in the middle of his chest. When I climbed down from the ladder he was still alive but barely, he was coughing up blood and fuck it was everywhere. I tried to move the rod from him, but he died– he fucking died right in front of my eyes.”

I can feel the tears falling in a steady stream down my face, however I don’t move to wipe them away– I want him to tell me everything he needs to and I don’t want anything to distract him.

Clearing his throat he shakes his head and disconnects his eyes from mine as he looks down to the ground in between us “I called 9-1-1, I didn’t say a word and only hung up when I heard the dispatchers say they knew the call was coming from the school and would send a car that was in the area by. I propped the door open with a book so they could get in without the keycard and luckily you were calling again because my phone lit up in his pocket. Once I got out to the jeep, it started but I couldn’t move. It’s like everything came crashing into my mind all at once– what I had actually done. I heard the police siren and backed the jeep up into one of the dark spots behind me out of the street light. But when the cop went inside and came back out a few minutes later, I turned on the radio and heard him say no one was there and they labeled it as a prank call.”

I furrow my brows and Stiles nods “I went back into the library and Adds– everything was gone. The body, the scaffolding mess, the blood– everything looked as though nothing happened. The rods that had fallen were all neatly stacked against the ladder. I don’t even know what could have happened or who cleaned it all up.”

He’s silent for a moment and I don’t waste another second before I make a noise and push up on my toes, wrapping my arms around his neck and pull him softly into me.

It takes him a few seconds, **_seconds that completely break my heart_** , before he wraps his arms around my waist. I squeeze around him slightly tighter with my words “Stiles, you didn’t do anything wrong–”

“I killed him, Adds” Stiles’ voice cracks when he says my name and I shake my head before pulling back slightly.

I set my hands on either side of his face and shake my head softly so he can see “That monster attacked you and was going to kill you– you were trying to get away from him. You didn’t know what would happen when you pulled the pin and you sure as all fuck didn’t grab the metal rod and jam it into his chest menicingly. Even if you had he was going to kill you– for fucks sake I woke up screaming because I felt like he was killing you! That was self defense Sti, and I will not allow you to say it was anything else.”

Stiles moves his eyes between mine quickly, a look of pure gratitude adorning his face. Not finding his voice, he licks his lips quickly and nods with my words.

We both jump with the loud ringing of his phone and Stiles huffs out a deep breath as he answers the phone, putting it on speaker between us “Scott?”

“Stiles, someone’s taking the bodies.”

My eyes immediately widen with his words, quickly connecting my gaze with Stiles’ over the phone before Scott’s voice chimes in again “Stiles? You there?”

“Yeah. Um… Where? What are you talking about?”

“I’m at the Animal Clinic with Kira. Tracy’s body is gone. The lock on the door was broken from the outside. And my mom just told me Lucas’s body went missing from the morgue– they’ve been searching the whole hospital for it. Someone’s stealing the bodies.”

***

Malia walks up the steps and meets us on the front porch, handing over the book she found last night in Tracy’s room.

I grip the book and flip it over to read the title “The Dread Doctors by T.R. McCammon.”

Furrowing my brows, I flick my eyes to just above the book. Stiles notices and steps closer to me “What is it?”

“I don’t know. There’s something about it.” I answer thoughtfully before I clear my throat and shake my head softly, connecting my eyes with hers while imploring “Has anyone actually read it yet?”

Malia shakes her head “Just me– and I didn’t understand any of it.”

I drop the book down to my side as I look between them, observing “We should probably all read it”

Malia nods and points towards me “Kira’s working on that.”

I flip the book over and read the back synopsis “‘In a small New England town, teenagers are taken in the night and buried alive. Days later they emerge transformed, wreaking havoc and spreading terror, commanded by an ancient order of parascientists known only as the Dread Doctors’– well that sounds vaguely familiar.”

“How does it end?” Stiles questions and Malia shakes her head again, crossing her arms over her front “It doesn’t. This is supposed to be volume one.”

“Oh, let me guess… There is no volume two?” Stiles offers and I look over to him as Malia draws her worried brows inwards “I think we’re living volume two.”

I nod my head to the side, looking from them and back down to the book as I digress “Then maybe the real question is… is this a novel or someone’s prediction?”

Stiles shares a look with me before Malia says her goodbyes with our plan for her to meet up with Scott, Kira, and Lydia while Stiles and I stay home to research the book and the author as much as we can.

Flipping through the pages of the book, Stiles looks up to me when I point out “I don’t think the Dread Doctors are the ones stealing the bodies.”

“Are we really calling them that?” Stiles grimaces and I shrug before continuing “Think about it. They killed Tracy and walked away. They killed Lucas and walked away. Why would they leave and come back to take the bodies? Plus Donovan a half wendigo, half hole of teeth wherever he wants it was obviously from the other hole in the ground Liam and Mason found. Someone took his body last night and the Dread Doctors weren’t apart of his ending.” 

“So someone else has to be taking them.” Stiles nods and I begin to pace in front of him again “Exactly, but the bodies aren’t just bodies. According to what they said to Scott when they killed Lucas, they’re– they’re failures.”

“So if the Chimeras are all failures, what’s the success going to be?” Stiles questions thoughtfully and letting out a sigh, I set my hands in my hips “Bad. Probably really bad.”

Stiles moves his worried eyes from me and back down to the book before he sits up straighter “Whoa hold on look at this– look at the Acknowledgements page ‘For providing scientific perspective and invaluable insight… this book is dedicated to Dr. Gabriel Valack’. Dr. Valack, wait Is that?–”

I nod and move my eyes from the page he was reading to connect our gazes as I fill in “The guy that Deaton went to see and figured out that Scott was in Mexico after he was thrown into a comatose state? Yeah and we know exactly where he is.”

***

Scott, Kira, and I make a plan to head to Eichen to see Valack, which I just reiterated to Stiles **_so naturally he’s getting ready and insisting on going with us_**

“Adds, I’m going with you.”

I set my hands on my hips, hiding the wince I want to make with the pain that causes and shake my head softly instead “Stiles you do not have to come, alright you have had a shit twenty four hours and it wouldn’t be at all out of the question for you to sit this one out.”

“Well unless you’re going to sit this out with me, the only sitting I’ll be doing is right next to you on our drive to Eichen.” He states before shrugging on his sweatshirt, earning him to wince with his movements and my brows to raise with a knowing look.

Stiles scoffs and nods towards my side “Woman, don’t you look at me like that when you have just as bad of a surgical site wound.”

“You didn’t have surgery! You let me clean it and apply a bandage– even though you definitely could use some stitches– and you called it good” I argue back which Stiles is quick to counter right back “Exactly I didn’t have surgery and you did– notice how I’m not demanding you _not_ go, just demanding I fucking go _with_ you?”

Stiles crosses his room like the decision is made and walks towards me, however I move my feet to the side, stopping right in front of him.

Stiles sighs and connects his eyes with mine “If you think I’m letting you go in there alone, you’re fucking insane.”

“Scott and Kira are going to be there,” I counter back with a raise of my brow and Stiles lifts one of his arms out to his side “Okay well whatever, I’m not letting you go to a place where one of the orderlies almost killed you.”

“He almost killed you too!” I exclaim and Stiles doesn’t miss a beat “And we’re both still alive. See– teamwork.”

I scrunch my mouth to the side, earning Stiles to offer a look like the case is closed.

He kisses my cheek before sliding his hand down my arm and intertwining our fingers together, softly pulling me with him towards his door “Pip pip Watson, mustn’t be late.”

***

Kira and I walk up to the gates of Eichen and press the intercom button while Scott and Stiles lean against the side of Roscoe.

“Hello? Anyone there?” I speak into the intercom before hearing Scott ask Stiles “Are you going to be okay in there?”

“Yeah. Why?” comes Stiles’ reply before Scott continues “You just seem a little off.”

“I think we’re all a little off.” I hear Stiles counter before Scott mutters something back too quiet for me to hear. 

Kira huffs softly and I connect my eyes with hers “You okay?”

She smiles and nods towards me “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

I shrug and cross my arms over my front “I’m alive and doing all right– little pain when I move certain ways but I’ll be okay.”

She nods and I throw her a pointed look that she smiles at before answering “I’m okay… I feel like something is going on with me– with the fox side.”

Drawing my brows inwards with confusion, I implore “Anything we can help you with?”

She shakes her head and tries to brush it off “I just need to talk to my mother about some things”

Shrugging my shoulders, I offer lightly “Just don’t forget we’re always here if you need help with anything okay?”

Kira smiles gratefully and looks over towards the building of Eichen before Stiles gains my attention “There’s gotta be a point where self defense is justified. Tracy killed her own father. And Lucas would have killed you”

I look over at the guys, taking in the look adorning Stiles’ face while he looks at Scott– it’s the same worry filled one I saw last night **_he needs Scott to believe him as much as he needed me to_**

Scott shakes his head “They’re not the bad guys. They’re the victims– we shouldn’t be killing the people we’re supposed to save.” **_this isn’t so black and white Scotty_**

The gate buzzes loudly before it opens slightly and we all share a look before walking towards it. Scott follows behind Kira walking through the gate and Stiles shoves his hands into his sweatshirt pockets as he looks up through the gate at the building.

I walk up to him and lay my head on his shoulder, grasping his upper arm in one hand as I wrap my other arm behind his back.

Feeling Stiles press a kiss to the top of my head I tilt my head back to look at him “You ready?”

He flicks his eyes down to mine before he shakes his head “No but let’s get this over with”

Stiles steps forward, reaching down to link our hands together before we follow behind Scott and Kira.

We all slowly climb up the stairs just inside the gate, turning immediately with the ominous noise it makes when it closes behind us **_I’ve never felt more trapped_**

We walk through the lobby and up to the window where patients have to register.

The orderly behind the counter looks at us and puts a container out in front of us “Please empty your pockets into the container.”

“We’re here to see…” Scott tries, however creepy orderly interrupts “Please empty your pockets into the container.”

Scott looks over his shoulder at us, earning Stiles to nod while I shrug before we all take out our phones and other items that were taking residence in our pockets, placing them into the container on the counter.

The orderly looks at Kira and flicks his eyes down with his words “Please remove your belt and place it into the container.” **_her belt aka her new and improved concealed katana_**

“I kind of need the belt. I mean, it’s crucial to the outfit.” Kira stutters, completely terrified to let her only weapon she has out of her sight while we go into the unknown lower levels of this place.

He continues on like he’s bored out of his mind “Please remove your belt which patients will attempt to take from you and use to strangle either themselves or others.”

“Right. Got it.” Kira offers back quickly before removing the belt and placing it into the container with the rest of the items.

Orderly Creep of the year moves his eyes over us, landing on me for longer than I’d like and I turn to face Stiles more.

Stiles’ brow twitches as he watches the orderly with narrowed eyes, setting his hand around my waist protectively before we hear a gate buzz and close to our left.

We turn and see one of the doctors Deaton set us up to meet with standing just outside of the gate.

He motions for us to follow him and as we start to head down a stairwell he informs “I’ll remind you that I’m only doing this as a favor to Deaton. And I’m doing it against my better judgment.” **_great news thanks doc_**

Stiles scratches the side of his jaw, addressing the doctor walking in front of us down the stairs “Hey, what’s the etiquette for talking to this guy? I mean, do you ever look at the other eye?”

“I wouldn’t. In fact, while you’re down here, try not to make eye contact with anyone or anything.”

And on that ominus note we come to the bottom of the stairs and follow him into a hallway.

Stiles and I keep our steps right behind him and it isn’t until the doctor stops at the gate that we need to go through that we realize that Scott and Kira are down about ten feet behind us in the middle of the hallway. 

They’re looking around the air around them like they’re stuck from passing and the doctor’s voice chimes in with a slight bit of humor to it “You didn’t think you were all going, did you?” **_we’re kind of a package deal when we go on missions like this, so yes_**

“It’s mountain ash, isn’t it?” Scott asks and the good doctor nods before swiping a key card through the slot on the metal door “Everywhere, but heavily concentrated down here.”

Opening the door, he continues with his instructions “Valack’s cell is the last one at the end of the hall.”

We look back at Scott and he nods as he connects his eyes with mine “We’ll be right here.”

I offer a tight lipped smile towards him, hating this turn of events completely before I move my steps towards the gate.

Stiles sets his hand on my back and we walk through the metal door the doctor is holding open for us.

***

_3rd POV_

Scott watches as Stiles sets his hand on Addy’s back and nods towards him, silently letting him know he won’t let anything happen to her.

Scott lifts one side of his mouth, knowing Stiles means that more than anything and returns the nod.

Once they’re through the doorway, the doctor closes the gate and leaves him and Kira in the mountain ash bubble.

It’s been a few minutes and try as he might, Scott isn’t able to hear anything happening down the hallway Addy and Stiles went.

Letting out a huff he shakes his head and walks back to lean against the wall next to Kira “I can’t hear anything– must be the mountain ash.”

“I feel it too– I feel a little weak” Kira breathes out deeply and Scott lifts his hand as he states thoughtfully, “Yeah, it’s almost like being sedated”

“This was a bad idea wasn’t it?” Kira mutters before she looks worriedly towards the metal door and Scott smiles softly “don’t worry about them, if anyone is going to go into the unknown and come out the other side alive– it’s those two.”

“They’re pretty great together,” Kira agrees before Scott continues like a proud papa bear “No super strength or Samurai swords, yet they’re still alive”

“You’re not worried after what she was just put through?” Kira inquires and Scott connects their gazes to counter immediately “Oh I’m scared shitless every time she’s with us, I mean the other night was the third time I almost lost her, but I trust her with Stiles more than anyone.”

Scott smiles fondly with a memory and reaches up to scratch the side of his jaw “you know, Addy broke her arm when we were eight– I may or may not have had a little hand in that event,”

Kira smirks with his words and Scott clears his throat before continuing “Stiles had lost his mom a few months before, he was alone in the hospital with her when she passed so he hadn’t really been able to bring himself to go back there since– even to go with us to see our mom– but that day… Stiles stayed with Addy through everything. He held her hand when they reset it, put a cast on it, and when she was sleeping– he wouldn’t leave her side. I think he was even more mad at me than she was.”

They both share a soft chuckle with that statement before he elaborates, “I don’t think I could really grasp the reasons behind what he was doing– none of us could we were just kids– but I remember being in awe of their connection.”

Kira’s brows twitch as she tries to follow and Scott licks his lips before filling in “They are always so in tune with each other, and can predict what the other will do or need no matter what. I used to be almost jealous of what they have when we were growing up, but now I know they were just teaching me not to settle for anything less than _that_ type of love.”

Kira smiles “I thought they had been together for years when I first met them, I don’t think anything has shocked me more than to learn they weren’t even together”

Scott chuckles and nods “They were both so in love with each other for the longest time, but Addy thought he was in love with Lydia– and well to be honest I’m not sure what Stiles was thinking.”

Kira furrows her brows as she clarifies “But you knew how each of them felt?”

Scott smirks “Addy wasn’t paying attention and Stiles was a terrible liar, but I couldn’t be the one to bring them together they had to do that for themselves— even if they took _forever_ to get there.”

“They really are perfect for each other and I say that knowing ‘perfect’ is an unattainable aspect in someone” Kira states on a soft sigh.

Scott nods and moves his eyes fondly towards the gate “I wouldn’t be surprised if soulmates were a real thing– one person to match you completely– because _that’s_ what they are, that’s what they have made me a full believer in… a perfect soulmate match.”

***

_Addy POV_

Stiles keeps his arm around me as we follow the hallway and keep walking until we’re a few cells away from Valack.

We pass by cell after cell holding people, or creatures depending on how you want to describe them. 

One has a woman in a straitjacket and when she rushes up to the window of her cell, she has no mouth **_just like the Mute assassin_**

The cell after hers gains Stiles’ attention and he walks closer to the windows as he walks the length of the cell.

I draw my brows in, confused as to why the goblin like creature has his attention like that.

Stiles clears his throat and steps back to fall in step with me as we walk the last few steps to Valack’s cell.

We share a look as we see him sitting on the ground with his legs crossed into a pretzel and his eyes closed **_the bandage around his forehead is where I’m guessing his third eye is hiding behind_**

Once we come to a stop in front of the plexiglass window, Valack opens his eyes and lifts his head with his statement “Tell me what you just saw.”

“Me?” Stiles questions, pointing to himself and sharing a look with me before looking back to Valack who nods “The creature in the previous cell– the Sluagh. The myth is that they can take on the appearance of the lost souls that have become inextricably bound to it. Happen to have seen any lost souls, Mr. Stilinski?” **_how would he know about Donovan?_**

“Everyone down here.” Comes Stiles’ shaky reply, earning Valack to smirk towards us “Don’t give up on us yet. We’re all works in progress.”

The familiarity of that statement has me narrowing my eyes slightly as I question “Where did you hear that from?”

“Wise words from a former cellmate” He informs before he stands up in one fluid motion.

I shift on my feet and reach my hand out to grasp Stiles’ a little harder. He returns my hold and shifts his shoulder in front of me more when Valack walks up to the glass between us “Did you bring the book?”

Stiles nods, dropping our hold before he reaches back and pulls the book from the back waistband of his jeans, showing the front cover to Valack against the glass.

Valack smiles lightly “Very nice. First edition– of course, there was only one printing.”

Going with my gut feeling I shake my head softly as I guess “There is no T.R. McCammon, is there?”

Connecting his eyes with mine, Valack smirks as he answers “No.”

“You wrote the book.” I state and swallow thickly with his next words “That’s right, Addeline. Maybe you’ve already guessed that it’s not just a book.”

“What is it?” Stiles questions and Valack finally moves his eyes off of me as he answers “A tool– designed to open your eyes.”

Stiles nervously rubs his hands together “To what?”

“To them– The Dread Doctors.”

“Why did you use a pseudonym?” I ponder thoughtfully with a slight narrowing of my eyes.

“I had a professional reputation once. I wasn’t interested in ruining it by putting my name on a second-rate piece of trash.”

“Then why write the book in the first place?” Stiles inquires and Valack moves his eyes between us “You haven’t read it yet, have you?”

At our silence and shift on our feet, he elaborates through a sigh “I wrote it because no one believed me– because no one listened.”

Valack takes in the looks adorning our faces before he takes a guess “They’re here, aren’t they? In Beacon Hills.”

Feeling he already knows the answer I scrunch my mouth to the side before I continue with the questions since he’s actually talking at the moment “What are they?”

“Not entirely human. At least, not anymore. They were scientists once. Scientists who worshipped the supernatural. Tesla said, ‘If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration’. They found their secrets in electromagnetic forces. Ways to prolong their lives, give them power, and most importantly, making you forget you ever saw them.”

His words send a shiver down my spine, and my voice to come out more shaky than I’d like it to “What do they want?”

“Good question, Addeline. Everybody wants something, don’t they?” Valack states and I hear Stiles huff beside me “Okay, so what do you want?”

Valack flicks his eyes from Stiles and back to me as he lifts his arm up to his side showing a little voice recorder in his hand.

He leans to the side, placing the recorder in a cubby they pass food through “Hit record.”

I raise a brow and mutter softly “What do you want me to say?”

Valack shakes his head “I don’t want you to say anything. I want you to _scream_.”

I nod my head to the side before stepping forward and grabbing the recorder out of the pass through.

Stiles makes a noise and grabs the device from my palms “No way. Not happening– sorry.”

I make a face a step away from the cell. Stiles follows and comes to a stop beside me as I argue “He’s the only one that knows anything.”

Stiles huffs and lifts his hand to point towards his head with his words “The guy is a nut job who drilled a hole into his head. He’s probably lying his ass off.”

“How many have died so far?” Valack bellows behind us, earning us to turn back towards him as he continues “All of them teenagers. Am I right? Want to know how many died the first time they came here? Wonder how many will die if they succeed?”

The lights flicker around us gaining Stiles’ attention, however my attention is focused on what he just said “This did happen before.” I clarify and he nods before clipping out “And now they’re back– all because a few teenagers, who never even considered the consequences, decided to reignite a supernatural force they barely understand.”

“The Nemeton,” I state quickly and Stiles steps closer to me as he inquires “How do you even know about that?”

“I know because I saw it.” Valack answers grimly before he reaches up and bulls the bandage off of his forehead, revealing a hollow bloodied hole in the middle of his head.

I gasp and take a step back as an eye opens up in the middle of the hole on his forehead.

The lights flicker again, stronger this time and Valack moves his eyes around the hallway around us “Who did you come with?”

“Our friends,” I vaguely answer back and he doesn’t miss a beat “What are they?” 

Stiles wraps his hand around my arm as he rushes out “Don’t answer.”

“You brought a Kitsune.” Valack guesses angrily just before the light above us explodes, covering the hallway in darkness.

I let out a surprised squeak with the noise above us “What’s happening?”

“She’s disrupting the building’s defenses.” Valack bellows and I look back over to him “What do you mean? How?” 

“It’s not just the mountain ash that keeps this building secure. It’s the electromagnetic energy. Eichen is built on the convergence of Telluric currents. Ley lines. It’s what allows it to keep certain supernatural creatures in. And certain others out.”

The emergency lights shine bright at either end of the hallway, one right above us lighting up his cell.

I look over my shoulder at Stiles and feel him increase his hold on me when Valack continues to bring the good news “They knew you were coming. They’re here– and you unlocked the door for them.”

Valack rushes against the plexiglass, slamming his hands onto it on either side of his head as he rushes out frantically “Hit record. Do it now– it costs you nothing–”

“But it’s worth something to you, so you’re not getting it for free.” Stiles counters and I level Valack with a look as I push “What does the book do?”

When he doesn’t move or say anything, Stiles lets go of me to bellow closer to him “Tell us!”

“I told you. It opens your eyes” he states and I resist the urge to roll my eyes, instead drawing out my question of “ _How_?”

“It triggers the memory centers of the brain, clearing the fog and bringing the images of the Dread Doctors into focus. I wrote the book in an effort to find out if anyone else like me had ever seen them before. I thought I could circulate it, an effort to trigger someone… Anyone else’s memory. They’d see the cover, a hint of memory… They pick up the book, read it. The suppressed memories surface, and they’d find their way to me to discover more. Just like you did.”

“Did it work with anyone else?” Stiles’ voice fills the space, snapping me out of the memories from the operating room **_they were in there with me– it wasn’t a dream_**

“You didn’t see it on The New York Times best seller list, did you?” Valack quips back before I blink a few times and come back to the present moment “So all we have to do is read the book?”

“If you’ve seen them, if they’ve done something to you, then the book will help you remember. Now give me what I want!”

I take a deep breath in, slowly releasing it as I lift my hand out towards Stiles silently asking for the voice recorder.

Stiles shifts on his feet wanting to argue with me, however when he connects his eyes with mine he scrunches his mouth in aggravation. 

Letting out a huff he places the recorder in my open palm, his fingers lingering on my skin for a moment before he slides them away.

He sets his hands on his hips and takes a few steps away from me as I hit the red dot to begin the recording. 

Lifting the device to just in front of my mouth, I take a deep breath in and let the scream build from my toes before it flies up my body and comes barreling out of my throat to be captured by the recorder.

Stopping the recording once the scream dies down, I place the device back in the pass through just as the alarm starts blaring **_either I did that or that’s all bad news_**

Quickly walking back in front of Valack, I don’t waste a second “Tell us what they want.”

“Addy, I think we need to get out of here.” Stiles tries, grabbing my arm and attempting to get me to move– however I hold my ground and push “What are they trying to do?”

“Read the book. Anyone who’s come into contact with them.” Valack urges quickly, the recorder like a lifeline gripped in his hand.

“Adds, we gotta go. Now.” Stiles succeeds in pulling my feet to follow quickly down the hallway with him.

We hear Valack shout another command of reading the book before we rush around the corner back towards where we first entered.

Hearing the clicking noises that slam the memories of the operating room back into my mind getting closer to us, Stiles grabs my hand and pulls me into an empty room.

We quickly look around and seeing a part of the wall that looks to be out of view of the door, I pull him with me until we’re out of sight.

Stiles slams his back against the tiled wall and reaches out for me. Setting his arms around my shoulders he pulls me towards him until my back is resting against his chest.

I lift my hands, resting them on his forearms and hold my breath as we hear footsteps walk past the open doorway.

Stiles increases his hold on me, rubbing his thumbs against either of my shoulders as we hear a pain filled scream echoing down the halls and sending terror through my veins **_that was definitely Valack’s screams of pain_**

The emergency lights shut off as the main lights shine brightly again. Stiles doesn’t loosen his grip from around me, so I squeeze his arms gently “Hey– I think we’re okay”

When I only hear his heavy breathing against the side of my head, I turn to look over my shoulder at him “Babe–”

Stiles licks his lips quickly and shakes his head as he flicks his eyes to mine “No, it’s not okay. All of this, it’s on us. Everything that’s happened, everything that’s going to happen. It’s our fault– it’s our responsibility.”

I rest the back of my head against his shoulder and nod, giving his arms a little squeeze again as I mutter “Well let’s go get our read on and figure out how to stop these right bastards from killing anyone else.”


	66. Required Reading

“Chimeras…” Noah sighs out while drawing a red X through Lucas’ and Tracy’s pictures he has tacked onto his crime board in his office at the station.

“Two dead Chimeras” Stiles offers before I elaborate further “And eight new ones” **_more specifically eight new burial sites on the lacrosse field they found last night_**

“So, that’s ten in all.” Stiles continues before Noah informs without missing a beat and moves forward as he tacks up a picture of Donovan and states “I’m thinking maybe eleven” **_of course we couldn’t luck out with no one looking for him_**

I step closer to Stiles and he wraps his arm behind me, gripping my side softly to avoid the stitches.

Noah turns around facing us and crosses his arms over his front as he continues “Our station tech guys confirmed something for me– they said, both the holding cell lock and cameras could have malfunctioned because of something electromagnetic. You said that, uh, these guys…” he trails off after picking up the book we brought to him and I fill in after clearing my throat “Dread Doctors.”

Noah scrunches his brows up, looking over towards me and shaking the book slightly “Are we really calling them that?” **_like father, like son_**

I smile with a shrug and continue to stay on his train of thought “So they broke Donovan out?”

Noah nods “It’s how they got into Eichen, isn’t it?” **_they needed Kira to weaken the defenses but yea it’s similar_**

Stiles is staying silent, so I take the bait for Noah’s questions “Well if they broke him out it would make sense that he was a chimera.”

“Yeah. But… is he a failure like Lucas and Tracy?” Noah implores thoughtfully, nodding back towards his board before I offer “If he is, he’s probably dead.”

Noah shakes his head and looks back towards the board “Not until I’ve seen a body.”

Hoping this will be enough to stop his search for a body I fill in for him “If he is a chimera and dead– then you’re not going to see one Mr. S. Both Lucas’ and Tracy’s bodies are missing.”

Noah’s shoulders drop with his obvious sigh of frustration before he looks back towards us **_more specifically Stiles_** “You’re uncharacteristically quiet.” 

I chew on the side of my lip as Stiles clears his throat, looking down to me quickly before looking back towards his dad “Yeah– sorry, I’m, uh… I’m just trying to think about it. Uh… These are all teenagers, right? So, now shouldn’t we be trying to figure out why _these_ teenagers? If the Dread Doctors, if they went through all that– burying them, killing them, breaking one of them out of jail…”

“They couldn’t have been chosen at random.” Noah continues Stiles’ train of thought and I nod my head to the side with my additional thought “They had to have something in common.”

Noah uncrosses his arms to point into the air with his words “Something that made them _right_ for this experiment.”

Stiles licks his lips quickly and elaborates “Something that made them special.”

***

After school we make a plan to get our read on so Lydia, Malia, Kira, and Theo meet Stiles, Scott and I at our house.

Kira hands over the copies of the book she had made and I help her lay them on the coffee table so everyone can grab one easily. 

Everyone slowly moves into the room with us and look at the books hesitantly while a ominous vibe falls on the room around us.

“My mom’s book club usually has more wine” Lydia quips and I chuckle lightly bumping my shoulder with hers, earning her to smile as she lays her head on my shoulder and links her arm through mine.

Stiles shrugs on the other side of me “Well, they also probably didn’t read books that cause violent hallucinations.” 

“That’s why Malia’s here,” Scott fills in and smiles over towards her, which she returns before Kira offers “So none of us go running into traffic?”

“Or worse,” I digress and Malia nods, looking down towards the table, absentmindedly digressing “Like what happened to Judy.”

We all share a look with her wondering who the fuck Judy is, Malia notices and nods her head to the side as she fills in “Chapter fourteen” **_ah great something to look forward to_**

Lydia sighs as she unlinks her arm with mine and bends forward, grabbing the hardcopy of the book as she stands back up straight “Maybe I should have my mother read it. She might remember a girl with a tail leaping off the ceiling and attacking everyone.” 

“Yeah, if it works.” Stiles sighs like that’s a high possibility **_I mean_** **_we are only going off of Valack’s ramblings that this will work_**

“It has to.” I mutter just above a whisper and gain the eyes of everyone. 

Scott shakes his head softly as he looks over to me “What’s that mean supposed to mean?”

I look between him and Stiles as I answer him “I don’t think it was a dream Scotty, I think I really saw them during my surgery. When I look at the cover of the book… It’s almost like…”

“A memory trying to surface,” Theo offers and I look up, connecting my gaze with him as I nod reluctantly “Yeah.”

Kira makes a noise, gaining my attention as she asks, “Isn’t that what Valack wanted when he wrote it?”

I clear my throat and reach down to grab one of the copies of the book “If they did something to me, I want to know what it is.”

***

A couple hours later Stiles and I are camped out in the kitchen working our way through the book.

Needing a break, I get to work making some coffee for us and get a tally for who in the living room would like some.

I walk over to the cabinets and open the coffee mug cupboard grabbing three more mugs, “That’s a yes for Lyds, Mal and Theo.”

“Who’s here why?” Stiles grumbles behind me at the counter he’s sitting at. 

I smile into the cupboard before closing it and walking over to grab the coffee pot, sharing a smirk with his raised brows “We need all the help we could get? I don’t know Scott invited him.”

“So Malia was with him when her memory triggered?” Stiles questions and I nod “Yea, he was helping her learn how to drive–”

“Again– why was she with him?” Stiles interrupts and I chuckle while pouring the liquid “He gave her a ride home so she didn’t have to ride the bus while we were all at Eichen.”

Stiles rolls his eyes, earning me to snort before I set the coffee pot down and rest my hands on the counter in front of me as I continue “Drink your coffee grumpy pants– anyways she had to pull over because the memory was so real it was like she was in it again.”

Stiles makes a hmm noise before he rubs at his injured shoulder “Did she say if it was just the crash– anything before or after it?”

I shake my head and reach over, grabbing his hand to stop him from messing with his wound **_don’t bring attention to that_**

I squeeze his hand softly, earning him to pull my hand towards him before he places a kiss on the back of it.

I swoon, however manage to smile at his beautiful face before I pull back and move to grab two of the mugs as I answer his previous question “She said it was just the crash– may not be a bad thing, you know?”

Stiles lips twitch as he smiles slightly on my walk past, however he stops me with a hand on my waist “Sit down stitches, I got this.”

I throw him a look letting him know _exactly_ what I think of the new nickname and he chuckles as he stands up and moves around me.

He grabs the mugs from my hands and kisses my cheek before walking out into the living room, coming back for the other mug and throwing a wink my way before he walks back into the living room.

***

We all camped out in the living room to keep an eye on each other last night. However, all we got was an incredibly uncomfortable night’s sleep.

The next morning we all don’t have much time to reflect on why none of us had any memory hallucinations like Malia did **_we all finished the book and nothing has happened so far_**

Climbing out of Roscoe, I set my bag on the seat so I can throw on my chunky rust pink colored sweater on– completing my distressed skinny jeans with a striped black and white shirt look.

Stiles walks around to my side of the jeep as I fix the strap of my bag over my shoulder, linking our hands together we head towards the school.

Scott and Kira meet us outside the doors and we all walk in together as Scott asks if any memories happened on our way to school. 

At our head shakes in the negative column he huffs “What if we need some kind of trigger? Wasn’t Malia driving when she remembered the crash?”

I nod my head to the side as we make our way down the hallway “Yeah, but how are we supposed to trigger a memory that we don’t remember?”

Scott lifts his hand out to his side to elaborate his words “Maybe it’s a delayed thing. Maybe you have to wait a couple of hours to see what happens.”

The lights flicker above us, **_quite strongly actually_** , and we share a look before we turn and look expectantly towards Kira.

She takes in our looks and shakes her head “That wasn’t me. I swear.”

Scott takes her at her word and looks between us “We keep an eye on each other today, okay?”

“Yes, and keep an eye out for _eight_ other potentially _homicidal_ Chimeras.” Stiles quips back and I grimace softly with my added reminder “And keep an eye out for the Dread Doctors.”

Scott and Kira nod before they continue walking down the hall. Stiles and I turn to follow them while he states a little louder than probably necessary towards them “Starting to see the appeal of a third eye.”

I chuckle and move to grab his hand, though a guy walking towards us dodges out of the way of his friend swinging an arm towards him to playfully hit him and he crashes into my side roughly.

I feel like I was hit with a freight train and I suck in a sharp gasp of air. “Whoa sorry–” his voice fades and I faintly hear Stiles asking if I’m okay as he pulls me towards the side of the hallway, however, it’s like I’m sucked out of the school and thrown into the upstairs hallway at home.

Dad’s angry, sweaty and eyes glossed over face is shouting so close to mine. The imagine sends me into a spiral of fear as I feel like I can’t breathe with the alcohol smell suffocating my lungs. The smell of his chosen poison tonight invades my senses as my breathing quickens, and body starts to quiver uncontrollably from his anger.

He grips my upper arms tightly and shakes me roughly back and forth in front of him “Why don’t you ever listen to me?! Stay in your room for once when you hear something or I swear to god–”

I can feel tears quickly flowing down my cheeks as I’m rooted in my spot, scared shitless with having to be in the presence of his anger that’s rolling off of him in waves.

He shakes me again, his agitation with my not moving or saying anything increasing by the second as spit continues to fly from his mouth with his bellowing words “Listen to me Addeline, they’re coming! They’re coming for all of us!”

I gasp loudly and the hallways of the school quickly appear around me, along with the curious stares of people walking by as I try to catch my breath and slow my racing heart.

My back is against the wall with my knees up near my face as I take in my seated position on the ground.

Stiles steps in front of me, quickly blocking everyone else from view as he pulls me up to stand back against the wall. He steps closer and sets his hands on the sides of my face softly bringing me calm “Hey– I’ve got you, you’re okay. Did you remember something?”

I nod with a frown, connecting my eyes with his “Yea but it wasn’t about the Dread Doctors– nothing about them or the surgery.”

Stiles licks his lips quickly, shaking his head softly as he hesitantly implores “What was it about?”

Bending my head forward, Stiles closes the gap and rests his forehead on mine. I close my eyes with the action and my voice cracks with my words “Dad– when I was younger… before– before he left.”

Stiles makes a noise of aggravation, **_almost a growl if I can trust my hearing at the moment_** and he pulls me into his chest protectively, wrapping his arms around my shoulders tightly.

I smile against him and wrap my arms around his middle as I let him carry away the last of the horrible memory.

***

Going with a gut feeling **_and knowing I should listen to it_** I get Stiles to take us to the hospital. 

He pulls into a spot and implores as he stops the engine “Okay, so what are we doing here if you’ve already had your suppressed memory?”

We get out of the jeep and walk towards the hospital, reaching out and grabbing his hand as I answer him thoughtfully “It wasn’t the right memory. I remembered my dad yelling at me about not listening to him– I mean he did warn they’re coming for us, but there was absolutely nothing to do with the surgery, nothing to do with the Dread Doctors.”

Stiles intertwines our fingers and we make our way towards the front doors as I continue “So, if I’ve read the book, why don’t I have the full memory of my experience with them?”

Stiles looks down towards me and makes a noise as he points to himself with his question “I’m not supposed to know that, am I?”

I chuckle and stop our steps, turning towards him as I shake my head softly “No, I just– something… happened during the surgery. But now I think that maybe it has more to do with me being a Banshee. What if what I saw in the surgery wasn’t my memory? I think it was someone else’s.”

Stiles grips my hand in his tighter and motions with a swing of his arm towards the hospital “Well let’s figure this memory out then my dear Watson.”

Walking inside the operating room that I had my surgery in, we find the room more dark than I’d like “Can you turn the lights on?”

Stiles makes a noise before he moves to the side of the door and tries the light switch “Uh… yeah they’re not going on, babe.”

“Any chance you’d be willing to go and ask someone?” I state as sweetly as I can with my best puppy dog eyes.

Stiles chuckles and lifts his hand towards his ear “I thought this was more of an auditory thing.”

I shrug a shoulder “I still wanna see what I’m hearing.”

He shakes his head with a smirk “Okay makes sense, I’ll go see if I can find your mom.”

I push up on my toes and connect our lips, smiling brightly when I pull back from him, “You’re the best.”

Stiles kisses my forehead and mutters he’ll be right back before he leaves me to the quiet of the room.

One of the machines behind me turns on and starts beeping with a steady rhythm of a heartbeat.

I slowly walk up towards it and set my hands on the sides of the screen. I draw my brows inwards in concentration as I register that within the beeping I can faintly hear something else. 

I lean closer to the machine, turning my head to the side and hear a dark menacing robotic voice saying a name within the beeps **_Hayden_**

I hear a whirring behind me and turn quickly, seeing a guy laying on the operating table with three of the Dread Doctors standing on either side of him.

They release the clicking noises I remember hearing from my surgery and the other night when Stiles and I were hiding from them in Eichen.

My breathing increases as I stare completely horrified at what I’m witnessing in front of me.

The guy starts to whimper out his soft pleas “Please, don’t hurt me. Please– please, don’t hurt me.”

One of the Dread Doctors moves the medical clamp in his hand down to just below the guys ribs and pulls back a flap of skin.

Instead of seeing the gruesome bloody mess you’d expect to see from an action like that, I see a deep blue almost glowing and pulsing light coming from his side as they pull the skin flap all the way down to his side.

They lean closer towards him and the same dark robotic voice states, “Your condition worsens.”

I release a shaky breath as the image in front of me fades and I’m left in the dark room again. 

Stiles’ name slams to the forefront of my mind and I gasp as I set my hands on the bed and quicken my steps around it and head out the door.

Pushing open the doors, I turn to the left and crash right into a chest, hands land on my upper arms and I pull back from them with my rushed words “I’m so sorry–”

“Addeline it’s okay– hey, it’s me” I flick my gaze up and register it’s Theo standing in front of me.

I step back a step, letting his hands fall back down to his sides as I look around us trying to figure out where I am “I told you to call me Addy.”

I don’t wait for him to reply before I quickly start walking towards the elevator. Theo quickly follows behind and falls in step with me “Sorry– Addy, wait what’s wrong?”

“I uh– I just need to find Stiles– did you come with Scott?” I state as I push the button to call the elevator to our floor. 

“Yeah– did you remember something?” Theo questions and I huff as I shake my head and grumble while looking up to see the numbers above the door slowly change “Not exactly.”

He chuckles lightly, forming his mouth into a smirk that makes me want to scoff at before his face changes and he turns his head to the side “I found Stiles– he’s on the roof– correction he’s _fighting_ someone on the roof.”

I snap my head quickly towards him, registering his words before I don’t waste a second and walk past him, towards the stairs.

Gripping my side with one hand I rush up the stairs, with Theo following right behind me, and out onto the roof seeing someone standing over Stiles and swinging his claws all out hands towards him.

Stiles succeeds in blocking him, as we run towards them and Theo transforms just before he reaches out and blocks the guy from swinging at Stiles again.

Theo roars loudly and punches the guy in the chest, sending him flying back a good distance away from Stiles.

I don’t hesitate to run over towards him, dodging the sparks flying from the exposed wires a few feet away from us.

Stiles sets his hands on my arms and pulls me back behind him as we watch Theo run up to the guy, **_who I know recognize from the vision I had in the operating room downstairs_** , jumping into the air and landing in front of him defensively.

The chimera stands up and gets ready to swing at Theo, however he’s blocked and Theo kicks him in the stomach before twisting his arms and causing him to turn in the air before landing hard on the ground.

More sparks fly around us and Stiles jumps back with them, pushing us back a few steps before we see Theo lunge forward to grab the guys hands. 

He however gets kicked in the chest instead before the chimera stands up and they charge at each other again. 

The chimera pushes hard against Theo’s chest and he stumbles backwards into a fence surrounding the electrical boxes before he uses his momentum to charge back at the chimera– who answers with kicking Theo’s leg out and causing him to land flat on his stomach on the ground.

The chimera slams his foot down to stomp on Theo’s hand which just fuels Theo’s anger as he stands up and grips the chimera’s shirt to throw him closer towards us.

They charge at each other again and Theo grabs the chimera’s attacking swinging arm.

Pulling it backwards roughly, Theo uses the opening to punch the chimera in the chest a few times before wrapping his hand around the guy’s throat.

Theo scrunches his face up angrily, decision made, as he grips harder and slashes his claws into the chimera’s throat who instantly falls backwards, landing a few feet away from us.

I grip Stiles’ arm a little harder, with the full picture of the guy’s throat slashed open and bleeding everywhere as we watch him twitch a few times before the life drains from his eyes.

I close my eyes and rest my forehead against the back of Stiles’ shoulder, feeling him tighten his hold he has on my waist.

Theo’s voice has me opening my eyes and looking up at him, “Stiles– Addy… you guys can’t say anything. _Please_ , don’t say anything…”

Stiles looks back over his shoulder towards me, down to the now dead chimera before looking back towards Theo and breathing out quickly “Why not?”

Not missing a beat, Theo announces “Because I never said anything about Donovan.”


	67. Strange Frequencies

Even I can hear our heartbeats racing as Theo’s words about Donovan flow through my ears.

I don’t move other than to flick my eyes from him and up to Stiles whose grip increases on me slightly and his breathing starts to come out in quick rushed breaths.

Sparks erupt in a flash of light from the electricity box behind Theo, who changes back from his wolf features.

He slowly raises his head and connects his eyes with Stiles’ “I know what happened to Donovan. I know everything–”

Stiles doesn’t waste a second before he closes the gap between them, slamming his hands on Theo’s chest and quickly pushing him back a few steps.

My feet were following just as quickly behind them and I come to a stop just behind them but to the side slightly as Stiles slams Theo’s back against the metal chain link fence surrounding the transformer box “You don’t know anything.”

Stiles states eerily calm before aggravation flashes across Theo’s face and he quickly changes their position allowing him to slam Stiles’ back into the fence as he clips out “I was _there_. I was at the library. Malia found the book. She was texting us and said she left you asleep at the library before she went to Tracy’s. I told her I was close. When I got there, I heard the scaffolding come down.”

Stiles draws his brows in as he clarifies “You saw him?”

“Just the body.” Theo acknowledges before they both deem the situation calm enough to not be in a fighting position stance, lowering their hands from each others shirts and arms.

I slowly move my feet, coming to stand next to them and cross my arms over my front as Theo looks between us, his eyes connecting with Stiles’ again as he continues “I watched you come out. I was gonna say something, but then I saw the cop car– and the body was gone.”

“Did you see who took him?” I look between them quickly, my eyes landing on Theo when he shakes his head “I have no idea who took him. I only saw what you saw, and I didn’t say anything because you didn't” he finishes with his words directed at Stiles.

Stiles shares a look with me before a siren wailing in the distance gains our attention. We all look over towards the edge of the roof the sirens are heading towards **_going to be here really soon by the sounds of it as well_**

“That’s not an ambulance, is it?” Theo questions, earning us to look back at him.

Stiles shakes his head before he walks past Theo, with me falling in step with him on our way over to the dead chimera.

“We should get out of here.” Theo states from behind us and we share a look with each other before turning back towards him as Stiles disagrees, pointing towards the body “We can’t just leave him.”

Theo looks like he wants to argue and we’re running out of time so I offer quickly “We could take him” 

When they both look at me, I shrug and continue as I drop my arms to my sides “What? Someone’s stealing the bodies anyway, right? This could be our chance to find out who”

Stiles looks back down towards the chimera and Theo rushes out like he’s actually scared at the moment “She’s right Stiles– come on, either we leave him and get out of here or we take him– but we gotta do something”

Stiles narrows his eyes slightly as he connects his eyes with Theo, muttering just above a whisper “You killed him.”

Theo doesn’t miss a beat to argue back “In self-defense. He was going to kill you and me before he more than likely would have killed Addy– slowly.”

Stiles reaches out at sets his hand on my arm as Theo continues “If we stay, we’re either going to have to tell the truth or we’re going to need a pretty convincing story.”

Stiles scrunches his face up angrily and looks down to me as I make a face in return, **_hating that he’s right but knowing we don’t have another choice_**

The sirens are definitely getting closer as I set my free hand on Stiles’ and draw his eyes to me before Theo elaborates “It’s your choice– I’m not going to ask you to lie to your dad.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve had plenty of practice.” Stiles informs bitterly as he walks over to one side of the guy’s body and Theo walks over to the other before they lift him up and we get the hell out of dodge.

***

Scott meets us at Deaton’s and we lift the blanket we had used to cover the body to show him to Scott.

At the look that flashes over his face, Theo asks “Do you know him?”

“His name is Josh– he’s a junior” Scott answers and walks up towards the top end of the table where I’m standing, while Stiles shares a look with Theo and moves to cover the body back up.

Scott shakes his head as he tries to work through everything, fiddling with his fingers nervously he looks over towards the guys “Which one did it? The one with the cane?”

I don’t move other than to move my eyes to look over towards Stiles who makes a face and looks to his side at Theo– who agrees instantly “Yeah”

“What are we going to do with him?” Stiles quickly changes the subject and continues to ramble his thoughts “We can’t just set the alarm and leave, that’s how Tracy disappeared– all right, someone’s got to stay here with him.”

“I’ll do it.” Theo states as he shifts on his feet and looks between the three of us, offering with our looks we give him “It’s not like I had a big Saturday night planned.”

My eyes narrow with what the fuck he’s playing at when Scott’s phone vibrates with a text message alert at the same time mine does as well.

I share a look with him as I pull mine out of my back pocket and my eyes widen at the message from Liam on my screen.

“What is it?” Stiles questions before Scott answers “Another one”

I clear my throat as we elaborate together “Another chimera”

***

We get back to our house and rush up the stairs where Liam informed that Hayden **_the girl he’s most definitely crushing on and new chimera_** has locked herself in our shared bathroom.

Liam stands up from his sit on Scott’s bed when we walk through the doorway and he points towards the closed bathroom door with a light coming through the bottom.

Scott walks over towards the door and hits his knuckles a few times “Hayden? It’s Scott. I know that you’re scared, but we just– we want to help.”

At the silence he receives, Scott turns around towards us “I can hear her heart beating. She’s really freaked out– what happened?”

“She was okay when we got here. I went to text you for two seconds and she locked herself in.”

“Why?” Stiles implores next to me, drawing his brows in with his confusion.

Liam looks from Scott and back towards us quickly as he shrugs “I don’t know.”

“She’s definitely a Chimera, bub?” I clarify softly and Liam flicks his eyes to me, raising his brows with his words “She said she heard a voice saying, ‘Your condition improves’.” **_a little better, however still nerve wracking_**

“Okay, that’s unsettling.” Stiles quips before he sets his hand on my back as he walks past us and up to the bathroom door, knocking softly “Hayden– this is Stiles. Your sister works for my dad down at the station. Look, just open the door, okay? You can trust us.”

Silence is yet again what we are met with on the other side and Stiles moves to stand back with me before Scott continues towards the closed door “We just need to tell you the truth, Hayden– and that kind of thing usually is better face-to-face. Listen, either you’re gonna unlock the door or I’m gonna have to break it open.”

I clear my throat and move a few steps closer to the door, trying to come at it a different way “Hayden, it’s Addy– look it’s okay if you don’t want to talk, or if you’re not ready to believe us– but I just… I gotta know that you’re okay in there.”

I close my eyes with the silence, opening them as I look over my shoulder, sharing a look with Liam and Stiles before I nod subtly towards Scott to break open the door **_at least it’ll be his side of the bathroom that’s broken_**

Stepping back a step, Liam moves closer towards my side and out of the way as Scott bounces on his feet, getting ready to jam his shoulder into the door.

He however doesn’t get the chance to impersonate a linebacker when we hear the lock shifting, unlocking the door before it’s opening ever so slightly.

We all share a look before Scott pushes the door open more and we see Hayden standing in the middle of the room. She’s got her hands up and out in front of her, or should I say claws coming out of her fingers.

Hayden lifts her head, her breathing coming out in quick pants as her were-yellows shine our way and her teeth are formed into fangs as she mutters “I believe you”

***

Stiles and I meet Scott in the library and he lays out the map of the town we used not that long ago on one of the tables the three of us are gathered around.

“We’re back to telluric currents?” Stiles tries to joke and Scott shrugs “If the Dread Doctors didn’t like coming into Eichen House because of them, maybe we can use them to protect Hayden.”

Nodding my head the side, Stiles agrees “Okay, so, besides Eichen, where’s the strongest convergence?”

“We’re standing on it.” I answer as I look over the map and gain both of their attentions.

Scott nods while Stiles makes a noise and lifts his hand off the table to address Scott “You want to hide her in the high school? For how long?”

Scott makes a face as he nods his head to the side, “If we have to, all night.”

At the faces we make with that plan, Scott clears his throat and continues “Look guys, Liam convinced Hayden not to say anything to her sister yet. She’s working a double tonight, and she thinks Hayden’s staying at a friend’s.”

“But it’s just a school though– you know, it’s not exactly a fortress.” Stiles argues before Scott counters back quickly “Well, Addy had an idea for that.”

Stiles looks to me quickly and I cross my arms over my front as I connect my eyes with his “Remember how Valack quoted Tesla the other night?”

Stiles blinks a few times with recollecting the memory “Frequency and vibration.”

Nodding my head I continue “I don’t think he was saying that just to sound smart. I think maybe it was a clue.”

Stiles’ brows twitch, smiling softly as he inquires with a little head nod my way “To do what?”

“Disrupt their frequency.” I smirk before Scott continues with what my idea inspired “Parrish and Lydia took three cell phone jammers from the station. He thinks he can broaden their range of frequency. I mean it’s a long shot, but it’s the best we’ve got right now.”

Stiles makes a face, relenting that it is at least the best we’ve got right now and stands closer to me, resting his hand around my hip.

Scott sets his hands on the table and finishes going over the plan “Malia, Lydia, Parrish and I will be here at the school with Liam and Hayden while you two are keeping an eye on the animal clinic and Josh.”

I nod with that plan because as much as I want to be here to keep Liam and Hayden safe I’m still healing **_and let’s be real, there’s not much I can do_**

Stiles scratches the side of his jaw and hesitantly asks “what– what about Kira?”

Scott swallows hard and shrugs as he stands up from his lean “she umm– well I offered for her to be here too but she said it probably wasn’t the best idea since she messed with the telluric currents at Eichen”

“She’s at the school everyday” I point out and Scott nods “I know I said that too, I don’t know guys something is happening with her– with the Fox part of her. She said she needs to figure things out and until she has a handle on it, she shouldn’t be trying to keep anyone else safe.”

My heart hurts for her and what she’s going through, however since she’s safe for the time being I clear my throat and bring us back to the problem at hand “So, what if this works tonight?– are we just going to need to come up with new places to keep Hayden safe?”

Scott shakes his head as a hopeful look crosses his features “No, if this works tonight– we’re going to catch one of them”

***

Stiles takes me home so I can change into more comfortable **_sitting in the jeep for our body snatching stake out_** clothes.

I decide on simple and comfy, so I pair my black leggings with a loose white shirt and slip on my white converse before I grab my dark green colored sweater that will keep me warm, but not too warm while we wait.

I head back downstairs, walking towards the kitchen and grabbing some water bottles and a few snacks. I throw them in a bag and set in on the table next to where Stiles is sitting, leaning over his shoulder to see where he’s at with the next part of our evening “how’s it looking?”

Stiles turns his head to the left, connecting his eyes with mine over his shoulder before he lets his eyes roam over me slowly. I feel my cheeks warm slightly before he smirks and looks back to the screen of his phone in his hands “It’s done cutie, you ready?”

Making a hmm noise I lean forward and press my lips to his cheek before grabbing the bag again “Yup let’s get this show on the road”

***

Stiles and I head to the animal clinic after setting up the video feed program. We roll up the side door and head inside, earning Theo to quickly walk over to us, “What’s going on?”

Stiles doesn’t falter his steps from his path to the side of the room parallel with Josh’s body as he answers Theo “Whoever’s stealing the bodies probably isn’t going to do it while we’re standing guard over one of them.”

“So you two got a better idea?” Theo inquires with that stupid smirk on his face again while Stiles shares a look with me and grabs his phone out of his back pocket.

He reaches forward and places the phone upright on top of the light box that X-rays get displayed on. Stiles faces the phone towards the table Josh’s body is laying on and nods as he walks back towards me, guiding me towards the door with him.

Theo gets the hint and follows behind us before we close the side door and head towards the jeep.

Not really wanting Theo sitting behind both of us, I climb in the backseat and move to stretch my legs across the seat with my back leaning against the window so I can face Stiles.

“What happens now?” Theo asks as he gets settled in the front seat while Stiles looks over his shoulder at me, **_letting his face tell me exactly what he thinks about the sitting situation_** , before he sighs and loops the strap of the video feed device around his rear view mirror “We wait.”

“You want to take shifts watching?” Theo offers before Stiles is quick to snap back “No, no. We want to spend some quality time with you.”

“Sounds good to me.” Theo adds with a smirk and looks back towards me, earning me to roll my eyes as I rest my ankles together and cross my arms over my front.

***

It’s been about an hour of absolute quiet, both outside and inside the jeep. A siren could be heard in the distance when Theo decides he’s had enough and breaks the silence “You still wondering why I haven’t said anything to Scott?”

I flick my eyes up towards Stiles who flicks his eyes up, connecting with mine in the rearview mirror before looking at Theo with his answer “Maybe.”

“You think I’ve got some kind of ulterior motive?” Theo guesses and I silently nod while Stiles doesn’t miss a beat with his answer “More than likely.”

“Would you believe me if I said all I want… all I’ve _ever_ wanted is for you guys to trust me?”

“Nope.” Stiles and I answer quickly at the same time earning a huff from the front seat wolf “So you’re both here because you’re never going to trust me.”

“Yep.” I answer cheekily, earning Stiles to wink at me before connecting his eyes with Theo, elaborating sarcastically “Glad we had this talk.”

Theo takes a few moments before he continues “You know who you remind me of?”

Stiles tilts his head to the side as he digresses with zero apology “Theo, _I don’t care_.”

“My sister.” **_well that’s awkward_**

Stiles’ face says _exactly_ what I’m thinking as he flicks his eyes to me before looking out the front window again.

Theo shakes his head as he fills in his awkward thought process “She was smarter than everyone too–”

“Addy’s the smart one” Stiles interjects before Theo chuckles lightly and counters “And a pain in the ass like you.”

Stiles nods his head to the side “That’s more me”

I snort and readjust which leg is crossed, resting my other ankle over the other as Theo continues “But she always looked out for me– the same way you look out for Scott.”

Stiles shoulders sag with is breath he releases with those words before we hear Theo again “You know, I was the one that found her body. She’d fallen into a creek, broken her leg. They told us she would’ve been okay if it wasn’t one of the coldest nights of the year. If it wasn’t for the hypothermia. And when I found her, all I could think was that I should’ve known. That I should’ve been looking out for her.” **_well that’s absolutely heartbreaking to hear_**

“Why are you telling me this?” Stiles implores on a slightly lighter tone than he previously had.

“I’m telling you because even if you don’t trust me and even if you don’t like me, I’m still going to be looking out for you… the way I should have been looking out for her.”

An awkwardness settles over the jeep, because while his words were nice they also seem like they were rehearsed and not heartfelt **_something isn’t adding up with him and his words_**

Theo clears his throat and succeeds in not letting our waiting time be silent “You know, I saw his teeth– Donovan. He was a, uh… Wendigo, wasn’t he?”

Stiles flicks his eyes into the mirror to look at me as he answers with a nod “Yeah”

“That’s the cannibal one, right?”

I make a noise as I uncross my legs and move forward to cross my arms against the seat behind them as I answer “Native American. The myth says that if you ate human flesh, your punishment was to turn into a creature that constantly craved it.”

Stiles rests the back of his head against my arm as Theo scoffs and looks back out the window again “That’s a pretty judgmental myth.”

“Well, she didn’t make it up.” Stiles quips out through a sigh and I rest the side of my head on his forehead.

“What if it was the only way to survive? I mean, you ever hear of the Donner party? I’m pretty sure they didn’t turn into Wendigos.”

“Well, they didn’t live in Beacon Hills” I counter and Theo looks over at me as he makes a face “Good point.”

I move my head back to rest my chin on my crossed arms while Theo keeps the questions coming “So what’s the punishment for killing a Chimera?”

Stiles lifts his head off of me and looks to the passenger side “You spend five hours in the car with Theo Raeken.”

We all share a light chuckle before Stiles takes a more somber approach with his real answer “Look I know what my punishment is– I’m gonna lose my best friend… I’m gonna lose Scott.”

I sit up straight and reach out to rest my hand on his shoulder “Stop, you are not going to lose him”

“You heard him the other night Adds, he wasn’t keen with my defending Lucas or Tracy being killed in the name of self defense– he sure as fuck isn’t going to excuse it for me with Donovan”

I shake my head to argue “Stiles, this whole mess isn’t as black and white as Scott wants to naively believe– we just need to make sure he sees it from your side”

Theo turns in the seat more “She’s right– besides if Scott really gave up on you for some piece of shit like Donovan, then he wouldn’t be a True Alpha, would he?”

“Or maybe that’s the definition of one, someone who doesn’t put up with murder.” Stiles counters, earning me to let out a huff “you didn’t kill him in cold blooded murder Sti– there was more to the situation than what the end result was.”

Theo points to me as he shrugs, “It sounds like you guys need to look up justifiable homicide.”

Stiles scoffs and narrows his eyes towards him “Did you seriously just say that to the son of a cop?”

Theo shakes his head and tries a different approach “A werewolf’s eyes are supposed to change color when you take an innocent life. Do these look blue to you?” He shines his bright and _completely_ were-yellows at us as he continues “It was self defense– for me and for you.”

Even though I don’t like him and my gut is telling me he is up to something terrible, I’m grateful he’s trying so hard to help convince Stiles as much as I am that this wasn’t his fault.

Stiles however continues to make it difficult with his stubborn way of thinking “Or maybe you just don’t feel all that bad about it. You can’t say one life is objectively less innocent than another one. What if they turn blue ‘cause you feel guilty?”

“So it’s up to interpretation?” I clarify, though not really thinking that’s true

Stiles takes a second before he looks over his shoulder at me “Yeah, maybe.”

Theo scoffs “Okay. Then here’s my interpretation of what happened with you and Donovan. Not guilty.”

Stiles shakes his head, looking forward again while Theo makes a noise in his throat “Did you feel bad about it?”

Stiles looks over to him quickly earning Theo to elaborate “Not now. I mean right then. Right when it happened. What were you thinking the moment you knew he was dead and there was no saving him?”

Stiles drums his fingers on the steering wheel, taking a moment before answering thoughtfully “One word… good.” **_here here_**

Theo nods and faces forward again, silence falling over us once more.

I keep one arm resting against the back of the seat and reach out with my other hand, moving my fingers into Stiles’ hair near the base of his neck. I drag my nails against his head softly, trying to bring him a sense of calm with the previous conversation **_and the whole evening really_**

Stiles reaches his left arm across his front to rest his hand on my arm laying on the back of the seat, squeezing in his thanks before our attention is brought over to Theo who is inhaling deeply a few times “What?”

“A scent. Like smoke– like something burning.”

A bright light shines through the passenger window and my eyes widen at what looks like the human torch standing outside the window “Holy shit, guys!”

We don’t have time to react as Theo is punched through the open window in the face by a literal fireball looking sight. Blood splatters on the sides of Stiles and I, earning us to jerk back quickly before Theo’s quickly ripped out from the passenger side of the jeep.

Stiles shouts with the action while I fill the space with my own screams as the jeep is lifting into the air from the back end, bringing us to an angle I’m not a fan of.

My hair falls around me in a curtain and dangles towards the windshield as we suspend above the ground at a dangerous height.

Stiles grabs my hand that’s got a death grip on the seat in front of me as we brace our arms on the sides of the jeep before it flips all the way over, eliciting screams from us as we are thrown towards the roof that crashes onto the ground.

I feel an eruption of pain on different parts of my body before blackness overcomes my vision entirely.

***

Trying to take a deep breath in as I attempt to wake up, my body shakes with a coughing fit instead. When my brain catches up with the situation around me, I take in the fire around us and the smoke wafting around us as it fills my lungs.

My eyes adjust, watering from all the smoke before I see Stiles hovering over me, moving his lips however I can’t hear anything.

I open my mouth a few times, trying to get my ears to clear from the cotton ball feeling as Theo and Stiles each grab one of my arms and sit me up right “There you go, can you hear me? Babe are you alright?”

My eyes move from the upside down jeep, broken windows and all, to Stiles who moves to kneel in front of me. I nod and set my hands on Stiles’ outstretched ones that are resting gently on the sides of my face “I’m okay– what the fuck was that?”

He shakes his head with his just as shocked look on his face, dropping his hands to my sides as Theo digresses above us “Guys the body… the body’s gone.”

“So human torch took the body?” I croak out between a few coughs earning Stiles to snort and connect his humor filled eyes with mine “Human torch?”

I playfully glare at him “Yes, before Theo was suckerpunched it looked like the silhouette of a person– on fire– was standing next to the jeep.”

Stiles looks up to Theo who shrugs and shakes his head “I didn’t see anything like that since I was, as you so graciously put it, suckerpunched– I did see the brightness of the fire before it happened though”

Reaching down to grab Stiles’ hands, I squeeze them softly and share a look with him as I mutter thoughtfully “Whoever it was– they were strong enough to lift the jeep like it was nothing” **_which just adds to the terrifying list which already consisted of taking bodies and cleaning up self defense murder scenes_**


	68. Ouroboros

Stiles squeezes my hands before shifting to the side and sitting next to me on the ground. 

We take in the fire spots burning around us and I set the side of my head on Stiles’ shoulder while Theo grabs the fire extinguisher and succeeds in putting out the flames around us. 

He sets the extinguisher down before he walks over and flips the jeep back to its proper resting place on all four wheels.

Stiles subtly nods in thanks before I let out a little cough **_that I unfortunately can’t get rid of_** , earning Theo to look over at us “We should get you both to the hospital. You guys took in a lot of smoke.” **_that’s a hard pass from me thanks_**

I shake my head in the negative column when Stiles looks towards me. He smirks with my answer before he moves to stand up, reaching his hands out to help me up as he elaborates back to Theo “We’re fine.”

Pulling me up after I set my hands in his, he turns towards his jeep and I watch sadly as he throws his hands out to his sides in defeat fully taking in the damage to his baby **_looks pretty bad, yes– but still fixable_**

The radio inside Roscoe is still up and running, earning us to look over as static clicks over the line. 

We hear a dispatch officer bringing awful news to keep the shit evening going “Suspect in 1-8-7 is in custody and en route to station. Suspect’s name is Yukimura, Kira” **_who the what now?_**

Stiles and I share a wide eyed _what the actual fuck_ look as Theo comes to a stop next to us “What’s a 1-8-7?”

“Homicide.”

***

So story time… Mom came home from work last night and found a girl stabbed to our kitchen table– she was stabbed with Kira’s katana so that’s where it gets a little confusing.

They took her into custody last night, however, her dad met them at the station and confessed to killing the girl not Kira. Claimed the blade was his and he was attacked in his home by the girl– as for why she was stabbed to our table? Well apparently she wasn’t completely dead **_Noshiko informed like the comedian I wasn’t aware she could be_**

Mom didn’t share much from last night, other than she is pretty upset at Noah for how he handled the situation, before she went to the station to give her statement. Scott went with her to see Kira and see how she’s doing or what’s actually happening with everything involving her dad’s arrest.

Also in the happenings of last night, the plan at the school did not go as planned and instead of catching one of the Doctors– they were all attacked and Liam and Hayden were taken instead.

Malia, Lydia and Scott were psychologically tortured as they put it, each of them seeing and feeling a terrifying experience. Lydia said she was paralyzed and sweating from the pain the hallucination brought on **_still have shivers from her describing her tongue being ripped out and drowning in her blood_**

While we wait for Scott to get back, Mason fills us in on Corey– who was Lucas’ boyfriend and attacked by him the night Lucas was killed at the club in front of Scott– and how he’s also a new chimera.

They come over to the house and we get them set up upstairs so Corey can get to work with reading the Dread Doctors book **_bring on those suppressed memories_**

After leaving them to their reading, I head into my room to change. I throw on a loose white shirt before slipping on a pair of soft olive green skinny jeans and my light denim jacket.

I’m just sliding my feet into my slip on light grey converse when I hear a knock on my door. I walk over and open the door, smiling softly at seeing Stiles standing on the other side returning with his own lopsided smile.

I open the door and signal for him to come inside with a little nod. Closing the door I turn to him and immediately push up on my toes to wrap my arms around his neck. Stiles doesn’t waste a second as he wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into him tighter and dropping his face into the crook of my neck.

After basking in his comfort for a few more moments, I take a deep breath in and pull away slightly. I move my hands into the hair at the base of his neck as he rests his hands on my hips and clears his throat “How’re you holding up?”

Attempting to smile, I shrug “Honestly?”

“Best not be lying to me woman” Stiles quips, succeeding in his attempt at making me laugh before I chew on the side of my lip and tears well in my eyes as I mutter barely above a whisper “I’m terrified Sti”

Stiles increases his hold my hips as he states reassuringly “Hey– we’re going to find them.”

I nod with his words, dropping my eyes down between us earning Stiles to lift his hand and set his fingers under my chin.

He moves my head up, licking his lips as he connects his eyes with mine “Adds, I promise– we’re going to get him back”

I close my eyes with his promise, a few tears falling with the action and Stiles reaches up to wipe them away with his thumbs as he rests his hands on the sides of my face.

He drops his head forward, resting his forehead on mine before I lift my head upwards and connect our lips in a soft kiss that I try to push all of my gratitude towards him with. Stiles rubs his thumbs against my skin, returning the kiss just as softly.

My phone buzzes on the dresser next to us and we pull apart slightly. Stiles lifts the corners of his mouth before he kisses my forehead, drawing a smile from me as I sniffle and shift closer to hug his middle.

I keep the side of my head resting on his chest as I reach over and look at the screen to see a message from Lydia that she’s here.

***

Lydia, Malia, Theo, Stiles and I are downstairs when Scott walks in from the side door in the kitchen, determined look all over his face as he strides through the room towards us.

“Hey, is Kira okay?” Stiles is quick to ask once we see Scott, however he just walks past us quickly heading for the stairs without saying a word.

We all share a confused look and I don’t hesitate to move my steps hastily right behind him as we climb the stairs.

Scott is on a mission towards his room where Mason and Corey are and when we reach the top of the stairs I look behind me, sharing a look with Stiles who is right on my tail before we follow Scott even quicker.

We hear Corey mutter through his embarrassment “Sorry, I’m only on chapter two… I’m kind of a slow reader.”

“Oh, that’s okay, Corey.” Mason’s reply to make him feel better is heard next as Scott walks through the doorway with his own interruption “He’s right– we don’t have time for that anyway.”

I walk through the doorway at the same time as I see Scott’s claws out and headed for Corey’s neck. Realizing exactly what he’s doing I gasp through my rushed shriek “No, Scott, don’t!”

He doesn’t listen **_since his arm was already in a determined swinging motion_** and his claws puncture Corey’s skin, eliciting a shocked gasp from him and Mason as Stiles and I come to a stop just inside the door.

Theo, Lydia and Malia quickly walk through the doorway as well and into the room with us, I move my glaring eyes from Scott’s back to inform them softly “Don’t get too close guys”

Scott and Corey both have their eyes closed, however their brows are drawn inwards in discomfort almost **_they’re sweating and making facial expressions on par with someone who looks like they’re having a nightmare_**

“What is he doing?” Theo questions and I huff before resuming my glare towards Scott “Tapping into Corey’s memories– it’s usually something only _Alphas_ do.”

Theo moves farther into the room but keeps the distance I previously warned for, looking between the pair and me with his question “Is it as dangerous as it looks?”

“Probably more.” Stiles answers in a disappointed tone that matches my own.

“Does anyone know if it’s working?” Mason chimes in and we shake our heads as I connect my apologetic eyes with his.

I turn from him and address my best friend “Lyds, you were the only one here when Scott did that to us– did we give any sign anything was working?” I look over to her, trying to distract from the urge to strangle my dumbass brother, earning her to shake her head “I was convinced it wasn’t working when your nose started to bleed”

I nod my head to the side, feeling Stiles step closer to me and wrap a comforting arm around me.

“So he’s done this before, to the both of you?” Mason asks, looking between Stiles and I. 

Stiles opens his mouth and makes a noise as I scrunch my mouth to the side before I answer “In a sense yes? We had another Alpha here who guided Scott on what to do last time though. We were just as desperate to save someone else that we loved, however I wasn’t caught off guard like Corey was just now– I was as prepared as I could have possibly been.”

“Which is saying something given who the teacher was” Stiles grumbles and I bump my shoulder into his side playfully, trying to hide my smile with his jab at Peter.

Scott’s loud gasp earns all of our eyes to snap over to the pair. Scott tumbles backwards and Stiles is quick to catch him, moving him over towards his dresser which he rests his hands on as he pants out over his shoulder “Is he okay?” **_of course he isn’t, you essentially just attacked him_**

Lydia grabs Corey who stood up from his sit on the bed and she moves him over towards Mason as he exclaims back with his own question “What the hell did you do to me?”

“You’ll be alright.” Scott argues to which Corey responds as he moves his hand from his neck and out in front of himself “There’s blood.”

“You’ll heal.” Scott answers dismissively and I scoff as Stiles warns “Scott…”

“He’ll be fine!” Scott bellows, earning Stiles to look back at me. I shake my head with my anger bubbling before Scott grabs a notebook and pencil, continuing to inform us in between his labored breaths “Listen… I think it worked. I saw something. There were tunnels. Pipes along the walls. There were these huge blue pipes at the entrance– two on both sides.”

Stiles and I move closer to inspect his drawing and Stiles points towards the pad of paper looking between us “Wait a second I know this. I’ve seen this before. That’s one of the tunnels I used to skateboard in– remember my dad caught me one time and told me to never go back?”

I nod and cross my arms over my front, ignoring Scott as I chime in “It’s the water treatment plant.”

Scott looks to Stiles and back down to the paper sketch he drew “That’s where they are. That’s where we’ll find Liam and Hayden.”

Mason and Malia are quick to offer to go with Scott who nods and heads for the doorway “Great, let’s go”

Stiles shares a look with me, making a noise before we _again_ quickly follow after Scott. 

We head down the stairs behind him as Stiles tries once more as we walk into the living room “Scott… Scott, slow down. Just think for a second, okay? Mason shouldn’t be going.” 

We stop our steps as Scott turns around to face us while Malia and Mason walk around us, the latter arguing with Stiles’ statement “Liam’s my best friend. I’m going”

They come to a stop next to Scott before Stiles scoffs “Oh, did you suddenly get super wolf powers? I wasn’t aware of that development.”

Scott throws his arm out towards us, “Well, if you’re not going, I could use the help.”

Stiles huffs and lifts his arm out to his side to elaborate his words “No, I’m coming just as soon as I talk to my dad. They’re moving the body and he wants to make sure that this time no one steals it.”

“How’s he gonna do that?” Malia implores and I shrug with my answer “We have no idea– but he shouldn’t be planning on staying guard over the body since whoever took the last one was strong enough to flip the fucking jeep. We were just sitting there– we weren’t _deliberately_ in their way. So we have to try to at least convince Mr. S to let the body just get taken like the rest, so he doesn’t get hurt”

Malia nods before she looks past us, and points “We can bring Theo.”

Everyone looks expectantly at him, however his face looks weird as he argues “Maybe I better stay here. You know, in case the Doctors decide to make a house call for Corey.” **_again what are you playing at?_**

I narrow my eyes at him before I look back towards my brother and shake my head at him “Scott, Stiles is right– we need to slow down and think.”

Scott doesn’t miss a beat “I _am_ thinking… about how Liam and Hayden could already be dead.”

Jerking my head back slightly, I counter back “I want to find them just as much as you do but you could’ve fucking hurt him, Scott– _really_ hurt him!”

Scott look between us before letting out a sigh and stating “I have to find Liam.” **_super helpful, totally feel like you listened to me_**

I resist the urge to roll my eyes and instead drop my mouth open to slightly gape at him as he turns and walks towards the kitchen door.

Mason turns to follow him and after sharing an apologetic _but we need to do this_ look with me, Malia turns to follow them as well.

Letting out an aggravated noise I turn back towards Stiles who grimaces softly “Come on, we better get to the hospital so we can get to the plant not long after them”

Lydia walks up and smiles reassuringly “Go, we’ll stay here with Corey and keep you updated”

My back is to Theo, however I flick my eyes to the side to indicate he’s exactly who I’m talking about when I throw her a pointed look “You sure you’re okay with staying here?”

She moves her lips between her teeth, hiding her smile as she nods and sets her keys in my hand “Yes worry wart, we’ll be fine– go please and you also keep me updated”

Smiling with her words, I nod once before Stiles and I quickly head outside to Lyds’ car and speed to the hospital.

***

Stiles gets a call from the mechanic just as we’re walking through the front doors of the hospital and hastily begin our walk through the hallway in our search for Noah.

Conversation is going great by what I can tell “You tell me, man– you’re the mechanic. If the gas tank didn’t rupture and nothing electrical was burned, then how did the fire start that almost killed me and my girlfriend last night?”

I smile as I look down the hallway, loving the way he says girlfriend. Stiles stops his steps, earning me to do the same as a look of aggravation crosses his features and he clips out “Spontaneously combusted? That’s your answer? Are you kidding–”

An arm reaches between us, alerting us of Noah’s presence, as he reaches out to grab his son’s phone– effectively interrupting the rant as he hangs up and questions the both of us, “What are you two doing here?”

Stiles licks his lips and stresses urgently “Dad, you gotta leave the body, okay? Leave it and let whoever wants to take it just take it. Trust me.”

A look crosses over Noah’s features **_one I haven’t seen since before he knew about the secrets of the city_** “I’m doing my job, Stiles.”

Noah states before he turns and walks away from us like the conversation is over. 

Stiles huffs and quickly moves to fall in step behind his dad with me right behind him “Yeah, you’ve been real busy. Arresting people you know are innocent.”

“Go home– now. This is not up for debate.” Noah clips out angrily as he walks into the open doors of the elevator.

Stiles and I follow inside just before the doors close, Stiles sharing a look with his dad as he assures **_with an air of arrogance that I find utterly endearing_** “Well, then, we’re not leaving.”

Noah makes a face and looks away from us, furrowing his brows before he questions “You know, Clark mentioned something about, uh, key cards for the library– do you all have after-hours access?”

It’s a good thing Noah isn’t a fucking werewolf because my heart completely stops at his inquiring words.

Stiles shifts on his feet ever so slightly as he answers without missing a beat “Yeah. Yeah, we do– I’d show you mine, but I lost it a couple of weeks ago.”

I clear my throat and grab my wallet out of my bag, finding my library card and handing it over to him “Here’s mine Mr. S– the school said they wanted us to have all the knowledge at our disposal. They actually saw an increase in student’s grades who used their cards after hours, so until we give them a reason not to– we all have this privilege”

Noah lifts one side of his mouth to smile at me before handing my card back to me just as the elevator doors open on the floor of the morgue.

He waits with his hands resting on either side of the door– pointing one hand back towards us, “We’re going to figure out who’s doing this– you two don’t need to be here. You both could have been seriously hurt last night, so please stay away from this.”

“Mr. S, we weren’t even _near_ the body and this person made sure we weren’t going to be in their way– what do you think they’re going to do when you all are _actively_ standing in their way of what they’re trying to do?”

He steps back and shrugs, timing his words perfectly before the doors shut between us “That’s what we’re going to find out kid. This is my job guys– let me do it.”

***

I leave Stiles in one of the waiting areas so I can head to the bathroom. I’m just drying my hands when I hear the fire alarm blaring outside the door. 

I widen my eyes with what this could most definitely mean and rush out the door, moving through the crowds of people until I find Stiles. He reaches out and grabs my hand, rushing out over his shoulder “Come on, we have to get downstairs”

He pulls me with him and we head towards the stairwell, rushing down the steps a few floors until we head down the hall towards the morgue.

There’s smoke everywhere and the door to the morgue is wide open when we come to a stop in front of it. 

We share a look before we head inside the room and I lift my shirt over my nose and mouth, coughing into the fabric as I narrow my eyes to see through the smoke.

Once it clears we see one of the doors where the bodies lay also wide open with black burn marks around it. I let out a defeated sigh and look to the ground, something gold catching my eye and I bend down to get a closer look.

I reach my hand out and my fingers wrap around the object, gasping at what I see before I stand back up and show Stiles who furrows his brows at seeing Parrish’s nametag in my hand **_with the same burned black markings as the door behind us_**

Stiles widens his eyes slightly before he reaches out and grabs my hand again, heading out into the hallway as he bellows “Dad? Dad!”

We get zero reply before we head down the hallway more and see a figure standing a few feet away from us within the smoke. 

As we walk closer they become more clear and Stiles reaches his free hand out to slap his dad on the back “Dad– Dad, the body.”

Noah quickly follows us and when we rush back into the morgue the smoke has cleared more and we see the open door and the empty pull out drawer where the body should be even more clearer.

***

Lydia calls and informs that Corey remembered another detail besides the water treatment plant, some kind of house basement and Theo left on his directions. He ended up finding Liam and Hayden and is on his way to bring them back to the house.

Stiles and I head back to our house and are just walking up the steps to the front porch when Theo’s truck pulls into the driveway.

I turn around quickly, watching as Liam climbs out first before he turns and helps Hayden out of the back seat of the truck.

Seeing him alive and standing before me, I let out a little hiccup of a relieved noise before I quicken my steps over to them.

Liam smiles brightly as I stop in front of them and wrap him in a tight hug, which he returns as tears cloud my vision “You’re okay?” I question through a hesitant whisper and pull back setting my hands on his face. He nods before I reach over and set my hand on Hayden’s shoulder and connect my worried gaze with hers “You’re both okay?”

She offers a sad smile as she nods and Liam reaches over, linking their hands together and answers for the both of them “We’re okay” **_Bub got the girl!_**

I smile softly, sniffle once and nod– not allowing the tears to fall as I step back and rest my hands on their backs, moving them towards the house “Right, well let’s get you guys inside– you’re freezing and probably tired”

I walk them inside and Stiles grabs them blankets, helping to get them settled on the couch together.

Theo walks in after us and I cross my arms as I turn towards him. He regards my stance and hesitantly connects his eyes with mine.

I clear my throat and shift on my feet “I still don’t trust you… but thank– _thank you_ for finding him” the end of my sentence came out in a whisper, showing just how much I’m barely keeping it together.

Theo chooses to ignore that and lifts one side of his mouth as he nods, accepting my thanks.

Scott, Mason and Malia are on their way to the house and since Liam and Hayden are finally asleep, Stiles and I head upstairs to my room **_completely ready for some sleep after the hellish couple of days_**

I take off my jacket and shoes, turning from the closet to watch as Stiles reaches into his pocket. He pulls out Parrish’s name tag and holds it in between his fingers as he states “We know what this means right?”

I nod and rest my hands on my hips, connecting my eyes with his and sighing out with the realization “It’s him. He’s the one taking the bodies– and I think I know where he’s taking them.”


	69. Lies of Omission

“What do you mean? Where– no, no _how_ do you know where he’s taking them?” Stiles stammers out, resting his hands on his hips.

I clear my throat and move past him to sit on the edge of my bed “You know how Lyds was helping him over the summer research the bestiary trying to figure out what he is?”

Stiles doesn’t let up on his furrowed brow adorable confused expression and at his nod with my question, I continue “Well she told me something he mentioned to her. Jordan has been having this dream– the same dream every night for a while. He’s walking in the woods carrying a body and every night he’s taking the body to the same place– a big tree stump in the middle of the woods.”

Stiles brows raise as his eyes widen slightly “Holy shit”

I set my hands on either side of me as I cross my legs and sit further back on the bed, elaborating “So maybe it started out as a dream for what he would need to do should this situation ever arrive.”

“Okay but we still don’t know what Jordan is right?” Stiles inquires as he quickly moves to sit on my bed in front of me.

I shake my head softly “No– mainly because Jordan doesn’t have any special powers or signals as to what he could be. Except we can add one thing to the list– human fire torch who needs to take dead supernatural bodies to the main power source that drew him here in the first place.”

Stiles lifts one side of his mouth to humor me before he sighs and reaches out, setting his hand on top of mine “We need to tell him and my dad what we found”

Making a noise of disagreement I offer “I kind of think we should only tell Scott and Lyds for now.”

Stiles draws his brows in and nods towards me with his silent question. I shrug and offer “Jordan has no idea what he’s doing– he doesn’t seem to remember anything regarding taking the bodies and he seems to only be dangerous or cause destruction when someone tries to get in his way of taking them.”

“And after how my dad reacted tonight at the hospital–” Stiles trails off and I squeeze his hand as I softly finish for him “If he knew the truth– he would definitely get in his way.” **_and we can’t let that happen_**

***

It’s been five days since we got Liam and Hayden back, five days since we found out about Jordan.

We told Scott and Lydia about him being the one to take the bodies and they agreed with Stiles and I that we should keep this between us. Not telling Noah about Jordan– or even Jordan about Jordan– feels awful **_however it’s a lie of omission we can tolerate for the time being to keep them safe_**

We haven’t seen any new Chimeras, and we haven’t seen the Dread Doctors.

Scott’s asthma is back– we have no idea how it came back but it did. He has his inhaler on him always and seems to be clinging to it just as bad as before he was a werewolf.

We haven’t heard from Kira since her and her parents left to figure out what is happening with her. Kira shared with Scott a memory she triggered with the Dread Doctors, they did something to her the night of Scribe Night when she was stuck in the traffic jam with her parents. Her inner fox is taking over and until she can make sure she won’t hurt any of us– she needs to stay away and fix what the doctors broke.

Mom shared that herself and Noah actually found a link between all the chimeras the Doctors have created– all of them were already genetic chimeras to begin with. Their medical records, ** _that mom definitely didn’t steal for non official police business,_** showed that they all had previously received allogeneic transplants, meaning they all received skin grafts or other tissue from other humans and were _already_ carrying two sets of DNA prior to the Dread Doctors interference.

Which means now Noah has something for his deputies to be looking out for trying to find out who the next target will be. They are questioning anyone who’s a genetic Chimera– anyone who’s got two sets of DNA. No one really knows what they’re looking for. Some think it’s a serial killer– some probably know it’s worse.

There seems to be a disconnect between us all **_however no one seems to care enough to fix it_**

Malia has distanced herself from us– either she thinks we haven’t noticed or she doesn’t care one way or the other, but she’s still looking for her mom. I’ve seen her looking at crime scene photos, like the ones Scott showed us, in class when she thinks no one is looking.

The two chimeras we are aware of, Hayden and Corey, are both healing faster and getting stronger from what we can tell– though both seem to not want any of our help after what Scott did to both of them **_rightfully so if I’m being honest_**

Liam is still pretty pissed at Scott for what happened at the school the night they were taken and Scott was planning on using Hayden for bait to capture the Doctors. I get why he’s upset, I just miss him **_him and Hayden are going strong though and I’m so happy for them_**

Stiles and I have been trying to find the bodies, which means finding the Nemeton. We’ve been driving around for days, searching all of the woods where we could have sworn it was however we’re coming up with bupkis. 

Considering what we had to do the last time in order to find this stupid thing **_I’ll glady keep driving around the fucking woods in leui of an ice bath sacrifice_**

Stiles’ aggravated huff brings me back to the present task at hand as we continue to search the woods “It’s almost like this thing doesn’t want to be found.”

“Maybe it knows we’re late for class– because we’ve been here twice.” I smirk and point towards the tree beside us.

“Shit” Stiles groans as he looks at the tree with the white X we previously had drawn on it on our first pass through.

“Maybe we should talk to Jordan” I offer with a shrug and Stiles lifts his hand out to me with his epiphany “Hang on– if the Nemeton is covered in bodies, shouldn’t you be able to find them?”

“Me?” I squeak and point to myself with my free hand

Stiles smirks and tries to cover his laugh “Yes, _you_ babe. Come on, that’s what you do. You’re my badass banshee, you find the bodies.”

I level him with a look, trying to hold back my smile as I sarcastically jab “Well, your badass banshee is apparently having an off couple of days because we’ve been out here for _hours_ every day these past few days and I haven’t gotten any type of feeling or clue as to where this fucking tree stump of death is. I really think we should bring Jordan in on the know of his extracurricular activities.”

“We can’t.” Stiles argues and I miss the look on his face as I continue thoughtfully “Why not? Maybe him being out here will be able to lead us exactly to wherever this stump that seems to have actual Room of Requirement magical capabilities will become visible to him.”

Stiles smiles with my words, however his face quickly becomes somber “Because Adds, if he finds the bodies that means my dad will find the bodies. _Specifically_ one body in particular that can’t be found right now– _we_ have to be the ones to find the bodies”

I soften my face and close the gap between us, reaching out and grabbing his hands in mine “Hey just because Jordan finds the bodies doesn’t mean the truth about Donovan will be attached to his body.”

“That doesn’t mean it will make everyone finding out he’s dead any easier for me” Stiles argues and I pull him closer “I know that– I just, I’m sorry I think we need to tell Jordan he’s the one taking the bodies. It’s always better when they know”

Stiles huffs and rests his forehead against mine. He moves his thumbs back and forth against the back of my hands before he quips lightly “Well then, he should know he owes me a Jeep.”

I chuckle softly, shaking my head twice against his and push forward on my toes to connect our lips.

Stiles makes a little noise of content before he softly drops my hands and slides one of his around my waist while the other reaches up to cup my cheek in his palm. My hands move up to rest on his chest, bunching the material slightly as he effortlessly moves his lips with mine.

My phone ringing earns a groan of frustration from the both of us before we pull away “Can we please have a getaway with no phones or interruptions– soon, like _very_ soon?”

Connecting my eyes with his as I smile softly, I nod with his suggestion and push up on my toes to peck his lips quickly between my words “Best– idea– ever”

***

Theo grabs Stiles and I in between class and we fill him in on our search for the Nemeton **_that Scott apparently filled him in on this morning_** “You guys are sure that’s where Parrish is taking the bodies?”

I nod and look between them “Lydia says that’s what happens in his dream, she volunteered to be the one to tell Jordan– so they’re going out to the woods right now to see if anything can jog his memory for a location.”

Theo nods before we move further into the library and he offers “I mean, you know if Lydia finds the Nemeton, she’s also going to find Donovan…” Stiles turns around quickly, throwing a pointed look towards him and Theo actually has the decency to look guilty as he looks around us, stating softly “Sorry.”

Stiles nods his head to the side before he counters back “She’s also going to find Josh.”

Theo takes a moment, licking his lips quickly before he shakes his head softly as he elaborates “You know what, maybe she should. I think things are different now for Scott. Especially after what he did to Corey. I don’t think he’s going to blame us for defending ourselves– I know he won’t blame you.”

Stiles licks his bottom lip before he turns around, looking behind him for a few moments. Theo shares a look with me, however I don’t move my eyes from Stiles. I watch as he breathes in deeply and turns back to face us, moving his eyes from my concerned ones to connect his with Theo’s– sharing a look with him that says he wants to believe him **_however I know he doesn’t_**

We head to class and about fifteen minutes into the class we see a commotion outside the windows with ambulances before they load up someone on a stretcher. 

Just before they load them into the back of the ambulance the paramedic moves and I’m able to see that it’s Corey on the stretcher. He’s got mercury covering his mouth and all down his shirt, I widen my eyes and look back at Stiles before I grab my phone and text Scott **_I don’t hear anything back from Scott before class is over though_**

We grab our things and head out into the hallway, Stiles grabs my hand and we head down the stairs towards the hallway with our lockers.

We see Malia walking towards us, a blank look on her face as she slowly makes her way through the hallway. Stiles and I share a look before we walk quickly towards her 

“Mal?” I reach out and grab her hand causing her to lift her head and connect her eyes with mine as I inquire “Hey– hey, what happened?”

She takes a quick gasp of air before she states “I hate this. I hate losing like this. I’m not like Scott. I can’t deal with another body– another failure”

I watch sadly as a tear falls down her cheek, however she quickly breaks my hold on her and she walks past us and down the hallway once more.

Stiles turns to me and I shake my head, at a loss for words before we hear a scream echoing down the hallway behind us **_what the fuck is happening?_**

***

The dead body Malia must have been talking about was found outside the front of the school’s doors. The girl had her neck broken and she was leaking mercury from her mouth and one of her fingernails that was missing.

Noah and his deputies arrive on the scene very quickly and they get the girl’s body loaded up to be taken away.

However another dead chimera means Jordan will be memory loss activated to steal it and since Lydia is with him, naturally I start to worry that she won’t answer her fucking phone.

I get her voicemail for the umpteenth time and Stiles shows me his phone with a message from Scott saying he found Corey’s body in the ambulance bay at the hospital.

I close my eyes that we couldn’t keep him safe, snapping them open when I hear her voicemail to leave a message “Lyds, for the love of God, answer your phone. There’s another dead chimera– two actually. So right now is probably not a great time to be alone with Jordan. If he’s coming to get the bodies, you can’t get in his way. Lyds, hear what I’m saying, okay– please do not get in his way.”

***

Liam and Hayden were attacked by the Doctor’s at the club she works at and Theo apparently showed up just in time to help fight them off **_he has a way of doing that and I don’t know what to take from that_**

Hayden was injected with something by one of the doctors so Liam and Theo brought her to the animal clinic which is where Scott texted us to meet him.

Stiles was able to get his jeep back from the mechanic’s garage and after taking him to pick it up we headed to my house so I could drop off mom’s car. 

It starts pouring down rain on our way to the animal clinic and we are just pulling into the parking lot at the same time Scott is getting off of his bike.

We climb out of Roscoe and walk around the front as Stiles informs through the rain “Hey, sorry… I had trouble starting the Jeep again– that thing’s barely hanging on.”

Scott rests his helmet on his bike and turns around to face us, not saying anything as an unreadable expression comes over his features.

Our clothes are soaked in no time and I feel the cold of the rain all the way to my bones as I offer through a little shiver “We couldn’t get in touch with Malia or Lydia– have you heard from them?”

Scott doesn’t answer or make any move to confirm he’s hearing anything we’ve said, he just continues to move his eyes between us– not making eye contact though as he shifts back and forth on his feet.

Stiles doesn’t move other than to flick his eyes over to me before he tries once more “Scott?”

Scott answers, however not with words, he pulls one side of his jacket away from him producing a wrench from one of the inside pockets of his jacket and lifts it out into the space between the three of us.

My mouth parts slightly with what that wrench could possibly be from, and Stiles confirms my suspicions as he hesitantly asks “Where did you get that?”

Scott raises his brows as he pushes to clarify “This is yours?”

Stiles doesn’t answer, however he looks over to me and back to Scott– his silence enough of an answer before he reaches out and takes the wrench from Scott’s hand.

Stiles turns the wrench over in his hand, looking down in shame at the one end that’s covered in blood splatters as Scott questions “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I cross my arms in front of me, not even feeling the cold of the rain pouring down around us anymore as I try to stay grounded to the scene unfolding before my eyes.

My heart is hurting for them, for the trust that is broken with the lies and the terror that is rolling off of Stiles as he waits for Scott’s reaction.

“I was going to.” Stiles’ broken voice flows through the noise of the pouring rain before Scott counters back quickly “No, but why didn’t you tell me when it happened?”

I move my eyes over to Stiles as he lifts his head and softly confesses “I couldn’t.”

Scott pushes “You killed him? You killed Donovan?”

Stiles looks up to him, connecting his unwavering eyes from Scott’s “Well, he was going to kill my dad. Huh? Was I supposed to just let him?”

“You weren’t supposed to do this– none of us are.” Scott rushes out and I narrow my eyes with his words ** _he’s looking at this from the wrong way_**

Stiles realizes it too because he jerks his head back slightly “You think I had a choice?”

“There’s always a choice.”

Stiles doesn’t miss a beat, his voice raising as he frantically works through his words “Yeah, well, I can’t do what you can, Scott. I know you wouldn’t have done it. You probably would’ve just figured something out, right?”

Scott nods, raising his brows slightly with his agreement “I’d try.”

“Yeah, because you’re Scott McCall! You’re the _true_ Alpha! Guess what? All of us can’t be true Alphas. Some of us have to make _mistakes_. Some of us have to get our hands a little _bloody_ sometimes. Some of us _are HUMAN_!” Stiles bellows, his aggravation at the very thing he was worried about most is now happening right before him as tears gather in my eyes.

“So, you had to kill him?” Scott again sticks with the same ridiculous question **_that is making me believe he doesn’t have the full fucking story to what happened_**

“Scott, he was going to kill my dad.” Stiles stresses, desperately trying to get Scott to see it from his side– which he doesn’t as he proves with his next words “But the way that it happened… there’s a point when it’s– it’s not self defense anymore!”

I shake my head a few times, drawing my brows inwards with my complete confusion as Stiles vocalizes my inner question “What are you even talking about? I didn’t have a choice, Scott!”

Stiles throws his hands out to his side as he continues brokenly, “You don’t even believe me, do you?”

Scott clears his face, raising his brows with the sincerity to his words as he states “I _want_ to.”

“Okay, all right, so… so, _believe_ me then. Scott, say you believe me.”

My brows draw inwards sadly and I uncross one of my arms, covering my mouth with my hand as I feel the warm trail my tears leave down my cheeks through the rain as I move my eyes between the pair.

Through his silence, I want to shout at Scott to come to his senses and say what I know he _knows_ – that he believes him. However this is their moment– their fight for their friendship that I can’t get in the middle of.

A broken look flashes over Stiles’ face as he shifts on his feet and desperately tries once more to get what he needs Scott to say the most in this moment “Say it– say you believe me.”

“Stiles, we can’t kill people that we’re trying to save.” Scott offers instead and amidst the sadness that has transpired in the last few minutes, I’m hit with an anger I have never felt towards my brother before. 

Stiles breathes in deeply, reigning in his own agitation before he steps closer to Scott, lifting the hand holding the wrench slightly with his words “Say you believe me.”

Shock overcomes Scott’s features as he has the nerve to look scared of Stiles holding the wrench. Scott looks from Stiles’ face to his hand with the wrench a few times.

Stiles does the same as Scott steps back from him, the previous action changing his words from cautious to more anger filled “We can’t kill people! Do you believe that?”

“Well, what do I do about this?” Stiles questions, his voice breaking with his words and at Scott’s silence he continues more softly yet still urgently “What do you want me to do? Okay, just be… Scott, just tell me how to fix this, all right? Please, just tell me, what do you want me to do?” **_say something Scott_**

Scott opens his mouth a few times before he offers “Maybe… maybe you should talk to your dad.”

He moves to walk back towards the doors, however he flicks his eyes to me over Stiles’ shoulder and states “Addy go inside”

Dropping my hand from my face, I cross my arms again as I look between them and argue “No, what the hell are saying Scott?”

Stiles looks back towards me and I move my steps forward, coming to a stop next to him as Scott elaborates, “I’m saying you need to not be around him right now– do you even know what he did?”

“Yes” I answer without missing a beat and Scott jerks his head back, stammering out “You– you _knew_ and didn’t tell me? Why would you put her in the middle of something like this?”

Scott flicks his eyes towards Stiles and I scoff, throwing my arms out to my sides and gaining his attention again “He didn’t put me in the middle of anything Scott, I’m a fucking banshee, I knew something happened! I didn’t tell you because look at you right now Scott– I don’t even know who you are anymore. You got half the story and you’re just willing to believe it. Believe the worst in him? You didn’t even ask him to tell his–”

“Don’t bother Adds, he’s made up his mind” Stiles croaks out, interrupting my words and I quickly snap my head to the side to look at him “Stiles–”

Stiles rubs a hand over his eyes and down his face before he shakes his head and walks over to Roscoe. He climbs inside, slamming the door with a force that has me flinching back.

I move to start walking to the passenger side and Scott reaches out, setting his hand on my arm and stopping my movements “Addy don’t– I don’t want you around him right now”

I scowl deeply as I address the brother I don’t even recognize anymore, flicking my eyes between his face and his hand a few times, my eyes connect with his as I seethe out “ _Let go_ of me Scott– you aren’t making the best decisions at the moment and I don’t want to be around you. You don’t feel like Stiles is safe? Well I can say the same thing about _you_. Who gave you the wrench?”

Scott shakes his head, flicking his eyes to the jeep and back to me before he mutters “Doesn’t matter. What does matter is what happened and the reason–”

“You don’t know shit about what the reason was Scott, you didn’t even ask him!” I throw my free hand towards the jeep with a very upset Stiles watching us before Scott argues “Oh and you think you do because he told you?”

“Yes Scott! For fucks sake it’s _Stiles_. You _know_ him!” I reach my free hand over to poke him in the chest as I continue “You should use your keen werewolf senses to figure out that he isn’t lying to you. Whoever gave you that wrench told you either what they _think_ happened or a complete deadass lie– they didn’t tell you what _actually_ happened. And the fact that you’re believing this person no questions asked– over your best fucking friend? Well you can go straight to hell– now let– me– _go_ ” I stress through clenched teeth as I quickly rip my arm out of Scott’s grasp.

The coldness of the rain is doing nothing to calm my anger, **_I can’t even stand to be around him at the moment_**

Scott must come to that realization because he moves his eyes between my anger filled ones a few times before he moves to the side and out of my path towards the jeep.

I quicken my steps past him and move to climb into Roscoe, slamming the door and buckling my seat belt as Scott hesitates for a moment, looking at the spot I previously stood before he turns and walks into the clinic.

Stiles starts the jeep however doesn’t put it in gear and instead looks over to me “You didn’t have to do that you know?”

I look over to him quickly and reach over to rest my hand on his “Yes I did. He’s being a complete asshat who is so fucking wrong I can’t even believe him right now. He just– he didn’t even–” I shake my head and look out the front window at a loss for words as Stiles cuts in “I know”

The sound of the fast falling rain fills the jeep as Stiles turns his hand to connect our palms and he intertwines our fingers, squeezing my hand twice.

I squeeze back with my three squeezes as tears cloud my vision. Amidst the anger that is rolling off of me in waves, my heart is breaking for what just happened.

A line was drawn by Scott for me to choose a side and I crossed it without a second thought. I don’t regret my decision though, I know Stiles was the right side to choose **_that doesn’t make this any easier though_**

Stiles needed Scott more in that moment than he has ever needed him, and Scott let him down completely.

Scott is misinformed and I have the strongest gut feeling that I know who lied to him.

He weaseled his way into our lives– he got Scott to trust him and he just broke the strongest bond next to mine with both of them.

He’s going to rue the day he played with our lives **_fuck you Theo– we’re coming for you_**


	70. Status Asthmaticus

It’s been a pretty silent ride from the animal clinic, mainly because I have no idea how to make this right. I don’t know how to take away the pain my ridiculous brother has caused, and that pisses me off more than anything.

Stiles breaks the silence as he angrily punches the steering wheel, the action causing me to close my eyes before I open them and look over to him. 

He sighs, flicking his eyes over to me and back towards the road in front of us with his whispered “Sorry”

I lick my lips quickly and reach over, grabbing his punching hand in mine and offering a reassuring squeeze “You don’t have to apologize for being upset, but stop punching things because I unfortunately can’t take your pain away”

“Yes you can, Adds” Stiles replies softly with his own squeeze of my hand. 

Smiling with his words, I move my nails of my free hand against the back of his hand in lazy little patterns as we continue down the road. 

We’re a few blocks away from Stiles’ neighborhood when the jeep sputters before it starts to lose power and smoke fills the cabin around us. 

The sound of our coughing quickly fills the inside of the jeep as Stiles brings the jeep to a stop. We each turn to quickly open our doors and climb out of Roscoe for the fresh air **_luckily the pouring down rain has stopped_**

Standing off to the side on the sidewalk I set my hands on my hips, coughing a few more times as I try to take a deep breath of the non smoke filled air.

I hear Stiles cough loudly on the other side before I see him open the back hatch, grabbing his tool box before he heads to the front of the jeep.

Walking over to the front, I help him open the hood and we rest it against where the roof meets the windshield, before he walks around the front again and examines the wrench’s in front of him.

Stiles doesn’t say anything, however the look on his face screams how angry he is. Grabbing the box forcefully in his hands he turns and throws it a ways into the street behind us before turning back towards me.

He quickens his betrayed agitated steps until he reaches out and grabs the hood, I move back a step as he slams it back down into place causing me to jerk back from the loud noise.

He continues to walk behind me and towards the driver’s side, ripping the door open he grabs something and walks back into the front of the jeep. 

I see the silver shimmer of the wrench he just got from Scott in his hand as he moves his steps forward, reaching his arm back in preparation to throw the wrench in the same direction as the rest of its fallen brethren.

Instead of throwing the wrench however, he looks down towards it and over his shoulder. I draw my brows in and step towards him, he flicks his eyes towards me quickly before he reaches his arm back and succeeds in going through with throwing the wrench.

It smashes into the front windshield of Roscoe and I open my mouth slightly with the action, hearing Stiles pant out his quick, aggravated, gasping breaths on his way to sit down against the tire on the driver’s side.

I take a moment, chewing on the side of my lip before I cross my arms over my front and slowly walk in front of the jeep and over to stand just off to the side of him.

Stiles plants his feet on the ground out in front of him, moving to rest his forearms on his knees. He starts to move his thumbs against his fingers with his adrenaline filled anxiety as he breathes through the tears I see gathered in his eyes.

Bunching my brows together as my heart breaks for him, I hear him sniffle and flick his eyes up to me before he quickly drops them down to look at his hands again “I– I made sure you were far enough out of the way before I threw–”

Making a noise in my throat I quickly kneel down next to him, placing my hands on his arm and moving my head forward to catch his eyes at the same time that I interrupt him “I know you did”

Stiles connects his eyes with mine and makes a face to convey his gratitude as he moves his other arm over, resting his hand on top of mine– which I answer by leaning forward and rest my forehead against his shoulder. 

I move my thumbs back and forth against his arm before I feel Stiles rest his head against mine, murmuring just barely above a whisper “I don’t know what I would do without you, Adds”

***

The next morning Stiles calls a tow truck to pick up Roscoe while I try to get the car from mom to pick him up.

After throwing on a pair of black leggings, I pair them with a loose striped colored sweater that falls over my shoulder with a white tank that has a decorative lace top peaking through. I slip my feet into some light tan colored boots and wear my hair down in my soft waves. 

I follow behind mom, offering my plan on our way down the stairs before she walks into the kitchen and grabs her bag “Honey, you know I would let you have the car in a heartbeat but I need to meet Scott at the animal clinic to help him with Hayden.”

I nod before shaking my head once “yea no that’s completely understandable– I’ll call Malia to see if she is free. Do you think you’ll be able to help Hayden?”

Mom grimaces as she shoves a couple more items in her bag “Honestly I hope so– I’m going to try chelation therapy to remove the heavy metals, in this case the mercury, from her blood. Only thing I’m concerned with is the process usually can injure the patient’s kidneys and she only has one to begin with.”

I smile as encouragingly as I can, shrugging a shoulder to indicate she’s got this “Well if anyone can do the impossible it’s you mom”

Not looking up from her bag, I hear her lighthearted noise of disagreement “I think you give me too much credit, but I’ll take it– have you talked to your brother or Liam?”

I scoff and look down to my feet as I cross my arms over my front “Umm no– I haven’t talked to my womb invader since last night and Liam hasn’t responded to my messages but I completely get why”

Looking up to connect her eyes with mine, mom makes a noise “Huh– ‘womb invader’ I haven’t heard that in a few years. Why do I get the feeling something happened last night?” mom questions, drawing her brows in with her silent _you better spill it_ question

Shaking my head, I lift one side of my mouth as I answer “You know how you’re quite pissed at Noah for how he handled the Kira situation?”

At her hesitant nod, I continue “Well your son is taking a page from Noah’s close minded book only he isn’t a friggin Sheriff and he doesn’t even know the whole story because he didn’t even bother to ask before he sentenced his punishment!”

Mom makes a face with an understanding “ah” noise before she walks forward and places her hands on my shoulders “Sweetheart, we both know Scott doesn’t make the best decisions– usually his heart is in the right place though”

A broken look flashes over my face as I inform her quietly “Not this time mom, he’s so misguided I don’t even know who he is anymore. He let his best friend down last night– he let _me_ down last night. He deserves all the anger I will be throwing his way all day, every day until he makes this better– if he even can”

Mom’s phone beeps with a message before she closes her eyes and lets out a sigh. Opening her eyes, she sends me an understanding look as she nods her head once “Fair enough. You are entitled to being upset right now– just promise me when the time comes, and he does try to make it right, that you at least give him a chance with that big heart of yours.”

I offer her a small smile and a reluctant nod “For you, I promise”

***

Malia thankfully was able to come and get me, and we’re off to go meet Stiles where Roscoe broke down. We pull up just as the tow truck loads her up to be hauled away. 

Malia shares a look with me that I grimace softly at and look back out the window “Like I said– thank you for driving, Mal”

“Anytime, you know that” She answers without hesitation as Stiles walks over to her car and climbs in the back seat. He buckles up which Malia waits for before she begins to drive down the road, offering helpfully “So umm– can they fix it?”

“There’s not enough duct tape in the world to fix that thing.” Stiles offers before I turn in the front seat a little to look over my shoulder at him, joking lightly “Maybe you should try something other than duct tape, sweets”

He smirks before he sighs and lists off the problems, moving his hands with his words “It’s got a bad alternator, it needs all new belts, transmission’s going, and the brake pads are basically metal on metal.”

I offer a little grimace, turning my head to the side towards Malia as she makes a noise “How come you let it get so bad?”

“There’s been a few distractions, if you haven’t noticed.” Stiles sighs and looks out the window as I watch Malia nod her head to the side “I notice– so umm am I taking you to one of your houses or–?”

Stiles clears his throat and leans forward between the seats as he answers “No– Sheriff’s station. If that’s okay– I uh– I gotta talk to my dad”

***

Malia drops us off at the station and we walk up to the front doors just as Lydia comes rushing out of them “Whoa, Lyds what are you doing here?”

Lydia moves her lips between her teeth, angrily throwing her thumb over her shoulder to indicate the building behind her “I uh– I was here keeping Jordan company while he waits this thing out in a damn cell”

I jerk my head back and share a look with Stiles as I clarify “A cell? What the hell–”

Lydia makes a face and scrunches her mouth together “Yes a cell. After I told him about how he was the one taking the bodies, we found the Nemeton. Then he freaked out and came here, locked himself in one of the cells and said it was the safest option for everyone involved.”

I make a noise with his logic before I nod my head towards her “Well where are you going now?”

She jabs her tongue into her cheek before she takes a quick breath and connects her eyes with mine “Do you remember when Kira told us about the myth her parents told her about thunderstorms the night of the storm a few weeks ago?”

Drawing my brows together with the memory I nod, answering thoughtfully “The Wild Hunt.”

Stiles furrows his brows and looks to me with his question “The what?”

“The Ghost Riders in the sky–” I start to fill in before Lydia interrupts “Yes! Yes, do you remember the part about the dogs?”

Making a noise I narrow my eyes in thought “I mean yes? They have black dogs with them or something right? What’s so important about this?” I shake my head with my confusion and Lydia shrugs “I think– I don’t know for sure but I was going to go to the library to see if there was anything more on the myth. Are you guys busy, do you want to come with me?”

Stiles sets his hand on my upper arm and nods towards her when I look up at him “Go with her, I should probably talk to my dad alone. You shouldn’t be witness to what he’s going to do or say to me”

Lydia points over her shoulder towards the parking lot “I’ll wait for you in the car” she smiles between us before walking towards her car and I turn towards Stiles, arguing with my support “I don’t mind waiting for you– even if I’m waiting out here. I want to be here for you Sty…”

Stiles reaches out and grabs my hands, reassuring with his lop-sided smile “And I love you so much more than you could possibly imagine for just that reason alone– go with Lyds, help her figure out whatever she’s on to. You guys are stronger together” he finishes with a wink and I snort with a soft chuckle before I clear my face of any humor and squeeze his hands softly “You sure?”

Stiles nods and increases his hold on me as he swings our arms out to our sides with his words “The surest, go babe I’ll text you if I’m still alive and on this side of the bars”

I close the tiny gap between us, dropping his hands to set my hands on the sides of his face and taking a more serious tone as I stress “Stop, your dad is going to see this for exactly what this was– self defense. Do not let Scott’s ill advised thinking bleed into anyone’s view of you. You did _nothing_ wrong”

Stiles makes a face, wanting to believe me **_however he can’t hide how scared he is for another important person in his life to not believe him on this_**

I move my thumbs against his cheeks a few times before I push up on my toes and connect our lips. I hear him breathe in deeply, resting his hands on my waist and increasing his grip on me when I pull away slowly.

Opening my eyes I connect them with his as I state undoubtedly “I love you and I’m right here for you”

Stiles releases a breath of air through his nose as he smiles brightly at me “I love you munchkin– now go be my brilliant Watson she needs you to be”

***

Getting to the library we found a few books with myths and other lore subjects. We set them out on a table and get to reading.

I flip through the pages, scanning the title of the myths under their pictures before I widen my eyes and gasp triumphantly. Gaining her attention, I point to the page in front of me as I read quickly “Lyds here, it’s here ‘Woden’s Hunt, also known as the Wild Ride or Wild Hunt. A myth of devilish riders in the sky accompanied by black dogs, spectral beasts whose eyes glowed with fire, A Bearer of Death and Guardian of the Supernatural, the black dog is also known by its more common name… The Hellhound’.”

Lydia connects her eyes with mine over the book as she nods, “That’s it– that’s what Jordan is”

I nod as I work through what is said “Guardian of the supernatural makes sense why he’s taking the bodies– holy shit he’s a hellhound”

Lydia’s mouth twitches with her smile that we figured it out and she reaches over to close the book. The loud sound of it closing reverberates through me and it’s like I’m punched in the gut with an onslaught of pain and foreboding death.

We blankly stare out in front of us, reaching in between us we quickly grab each other’s hands. I grasp tightly onto her as tears well in my eyes and I feel every nerve in my body light with a fire as I realize what is going to happen in this very room tonight.

I hear voices, however they’re different from other times. They aren’t indistinguishable, they’re loud and familiar as they send chills down my arms and my spine with what they’re saying. I see blurry projections that are undeniably Scott and Liam over by the stairs in front of us. 

I don’t have any idea what’s happening or why I’m seeing a vision instead of just an overwhelming feeling of knowing what’s happening. I’m at a loss for words as I watch Liam standing over Scott– slashing his claws into Scott’s chest quickly before he stands up and leaves. As soon as he leaves another person, that I can’t make out, takes Liam’s place over Scott. I feel the tears fall down my cheeks in a steady path as I watch the life leave Scott’s body and his alpha reds dull to nothing. 

“You know what’s coming–” We gasp with the interruption of a voice behind us and step backwards together before we turn around quickly and see Theo standing in front of us, “Don’t you?” he continues before Lydia fills in “Someone’s going to die here.”

“Not just someone– Scott” I croak out, wiping under my eyes with my free hand and Lydia looks over to me as Theo smirks “So it is true, being his twin means your banshee powers are heightened whenever he’s involved– because you weren’t aware it was Scott were you Lydia?”

I narrow my eyes into a glare towards him, seeing Lydia shake her head out of the corner of my eye as she stammers “No– that was different– I’ve never seen–”

I turn to her quickly with a slight gasp “You _saw_ it too?”

She nods her head, increasing her grip on my hand as I try to control my breathing with what this means **_the look on her face must match mine as we wonder silently what the fuck just happened_**

Theo quirks one of his brows, clicking his tongue thoughtfully “Well that’s a new development we unfortunately have to put a pin into for now, anyways you’re right about your brother– but I can’t let you two tell anyone.”

“Why?” I question, already knowing the answer **_him being here feels like he’s setting up his plan_**

Theo tilts his head to the side as he answers unwaveringly “Because I want you Addeline. I want _all of you_.”

“What are you talking about?” Lydia questions and Theo finally takes his eyes off of me to address her “Don’t worry. I’ll give you some time to think about it” he snaps his hand up, smacking Lydia on the side of her head with a force that effectively knocks her out cold as her body crumbles to the floor between us.

I jerk to the side with the action and look down towards her in shock before looking back towards Theo as I rush out “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He huffs with a little shrug “I thought I made myself clear– something big is happening tonight and I can’t let you warn anyone or get in the way”

I glare at him “Why is Liam going to try to kill Scott?”

Something flashes across his face, however it’s gone quicker than I can examine and he smirks “I didn’t lie to you Addy, I’m here for a reason– one that will become clear very soon. I promise you will be safe”

I don’t have time to register his words before he snaps his arm forward, eliciting a blinding pain against the side of my head and I welcome the blackness that overcomes my vision.

***

_Stiles POV_

Saying bye to Addy, I watch her walk over to Lydia’s car and get it before they drive off. I take a deep breath and walk into the station, asking one of the deputies where my dad is. 

He calls him for me, exchanging a few words before he hangs up the phone and looks up towards me “Sheriff left half an hour ago– said he’s on his way back”

I rub my hand over my forehead, swiping the sweat that has gathered in the hot as hell station before I nod towards him “All right thanks– I’ll just wait in his office”

I’m already turning and moving my steps as I utter the end of my statement, opening the door to dad’s office and walking inside to sit on the couch.

I text Addy, seeing how it’s going with Lydia and trying to pass the time until dad gets here.

The temperature seems to have risen ten degrees just in the last few minutes and it doesn’t seem to be letting up. Really regretting wearing this fucking hoodie and jeans at the moment. 

I unlock my phone, seeing that Adds hasn’t even read the message yet and I start to bounce my knee trying not to think the worst has happened to her in that fucking library.

She’s just being her genius little self, reading away about myth’s and wild hunting. I’m distracted from my mini freak out with the fire alarm as it starts blaring around the station.

I’m immediately on alert, standing up from the couch and walking over to open the door to see what’s happening since stations rarely have fire alarm drills like school.

The room is in chaos with deputies quickly rushing around trying to figure out what’s happening. I hear someone ask what’s going on while another is working out if someone pulled the alarm.

I widen my eyes as I watch as Parrish walks out from the hallway leading to the cells. The two deputies near me draw their guns pointing them directly at Jordan who has a vacant look in his eyes and smoke coming off of him as he keeps his steps deliberately walking towards the front door.

“What the hell?” one questions as I try to divert the situation, raising my hands out towards them and rushing out quickly “wait, wait, wait, wait– don’t shoot, get back stay out of his way!”

They miraculously listen to me, probably because of the look on Jordan’s face– it’s almost like he’s hypnotized as he walks through the station and out the front door. 

I quickly go over my options before I figure the best option is to follow him and then go from there. I quicken my steps and keep my distance behind him, but where I can still see him as we walk down the street.

We walk for a couple of minutes, the sun has fully set and I’ve watched as Jordan’s clothes have almost all burned off– save for his pants which are now shorts.

He pushes open the gates to the Sheriff impound lot and walks over to a van. I crouch down and hide behind a car a few rows over, watching as he opens the back of the van. 

He must find what he’s looking for because he closes the door and heads over to the driver’s side. Starting the van up he takes off out of the lot and I grab my phone out of my pocket to try to get ahold of Scott or anyone with this bit of information.

I try everyone– Addy, Scott, Lydia, Malia, everyone with a fucking car before I try my last resort… Theo.

I’m trying Addy again because I still haven’t heard from her since she left with Lydia, and if her silence in these situations has meant anything it means something is wrong– she’s hurt.

I get her voicemail and am in the middle of leaving _another_ call me now message when I hear a truck pull in behind me.

I turn around and hang up the phone, shoving it in my pocket as I make my way over to Theo’s truck.

He’s climbing out for some reason with his excuse “Sorry. I got here as fast as I could…”

I shake my head and walk over towards the passenger side “We gotta go– now. Parrish has got the bodies–”

“Okay, wait up… Stiles, wait” he tries to interrupt but I just talk over him because we’re wasting time “Parrish is out and he’s got the bodies. We’ve got to find Scott and we’ve got to tell him”

Theo bellows over me “Stiles! I don’t think Scott wants to talk to you right now.”

I narrow my eyes at him with a shake of my head “Yeah, thanks, I’m aware of that. It doesn’t matter. He needs to know about this– have you seen Addy or Lydia because they aren’t answering–”

“Stiles… Scott doesn’t want to talk to you– but I think your dad does” Theo states, gaining my attention completely as he holds up my student library card. I feel my breathing start to increase as I try to figure out how the fuck he has that card. 

It’s especially curious because I dropped it in a trash can at the hospital the other night when Addy and I were there. I made a decision to go through with the lie to my dad about losing it and while Addy was in the bathroom I dropped it without a second thought. 

I quickly start to walk towards him and Theo turns, bating me with his words “Your dad was looking for you, Stiles. He found me instead.”

My blood runs cold with the thought that this prick did something to him and I step closer towards him with my question “Where is he?”

“I covered for you– _this_ was taken care of,” he clips out angrily like I disappointed him before he continues “If Melissa didn’t find it at the hospital… guess even the son of a cop can make mistakes.”

“Did you hurt him?” I ask, gaining his attention as he stops his steps away from me and turns towards me instead “I never lied about why I came to Beacon Hills. I’m here for a pack– I came for the Werecoyote, the one whose first instinct is to kill. I came for the Banshees, the girls surrounded by death who are _incredibly_ powerful together. I came for the dark Kitsune, the Beta with anger issues… I came for Void Stiles. That’s the pack I want. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include Scott.”

Him knowing about my girl and how strong her and Lydia are together has me clenching my teeth “Where the hell is Addy? I know something’s wrong and I know you are behind it” I clip out, anger coursing through me with every word he said, however he just smirks at me.

Turning to his side he walks across the area in front of me, connecting his eyes with mine and stating unwaveringly “I promise she’s safe–”

My glare deepens and I jerk my head back slightly as I quip back without missing a beat “Fuck you and your promises, where is she?”

Theo answers my question with a deeper smirk as he quickly flicks his eyes to my chest “You know your heartbeat’s rising, Stiles. It’s not because you’re afraid. Nogitsune is gone, but you’ve still got more blood on your hands than any of us.”

I rub my tongue on the side of my teeth before I nod my head towards him, stating my threat that I wholeheartedly believe “I’m about to get more.”

He turns around and sets my library card on the hood of his truck as he states “I’ll tell you where your dad is, if you promise not to help Scott”

As soon as he turns around, I reach back and punch him in the face. He jerks to the side with the force before he stands up with a laugh and bellows out proudly, “There he is! That’s Void Stiles. It felt good, didn’t it?”

I don’t even hold back the anger as I throw another punch right into the side of his mouth. 

Theo lands on the ground behind him with a little groan, that I take pride in getting from him, before he spits out some blood over towards the gravel on his side, “We won’t tell Scott. ‘Cause you can’t lose your best friend, right? Even though we both know, you never needed him. Addy is another story– you need her, we all do”

Letting my hatred for this dickbag fuel me, I rush forward and hover over him as I grab his shirt– bunching the material in my fists, I get ready to unleash my anger on him when his words stop me “You hate me now, but you’ll get it eventually.”

I grip his shirt tighter, lifting him up towards me as I growl out through my clenched teeth “ _Where is she_?”

Theo doesn’t miss a beat as he stresses with as much conviction as he can “I told you– she is _safe_ and she will _remain_ safe if you choose correctly. Now this– this is the hard part. 'Cause you can’t help Scott and save your dad’s life– you’ve still got time, Stiles. You’ve still got time.”

***

_Addy POV_

Trying to open my eyes, I groan loudly with the pain that causes as I set my hands on either side of my head **_Theo obviously knew a strength Erica wasn’t at yet because holy fucking owww batman_**

Hearing a groan from my other side, I close my eyes and roll towards her “Lyds?”

Seeing her trying to sit up next to me, I sit up with her and breathe out deeply with the onslaught of pain that causes. 

I set one of my hands on her knee when I hear a door close and fast approaching footsteps coming towards us.

My eyes widen when I see the look in Theo’s eyes as he closes the distance between us “I’ve never done this before, Addy. I know how dangerous it is. But it’s a risk we have to take.”

“What are you doing– no don’t!” I shriek out noticing his claws coming towards me as I try to crawl away from him.

“No, don’t hurt her!” I hear Lydia shout just before she pushes me out of the way. I land on my side and pushing up on my arms, I watch her quickly put herself right in his path just as his claws puncture the skin in the back of her neck.

“No!” I sit up quickly back up on my knees next to her with my hands hovering in the air near the side of her face.

Drawing my brows inwards sadly, I drop my mouth open– a scream threatening to fall from my lips as tears gather in my eyes. 

I watch as she gasps and drops her mouth open in pain. Her eyes are fixated past us, no life in them as her memories are invaded by the monster behind us.

“What do you think, Addy? Am I doing it right?” Theo breathes out angrily.

“You’re not an alpha so no, who knows the damage you’re doing right now” I inform darkly as I move my watery eyes up towards him towering over us. 

I wish looks could kill with the look I’m throwing his way before he ignores me and continues “Yes, I see it… I can see it” **_if you aren’t seeing your slow death, I’m not interested_**

He rips his claws from her neck and steps away from us quickly. I move around her side quickly to resume my kneel in front of her as she looks to be paralyzed.

“Lyds?” I sniffle and set my hands on either side of her face, seeing her eyes fixated on the wall behind me with a blank stare in them. 

She’s still in a kneeling position as well, with no life in her eyes and her mouth is still agape in the pain filled look she had when he first punctured her neck. 

I feel a few tears make their way down my cheeks as I suck in a terrified breath and look over my shoulder. 

I watch as Theo grabs a syringe from a table and walks over towards the tall cylinder tubes of water that I now register are holding some kind of body _**if I can even call that thing a body** _in the green water.

He jabs the syringe into some tubing coming out of the cylinder and fills the contents of the syringe with a neon, almost glowing, green liquid.

Theo walks over and grabs Lydia’s arm, pulling her up with him and me with her as I’m not leaving her. She doesn’t say or do anything other than move her feet with the direction he’s pulling her **_almost like she’s hypnotized_**

“I promised Stiles you would stay safe if he didn’t go after Scott– so you’re staying here” Theo informs on his walk over to the other side of us.

I make a face and jerk my head back slightly “Like hell I am, I’m not leaving her alone with yo–” my words are interrupted with a sharp stab of a different needle into my upper arm.

I let out a groan of frustration, connecting my eyes with his as my legs feel weak and Theo cradles my body against his chest as he moves into a kneel. He leans me back against a wall, informing me “Completely harmless, you’re just going to sleep for a a little bit”

“Fuck you Theo, why– why are you– doing this?” I whimper out weakly, my eyelids getting way too heavy to keep them open any longer. 

The last thing I hear before the darkness overcomes me once more is Theo’s fading voice “You’ll see Addeline– you’ll see.”

***

I gasp awake harshly, sitting up from the wall I was previously leaned against and coughing harshly from the dryness of my throat.

My deep gasping breaths are loud in the space of what I’m putting together is what Liam and Hayden described as the Dread Doctor’s lair. 

I don’t see any sign of Theo or Lydia, however I can’t focus on that fact **_or even the fact of where I’m currently at by myself_** as everything is too loud around me. The hydraulics of the pumps keeping whatever the fuck are in the water filled cylinders going are suffocating me and I feel like I can’t breathe. 

The noise is too much, the pumps though are nothing compared to the overwhelming dread of voices screaming around my head. Setting my hands on either side of my head, I slam my eyes closed. 

Breathing deeply is doing nothing to calm my erratic breaths and I can’t take it anymore, there isn’t a vision this time but I don’t need one as I drop open my mouth and scream through the pain of knowing he’s dying and I have to get to them.

I let my scream shake the walls of the space around me, the glass supplies and cylinders quake with my anguish before it dies down and I bask in the silence that follows. 

I push up from my kneeled position and I make my way out of the lair, through the woods and towards the hospital **_towards the only dad I have ever really known– Noah_**


	71. The Last Chimera

_Stiles POV_

Getting to the hospital is a frantic rush of paramedics, doctors, nurses and me trying to stay out of their way.

One of the nurses stops me when they continue to wheel dad away on the gurney into the operating room so I can fill out the insurance information.

Which I have no idea about.

“Stilinski, right? You said his insurance was with the county? He’s a Deputy?” She asks in a rush and I feel my aggravation growing that this is the second time in however many months that they have gotten his title wrong “No, he’s the Sheriff, he’s the C _ounty Sheriff_. Okay. He’s covered.”

I stammer out, hoping my assumption is correct before I back pedal a little “I mean he _should_ be covered.”

I feel hands on my shoulders and a saving grace voice behind me “I’ll take care of it.”

Melissa grabs the folder from the nurse asking questions and sets her hands on my arms to lead me a few steps away before she continues “I texted Scott. He’s coming as soon as he can. Is Addy with you– do you want me to call her–”

Shit. How do I tell her I have absolutely no idea where Addy is because a psycho werewolf told me she was safe if I went to find my dad?

I lick my lips and shake my head once as I try to come up with something “Umm– No, no, no. Don’t, don’t call anyone, Addy is–”

“Stiles!” Hearing Addy’s voice down the hall I turn around quickly, my eyes taking in every inch of her– that thankfully doesn’t look to be harmed– as she runs right towards us.

Relief crashes over me as she weaves through the people in the hallway and closes the gap between us.

I lift my arms out to her just in time and as soon as her chest crashes into mine, I feel like I can breathe for the first time since she left me at the station.

“Adds, thank god” I murmur more to myself than anyone. My arms encircle her waist tightly and my head drops down into her neck, breathing in her coconut smell that calms me instantly.

She pulls back and I reach my hands up to wipe my thumbs under her eyes as I rest my palms against the side of her face. My voice betrays me and slightly cracks as I whisper “You’re okay?”

Drawing her brows in sadly she nods a few times, setting her hands on my chest as she responds just as quietly “he kept his promise. Where’s your dad, is he okay?”

I lick my lips quickly, trying to push the unease of the meaning behind her banshee fueled words.

Fighting back the tears that are threatening to fall, I jam my tongue into the side of my teeth before I shake my head with my answer “I don’t– they’re taking him in for surgery now”

She makes a noise and wraps her arms around me once more, pulling me into her tightly. I rest the side of my head against hers, tightening my hold around her as I let her comfort settle like a blanket over me.

I feel Melissa set her hand on my shoulder as the nurse at the station I was previously talking to interrupts our moment “Is there anyone else we need to notify? A next of kin?”

Setting my chin on Addy’s shoulder, I look over towards the nurse as I digress “No, it’s me. It’s just me.”

***

_Addy POV_

Stiles gasps awake, bringing me with him as my head was resting on his shoulder while we slept in the waiting room.

Mom is kneeled in front of us and she smiles softly as she informs us “He’s okay– Dr. Geyer is stitching him up right now.”

I let out a breath of relief with her words and sit up more, while Stiles makes a noise “Okay, I wanna see him” he moves to get up and mom places a hand on his arm, motioning for him to sit down again “Okay, okay. The anesthesia needs to wear off. It’s gonna be at least two hours.”

Stiles sits back down as he nods and clarifies “Okay, yeah, but everything’s gonna be okay though, I mean, he’s okay?”

Mom smiles with her confirmation nod “Mmm– he’s gonna be just fine.”

Tears gather into Stiles’ eyes quickly as he sits back and rubs a hand over his forehead “Oh, thank god.”

I reach over and grasp his hand in mine, earning him to raise our hands and kiss the back of mine as he lets out a relieved breath.

Mom stands up and rests her hand on my shoulder, squeezing once before she walks down the hallway again.

I clear my throat and turn more towards Stiles “Did you want any coffee or do you want to try to sleep some more?”

“Coffee probably. I won’t be able to sleep until I see him” Stiles yawns out and my lips twitch attempting to smile as I pull my phone out of my pocket and try Lydia again.

I close my eyes when I get her voicemail and scroll through my contacts for Jordan’s number. Once I set my phone against my ear Stiles nods towards me “Any answer from her yet?”

I shake my head and huff in frustration getting Jordan’s voicemail as well, however he’s calling back right away before I can leave a message “Hey–”

Jordan’s voice is quick to interrupt “Addy are you with Lydia?”

“No that’s actually why I was calling you, Theo took her and I don’t have any idea where he was taking her.”

“Where were you when he took her?” Jordan questions and I scratch my forehead as I work through my escape path out of there “After I ran out of the doctor’s lair I made my way through the preserve to get to the hospital”

Jordan makes a noise “Alright I’ll head to the preserve– why are you at the hospital, are you okay?”

I clear my throat “It’s not me, it’s Mr. S”

The line is silent and I can hear the worry in his voice as he clears his throat “Umm– okay you stay there, I’ll find Lydia… I promise”

I nod with his words and we end the call. 

I shove my phone into my pocket and sit back in my seat. Stiles reaches over and grabs my hand, moving his thumb back and forth against my skin before I make a noise and stand up “Right, coffee– I’ll go get us some”

Still keeping our hands linked, Stiles stands up with me stating softly “I’ll come with you” 

Shaking my head I nod towards the seats “Stay– I can get it”

“Please don’t make me wait in here alone” he jokes lightly, however I can see the scared look behind his eyes. 

I smile and squeeze his hand, pulling him with me “I would never.”

***

We are finally allowed to go and see Noah, however when we get there he still isn’t awake. He seems to be progressively getting worse **_instead of better like one should be after a successful surgery_**

Dr. Geyer, also Liam’s dad, again mutters that he doesn’t know what’s happening and Stiles makes a noise of frustration “What do you mean you don’t know? Two hours ago, he was fine. Now it looks like somebody took a baseball bat to his neck.”

“There could’ve been some minor internal” Dr. Geyer attempts however Stiles is quick to argue back “Did you say, ‘minor internal?’ Since when is anything internal _minor_?”

“Stiles…” mom trails off and Stiles shares a look with her before he shakes his head and continues “I need to know what’s going on with him, okay? Dr. Geyer, somebody needs to tell me what’s happening. Somebody needs to tell me _what’s happening to him_!”

The frantic tone to his voice has me drawing my brows inwards as I uncross one of my arms to cover my mouth with my hand, sadly looking between Stiles and mom.

Mom takes a moment, moving her eyes between us and settling them on Stiles as she regretfully mutters “We don’t know.”

Stiles huffs and his eyes are drawn past the doors behind me. He sets his hands on my arms, licking his lips angrily as he moves past us.

Mom and I share a look with Liam’s dad before we turn and watch as Stiles pushes the doors open roughly and takes off into the hall **_directly towards Scott who is standing outside of Noah’s room_**

Stiles grabs Scott’s shirt and slams him against the wall before throwing him onto the ground and hovering over him, muttering too quietly to hear.

Mom and I quickly rush after him, hearing his louder question as we try to pull them apart “So, where were you?”

“Hey, hey, hey…” Mom rushes out and drops down towards Scott while two guys grab Stiles and pull him back.

I walk in front of him and set my hands on his chest as he yells over me “Where the hell were you?!”

“Stop it!” mom shouts into the hall and Stiles drops his eyes to connect with mine. 

I offer him a look like it’s okay and he huffs before he shrugs off the guys holding him “Okay, all right, all right.”

“Your dad’s not the only one who got hurt.” Scott pants out and Stiles scoffs, dropping his eyes to the bloody spot on Scott’s shirt “Oh, you’ll heal.”

“I’m not talking about me” Scott mutters and looks over to me, my mouth dropping open with my gasp “Lyds– Jordan found her?”

Scott nods “Yea, he found her– she’s downstairs but she’s not, something’s wrong she isn’t saying anything. She’s just–”

“Staring out in front of her like she’s hypnotized” I fill in with dread instantly crashing over me that she’s not woken up out of the trance yet **_and what that could mean_**

Scott widens his eyes “Yes, how’d you know?”

I shake my head and walk past him “Shit’s been happening Scott, it’s been a fucking _night_ with your best buddy”

“Yea tell me about it” he grumbles behind me as we walk towards the elevator and I scoff before walking on, Stiles and Scott following behind me to go find Lydia.

We find Jordan in the hallway and I walk up to him quickly offering a grateful smile “Thank you for finding her”

He nods and looks between Stiles and I “How’s the Sheriff?”

Stiles makes a noise and I step closer to him, wrapping my arm behind his back as he answers “He’s out of surgery but something they can’t explain is happening to him”

I hear Lydia’s mom muttering in the room beside us”Everything’s going to be all right, Lydia. We’re going to get you the best medical care. The best doctors– the best everything.”

I walk into the doorway, feeling Stiles rest his hands on my waist as he comes to a stop behind me. 

Natalie must feel our presence because she turns and looks over her shoulder at us. A hard look flashes over her face as she stands up and quickly walks over to us with her protest “No. No, you don’t. You’re not coming in here– get out!”

“We know who did this, we just want to see her” I urge sadly and she answers by deepening her glare, looking between the two of us “I know who did this too– you. _All_ of you, now get out– only family is allowed.”

Not really wanting to go against her, however not liking the way she’s blaming me– I stand my ground “I am family”

Natalie looks taken aback for a moment before she stammers “You’re not immediate family, and that’s all I’m allowing at the moment. So get out, please and leave me alone with my daughter.”

Stiles increases his hold on my waist and I move my eyes to Lydia who is laying on the bed, her eyes open and staring blankly at the ceiling.

Tears gather in my eyes before I scrunch my mouth to the side and connect them with Natalie’s “Will you at least keep me updated on how she’s doing– please?” my voice cracks with my plea, earning Natalie to soften her face.

She nods ever so slightly before she raises her brows, muttering just above a whisper “Now _please_ leave”

I turn around and Stiles wraps his arm around my back as we step out into the hallway with Jordan again.

I reach up and wipe my eyes with the sleeves of my sweater before I clear my throat and look between Jordan and Scott **_who are both looking at me expectantly_**

Walking to head past them and towards the elevator, I throw over my shoulder “Let’s go talk to mom”

***

We grab mom and head into one of the empty rooms of the morgue to go over the events of the evening. Specifically how Theo not only grabbed Lydia and I, but also put Liam on a murder rampage to attack Scott.

The vision we had came true, Liam stood over Scott slashing at his chest over and over in the library. Liam would have succeeded in killing him if Mason hadn’t broken through his seeing red from the super moon.

However Theo showed up and pushed Mason out of the way and stabbed Scott himself. Theo was the other body I saw that stood over Scott and he was the one who finished the job **_dimming Scott’s alpha reds as the life left his body_**

Mason was with Scott for fifteen minutes before mom showed up and started CPR. She never gave up and hit Scott hard in the chest with her conjoined fists screaming at him to roar **_and roar he did_**

Even though I hate what he did to Stiles last night, I still am grateful he’s alive **_wouldn’t exactly be becoming to be angry at a dead person_**

After Scott and mom recounted their events, Stiles went over his conversation with Theo and how Theo told him where to find Noah.

Next is my turn to explain about my encounter with Theo in the library and what he did when Lydia and I woke up in the doctor’s lair.

“It could be a side effect of shock” Jordan offers before Stiles interrupts quickly “She’s catatonic. It was Theo digging his way through her mind.”

I clear my throat “He umm– he was coming after me, Lydia pushed me out of the way.”

Stiles steps closer to me, wrapping his arm behind me as mom looks over to me, her voice cracking with her question “Why would he do that? What is he looking for?” 

Scott quickly fills in “The same thing he’s always looking for– an advantage.”

I shrug “He said he saw something before he broke the bond but he didn’t say what”

“You didn’t ask him?” Scott asks and I narrow my eyes at him “No sorry didn’t think he was going to share that information, besides I was kind of preoccupied checking on my friend”

Mom raises her hands out towards us “Alright guys, just take a breath”

“What would he gain by trying to kill Stilinski?” Jordan veers the conversation away from the anger fueled siblings and Scott moves his eyes to the table as he answers “It left me alone with Liam. Theo wanted to make sure no one would be there to stop him from killing me.”

“Okay, so he gutted my dad as a distraction.” Stiles looks around at the four of us until his anger filled eyes reluctantly land on Scott.

“We need to find this kid.” Jordan demands and mom counters quickly with a shake of her head and an incredulous look adorning her face “Isn’t that a little dangerous? Especially since he almost killed _my_ kid?”

“Yeah, but he said he didn’t want my dad to die.” Stiles offers and Parrish doesn’t miss a beat “And you believe him?”

Stiles shrugs thoughtfully “He told me where to find him. So, maybe he also knows how to save him.”

“What do you want to do? Talk to him?” mom questions

“If it saves my dad, then yeah” Stiles answers, not missing a beat before I turn to him “I’ll come with you.”

He starts to shake his head when Scott chimes in across the table from us “I will too”

At the looks we give him, Scott sighs and shrugs a shoulder “He doesn’t know that I’m alive. Maybe that gives us an advantage.”

Stiles huffs and shakes his head, looking at me before walking towards the door, “You’re not going anywhere near him and neither are you Scott– he’ll know you’re there. I just need to talk to him. Not fight him.”

“Stiles, you can’t go alone and besides we don’t even know how to find him” I argue and Stiles turns back to look at me “We don’t have to find him– he’ll come to me.”

***

Stiles is sitting on the stairs while I stand with my back against the wall to his left. I have my arms crossed over my front and I don’t even have to try to have tears gathered in my eyes to play my part **_the overwhelming feeling that we are going to lose Noah helps me look like the grieving sister_**

We have a line of mountain ash across the doorway and we look over when a shadow crosses the floor near our feet.

Theo stands in the open doorway of the front door, looking down to the ashline before looking up towards us.

Theo lifts his foot and crosses over the mountain ash line with ease, proving what Scott said about him being a chimera. He smirks and lifts his arm towards the line behind him “I guess we’re all telling the truth now.”

We don’t say anything and watch as Theo looks up towards the stairs, narrowing his eyes in the direction Scott is definitely hiding **_which Stiles predicted and throws one of Scott’s shirts at him_**

Theo catches it easily, looking down with an unreadable expression on his face as Stiles croaks out “Did you killed my best friend?”

I feel a tear roll down my cheek as Theo looks up from the shirt to counter “Let’s be honest, Stiles. Was he still really your best friend?”

“Are you going to let my father die?” Stiles gets back onto track and Theo almost scoffs “If I wanted him to die I wouldn’t have told you where you could find him.”

Theo tosses the shirt over to the side and Stiles stands up as he elaborates “Then why are they saying his body is shutting down? That some toxin’s poisoning him and they don’t know how to stop it.”

“I’m not the bad guy, Stiles. I’m just a realist. I’m a survivor. If you knew the things that I know…” Theo trails off and I don’t miss a beat to ask, genuinely curious “Yeah, but what do you know?”

“I know what’s coming. I know what the Dread Doctors created” he flicks his eyes towards me quickly before he continues “And I know what Parrish is– you two figured it out. I saw it in Lydia’s memories.”

My glare deepens and I resist the urge to punch him in his smirking face as I quip back angrily “Right after you drove her out of her mind.”

Theo narrows his eyes slightly before he nods his head to the side “Collateral damage– but if you two are right about Parrish, then things around here are gonna get a lot worse.”

“I don’t care.” Stiles quips back and Theo jerks his head back slightly “You should– because if your dad does survive he’s not gonna be Sheriff of anything much longer.”

“What’s happening to him?” Stiles asks desperately, however Theo ignores him and turns towards the door.

“Hey, tell me!” Stiles rushes forward and as soon as Stiles touches Theo’s shoulders, he turns around and slams his hands into Stiles’ chest.

He pushes him back forcefully and Stiles falls backwards, hitting his head on the stairs.

I push off the wall and hover over him, setting my hands on the sides of his face trying to assess the damage.

I suck in a quick breath ready to unleash a screaming match at Theo, however when I turn to look over my shoulder– he’s gone **_bastard_**

Scott looks out from the top of the stairs and nods when I look at him before he comes down the steps “he’s gone”

“Stiles” I try softly, setting my hands on his chest before Scott also mutters his name.

“Addy–” Scott tries but I shake my head “Not now Scott”

Scott hangs his head and I close my eyes, trying to find the strength to not be mad at him **_it’s pretty difficult if I’m being honest since it took him being killed by the guy to see he was wrong_**

Stiles groans and opens his eyes, fluttering his eyelids a few times before I try to help him up “Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine babe” he groans out and sets his hand in mine as I try to pull him up.

Scott holds his hand out to help him up as well but Stiles bats it away and I successfully get him into a standing position.

Scott moves to his other side and counters “You blacked out.”

Stiles shrugs it off “I’m okay. Did you get anything from him?”

“Nothing. He was calm the entire time.” Scott shakes his head and I cross my arms over my front as I question “What about his heart?”

Scott nods his head to the side “I heard it jump, but only once, and only for a second.”

Stiles looks between us, offering hesitantly “That doesn’t mean he was lying.”

“Not really. The rest of the time it was steady.”

Stiles lifts his hands out to his side, motioning with his words “When did it jump? What was I talking about?”

Scott takes a moment, filtering through the conversation before he looks up “It was when you said that your dad was poisoned.”

“That could be something– a jump could mean surprise, right?” Stiles asks hopefully and I nod along with Scott who mutters thoughtfully “Yeah, yeah, I think so.”

“So why would he be surprised that my dad’s still dying?” Stiles mutters just above a whisper and I chew on the side of my lip before I make a noise gaining his attention with my thought “Wait. He didn’t say that he was the one who attacked your dad, did he?”

Stiles thinks about it and shakes his head “No–”

“So, then this means it was probably someone else.” Scott ponders and I nod as I fill in “Another chimera.”

I walk out of the house, climbing into the front seat of Noah’s non police car as Stiles climbs in the driver’s side and locks the doors immediately.

Scott tries the door and finding it locked, walks up to the passenger window “Stiles?”

Not looking over, Stiles nods his head to the side “Yeah, we can do the rest ourselves.”

Scott moves his eyes between us as he stammers out “You guys don’t even know where to start– all we know that it’s another Chimera. Do you even know where you’re headed?”

Stiles looks to me before he starts the engine and looks out the windshield before Scott offers desperately “Come on– let me help. I can find the clues that you two can’t.”

Stiles puts the car into gear and begins to let his foot off the brake. The car moves forward a little, however Scott rushes up to the front. He sets his hand on the hood and causes Stiles to put his foot back on the brake.

Confident Stiles won’t run him over, Scott looks up and tries to reason again “You guys can’t do this alone, okay. You need me. You need all of us. I can get more help. I can text Liam.”

“Liam just tried to kill you.” Stiles counters back incredulously and Scott makes a face before he shrugs a shoulder “Okay, then at least let me help.”

“You believed him” Stiles states so brokenly I have to close my eyes from the pain that is lacing every syllable of that sentence. 

“You trusted him, too– Theo got to all of us.” Scott’s voice has my eyes flying open to argue back “The fuck we did, we knew he was bad news– you didn’t want to listen. You wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and we let you. Look where that got us Scott.”

Stiles takes his hand off the steering wheel to grab my hand, before he addresses the wolf blocking our path again, “You know, you don’t even know the real story.”

“I don’t need to.” Scott clarifies and I roll my eyes before he continues “All that matters right now is your dad.”

I turn my head to share a look with Stiles as I squeeze his hand but otherwise at a loss to whether or not we should accept his help or not.

Scott must sense that because he continues “Come on, guys. We survived an Alpha pack, a dark Druid, professional assassins. We can survive Dread Doctors and Chimeras, too.”

Stiles flicks his eyes up to connect with mine and I lift one side of my mouth knowing Scott’s unfortunately right before I gasp softly “Wait– we’re not looking for a missing Chimera–”

Stiles widens his eyes and finishes my thought “We’re looking for a missing teenager.”

Scott stands up from his lean on the car when he hears our statement, while Stiles and I climb out of the car to head upstairs.

We get to work and put together an impromptu crime board in my room. After a few minutes of his search, Stiles makes a noise and walks over showing me his phone “There was a call a few hours ago about a sophomore from Beacon High who never came home last night.”

“What’s his name?” Scott asks and I look over the list of possible already medical DNA chimeras that Mr. S put together for his deputies to question as Stiles answers “Noah Patrick.”

I nod and point towards Noah’s name on the list, looking over my shoulder at Stiles who nods when he connects his gaze with mine.

Figuring we need to catch this kid’s scent somehow, we get to the school after figuring out what locker was Noah’s.

Scott breaks the lock, successfully finding a sweater and stating “Now we can catch his scent.”

Scott turns and throws the jacket out to his side which Malia catches with ease. I smile at her, not even knowing she was there before I walk over and hug her.

Pulling back from her, I look over to Scott “You called her?”

Scott shrugs “We need all the help that we can get. I should be calling everyone.”

Malia takes one hand off the jacket, lifting it out to her side as she elaborates “Plus I know what this kid looks like.”

***

We follow his scent out towards the water treatment plant and head down some stairs into a train tunnel lined with tracks and gravel.

Stiles and I search around near the stairs while Scott and Malia walk out a little ways in front of us.

Malia walks away and disappears into a walkway under the cement wall. We all share a look before Stiles and I quicken our steps down the tunnel. We follow behind Scott after Malia and come to a stop in an alcove that has a slight breeze coming through.

We look over to Malia as she smiles triumphantly “I got it– I got his scent”

We head down one of the hallways until we’re no longer in the train track part. Now we’re in more of a pipe industrial looking hallway.

Malia finds some blood on a pipe and turns back towards us after rubbing it over her finger and sniffing through the scent “This is Noah’s– he was here. I think he’s close.”

Scott turns around in a circle, furrowing his brows in thought “Guys… I think we’ve been down tunnels like this before, like when we were trying to find Liam and Hayden.”

“Okay, so what?” Stiles huffs out, his aggravation for how long this is taking growing by the second. 

I shrug and look around us “Maybe, it means we’re closer than we think.”

Scott nods and points towards me as he elaborates “Maybe there’s something else down here. Something that we haven’t found yet.”

“Yeah, nothing that helps my dad. Look, we can’t just be standing around here waiting for something to…” Stiles words are cut off as a blurry flash of someone smashes into him and he crashes into the wall behind us.

He hits his head for the second time today and I move quickly over to the wall and crouch down beside him. I set my hands on his shoulders as I try to wake him up “Stiles”

Less than a minute later he gasps awake and looks between us as Scott kneels on his other side “You okay?”

Stiles nods and lets us both help him to stand up this time as he nods “Yeah, fine.”

Malia growls and pins Noah down to the ground behind us, earning us to turn around to face them as he frantically pants out “Let me go, please, please– they’re coming.”

We all share a look, my eyes widening when we hear the ever recognizable clicking cackling noise that belongs to the dread doctors coming from down one of the hallways.

Malia lets Noah up and he instantly starts to run away, however Stiles quickens his steps to stop him.

He grabs Noah and slams his back against the wall, throwing one of his arms across his chest as he threatens “You’re not going anywhere.”

Noah moves his scared eyes around as he urges “I said I don’t remember.”

“You don’t remember anything?” I ask incredulously as I walk up to the side of the pair and Noah stresses out frantically “No, not when it happens– not when I change.”

“You clawed my dad half to death, okay, and now it’s poisoning him. You’re gonna start remembering every detail _right_ now.” Stiles declares through clenched teeth.

“Scott, I hear them.” Malia states, worry lacing her words before we hear Scott “Yeah, I do, too.”

We look over towards him, seeing him nod at us “Guys, hurry and get him out of here. Go to the hospital– figure out a way to save your dad.”

Stiles looks over his shoulder with Scott’s words and he nods again. I nod my head to the side before I set my hands on Stiles’ arms and he grabs Noah as we turn and run down the hallway again.

We hear gunshots behind us as we round another corner and Stiles’ hands instantly grip onto a metal gate that is blocking our path. 

He shakes it angrily, grabbing the locked in place chain muttering “Fucking seriously” before Noah slides the sleeves of his shirt up. 

We look over to him when he states through a couple of deep breaths “Step back. I think I can break through it. It’s just sometimes, _most_ of the time, I lose control– so you better step back.”

Stiles and I share a look, nodding in our agreement before Stiles mutters an “Okay” and sets his hands on my upper arms. He pushes me back around the corner behind us and quickly puts himself in front of me. I set my hands on his arm as I look around his side **_curiosity and all that_**

Noah groans and starts to breathe heavily as we watch spiked pieces of bones break through his skin, protruding out of each of his arms and the back of his hands.

He pants out deeply, trying to control his breathing as he lifts his arm up and slashes his hand forward. He breaks the chain and lock easily before he sets his hands on the gate and pushes it open.

I widen my eyes seeing one of the bone spikes that’s protruding out of his hand is broken with blood covering it. 

I increase my hold on Stiles’ arm and he nods when he looks over his shoulder at me, letting me know he’s seeing the same thing **_a piece of bone is still in our Noah and is more than likely poisoning him from the bone marrow_**

Chimera Noah turns around quickly, causing me to jerk back before I realize he’s in control and pants out “Let’s go” before he rushes through the now open gate.

***

We called mom on our way to the hospital and told her about the broken bone that is still inside Noah’s abdomen somewhere. She said she was on it and I text Scott to let him know we’re headed there. 

He responds that him and Malia were able to escape the doctor’s with the help of Chris, whom he also called for back up today **_we haven’t seen Chris since he left with the Calaveras to hunt down Kate, so I’m looking forward to knowing what happened with that_**

It’s a little over an hour after we got to the hospital that mom walks out in her scrubs to let us know they got the piece of bone out of Noah and he’s in recovery. This time Stiles doesn’t have to wait in the waiting room and she gets him settled in Noah’s room so he can sleep as well.

I offer him a smile and walk up to him, hugging him tightly once mom leaves the room.

Stiles increases his hold around my waist when I pull back and open my mouth to tell him to get some sleep– he however makes a noise to interrupt me and talks first “Please stay with me?”

Lifting the corners of my mouth, I nod “Of course I will– you don’t want alone time with him when he wakes up though?”

Stiles licks his lips quickly and leans his head down to rest his forehead against mine, whispering “Adds, I want you here with me always.”


	72. Damnatio Memoriae

“Addy” Scott’s whisper of my name has me inhaling quickly as I jerk awake in the chair I fell asleep in.

He raises his hands up and kneels in front of me “hey it’s okay– it’s just me” he continues to whisper and I look around the hospital room seeing both Noah and Stiles asleep still.

I clear my throat softly and sit up in the seat more, turning my head from side to side to stretch out my neck **_such a bad idea to sleep sideways in the chair_**

Scott looks hesitant as he shifts back and forth on his crouched feet “Parrish called me, something happened to a communication company tech last night– said he needs to show me something, so I was going to go and meet him–” he trails off, licking his lips as he looks behind him.

I raise my brows when he looks back towards me, silently asking him to continue which he does after a little throat clear “I uh– I wanted to know– did you want– could you come with me?”

I scrunch my mouth to the side, weighing my options **_and letting him sweat a little_ **before I nod and swing my legs over to stand up “Sure– could you take me home after so I can shower and change?”

He stands up with me and nods before I slip my feet into my shoes and grab my phone from the charger. I tell him to wait a second as I grab some paper and leave a note for Stiles that I went with Scott.

About twenty minutes later Scott and I meet Jordan at the crime scene at the Telecom communication towers station. He walks over towards us as soon as we close the doors to the car and clears his throat “Did you hear what Ms. Martin did?”

I make a face as I shake my head in the negative towards him and he lets out a deep breath **_clearly not liking that he has to tell me_**

Setting his hands on his hips he reluctantly digresses “Lydia’s in Eichen House”

“No” I gasp, tears instantly cloud my vision and a million thoughts run through my head, **_plans on how to get her out of there specifically_**

Scott and Jordan share a few words, however I hear none of it as I set my hands on the sides of my head, my eyes closing and the tears that had gathered fall down my cheeks. 

Scott sets his hands on my forearms and pulls my attention to him “Addy– we’re going to get her out of there, okay don’t worry.”

I lick my lips quickly, removing my arms from his grasp as I reach up and wipe my eyes with the sleeves of my sweater. I set my hands on my hips and look between them “Hell yeah we are”

Jordan smiles softly in his agreement before he gets back to the task at hand and pulls out his phone, turning it sideways to show us a video clip.

Jordan hands over the phone to Scott and informs “This is from the relay station’s security camera.”

We watch the video from last night as a black blurry figure runs on all fours out of the station, widening my eyes as Scott and I mutter “That looked big.”

Jordan nods as he continues “And too fast for anyone to get a good look at it– but you guys already know what it is, don’t you?”

I nod and look between them before I look over my shoulder at the entrance of the station that is taped off with caution tape and answer him “The last Chimera.”

We walk under the tape across the doors and head inside before turning to our left and walking down the stairs of the station.

It’s dark and smells like chemicals with a mix of death and blood. There’s sparks flying from some wires in the ceiling across the way from us as we take in the crime scene markers near a decent amount of blood.

Scott crouches down next to the number one crime marker and looks back over his shoulder at us, addressing Jordan “You still got a black light?”

Jordan looks to me before he nods and grabs the light from his pocket, clicking it on as he hands it over to Scott.

I crouch down beside him as he shines the black light over the ground near the blood and we see the fading black smoke.

I nod my head to the side and look around us as I reluctantly digress “Mercury means Chimera.”

Scott looks over to me, smiling slightly with his nod before we stand up and he clicks off the light, handing it back to Jordan.

We walk further down into the space as Jordan inquires thoughtfully “But what was it doing here– why come here and kill some random communications tech?”

“Maybe it just likes to kill” I offer with a shrug as Scott turns towards us and elaborates with his own nod “Maybe that’s what it does.”

“That’s terrifying” Jordan grumbles, earning me to nod with his words and cross my arms over my chest.

Scott furrows his brows and turns more towards him “Jordan, how many bodies do you actually see when you dream about the Nemeton?”

Jordan looks down at an equipment tower that’s been knocked over with blood smears on it before he looks over to us and digresses “Everyone.”

***

The ride back to our house is silent, I can tell Scott wants to say something from the way he’s shifting in his seat and looking over at me– however I stay closed off from inviting him to say something and look out the window.

It’s not long before he’s pulling the car into the driveway and I’m climbing out of the car, heading for the door before walking upstairs.

I grab a change of clothes and head into the bathroom, locking both the doors before turning on the water.

While I wait for the water to warm up, I lean my hands on the counter and close my eyes as I hang my head between my shoulders **_can’t stay mad at him forever– I just need a little bit more time_**

Once I’ve showered the past two nights in the hospital off of me, I get dressed into a loose white tank with a design across the top and a comfy pair of distressed jeans before I towel dry my hair and walk into my room.

I stop my steps at seeing Scott adding things to the crime board we made the other day with Stiles. He turns around to face me and has a hesitant look on his face. He offers a little smile and turns more, however his arm is being pulled back by a lone red string.

Scott looks down to the string attached to his jacket sleeve and pulls on it– effectively causing a domino effect and pulling down a lot of the things he just added to the board.

Scott closes his eyes with a groan at hearing all the pins and papers clatter to the ground.

I bring my lips in between my teeth, trying not to laugh however I can’t help it and chuckle lightly.

Scott releases a sigh and looks around at the mess “You can laugh– I shouldn’t have added things, this isn’t my area of expertise.”

I scrunch my nose up in a grimace as I move my humor filled eyes between him and the board before I walk over to my closet to grab my grey sweater to complete my outfit.

I shrug at him before putting the sweater on and setting my hands on my hips “Well it may not be your area of expertise, however I uh– I appreciate the help.”

A look flashes over Scott’s face before he softens his eyes “Addy, I know ‘sorry’ won’t cut it– so I’m not going to even say it. What I did was shitty–”

“It was fucked up, but sure we can go with shitty” I interrupt with a raise of my brows, daring him to argue with my change of words.

Scott still has his mouth open from whatever he was previously about to say and he snaps it shut. 

Nodding with my words, Scott raises his hands out to his sides as he continues “It was fucked up and I will hate myself for a long time for putting you both through that.”

I cross my arms over my chest, drawing my brows in as I address his statement “This isn’t about what you said to me Scott… Stiles– he _needed_ you. He needed you to believe him more than anyone else. He has worried himself sick over what you would say and believe– over the fact that he _knew_ he was going to lose you. Then you were standing in front of him judge, jury, and executioner and you didn’t even have the whole story, only a weapon– that wasn’t even the weapon used by the way– and that was it. You didn’t give him the respect he deserved as your best friend for _years_ to even ask him to tell his side of what happened. You didn’t just kick him when he was down– you pummeled him.”

Scott closes his eyes as he digests my words, opening them as he tries to defend “Theo made it seem so believable–”

I interrupt with a groan before shouting back “I don’t care Scott! You knew Theo for five seconds and were on his side immediately. You never once listened to an argument that something was off with him, that we didn’t like him or the way he was always just showing up places to save the day–”

Scott shakes his head to counter back “You guys didn’t have any proof to discredit his actions either–”

“You should have just trusted us Scott! You should have trusted me, if no one else– _me_!” I hastily wipe the few tears that managed to fall with my broken statement before I cross them over my chest again.

Scott opens and closes his mouth a few times before he croaks out “I know– I know I– I should have and I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

“I’m sorry it took him literally killing you for you to see you were wrong” I mutter, bouncing my knee a few times before Scott nods his head to the side “I know I deserved that, I just– I need to know that we’re going to be okay, that we’re going to get past this because–”

I move my teary eyes to look out my window, not finding the words to answer him at the moment before he continues a little quieter from my action “Addy, I promise I’m going to make this right”

Scrunching my nose up to fight back the tears, I look down to my feet and offer him a nod with his statement **_because as broken as we are, I do truly want to believe that he will_**

I watch as his shoes come into view in front of my feet and I lift my head up to connect my eyes with his as soon as I feel him set his hands on my upper arms.

He removes one hand and lifts his pinky out in between us “I seal it with a pinky promise”

Swallowing hard, I flick my eyes between his puppy dog face and his pinky a few times **_knowing this is only the third time in our lives he’s brought out his pinky promise offer_**

I let out a little breath, knowing how serious he is to offer this, and smirk at him as I uncross my arms and wrap my pinky around his.

***

_Stiles POV_

Opening my eyes, I sit up quickly from my forward lean against the bed. I look around the room and see that both my dad and Addy are gone before I stand up and stretch my arms up.

My eyes land on a note written in Addy’s handwriting and I reach forward, picking it up and reading it over

‘Went with Scott to meet Jordan. Even though we’re going to a crime scene, you looked too peaceful to wake. Fill you in when I get back, let me know what you want to eat for lunch. Love you’

I smile to myself with her words before folding up and putting her note in my pocket.

Now to figure out where dad is.

I walk out of his room and go with my gut of where he would be based on the events of last night and the missing teenagers bodies that were recovered from the Nemeton.

I get into the elevator and press the button for the bottom floor to head towards the morgue.

Walking up to the door, I look inside through the little window on the door and see dad standing in front of the wall of lockers for the slide out gurneys that hold the bodies.

I push open the door slightly, however I stay on this side of the door. Dad looks up from Donovan’s body and connects his eyes with mine, nodding ever so slightly for me to come over to him.

I lick my lips quickly and slowly walk inside the room with him, coming to a stop on the other side of the drawer with Donovan’s body laying between us.

“The story Theo told me about the library. That’s how it happened– except it didn’t happen to him.” Dad asks and even though I know he knows he’s correct I take a moment, shifting on my feet before I nod “Yeah.”

“Stiles, I can’t protect you if I don’t know the truth. Did you really feel like you couldn’t tell me?”

“I couldn’t really tell anyone– Addy only knows because she knew something happened and when she asked me I just– I couldn’t lie to her”

Dad nods thoughtfully, a slight smile gracing his lips “I’m glad you let her be there for you through this– I just, did you think that I wouldn’t believe that it was self defense?”

I shrug when he looks up to me again, “What if it wasn’t? What if I told you I wanted him dead?”

Dad doesn’t waste a second to answer back “I’d believe you. I also believe that _wanting_ someone dead and _murdering_ them are two _very_ different things.”

“Yeah, but what if the judge didn’t think so?”

“Then to hell with the judge. Stiles, it was _self defense_ , and I would _destroy_ every _shred_ of evidence to protect you if I had to. I would _burn_ the whole sheriff’s station to the ground.”

Tears gather in my eyes, quicker than I’d like to admit when he admits those words to me. Everything I needed him to say and more than I could have ever hoped for since we’re talking about what we’re talking about.

Dad moves around to the front of the pull out table and I help him push the table back into the morgue locker.

Instantly I wish I would have told him sooner and I scratch the side of my jaw to distract from that regret to elaborate on his words “What about upholding the law? What about Kira?”

“Kira was a mistake. I guess I’m learning how to bend.” He confesses and I nod with his words, taking a moment before I switch gears to get advice “So, what, it just goes away?”

Dad shakes his head, his brow twitching before he digresses “Not for you. The problem now is how to bear this burden. This kind of thing is not at all uncommon in law enforcement. A fatal mistake. A partner who dies– or one who gets paralyzed. Stiles, you carry that with you. Sometimes it doesn’t truly feel okay again until there’s a kind of counterbalance.”

Furrowing my brows, I come up empty on what a counterbalance would be and I shake my head with my words “Like what?”

“Like instead of taking a life, you manage to save one. Something like that can help, but maybe only for a moment. But the real conflict you’re having now is between your head and your heart. Your head– your head _knows_ that the only crime you committed was surviving. But your heart? Your heart still thinks it was murder. So I guess you, uh… you gotta get your heart to catch up to your head.”

I feel the wetness on my cheek from the tear I couldn’t hold back any longer. Reaching up to wipe it away, my voice cracks with my confession “I feel like it’s more than guilt though, you know, I feel like… I feel like I lost something. You know, I fe– I feel like I can’t get it back.”

A knowing look flashes across his face before he answers honestly “You won’t. Not entirely. But you get a little bit by forgiving yourself.”

I let out a huff of frustration, knowing that’s not possible right now and shake my head as I look to the ground.

Dad doesn’t waste a second before he continues knowingly “And since that’s not always the easiest thing in the world to do, then maybe you start by forgiving someone else. Someone who probably really needs it.”

I run my tongue along the back of my teeth as I nod and mutter “Someone like Scott.”

Dad pulls me into him and hugs me tightly, which I return as I try to convey all my gratitude to him through the tight embrace.

***

_Addy POV_

I walk into Noah’s hospital room and right up to the side of his bed, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

He smiles when I pull back and he nods towards my hand “hey kid– whatcha got there?”

“Mom approved smoothie that doesn’t taste like chalk” I offer with my best impression of a Price is Right model hand flourish and Noah chuckles as he takes it from my hand. 

Taking a drink he nods and releases a breath of gratitude with his words “Son you are dating an actual earth walking angel.”

Stiles makes a noise and I look over to him in the chair on the other side of the bed. He smiles and nods before going back to the computer in his lap, not missing a beat with his answer “I’m fully aware, pops”

Noah shares a smile with me and takes a drink of his smoothie again before he looks over to his son as well. He immediately draws his brows inwards, complete confusion overcoming his features as he tries to turn his body towards him with his question “Is that my laptop?”

“Yep.” Stiles answers, earning me to shake my head as I drop my bag on the table and walk over to him.

“Do you have my password?” Noah questions as I sit on the arm of the chair Stiles is sitting in.

“I have all your passwords– you know they just brought in another body from last night?” Stiles absentmindedly asks as I lean my forearm on his shoulder to get a glimpse at what he’s looking at.

Noah huffs and I flick my eyes over to him as he answers and reaches over towards us “Yeah, I was hoping you wouldn’t find out. Now give me my damn computer.”

Stiles angles his body further away from his dad’s outstretched arms and waves him off “Hang on, hang on– I think there’s some footage missing. Or something missing in the footage.”

“I think there’s something missing in your head.” Noah deadpans and I snicker into my shoulder, clearing my face of any humor when Stiles flicks his eyes up to me and answers his dad “You need your rest.”

I raise my hands in surrender and Stiles leans over to kiss my cheek “Hey babe”

Handing him his smoothie, I smile and nod towards the computer screen footage he’s skimming through “Hey sweet cheeks– that definitely looks different than the footage Jordan showed Scott and I. Something big and terrifying runs out before Clark does.”

Smiling brightly, Stiles takes a drink and lifts his cup into the air as he states proudly “Ah, my brilliant Watson is at it again folks”

Noah and I chuckle with his words before Stiles goes back to typing on the computer and we watch all the video footage he can find of the Telecom station’s security cameras.

***

Stiles and I get to the house and walk up stairs, finding Scott in our bathroom as he cleans the wound in the middle of his chest from Theo **_that’s still not healed_**

Scott looks over to us as Stiles rubs his hands together in front of himself nervously “Hey”

Scott nods and looks down to his chest, replacing the bandage as he replies back “hey”

Stiles clears his throat and offers with a point to the bandage “Still not healing?”

“Sometimes it just takes a little longer– what are you guys doing here?” Scott mutters thoughtfully and reaches over to grab his shirt off the counter.

Stiles shares a look with me that I offer a supportive smile in response to before he looks back towards Scott “Ah, well the guy who got killed out at the communication towers last night? I think I may have figured something out.”

Scott raises his brows as Stiles digs in his pocket for his phone “Wha– you want my help?”

Stiles brings his eyes up to connect with his as he hesitantly answers “Yeah, well you said you– can find the clues that we can’t.”

I smirk at the two of them as Scott looks happy with the step we’re all making and Stiles turns the phone towards Scott to show him what we found “Here, take a look. This is when the technician first arrived. You see him going in– then Deputy Clark goes in. Then something really big and really fast comes charging out– and now comes Clark. Eventually, technician’s body is carried out by paramedics.” Stiles finishes as he shoves his phone back into his pocket.

Scott looks between us as he shakes his head “Okay, what am I missing?”

I make a face before I move my hands around with my words “Two people go in– three come out.”

Stiles nods and elaborates “Right and I mean we checked all the footage. Not a _single_ person enters that building before the technician the entire day. So where does that something really big and really fast come from?”

Scott takes a moment before he answers through his shock at the realization “There’s another way in.” **_that’s a bingo_**

***

We get to the Telecom communication towers station, heading inside and down the stairs like we did earlier with Jordan. 

We shine our lights around and walk up to where there is an equipment tower laying on the ground. Stiles stops our steps with his question “You guys see that?”

We look over to where the light he’s shining is pointing and Scott answers “I see blood.”

Stiles lifts the light higher and points it closer to the wall above the blood and we see a grate peeking out from behind the piece of equipment “Look where it leads to.”

Scott shares a look with us before he rushes over to the side of the knocked over tower and braces his hands on the sides.

He tries to lift it up however it barely budges and squeaks against the floor instead. 

Trying again, Scott scrunches his face up with the amount of effort he’s putting in to lift this thing **_where is his wolf strength?_**

Coming up short again the massive piece of equipment slams onto the ground from the couple of inches Scott was able to lift it.

Stiles and I share a look before we shove our flashlights in our back pockets and walk over to brace the other side with Scott who looks over towards us.

We offer him nods before we do a little 3, 2, 1 countdown and between the three of us lift the ridiculously heavy fucking tower out of the way.

I grab my flashlight from my pocket and shine it down into the grate in the floor that has a massive hole like something barreled through it.

We climb down the ladder that leads into a dark tunnel that’s below the Telecom building. Following the pipes that line the walls, Stiles shoves his flashlight into his pocket and instead brings out the black light. Clicking it on he shines it across the ground and we all share a look when we see more mercury on the ground.

We follow the path of the mercury until it stops near a circle tunnel, below the tunnel opening on the ground we see two words written in the mercury

_Damnatio Memoriae_

“What is that?” Scott questions before I answer thoughtfully “It’s Latin”

Scott looks to me before he digs in his pocket for his phone, lifting it out in front of him “Hold up that light. I’m gonna get a picture of it.”

I hear a swipe behind me before feeling Stiles move away from my side. I turn and widen my eyes slightly seeing Stiles grip behind his neck and Scott mutters on my other side “Stiles, hold the light still.”

Stiles falls to the ground and Tracy _**who was very much dead last I knew**_ is left standing in front of me.

She’s got her fangs out and she’s holding out her claws in front of her as she snarls loudly and looks towards Scott and I.

I feel Scott grab me and push me to the side as he stops her swipe towards me. I rush over to Stiles and kneel on the ground putting my back against the wall to our side. I set my hands on his shoulders and look up as we watch Scott dodge Tracy’s defensive swipe of her claws.

Stiles sees what I see and warns quickly “Scott, behind you!”

A very not dead Josh runs down the hall towards Scott, his electricity flying off of him. Tracy swings towards Scott again, however he stops her by grabbing her wrist and shoving her claws right into Josh’s chest.

Scott twists her wrist, earning Josh to scream before his electricity zaps Tracy causing her to fly backwards. 

Josh crumbles to the ground on the other side of Stiles who quips sarcastically “Sucks, doesn’t it?” when Josh lands next to him, and I can’t help the soft snort and chuckle that follows.

Scott turns defensively in a circle around us before he stops and snarls, growling towards some pipes across from us.

As soon as he growls loudly, I shit you not Corey **_the third back from the dead chimera_** appears out of no where like he just threw off his invisibility cloak to join the party **_what the actual fuck is going on_**

Scott shifts back and forth on his feet ready for another fight, however Corey looks terrified and like he’d rather be doing literally anything else than take on Scott.

“Okay!” We hear a shout from behind us and Theo comes into our view “Maybe they’re not ready to take on an Alpha– especially one that can smell fear” He throws the last bit towards Corey who throws an arm towards Scott as he justifies “He’s got fangs”

Scott incredulously looks around us as he questions the psycho-wolf “What did you do?”

Tracy and Corey walk over to us and each grab one of Josh’s arms, pulling him away from us as Theo answers Scott “I found some new friends. I don’t take rejection well.”

Theo walks out from the tunnel above the words we had found and Stiles breathes out angrily as he looks above him “Hey, Theo”

“Stiles… Addy– you guys have been busy I see”

I glare at him before he moves his smirking face towards the ground by his feet. The black light Stiles previously held is unfortunately shining on the mercury words right in front of Theo’s feet.

Stomping his foot onto the ground, Theo successfully breaks up the concrete and the latin phrase. 

Theo walks past us and Scott as he comes to a stop near the other three and continues to spew his bullshit “You’re going to leave here thinking that you need to worry about me– but you’re wrong. We’re actually back on the same side. Because that thing…” 

He points up towards the ceiling, earning us all to follow with our eyes before he continues “That’s what we need to worry about. Your pack and mine. We’re gonna go back to school and pretend like we’re normal teenagers, but at night, we’re going to be fighting for our lives.”

“What is it?” Stiles ponders quickly before Theo quips back “It’s not a Chimera.”

“But it’s just a kid underneath” I argue and Scott looks back to me as he elaborates towards Theo “Exactly– someone like us.”

Theo looks between the three of us before he shakes his head “Not anymore”

The nightmare chimeras share a look before they turn and leave us alone with our paralyzed Stiles.

Scott and I each grab one of his upper arms and get him into a sitting position against the wall behind him.

Scott huffs and points towards the ground that Theo broke apart “He knew what it meant and I can’t remember the words.”

“Damnatio Memoriae” Stiles fills in from his memory and I smile at him while Scott looks surprised.

I sit next to Stiles with my back against the wall as well as I continue “It means the condemnation of memory.”

Stiles breathes out thoughtfully as he looks over towards me “I think it also means that whatever the Dread Doctors created, whatever this last Chimera really is, it’s not something new. It’s something old– really old.”

“So they didn’t create a new creature.” Scott ponders and I shake my head as I reach over and link my hand with Stiles’ paralyzed one as I digress “They resurrected one.”

Scott looks between us and I lift the corners of my mouth, smiling softly at him as I lean forward and draw a little circle into the dirt between us with two of my fingers.

Scott raises his brows in surprise, yet gratitude I started the symbol for our pack as he connects his eyes with mine.

I shrug and clear my throat “We need help. If Theo’s got his own pack now then we need ours.”

Scott sets his hand on my shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze as he finishes my statement “We have to get the others back.”

Stiles makes a noise on my other side, earning us to look at him as he grumbles “The others? You mean Kira who’s currently battling a homicidal fox spirit inside of her, Malia who isn’t even speaking to any of us all of a sudden, Lydia who’s stuck in Eichen House, and Liam who almost killed you?”

“Also known as our best friends” I squeeze his hand and surprisingly receive a squeeze back as he nods and softens his face towards me “Okay, how?”

“One by one.” Scott states and sends a knowing look between the circle I made and Stiles– who raises a brow as he grumbles back “You’re not seriously going to make me do it?”

I smile brightly at him **_because that’s exactly what he needs to do_** while Scott smirks towards him as he states thoughtfully “You’re part of the pack, right?”

“Okay” Stiles’ brow twitches as he fights off his smile and squeezes my hand before he lets go and drags two of his fingers into the dirt, making a bigger circle around mine.

Scott and I smile towards him once he’s done and Stiles shakes his head at us, grumbling under his breath “Fucking McCall twins”

We chuckle as we stand up and grab onto his arms, hoisting him up and helping him walk with us.

“We need to find Kira” Scott states while I nod with my additional thought “and convince our dear aunt to _uncheck_ Lydia out of Eichen”

Stiles makes a noise of agreement as we walk towards the ladder, stating as an afterthought “I still hate that tattoo.”

Scott doesn’t miss a beat as he quips back through a laugh “I know.”


	73. Codominance

Stiles was able to get Roscoe back and he is currently working away **_with proper tools if you could imagine it_** all while telling me how my plan for changing our _original_ plan sucks in his eyes

“Adds– I get you want to get Lydia out of there, okay I do and I want her out of there as well but I really don’t feel comfortable with you going in there alone to convince her mom to release her”

“Sty–” I attempt to continue reasoning with him, however he interrupts quickly by making a little noise as he lifts his hand out of the hood of the jeep.

Turning so he’s facing me more with his arm on the frame of the hood, he raises his hands in surrender “And this isn’t me being an asshat who is trying to limit what you can and can’t do. I know you are plenty capable for being a badass and going into that nut house and telling your dear Aunt _bad decisions_ Natalie that she needs to correct this colossal mistake. However after what I went through not only by myself but also watching you almost die in there– I feel like my point is valid that you shouldn’t be going in there alone.”

I smirk at him and walk closer to him, earning him to push off his lean and stand in front of me. He reaches out and grabs my hands as he finishes his argument with a little pout “Plus road trip with a massive elephant in the backseat will literally be no fun if you aren’t there to take away my suffering.”

I snort and squeeze his hands softly “You just need to talk to him, clear the air– preferably with me not there. You guys need to hash this out and kick that elephant out on the Mexican border. Plus it makes more sense to kill two birds– you guys go get Kira while I get Lyds out of there. It’s been two days who knows what has already happened to her.”

I feel a lump in my throat and I swallow hard as I look down to my feet. Taking a deep breath, I look up and plead with my eyes as I continue just barely above a whisper “She’s in there because of me”

Stiles moves and makes a noise of protest however I shake my head quickly and stop him with my words “She is– she stopped Theo by pushing me out of the way. I would have been in the same state she is in if she hadn’t taken my place. I cannot lose another one of my best friends because I didn’t do something. She needs me Sty and I’m getting her out of there”

Stiles huffs loudly, flitting his worried eyes between mine a few times before he closes his eyes and leans forward to rest his forehead against mine.

I feel him rub his thumbs against the backs of my hands with his last ditch effort “if anything happens to you in there–”

“Nothing will” I urge softly and Stiles opens his eyes however doesn’t move his head off of mine “Okay but if something does–”

“ _If_ something does then I know you will raise hell to make it right”

Stiles lets go of our hands, setting his on the sides of my face tenderly as he asserts with a nod “Damn straight I would” Stiles quips without a second thought.

Smiling with his words I set my hands on his wrists and slowly move my thumbs against his skin **_trying to think of something else to say to convince him I’ll be okay_**

Liam walks out of the side door from the kitchen, clearing his throat hesitantly when we look over to him.

Stiles drops his hands from my face as I gasp softly, sharing a look with him before we turn to face Liam with my question “Where have you been?”

Walking closer until he’s standing in front of us, Liam opens and closes his mouth a few times before he shakes his head “I didn’t think you guys would want to see me– and I– I didn’t know what to say to you.”

Stiles lifts one side of his mouth in a small smile when I look over to him. I reach out and set my hand on Liam’s forearm “Bub, we don’t blame you for what happened” I stress as convincingly as I can, earning him to shake his head as he moves his eyes between Stiles and I “How could you not? I almost killed him, I made it so he was weak enough that Theo actually–”

“Theo. This was _all_ Theo.” I interrupt quickly with a shake of my head and reassuring squeeze of his arm.

Liam draws his brows inwards, hesitant to believe me before I continue “He used your emotions that were already on high alert from the Super Moon and for what was happening to Hayden. He took advantage of your anger and set you on a path you couldn’t snap out of on your own. He made Scott vulnerable, he did _everything_ in his power to make sure this was going to happen the way that it did.”

I shrug and add on a little lighter tone “Now– is it not particularly ideal that you were a pawn and did fight Scott, injuring him pretty badly? Yes, completely not ideal– however it’s not _unfixable_.”

Liam shakes his head a few times before he drops his eyes to the ground by our feet “he seems pretty mad, but it’s like a silent mad– which is worse and I don’t know what to do to fix it.”

I make a noise and set my hands on his shoulders, waiting until he looks up and connects his eyes with mine before I offer thoughtfully “I think we all just need a little time to recover from the train wreck that was Theo Raeken.”

Liam huffs with my words, looking towards the house and me a few times before he nods his head “be safe in Mexico, see you guys when you get back.”

Not really wanting to get into the debate again, I smile warmly at him and hug him quickly “You stay safe too”

Liam leaves and not long after Scott walks out, coming to a stop next to Stiles beside the hood of Roscoe.

Stiles looks up at him, nodding towards the empty driveway “So, what did he want?”

Scott shrugs as he answers quickly “To help.”

I set my hands on the opposite side of the hood from him as I implore towards him “You gonna let him?”

Scott takes a moment, lifting one of his hands off of Roscoe to nod “Eventually, I guess.”

Stiles makes a noise gaining our eyes as he moves his between us on either side of him “Okay, but shouldn’t he be a little _higher_ on your priority list right now? I mean, since he’s the only other _actual_ werewolf, your only actual Beta.”

“You didn’t see the way that he came at me– you didn’t see the look in his eyes” Scott argues and Stiles is quick to counter “Well, we’ve been with you on a full moon, so definitely have seen _that_ look.”

I make a noise and push off of the hood to stand closer to Stiles, “Plus it was his first Super Moon slash mind fuck from Theo as his girlfriend was dying and you wouldn’t give her the bite– think he deserves a one time free pass on this one, or at least a _quick_ silent treatment.”

Scott ponders that for a second before I shrug and elaborate further “Quick as in the length of this road trip to save _your_ girlfriend”

Stiles snorts before he addresses him again “You want to get the band back together, Scott, you don’t leave out the drummer.”

I smirk with his analogy before Stiles looks over to me and nods towards the front seat “All right, can you give it a try babe?”

Nodding, I turn on my heels and climb into the front seat, grasping the key in the ignition and turning it.

The engine makes a noise before it turns over properly and Stiles widens his eyes, moving them from me to the engine that is running away smoothly “Success! Yes!”

I chuckle with his excitement as they close the hood and Stiles walks over to me still sitting in his seat with my legs dangling out the side of the open door.

He walks in between my legs and sets his hands on my waist while I slide my hands up his chest and clasp them together behind his head “Very impressed my handy mechanic”

Stiles scoffs and increases his grip on my sides “Couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Oh I know, how ever would you have worked on the engine without the light I hung and the turning of the key I did” I ask sweetly, earning Stiles to smile brightly before he tries to clear his face from humor “Exactly what I’m saying– lost I tell ya, I’d have been _completely_ lost, I can’t hang a light for shit”

Chuckling with his theatrics I pull him closer to me, muttering “Fuck, I love you” before connecting our lips softly. Stiles wraps his arms behind me, pulling me closer to him as he breathes in deeply and moves his warm, soft lips with mine effortlessly.

He pulls away, kissing my nose before he clears his throat “I love you right back beautiful– you sure you won’t be persuaded to come with us?”

Combing my fingers through the back of his hair, I snort and tilt my head towards the backseat “I’m supposed to sit where exactly with all those bottles of antifreeze taking up the whole backseat?”

Scott climbs in the passenger seat and continues “Better question, why the fuck are there that many bottles of antifreeze?”

Stiles rolls his eyes and flicks his eyes between us “If you must ask McCall twins, it’s a minor leak– okay _very_ minor.”

I move my lips between my teeth, hiding my smile from how defensive he gets. Stiles flicks his eyes back to me and fights off his smile “Fine, stay here and work your magic on your aunt– I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too” I stress and mold myself against his chest, squeezing in one last hug before they’re off.

Stiles helps me climb down from the seat and he takes my place, smiling at me as I close the door and push up on my toes to lean into the window and steal another kiss.

He chuckles when I pull back and I offer one last wave before I head inside to go back to bed for a few hours until I head to Eichen.

***

Arriving at Eichen House the next morning, I walk up to the front counter and place my items I can’t take with me into one of the plastic container bins.

I grab the pen to sign in, however a voice from beside me interrupts my action “Ms. Addeline, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

My eyes widen slightly as I see Dr. Valack standing before me **_sans head bandage or third eye in his forehead_**

“How–” I start to question, however he sets his hand behind my shoulder and walks me towards the gate we had walked through the night we came to see him.

“Come now, I know just who you are needing to see and let me tell you– your cousin could use some cheering up from seeing you.”

We start to descend the stairs before I implore a little hesitantly “You know we’re related?”

“Oh yes, your grandmothers were dear friends of mine– Eleanor always spoke so highly of you” he answers over his shoulder before we make our way down into the lower levels and down a hallway different than the path we took to visit him.

Valack leads me through a doorway and there laying on a bed and staring up at the ceiling the same way she was in the hospital, is Lydia.

I make a noise, covering my mouth with my hand as tears rush into my eyes at seeing her in the same hypnotic state.

I remove my hand and turn to Valack who has an unreadable yet thoughtful look on his face. I clear my throat and look back towards Lydia “How do we wake her up, what do we need to do”

Valack walks up to the side of her bed, addressing me over his shoulder “She only just arrived so I’ve been toying with a few methods to try– shock therapy, hypnosis, trepanation–”

“No fucking way are you drilling into her head” I all but growl out, leveling him with my deep glare.

Valack smirks, holding up his hands in surrender before turning his wrist and lowering his hands back down to his sides “I figured as much– there was one more method I had no hope of using until you showed up here today”

I lick my lips quickly, flicking my eyes from him to Lydia a few times before curiosity wins “What’s the other method that obviously involves me?”

Valack’s lip twitches as he fights off his smile, “You could wake her up, you know, if you knew how to channel your voice”

The look that flashes over my face has him nodding and walking a step closer as he lifts his hands up to his sides “You’re so focused on _only_ using your voice to silence the noise around you that you haven’t been training your craft to achieve _so much more,_ Addeline”

Chewing on the side of my lip, I cross my arms over my chest and move my eyes towards Lydia.

If there’s even a chance my scream could wake her I have to try **_I have to save her_**

“You’ll let me wake her up and then you’ll let her go?” I clarify and Valack narrows his eyes towards me in thought for a moment before he nods his head to the side “Your scream does something that Lydia’s does not, I will let her go if you take her place.”

Narrowing my eyes slightly, I shake my head with his words “Take her place for what?”

Valack nods his head to the side “What can you tell me about Theo Raeken?”

I take a moment before I offer “He’s a chimera that was helping the dread doctors, however even he wasn’t their prize success story.”

Pondering my words, he nods and sets his hands on his hips “What else?”

I shake my head and set my hands on the end of Lydia’s bed railing “Let me wake her up”

“Very well” Valack nods, moving over to close the door. 

I push off from my lean against her bed, following him with my eyes before turning my body with his steps away from us.

He walks through the doorway and closes the door with him standing on the other side of the door, looking through the window at me.

I offer a subtle shake, silently asking what the fuck he wants me to do now and he nods towards Lydia, mouthing ‘scream’.

Taking a deep breath I turn back to face Lydia. I release it slowly, tapping my fingers on my legs as I try to channel any feeling remotely similar to when I’m overwhelmed.

Being here in this place does wonders for channeling many emotions and I close my eyes as I try to focus those feelings. 

Letting them build and build starting from my feet, up my legs until they’re taking over and I take in a deep prepared breath. 

I set my hands back on the end of the bed railing and drop my mouth open, letting the powerful scream slam out of me and into the room around us, shaking the walls as I direct the force towards Lyds.

As soon as the scream dies down and the silence follows, I hear and watch as Lydia gasps awake. 

She rolls onto her side coughing through the dryness her throat must be feeling before I feel a sting in the side of my neck and blackness overcomes my vision quicker than I have time to process what’s happening.

***

_Stiles POV_

We’ve been driving all day and have officially made it into Mexico. It’s insanely hot, and unfortunately it’s not just the weather outside.

I rub my arm over my forehead, hearing Scott sigh next to me “Man, I think the Jeep’s overheating again.”

“Probably.” I answer quickly, not really in the mood to look down to the temperature gauge to see it climbing towards the ‘H’ for the thousandth time since we’ve been driving.

“Should we pull over and put more antifreeze in it?” Scott offers and I sigh not really wanting to pull over again, so instead I suggest “No, we can just turn the heat on.”

We do that, successfully adding to our suffering as the hot air blows towards us and we roll down our windows to off set that torture session.

I nod over towards the book in Scott’s hands “You find anything yet?”

Scott shakes his head “They’re mostly the same stuff you already knew. ‘Damnatio memoriae was a Roman practice, a government decree to destroy the images of the damned. And they would scratch off their names from inscriptions, chisel their face off of statues. The Romans believed it was a punishment worse than death’.”

I raise my brows slightly as I fill in “Being forgotten”

“Listen to this– ‘Damnatio Memoriae, was later used on a serial killer in 1598, known as the Demon Tailor. He lured children into his shop in Paris where he would kill them and boil the flesh off their bones to eat. The courts believed the crimes so horrible, they ordered all the documents destroyed. To this day, no one knows his real name’.”

“So the Dread Doctors resurrected a killer who was so bad that he had to literally be erased from history.”

“A killer that _became_ a werewolf” Scott elaborates before I continue “Which probably made him a better killer. That’s fucking great.”

***

We pulled over to put more antifreeze in the engine and Scott took over driving for a bit. We decide to continue with the awkward small talk instead of talking about what we really need to be hashing out. 

Scott looks over to me quickly before he offers “I think I know why Malia distanced herself from me– from all of us. I think she found her mother.”

I sit up straighter in my seat “Her mother, as in The Desert Wolf?”

“Yeah– I knew she was still looking. She told me to stop looking, to stop having Braeden look for her, but I just… I knew she never stopped.”

I look over to him quickly, resuming my stare out the windshield and Scott clears his throat before he continues, lifting his hand slightly off the steering wheel with his words “When I was at her house, I’m pretty sure Braeden, was there, too.”

I furrow my brows and look towards him “Braeden? What, did you catch her scent?”

“Actually, it was her motorcycle. I smelled her exhaust.” Scott clarifies before I clear my throat with my question “What the fuck do you think they’re gonna do?”

“Something that Malia doesn’t want to tell us about, so probably something bad.” Scott teases and I know that sound of his voice, it’s the voice that says he knows _exactly_ what she’s going to do. 

I make a noise and point towards him “Holy shit– you already know, don’t you? It’s like… it’s the chemosignals, right?”

Scott nods “Aggression.”

“How much?”

“I think she’s gonna kill her. She’s gonna kill her mother” he digresses ominously before Roscoe decides to add in her two scents and sputters as she slowly starts to lose power.

I lean forward setting my hands on the dash as Scott starts to stammer out “What’s happening?”

I look over and nod with the noise I recognize now “Um… Yeah, we’re out of gas. It’s out of gas.”

“It says we have half a tank.” Scott argues and I tilt my head to the side to counter “Yeah, not necessarily.”

Scott makes a noise, reigning in his freak out as he pulls the jeep over to the side of the road “You didn’t fix the gas gauge, did you?”

Tilting my head the other way, I shake my head subtly “Not necessarily.”

We get out and I grab the empty gas can before we start to walk in the sweltering heat towards a gas station we passed not that long ago.

Luckily it’s late enough in the afternoon that it’s almost time for dusk. When we walk up to the abandoned, but hopefully just closed for the day, gas station the sun is almost setting behind one of the mountain peaks behind us.

I walk up to the doors finding them locked and with no one in sight inside “Locked” I call over my shoulder before turning towards Scott who walked up to the gas pumps. I shove my hands in my pockets, as I question “You got a twenty?”

Scott shakes his head and shifts around the front of the pump that has a chain link lock around it. I hear him yank on it, breaking the chain before it clammers onto the ground and I find some money in my pocket.

I fold it up and shove it into the door before I walk over towards Scott who gets the gas can set up and takes off the lid.

I walk in front of the pump and release the nozzle from the holder, setting it into the can as the gas starts to fill it up.

I lean my arm not holding the nozzle against the pump and start drumming my fingers against the side. We’re both sweating and the silence is deafening. You can tell we’re both thinking it, however neither of us wants to bring it up.

Feeling like the gas can is full enough, I grab the nozzle and set it back into the holder. Scott replaces the lid and I’ve had enough of the not talking, of the not telling my side of this fucking story.

I lean on the pump again and just start “There was a pin.”

Scott makes a face, looking back towards me before I continue “There was _one little_ metal pin attached to the scaffolding– he was trying to pull me down…”

“He was trying to kill you.” Scott fills in thoughtfully and I nod, lifting my arms a little with my words “Yes, and then I pulled the pin.” I shrug, having more difficulty than I’d like to admit to be explaining this. 

I make a face and move my arms with my words “And all these metal braces came down– and one of them just, just went right through him.”

I nervously move my eyes from the ground and up to Scott, not able to look at him for too long though.

Scott licks his lips quickly before he connects his eyes with mine “Why didn’t you think you could tell me?”

I let out a sigh and stand up a little more, still keeping my arms on the pump in front of me “It was just the way you were looking at me that night. You know, you’re standing there with a wrench in your hand, you’re looking at me like I just bashed _you_ in the head with it. You know, like I’d broken your sacred rule and that’s it, there’s no going back.”

“I know the difference.” Scott mutters and I look up towards him again “What?”

“I know what self defense is” he states so easily and it’s then that I realize even though it didn’t seem like it, he would have listened to me. He would have listened to me as easily as he just did right now.

We don’t say anything else, seemingly content with leaving the conversation right there for the time being. We grab the gas can and head back towards the jeep and get her filled up again before I climb in the driver’s seat.

Scott falls asleep as night falls around us and we’ve been driving for a few hours when we finally come into view of Shiprock. 

I sit up in my seat more though when I take in notice the fact that there is a massive storm brewing right over the mountain with lightning and rolling clouds going in a circle around the top.

I reach over to tap Scott on the shoulder “Hey, Scott. Scott– take a look at this.”

He sits up and takes in what I was seeing, leaving him at a loss for words as he takes in the sight before us.

I look over towards him as I ponder What the hell do you think’s happening to her out there?”

Still at a loss for words, he just shakes his head and I slam the jeep into the next gear as I increase our speed.

We pull over a good amount of distance from the base of Shiprock and get out of the jeep to get a better look while coming up with our game plan.

Scott’s voice surprises me though “I don’t know why I believed him. I don’t know why we didn’t just keep talking that night. Five more minutes and we would’ve figured out that there were two different stories. We would’ve filled in a lot of blanks– should’ve just kept talking” he grumbles angrily to himself.

I look down towards the ground quickly, needing to veer him away from beating himself up over that fact because truth is we weren’t going to, not with him _knowing_ the wrong story and me knowing he _believed_ the wrong story.

I shake my head, looking over to him as I counter back “He knew we wouldn’t.”

Scott looks over to me before he huffs and looks up above him “I didn’t want it to happen like this.”

“Like what?”

“I knew, sooner or later, one of us was going to get a little too much blood on our hands– I half thought it was gonna be Malia.”

I raise my brows as I grumble lightly “Well, she definitely seems like she’s _working_ on it.”

Scott nods and continues “Just always thought that if it were to happen, then it should be me. I’m the one who’s constantly putting you guys in danger, risking your lives– for people you don’t even know. It should’ve been me.”

I lift the corners of my mouth in a comforting smile before I reach out and slap him on the shoulder lightly “Come on. We only got a few hours to sunrise– come on, let’s go” I turn and walk back towards the jeep, grasping the door handle when Scott’s words stop me

“Hey, Stiles, do you see that?”

I walk back over to him, seeing a couple sparks of light out in the distance at the base of Shiprock. 

Scott points towards the light as he states “It’s Kira.”

***

_Stiles POV_

We succeeded in getting Kira, rescuing her from the skinwalkers in the middle of the Mexican desert– you know just your average weekend being best friends with supernatural beings.

Her and her mom are asleep in the backseat and I huff as I shove my phone in my pocket and look over to Scott who’s driving so I could attempt to rest.

Only problem is I can’t even think about resting at the moment.

Scott looks over to me quickly, flicking his eyes back to the road with his question “What is it?”

I rest my elbow on the window frame and rub my forehead with my fingers in my agitation “Have you heard from Addy?”

Scott makes a face as he ponders that before he shakes his head thoughtfully “No– uh no actually I haven’t heard from her since we left the house”

I swipe my tongue across my bottom lip harshly as I sit up in the seat more and officially start to freak out “I haven’t heard from her since she texted me that she _got_ to Eichen”

Scott makes a noise, looking at me quickly and back at the road with his question “Nothing since then, about her leaving or anything?”

I look over to him, my gut telling me _exactly_ why we haven’t heard from her.

Not even an aggravated message about a failed attempt at getting Ms. Martin to listen to her.

My voice cracks as I reluctantly digress “She’s still there.”


	74. The Sword & the Spirit

_Stiles POV_

Dad had called, interrupting my pacing steps around my room as I try to come up with a plan to find Addy. 

Apparently twenty three bodies were found underneath the tunnel Addy, Scott and I had found the other day at the Telecom communications towers. 

So I called Scott letting him know to meet me at the hospital and I’m walking up to the front doors at the same time as him and Kira. We head inside and climb onto the elevator, letting the silence settle over us as we lower onto the morgue level.

The elevator doors open and we walk out immediately seeing gurney after gurney hauling black body bags down the hall behind dad.

I walk up to him with my immediate question “Who found them?”

Dad looks over his shoulder, answering as he turns towards us “Argent– and he said the Doctors were down there. He also said you guys _might know_ what this thing is” he states and looks expectantly at us.

“We’ve got a theory.” Scott answers before I quickly elaborate “It’s a slightly terrifying theory.”

“Well, the medical examiner said that the victims were killed somewhere else and then dumped in those tunnels” Dad states and Scott offers thoughtfully “Hey, what if the Dread Doctors are hiding the bodies.”

“Why would they do that?” Kira questions before I nod my head to the side to continue with Scott’s thought process “Maybe they’re covering for it– protecting it like a parent would.”

“Protecting what?” Dad stresses, trying to hold onto his level of calm he surprisingly has going on.

“A werewolf.” Scott answers before Kira clarifies “It’s called the Beast.”

“We know– horrifying” I quip and start to fidget on my feet, wanting to ask dad the status of the _last_ thing I asked him to look into as soon as we got home earlier. I scratch the side of my jaw opening my mouth to ask just that, however dad stops me with his added thought “We better figure out what we’re gonna call Parrish– because it looks like his dream is coming true.”

I make a noise and lift my hand off of the side of my face “Ah– speaking of people predicting death, can we go get Addy yet?”

Dad looks hesitant, flitting his eyes between me and Scott before he sighs, the noise directly punching me in the gut before I even hear what he’s going to say “Guys, my hands are tied at the moment–”

“What because of the bodies?” I interrupt quickly before I make a noise and continue with a raise of my hand, indicating behind him “Horrible, _truly_ horrible dad. But this is Addy, okay _Addy_. She needs to be as far away from that place as soon as possible, preferably as in _yesterday_.”

Dad furrows his brows and shakes his head quickly “Hey, I know that. I want her out of there as much as you do, all right? This has nothing to do with those bodies, this has _everything_ to do with the fact that there is _zero_ record of her being there. She never signed in for me to be able to argue that she never signed out. I can’t ask for a search warrant without something other than your word she was going there to back it up.”

I set my hands on my waist and shrug as I quickly offer “Track her phone, or–”

“I did, it’s dead or something because there’s no signal” Dad states before I scrunch my face up with my frustration, grasping for straws with what to do next “What about the text message she sent me that she was there?”

Dad nods and shares a look with all of us as he informs “Her text message pinged a nearby cell tower which _does_ put her in that area however it doesn’t prove that she _went into_ that building and stayed there.”

I let out a noise of frustration, moving my hands to elaborate my words “She was taken dad, there’s no way she would have stayed and not been anywhere where Ms. Martin and Lydia weren’t. She is in trouble and I can’t just sit here–”

“You have to” Dad interrupts and I want to yell and scream in his face in this moment before he sets his hands on my shoulders and attempts to calm me as he continues “I know it’s difficult but you have to stay out of this. Okay guys, _we will_ find her.”

***

_Stiles POV_

“By order of the Sheriff, a county wide curfew goes into effect tonight at sundown. All after school activities are canceled until further notice. Students should go directly home at the end of the school day” We hear over the P.A. system at school the next morning and everyone shares looks throughout the halls wondering what the hell is going.

There are deputies walking all over the school with passive guns that are even more terrifying than the ominus curfew that’s all of a sudden into effect.

I pull one of the deputies over to where I’m standing by the lockers. Scott walks up as I’m stating my concern towards him “You don’t think this is a bit much in terms of firepower for a high school?”

Strauss looks down to the gun in his hand and hesitantly defends “Your Dad’s the one that issued us these things, and he– he wouldn’t officially say why.”

I tilt my head to the side with his use of ‘officially’, which Scott catches as well and asks “Did he say anything _unofficially_?”

“No. But everyone’s got a theory” he answers without missing a beat and I nod my head towards him “What’s yours?”

“I shouldn’t be talking to you guys– don’t you have class?” he tries to brush off our question and I raise a brow, muttering calmly like it’s no big deal “Come on, Strauss. What’s your theory?”

Strauss looks around us before he leans in a little closer towards us “Do you guys believe in the supernatural?”

I make a face, that being the last thing I would have thought he’d say. 

I look over to Scott, his face saying exactly what my face is probably saying:

_What the hell do we say to that?_

***

_Addy POV_

I gasp awake in the bed I’m laying in, surrounded by white walls that have become way too familiar.

Groaning in frustration from letting Valack get the better of me, I get up from the bed and walk towards the door.

Hearing a noise behind me I turn back towards the bed and see my body still laying in the bed **_well this is new_**

“Well if I’m dreaming might as well see what’s out the door” I grumble to myself as I turn back around and head for the door. 

Opening it and stepping through the doorway I don’t end up in the hallway like I thought I would, instead I end up in the darkness of the library at school.

Walking around the top floor of the library, I’m drawn to the aisle we went down for Scribe night. Confusion crosses my features as I notice that all of our initials gone. Not just mine and my friends– _everyone_ **_years and years of senior’s initials are just gone_**

We’re not the only ones in danger from whatever the Dread Doctors raised, it’s everyone.

“Don’t be afraid” I hear behind me and I resist the urge to scream as I gasp loudly and turn around quickly, moving my eyes in every direction before movement near the railing gains my attention.

I walk over to the banister and look over the railing into the lower area of the library. My mouth drops open as my eyes take in seeing Meredith kneeling on the ground with Theo standing behind her with his hand on her throat.

I suck in a quick breath when she connects her eyes with mine, repeating again even more ominously “Don’t be afraid”

Theo slashes his hand across her throat and I grip the railing as my scream echoes around the room, shaking the walls until they fall away and I’m in the white walls of Eichen House yet again.

I feel tears running down my cheeks as I turn in a circle, jumping back when I come face to face with Meredith again.

“Jesus H. _fuck_ stop doing that!” I shriek, wiping my palms against my eyes and down my cheeks.

Meredith flicks her eyes over my shoulder for a second earning me to turn with her, facing the bed that my body is currently laying in.

I feel Meredith look over at me with her words “We’re running out of time, you have to wake up”

Scoffing lightly I turn towards her, mumbling “I don’t even understand how I’m asleep or even talking to you right in this moment– so how am I supposed to _just_ wake up?”

Meredith smirks and sets her hands on my shoulders, turning us away from the bed as she informs “I’m here to help you– I’m going to teach you how to use your voice as a weapon” when she finishes her statement we’re placed in front of a chain link gate **_though I’m on one side while Meredith is on the other_**

I look over my shoulder again noticing a hallway instead of the white room where my body is laying

Meredith smirks through the gate and steps back a few feet, nodding towards me “hold your hands up towards the gate, try to send your scream through your arms and out through your hands”

At the look that must flash over my face she shakes her head softly “Just trust me– we don’t have time for me to keep explaining this. You can do this, you just need to focus.”

I lick my lips quickly, nodding once and looking down to the ground as I lift my arms up. I place my hands up towards the gate and take a deep breath before I focus on the directions Meredith gave and scream, attempting to guide it through my arms and out of my hands towards the gate.

Nothing happens.

“Again” Meredith commands and I take another breath, focusing harder than before.

I try another five times, feeling a little shake in my hands on the last try. However I don’t know if that’s actually something happening or if my hands are just tired **_since I have no idea what focusing my scream through my hands is supposed to feel like when it’s correct_**

I groan in frustration and slam my hands against the gate angrily

“I said use your hands– I didn’t say punch the gate” Meredith clips out and I flick my eyes up to her to quip back through my panting, exhausted breaths “Well, it’s all a little new to me, so don’t hold back on specificity.”

Meredith walks closer “Your hands can _guide_ your voice. They can help _push_ it towards the target– try again.”

With my hands on the gate still, I rest my forehead against the back of one of my hands. I swallow hard, taking a deep breath before I look up to her again and question “How did you learn?”

“It doesn’t matter. You have to find your own way” Meredith answers with a little shake of her head, causing me to make a noise as I stand up straight again “Come on, what if your way works for me too?”

“Addy, find your own way.”

I huff and set my hands on my hips to argue back quickly “But none of this is even real! My body’s lying in a room down the hall in some close to dead comatose state if I’ve ever seen one–”

Meredith screams, interrupting my rant as her scream alone throws me across the room, smacking my back against the wall.

I let out a surprised squeak while my body slides down the wall and lands on the ground. I set my hands on the floor beside me and throw my head back to get my hair out of my face with a little huff, connecting my eyes with hers.

Meredith smirks, muttering “Did that feel real?” before she slides the door closed to the now cell that I’m sitting inside of ** _just like Valack’s glass cell_**

“What are you doing?” I ask just as the sound of the lock clicking into place echoes around me.

I stand up and look around me as Meredith answers “You want out? Break the glass.”

I scoff as I walk forward, right up to the glass wall with my anger fueled rebuttal thrown her way “It’s not just glass– it’s bullet resistant polycarbonate.”

“So make your voice a bullet” **_oh my bad, wasn’t aware it was that fucking easy_**

I level her with a look, to which she tilts her head to the side, “Do you know how Valack did it?”

I nod and look from her to the glass, stepping back a step “He put the recorder in the cup to amplify my voice.”

“It didn’t just amplify your voice. It gave it direction– focus. Valack used your scream as a tool by focusing it. If you’re going to use it as a weapon, you need to learn to do the same.”

I nod and focus on the glass, raising my arms and directing my hands once again as Meredith commands “Break the glass, Addy. _Break– the– glass_.”

About seven screams and who knows how many minutes later, I groan loudly and throw my hands down to my sides.

Out of breath I look up to her “Meredith, please. Tell me how you did it.”

“You have to find your own way.” She answers, growing my frustration even more.

I cross my arms over my front and argue “Why won’t you tell me yours?”

“Because, my way got people hurt.”

I draw my brows inwards with my confusion and Meredith takes a moment before she surprisingly continues “Some days it was quiet for me. Other days, all I could hear was screaming– people dying.

“What people?” I ask quietly, curious yet not wanting to break her openness and stop her from continuing to share her story with me.

“Everyone– everywhere. I was at Chemistry class when it happened. I had my hands over my ears. The teacher was trying to figure out what was wrong. I took my hands and I started hitting the desk, until I couldn’t take it anymore and I just screamed.”

Having an overwhelming feeling of familiarity to how scary that is, I feel a lump in my throat as I mutter just barely above a whisper, “What happened?”

“All of the windows shattered. I saw kids with glass in their arms, in their faces. Some of them had blood coming out of their ears. They said it was an explosion– caused by chemicals. But everyone knew it was me.”

I move my eyes between hers a few times before she clears her face of emotion and states “Find a better way, Addy. My voice is like a bomb going off. Yours needs to be a bullet”

Even though I’m completely exhausted, I offer her a nod. I’m getting ready to resume my hands in the air stance when a gun cocking loudly in my ears gains my attention.

I tilt my head to the side, looking at Meredith as I question “did you hear that?”

Meredith looks over my shoulder and I turn around, following her line of sight and no longer see a cement wall behind me.

Now I see another panel of glass to the cell and on the other side of the glass is a dark cave, **_almost like the ruins in the church in Mexico_** and my very scared friend crouched down behind a rock “Malia?”

I walk over to the other side of the glass, slamming my hands against it “Malia!”

I see a dark shadow fall across the ground, growing larger the closer it gets to her. I turn around towards Meredith quickly as I frantically try to figure out what I’m seeing “Is this real? Or is this just in my head?”

Watching Malia as well, Meredith’s lips twitch with her answer “I think you know what a Banshee premonition feels like.”

I turn back around quickly when I hear a gunshot and see the back of a woman standing in front of Malia who is whimpering, tears running down her face as I grimly digress just above a whisper “She’s going to die.”

***

_Stiles POV_

I get to Eichen House after school and sign in, instantly wondering what stopped Addy from signing in– or more than likely _who_ stopped her.

I’m led through the gate and directed on where to go. Walking down the stairs and hallways, I get to Lydia’s room finally and I find her mom standing out front.

She clasps her hands together in front of her as she sends a forced smile my way “Stiles– just in time, we were getting ready to leave so don’t take too long.”

Registering her words I draw my brows in and step past her, walking through the doorway and seeing Lydia sitting up on the end of her bed.

My eyes widen slightly “Lydia? How– you’re okay? What– what happened?”

Lydia flicks her eyes past me and I hear her mom click her tongue “I’ll give you two a few minutes– then we really should be going Lydia”

Lydia nods towards her mom, offering a small smile before she stands up and walks past me.

She closes the door and turns to me instantly with her questions “Where’s Addy? Why isn’t she with you?”

I make a noise, pointing to my chest before I counter “Wha– that’s why I’m here, Lydia– Addy came to see you _two days_ ago and no one has seen her since”

Dropping my voice to a whisper, I point behind me to fill her in with how seriously fucked up this whole situation is “And to top it off no one here is even _acknowledging_ that she was actually even here to see you.”

Lydia scrunches her brows and starts to pace in front of me “She woke me up– I don’t know how but she woke me up.”

I step closer to her “I thought you didn’t see her–”

Lydia quickly shakes her head, rushing out with a wave of her hands “I never saw her, I _heard_ her– her scream broke through to me but no one was in my room when I actually came to.”

I set one hand on my hip, lifting the other to rub at my forehead with my agitation trying to figure this all out “I know she’s here–”

“She is” Lydia interrupts and I drop my hand to look at her as she turns to me, tears welling in her eyes as she states quietly “Stiles, I can feel her here”

Ms. Martin breaks the ominous silence left behind from Lydia’s words and opens the door, clearing her throat softly “Lydia, it’s time to go home now.”

I set my hand on Lydia’s shoulder, waiting until she connects her eyes with mine before I nod “let me know when you’re out of here, we need to see Scott”

I don’t offer any other explanation, however Lydia gets what I’m subtly saying and offers a nod with my words.

I offer a small smile before I turn and walk past her mom, heading towards the metal gate with a guard to let me out.

As I’m leaving I’m about to cross paths with two of the orderlies and I take my chance. I bump shoulders with one, quickly moving my hand into and out of his pocket– muttering “Sorry” as I step past him.

He looks over his shoulder at me, offering a subtle nod like it was his bad as well. 

When I turn back forward, I shove the keycard I swiped from him into my pocket before walking up towards the other gate.

The orderly standing guard on the other side, slides his keycard and opens the door for me to head back up the hallway leading me to the stairs to leave.

***

_Addy POV_

I quickly pace back and forth, shaking from the vision of Malia being confronted by her mother. By the woman who is going to kill her and I’m stuck from helping since I’m trapped in my own fucking head.

“Don’t get lost, Addy. You can help them, but you have to get out of here first.”

Tears well in my eyes as I turn back towards Meredith and hearing Malia screaming in the distance, I nod towards her “She’s in trouble– I think it’s happening now”

I hear an unfamiliar voice stating darkly “You know, your real name isn’t Malia…”

I feel the wetness on my cheeks as I gasp and mutter through a whisper “Oh god– she found her.”

The vision plays out in front of my eyes, Deaton strapped to a chair behind them as the Desert Wolf stands over Malia. She grabs her by her throat and explains how Talia Hale took Malia away from her before she had the chance to name her. 

She finishes her statement by punching Malia in the face and stands over her muttering darkly how by Malia being born it took away much of her speed, healing ability, and power. She puts her foot on Malia’s gunshot wound and grinds her boot heel into it, earning Malia to scream in agony.

The Desert Wolf wants her power back and she reaches forward, grabbing behind Malia’s neck. She pulls her forward, flicking her claws out of her fingers before Deaton stops her. He yells how she can’t kill Malia now if she wants her power back she has to wait for a full moon. He calls her Corinne and says she’ll get nothing if she kills Malia now.

I groan from the overwhelming pain and agony I’m feeling from the scene and I drop down onto my knees. I lean all the way forward, laying my forehead onto the ground hearing Meredith shout through the glass towards me “You can help her! Addy!”

I gasp loudly, sitting up and throwing my hair back behind me, staring just past Meredith as I pant through my quick breaths.

“Addy!” Meredith again shouts and from my kneel on the ground, I only flick my eyes up to her as she stresses “ _Break_ the glass.”

I stand up quickly, determination settling over me. 

I’ve practiced– I’ve failed countless times. 

However this time will be different.

This time I’m breaking that fucking glass.

Meredith notices and slams her hands onto the glass on either side of her head as she shouts one last time “Break the glass!”

I take a few calming, prepared breaths and lift my arms up, opening my palms and directing them forward.

I feel my scream building and flowing through me, down my arms before a wave of energy is shaking my palms and slamming out of my fingers at the same time as my scream barrels out at the top of my lungs.

The last thing I see is Meredith’s smirk as the glass breaks between us before I’m shooting up in the bed, my scream from inside my head happening out here as I wake up. My scream shocks and throws the orderly who was about to inject me with something across the room away from me.

I don’t take another second after his back slams against the wall before I throw my legs over the side of the bed and rush out of the room.

Surrounded and trapped between the metal gates, I watching as another orderly slides his keycard through the card slot and opens the gate. Once he opens the door with the unlocking buzz, he doesn’t waste a second as he rushes towards me.

I take a deep breath in, lifting my arms up and directing my open palms up towards him as I scream with a purpose. 

As I scream, I feel and watch as waves of power emanate from my hands– propelling my scream with a force that has the orderly flying down the hall away from me.

Several of the overhead light fixtures explode above me throughout the hallways and I quicken my steps towards his body. 

Grateful he’s passed out, I grab his keycard and make my escape through the gates and hallways. Heading up the stairs and through the last gate before I’m running out the front doors and into the pouring rain.

My clothes are soaked instantly as I run through the front entrance courtyard, getting to the gate with no way of unlocking it **_there’s no fucking keycard slot out here_**

I let out a scream of frustration, hitting the gate with both of my hands as I look around me through the pouring rain that’s pelting me with its freezing drops.

The first shock from a taser in my back takes me by surprise and I yelp as I drop down to my knees and lay down onto my side.

I feel countless shocks from multiple taser rods from a couple of the guards before they pull me up onto my knees again.

Looking up towards the dark sky that is unleashing a downpour to match the shitty situation, I croak out “I have to get to them, I have to warn them– we’re all going to die.”

***

_Stiles POV_

I look around at Scott, Lydia, Kira, Malia and Liam who moves next to me and sets the security log book for Eichen down on the blueprint map and other pictures that we took of the building, while I set the keycard I stole earlier on the table next to it.

Lydia grabs the silver sharpie and uncaps it. She leans forward and circles an area on the blueprint indicating the room she found out Addy is being held in when she heard her scream before her mother made her leave earlier.

I swallow through the lump in my throat with not knowing why she screamed and if she’s okay or not. I look across the table and share a nod with Scott as Lydia caps the sharpie and sets it down on the table again.

Lifting the corners of my mouth in a grateful smile towards her, I clear my throat and set my hand on Liam’s shoulder. 

I increase my grip slightly to give him a reassuring squeeze when he nods towards me and I face forward again.

Licking my lips quickly, I state to the circle of our friends– our pack 

“Now we get Addy.”


	75. Amplification

_Stiles POV_

There have been countless calls all night about different sightings of the Beast wrecking havoc all over the city. Scott and I hopped into Roscoe and were following behind dad and his deputies, listening on the police scanner until finally we figured out that the Beast was heading towards the hospital.

Scott and I got to the hospital just before dad and the three of us tracked noises up to the fourth floor. We were walking down the hallway and about to turn the corner when we were almost in the crossfire between the Beast and Parrish who flew as a hellhound fireball right in front of us.

Dad went to check on Parrish while Scott and I followed some bloodied footprints down the hallway that he had flown down from. The prints changed from bloodied distinct werewolf claw prints to bloodied _human_ sneaker prints– smaller which definitely fits that this thing is just a teenager underneath.

Deaton was found last night, he was taken by the Desert Wolf– aka Malia’s mom who tried to kill Malia last night.

Malia had told Scott that when the Desert Wolf was about to slash her with her claws, the overhead light above where Deaton was sitting exploded and gave Malia a fighting chance to not only get free, but to save Deaton as well.

We know the light exploding suddenly was Addy’s scream Lydia had heard.

Addy saved Malia and Deaton in a sense, now it’s our turn to save her.

Deaton looked into Valack for us and called Scott, telling him to get to the animal clinic as soon as we could.

We immediately leave the hospital and get to the clinic in no time, ready for anything at this point.

Deaton walks into the exam room with us, flitting his eyes between Scott and I with his obvious reluctance to tell us what he called us here to tell us.

He taps his fingers against the envelope in his hands as he comes to a stop on the other side of the metal table from where we’re standing “What I’m about to show you isn’t supposed to exist.”

Feeling like I was punched in the gut, I offer him a subtle nod before he pulls photos out of the envelope and lays them out in front of us– one by one as he explains what they are “This is the only surviving evidence of Dr. Valack’s time as Chief Medical Officer of Eichen House– to call it human experimentation would be charitable.”

Scott reaches over and grabs one of the polaroids in particular. It’s of a girl who looks like a statue with her hands over her ears, her mouth frozen open in a terrified scream.

“A Banshee” Deaton fills in when he looks over to the picture in Scott’s hands, elaborating when he looks over to me “She died screaming.”

I close my eyes with his words, clearing my throat before I open my eyes and look back towards him “So, he drilled holes into their heads? All of them?”

“That was the experimentation part.” Deaton answers, flicking his eyes down to the pictures on the table.

He’s barely able to keep explaining through his disgust from what these people were put through “He did it to Werewolves, Banshees, Wendigos, any creature he could get his hands on. And Valack found that trepanation would initially heighten their powers, but to levels that couldn’t be contained.”

“So he wants to make Addy more powerful” Scott states thoughtfully, earning me to scoff and point to the table “Yeah– except she’s going to end up like them.”

Deaton counters back instantaneously “Worse, actually– Addy’s abilities were already pretty exceptional to begin with. Putting a hole in her head will be like causing a leak in a nuclear reactor. She’ll hear everything– _every_ death, _every_ dying scream, _all_ at once.”

I close my eyes, forming fists with my hands and pushing them into the table a little harder while Scott states quickly “That’s going to kill her.”

Opening my eyes, I look up with Deaton’s words “Not only that… her own dying scream could be _so powerful_ that it might kill everyone around her as well.”

My eyes focus in on the polaroid of the close up of the murdered banshee’s face and I reach over to pick it up.

No way will I let this happen– this will not be Addy’s fate.

***

I head straight from the animal clinic to see dad at the station. Dad looks up when I walk into the back area with all the deputies’ desks and waves me into his office.

Opening the door for me, I walk inside his office and as soon as he closes the door he’s explaining with a raise of his hands “I’m doing everything I can, but they are still claiming Addy was never on their property”

I groan in frustration and set my hands on my hips “They have security cameras, can’t we get a court order or something to seize those?”

Dad sighs and sets his hands on his desk with a shake of his head “Technically, everything we’re talking about is hearsay, we still have _zero_ physical proof she’s even there. No judge is going to grant me anything to go into that building demanding to search for her.”

I lick my lips harshly and look up to the ceiling, letting out a deep sigh as I offer “Lydia heard her scream, isn’t that enough?”

I can hear the same frustration I’m feeling in his voice as he counters quickly “Stiles, you and I both know there are many people in there who are screaming and Lydia– well, she just–”

“Was a patient there so she won’t be a credited enough source” I grumble before I huff and rub my hands over my face.

Closing my eyes and fighting off the burning sensation in my nose wanting to bring on the tears, I drop my hands to rest on my waist.

Opening my eyes, I connect them with dad’s concerned gaze as I question “So you’re saying there’s still _nothing_ we can do?”

Dad brings his brows in, giving me the final push I needed to bring our rescue plan together “I’m saying there’s nothing we can do… _legally_.”

***

“There’s four steps. We get into Eichen, we get into the Closed Unit, we get Addy, and we get out” I announce quickly to Lydia, Malia, Kira and Liam who are all standing around the table with me and Scott at his house.

Scott shifts on his feet as he elaborates “And we have to do all of this while getting past orderlies, guards, electric door locks, and a Mountain Ash barrier.”

Each one of them make their own faces with how crazy that all sounds before Malia looks over to us, “You have a plan for all of that?” 

I lift up the keycard as I quickly answer “I stole this last night off an orderly– but it’s useless ‘cause they reset the codes each night.”

“So why did you take it?” Kira questions and I make a noise, tilting my head to the side “I’m getting to that.”

“The only way to get Addy out of Eichen is to make that key card work again.” Scott points towards the card and Liam shakes his head when he looks over to me “How are you going to do that?”

I point over towards him and stress “We’re getting to that, okay, just listen” turning the laptop around towards him, I continue explaining “I pulled all the history off the key card.”

They all look at the screen while I explain “Two weeks ago, there was a brownout and the security system rebooted. During a reboot, all of the key cards revert back to a default code– so, if we trigger a reboot…”

Liam nods, looking impressed as he continues my thought process “The card goes back to the default code– it works again.”

“Excellent– so how are we going to cause a brownout?” Lydia implores and Scott smirks over towards Kira “That’s your part. You’re going to draw power from the main line– but only enough to cause the brownout.”

I clap my hands together and point towards her, not missing a beat to clarify “Not a blackout though. Do that and you send Eichen into lockdown which would be bad– very, very bad.”

Scott reaches forward and points towards the blueprint layout “There’s an electrical room behind the reception counter. The main power line goes into two breakers that run power to all of Eichen.”

Kira scoffs, shaking her head when we look over towards her “Okay, slight problem. I don’t know how to do that.”

“That’s okay. You have time to practice.” Scott reassures before Malia humors us with trying not to show how crazy she thinks this plan sounds “Let’s say all this goes– _perfectly_. How does a brownout get us into the Closed Unit of Eichen?”

I lift my hand, elaborating with my words as I look between the four of them “The system takes five minutes to reboot. In that five minutes all the alarms will be turned off– the key card should work.”

Scott nods and continues “Liam, you and I get Stiles to the gate of the Closed Unit– but after that, he has to go on his own. We can’t get past the Mountain Ash barrier. And when we’re gone, all anyone’s going to think is that there was a reboot of the security system caused by a brownout.”

I nod and scratch the side of my jaw before I drop my hand back down to my side as I turn to the group “Uh, any questions?”

“How do we get into Eichen House in the first place?” Liam is the first to ask followed by Malia “What’s our worst-case scenario?” before Kira finishes the freak out “What if I can’t do it?”

“Okay, admittedly, a lot could go wrong” I accept that fact and Liam grimaces “Everything could go wrong.”

Getting more somber I take a different approach “Guys, if we don’t do this, we lose Addy. She’s going to die in there tonight”

They all drop their hesitance, replacing it with worry before Scott continues “And if that’s not terrifying enough to accept– she might take a lot of innocent people with her.”

Lydia makes a noise and sets her hands on the table in front of her “That’s not an option– we’re getting her out of there”

***

Scott and Liam went to get the body bags from Melissa that we need for getting us into place for the beginning part of the plan while I head to talk to Jordan.

I fill him in on the plan and slide him the keys to the van that I need him to drive, earning him to scoff and slide the keys back towards me “That’s the worst plan I’ve ever heard.”

“Okay, the plan is perfect and it’ll work _perfectly_ , especially if you agree to drive the van.” I quip and slide the keys back towards him again.

Jordan raises his brow, lifting his eyes from the keys and up towards me “Is the Sheriff on board with this?”

I lift my hands off the counter slightly “How do you think I got the keys?”

“I thought you stole them” Jordan answers honestly and I nod my head to the side “While that’s a perfectly reasonable assumption, I did _not_ steal them– and we need you because all of the Eichen guards know all of the Sheriff’s Deputies, okay. We need a real deputy– and one who won’t ask questions.”

“It’s not safe to bring me along– I’m dangerous.” he drops his voice to a whisper which I respond with my own whispered rebuttal “So is the giant murdering werewolf that’s killed over 30 people, but somehow didn’t kill _you_ last night”

Jordan ponders that for a second before he rolls his eyes and grabs the keys off the counter.

Plan’s a go people.

***

I get back to school, meeting Scott at the library and letting him know Jordan is on board to drive the van before I switch gears to keep my mind busy with our other problem “My dad’s got the lab working on the shoe prints but uh– we’re both kind of mystified about how giant clawed _werewolf_ feet turn back into a pair of sneakers.”

We climb down the set of stairs heading down the last set as Scott fills in “Argent said it wouldn’t be like anything we’ve ever seen before.”

I scoff and whisper out “Did he say it was going to defy the laws of physics?”

Scott doesn’t answer, instead he draws his brows in and stop our steps as he looks past me and down an aisle of books.

I look over and see Theo leaning back against the shelf absentmindedly flipping through a book “What are you doing here?”

“I still need to graduate” Theo quips and I all but growl out “No, no. What you need is to be beaten severely– with a lead pipe– wrapped in barbed wire…”

Theo flicks his eyes between us and sighs “Okay, I admit that mistakes were made–”

“Murders. Some _murders_ were made.” I clarify incredulously and he continues on like I didn’t say anything, which just makes me want to punch him in the fucking face– _again._

Theo continues to flip through the book in his hands and I’m tempted to slap it out of his hands “You know how the Soviets helped us win World War II?– They knew how to make it through a Russian winter.”

Throwing my arms up to my side “That it? Okay. Thank you, Theo. Very informative.” I scoff and start to turn to leave with Scott, however Theo’s words stop me “If you’re planning to break Addy out of Eichen House, you still need to get past the Mountain Ash.”

I narrow my eyes with how he fucking knows our plan and cross my arms over my front as he continues trying to sound sincere “We can make it through. You can’t, Scott.”

“What do you really want?” Scott ignores the previous statement and Theo looks over to him “I know you saw the fresco. Two seriously pissed off creatures, the Hellhound and the Beast, fighting over a pile of dead bodies. I don’t want to be one of the bodies, it’s that simple. I can get you to Addy.”

When we don’t acknowledge what he said, Theo makes a face and offers “Or we can see who gets to her first” before he closes the book he was holding, sets it on a shelf and walks away from us towards the doors to leave the library.

We watch him walk away, hearing the doors close before I turn to Scott with my whispered thoughts “There’s no way he knows what Valack’s doing– why’s he so interested in her?”

Scott shakes his head softly “He probably thinks what we’re all thinking. That Addy’s got something bigger to do with this.”

I nod with his words as I murmur thoughtfully “That maybe she’s the only one who can actually save us.”

***

Scott and I head to his house to meet Malia, Lydia, Kira and Liam to get an update on how the practice with the lightbulbs went.

Not too great as it turns out from what they’re sharing and Scott steps forward to clarify “She took out the whole school?”

“She took out the whole grid.” Lydia counters quickly and Kira shakes her head “Look, I failed every single practice try– this isn’t going to work.”

Liam, the ever positive little pup he is, turns towards us as I cross my arms over my chest “How far can we get without the brownout?”

I raise my brows and answer him honestly “The front door.”

Scott lifts his arm over towards us as he states “We’re going.”

Liam drops his eyes to the ground as I scoff and set my hands on my chest “Oh I know we’re going, because there is literally no other option right now than rescuing Addy from a nutjob who is about to drill into her head and cause her to scream herself to death.”

Kira looks over quickly to argue “Scott, we went through boxes of light bulbs.”

“It doesn’t matter– you can do this.” Scott stresses before Kira counters “The key card won’t work unless there’s a reboot– and there’s no reboot without a brownout.”

Scott steps forward and sets his hands on her upper arms, reassuring as strongly as he can towards her “I know you can do this.”

He turns around and faces the rest of us with his question “Anyone here think she can’t?

Liam and Lydia shake their heads, stating at the same time “Not me.”

“I was the one who put you in the plan.” I offer lightly and point towards her before we all look expectantly at Malia who has remained silent.

Noticing our eyes, she looks around towards all of us “What?”

Lydia leans over and whispers what Malia should be contributing to the conversation “I believe in you too, Kira.”

Malia scoffs and looks around at all of us “I’m the one who’s going to be locked in an electrical room with her.”

I raise my brows with her words, wondering why it’s so difficult for her to be supportive in this moment.

Scott looks over to her as well and Malia huffs before looking over towards Kira and super unconvincingly tries to be supportive “You can do it.”

Kira’s worried eyes flitter around towards all of us before she shakes her head quickly “You guys are all crazy. We’re gonna die.”

Lydia makes a hmm noise and shakes her head with her disagreement “I’d be screaming if that were true”

I chuckle and clap my hands together in front of my chest “Alright, let’s do this”

***

In the back of the van we feel it come to a stop before hearing Jordan declare to the guard “Delivery to the morgue.”

A couple seconds pass before the guard denies “I don’t see you on the list”

“You heard about the animal attacks, right? The hospital ran out of refrigerated drawers and Eichen’s got the only other up-to-code morgue in the county.”

“Let’s have a look.” The guard states and I feel sweat start to gather on my forehead with that option since Liam, Scott and I are in the back of this van– in fucking body bags.

That’s right we’re the delivery to the morgue– aka our brilliant idea for getting into the building unnoticed.

Jordan is quick with his comeback argument “I don’t think you want to do that. The stench back there almost made me pass out while driving.”

“Open the back of the van, please.” the guard commands and I let out a huff of frustration as Jordan shakes the van slightly with his closing of the drivers side door.

I hear the doors to the back open before the guard continues to make our evening drag on “I’ll need to log the names off the toe tags.”

Jordan tries to reason “There’s significant decomp. They were found in the county tunnels way past rigor.”

“Open them up, please.”

We expected something like this so I’m particularly grateful we had Jordan grab one of the _actual_ bodies that was found in the tunnels and threw him on top of us.

I hear him unzip the bag before the guard coughs violently and I smile to myself for that little bit of justice for him making this take so long.

Jordan must go for another bag because the guard is quick to stop him “No, no. Go, just go.”

We get unloaded into the morgue and are waiting for the coast to be clear, which Scott must deem to be cleared because I hear him unzip his bag and start coughing as he gasps deeply.

I don’t waste a second before I also unzip the bag and push off the other guy’s body that for some reason was thrown over me on this fucking table.

Gasping deeply as I sit up on my elbows, I look over to Scott trying to catch my breath in the fresh air “holy shit– never again.”

Scott nods with my words and brings out his phone “Fifteen minutes– starting now.”

Attempting to get out of the suffocating body bag, I gracefully as ever fall off the table and onto the ground– _hard_.

Once we’re out of the bags and off the tables, we walk over to the door to the morgue and Scott sets his ear against the door waiting to hear if the coast is clear.

He looks back to us and nods before we’re immediately out the door and walking down the hall towards the area of gates that will take us to Adds.

We walk down the last hallway before the first set of cells and are just about to walk into the area near the gate, when we see two orderlies standing at the end of the hall.

Quickly stopping our steps and stepping out of their view, we gape at each other with this wrench thrown into the plan.

“What are they doing there?” Scott ponders and I shake my head “I don’t know. Their rounds should’ve ended five minutes ago.”

“I can take them,” Liam offers thoughtfully and I smirk with his eagerness before Scott looks back to him, stressing “No one’s taking anyone.”

“How much time?” I whisper quickly and Scott pulls out his phone again, sighing with his answer “Three minutes.”

Liam makes a noise and raises his brows “I’ll just knock them out and hide the bodies.”

“Oh, my God, please stop” I mutter when I look back to him, however we all jump when one of the patients bangs his hands on the glass of his cell in front of us, “Did you take the doctor?”

We all share a look of confusion before Liam whispers back “What?”

“Did you take the doctor? I haven’t had my medication. I need ten milligrams at 8am, 15 milligrams at 1pm, and no more than 20 at dinner” this locked up kid rushes out and Scott nods, talking lowly “We’ll get the doctor…”

“Dr. Fenris” the kid states as an answer before he switches gears and starts to freak out, sobbing “Dr. Fenris– they took Dr. Fenris” he finishes his words by banging his hands on the glass again and we flinch from the noise he’s making.

However he’s not done there as he continues to talk and bang his hands against the glass wall of his cell “I haven’t had my medication– I need to see the doctor. They took Dr. Fenris.”

I look around the corner as subtly as I can and see the orderlies looking down this way and sharing words with each other. Fucking great.

Turning back towards Scott, I stress “Hey, somebody shut him up.”

“I need to see the doctor” The kid continues to croak out and bang on the glass and I look over to the guys “Shut him up.”

Scott looks down and when he looks up, his eyes are shining their bright Alpha red color and he’s got his fangs on display. He growls deeply in his chest, not loud, but just menacing enough for the kid to gasp and jerk backwards from the glass slightly.

The orderlies stop walking this way and open a door in the middle of where they were standing and where we are. The door closes behind them as they head out of the hallway and away from us.

Once the coast is clear, I look back to the guys and wave them on “Come on”

We quickly make our way down the rest of the hallway when the emergency lights kick on with the wall lights.

We look around and Liam excitedly states “She did it– Kira did it.”

“Five minutes to get to Addy” Scott states and I can’t help the little smile that crosses my face as I grab the card out of my pocket and go to swipe it.

I come up short, however, since the reader isn’t attached to the gate like it should be “Where’s the card reader?”

We look around the door as I continue to begin my freak out and move my hands around with my words “It should be here. It has to be here.”

“They must have taken it out when the Dread Doctors got through” Scott digress and I groan in frustration as I look between them “Are you telling me we came all the way down here just to be stopped by an _ordinary_ key? Are you fucking kidding me?”

Liam moves back and shakes his head as he looks at the gate blocking our path “We don’t need a key– not if we can break it down.”

Scott and I share a look before I nod with our new option and step back as Scott and Liam slam their hands on the gate and begin to try to break the gate down.

They aren’t getting far after about thirty seconds which is all we can spare and I sigh “Guys, we’re running out of time.”

They’re both panting and looking back at me as Scott shakes his head “We can’t. The Mountain Ash– it’s too much.”

“Hit me.” Liam offers and I furrow my brows as Scott clarifies “What?”

“Hit me.” Liam states again and turns to face us “We have to save Addy. Look I know– I know she’s your actual sister, but she’s also become a sister to me and I’m not giving up on her so please just hit me alright? I’ll get angry then I’ll get stronger.”

Scott looks to me hoping I’ll agree with how ridiculous he is finding Liam’s offer, however that’s not what he’s going to get. I raise my brows and throw my hand towards Liam quickly, rushing out “Hit him– hit him!”

Liam continues to taunt Scott into hitting him “I tried to take your powers. I tried to kill you. Hit me.”

“He also left you for dead” I offer quickly to which Liam elaborates on an angry growl “I _wanted_ you dead.”

That does it as Scott answers with a punch to Liam’s face, earning him to groan in pain before he clips out through clenched teeth “Do it again.”

Scott settles into a glare and punches him again, Liam yells loudly before he stands up again and I grimace softly with my assessment “It’s gotta be harder than that.”

Liams bellows “Do it! Do it!” before Scott reaches back and punches him even harder.

Liam yells loudly through the hallway and they’re both panting as we wait to see if he’s angry enough. I yell out a supportive “Yeah” before Scott punches him one last time.

Liam pants out through labored breaths as he stands back up and Scott bellows “You angry?”

Liam’s transformed into his were features and answers back with a loud rumble of a growl.

Scott nods and pants out “Me too” before he guides Liam to turn around and together they slam their hands onto the gate, wasting no more time before the gate creaks and gives as the door is finally broken down.

I throw my arms into the air to celebrate and Scott pants out quickly as he throws his arm towards me, setting it on my back and pushing me forward “Stiles, go!”

My shoes squeak on the floor as I run down the hallway, getting to the last set of gates that thankfully has a keycard and I swipe the card through it.

The gate buzzes open and I push it open, running quickly down the hall and into the room Lydia said Addy would be in.

I walk through the doorway and I feel all the air rush out of my lungs at once like I was hit with a train as my eyes take in what I’m seeing.

Addy strapped down into the bed with a metal medical tray pushed up against the side of her bed.

Blood.

There’s blood on her pillow, the tray, the equipment– the trepanation device.

The bastard has already started.

Addy’s eyes widen, her bright aquamarine color a dull shade of what it usually is as she gasps and focuses on me “Stiles”

Her voice is quiet, hesitant and so broken as she breathes heavily “No, no, no– you can’t be here.”

Feeling like I can’t breathe, I drop down onto a knee next to her– my hand hovering over the gaping hole that’s bleeding from the side of her head.

I move my eyes over her, taking in her hands that are strapped into the harness straps on the sides of the bed.

I’m trying to control my breathing as I work through what I need to do first to get her out of this as quickly and safely as possible.

Tears roll down her cheeks as she continues to whisper out quickly “You’re going to die if you stay– all of you.”

“Yeah well that’s a risk I’m fully committed on taking babe, come on” I rush out as I work on the straps to free her hands.

“Stiles, he’s coming” she whispers out so brokenly it doesn’t even sound like her “Adds, I’m not leaving you here.”

“You have to.” she croaks and I clip out through my frustration of not being able to get the belts undone quick enough with my shaky hands “Well I’m not, okay? Don’t you dare ask me to do that”

We hear the gates buzzing outside of the room and she looks even more scared than I’ve ever seen her as she gasps and stresses through labored breaths “Stiles, I love you and the fact– that you’re here right now– but please you have to go”

My voice cracks as I move my eyes quickly between hers “Adds–”

She flicks her wrist around and grasps my hand tightly “Stiles, _please_ I can’t– I can’t lose you”

We hear another gate buzzing open, closer than the last one and I grit my teeth together– leaning forward to kiss her forehead, my lips moving against her skin as I reassure her softly “I’m getting you out of here”

I pull back, setting my hands on her face and move my thumbs to wipe her cheeks free of the streaks of tears that have fallen.

One last look at her and I move quickly out of her room, hiding behind the gate just outside of her room.

I hear the gate buzz and footsteps falling behind me into the hallway leading to Addy’s room and I look over my shoulder just in time to see Dr. Valack walk into her room.

Hearing a drill, I close my eyes and bounce on my feet figuring I can take him if I attack him with his own drill, however his words stop me “Stay focused, Addy.”

“What did you do to me?” her small voice filters towards me and I grip onto the metal gate a little harder.

“I’ve amplified your abilities– something that might just save the lives of your friends” Valack states and I furrow my brows with his words before Addy’s voice gains all of my attention “Theo and Hayden– they found it. They were looking for the chimera Noah, but they found a symbol. A circle inside of another circle, carved into a wall– the symbol of Scott’s pack.”

I turn towards her room more as Valack chimes in “It was more than a symbol, wasn’t it? It was a promise to reunite them.”

“Yes.”

“But has Scott done it yet? Will he be coming for you?”

“Someone’s coming” Addy states ominously before I hear another buzz of an opening door behind me and she continues “But it’s not Scott.”

I look around the gate and stay out of sight as I watch Theo, Tracy, Corey, and Josh walk down the hallway towards Addy’s room.

Tracy walks into the room and grabs Valack, throwing him up against the wall in the hallway with her hand on his throat, keeping him in place while Theo walks into Addy’s room.

A few seconds later I hear him grumble lowly “I can’t believe this is actually a medical establishment.”

Through Tracy’s hold on his neck, Valack declares “Now what would a pack of Chimeras want with a Banshee?”

“I don’t want a Banshee. I’m looking for a Hellhound” Theo states thoughtfully and right on cue, a deep growling roars down the hallway.

My eyes widen as I look through the gate and see our very own hellhound, eyes shining orange and his body covered in flames, as he slams his hands on the gated door at the other end of the hallway.

“You wanted a Hellhound… I think you found one.” Valack states the obvious as everyone watches Jordan melt down the metal door, bending it backwards and letting it fall away from him.

Hellhound Jordan stands before them, panting deeply with his fangs on full display before he roars deeply.

He walks forward and the flames that were covering his body go out and leave his body in that just burned state, with cracks of fire light shinning through all over him.

Josh and Corey come out of Addy’s room and everyone stands their defensive ground as Jordan walks closer to them.

I look around as we hear the alarm start blaring and doors slamming closed echoing down the halls signaling the lockdown.

One sound in particular has me turning quickly and looking over my shoulder when I hear a werewolf roar behind me.

Not just any roar though– Scott’s Alpha roar letting everyone, especially our pack, know... shit’s about to go down.


	76. Lie Ability

_Stiles POV_

Jordan continues to advance down the hallway at a slow pace, growling lowly in his chest.

Theo walks into the room and a second later comes back out with his hand and claws wrapping around the front of Addy’s throat.

I stand up from my lean, bouncing on my feet as I weigh my options– which admittedly there aren’t very many at the moment.

Theo commands “Back off” while Tracy drops her hold of Valack and moves to stand with the rest of their pack of misfits.

Hellhound Jordan doesn’t back off and instead keeps his advancing step pace down the hallway.

“I said back off” Theo declares once more, putting even more pressure on Addy’s neck and breaks skin if her jerk forward means anything.

Jordan listens and stops his steps, earning Theo to command to his pack “Take him”

“The guy’s on fire” Corey argues incredulously which Theo is quick to counter back “You’ll heal– do it.”

Tracy lets out a snarl and rushes down the hallway, stopping in front of Jordan with her clawed hand going into his stomach.

Jordan doesn’t react other than to growl and smash his elbow into her, knocking her into the glass wall of one of the other cells.

She crumbles to the ground and Josh takes his turn, running up to the wall and breaking off a pipe to reveal an electrical wire.

Josh grabs the wire, charging up his powers before he reaches over and sets his hand on Jordan’s shoulder.

Again nothing happens, which Josh reiterates to this side of the hallway “Theo, this isn’t working!” before Jordan punches him in the side of his ribs and he falls to the ground.

A whirring noise gains my attention back to our side of the hallway as Valack has grabbed the trepanation device and shoves it into the back of Theo’s thigh.

Theo groans in pain, letting his hold on Addy loosen enough for her to fall forward onto her knees while Theo drops down to one knee.

Once he’s kneeling Valack takes the end of the device and smashes it into Theo’s head, knocking him down onto the ground.

“Sorry Theo, but I’m not done with her yet” Valack grumbles before he reaches forward and sets his hands on Addy’s upper arms, pulling her up with him and turning her to leave.

They face the gate I’ve been waiting to make my move from behind, and now’s the time– I step out from the shadow and block his path, leveling him with a look to let her go.

Valack raises a brow towards me, however, a scream of agony has us all looking back down the hallway. Jordan is holding onto Corey’s wrist, catching them on fire before Jordan throws Corey down towards us.

Valack turns Addy away from Corey’s fire covered body which catches me off guard as Corey slams into me and we fly back even farther, me landing on my back with him on top of me.

I let out a grunt of pain, because holy shit this kid doesn’t look it but he is heavy. I push to get him off of me and it isn’t until Valack rushes past with Addy that I gain more addrenaline to get to her and succeed in pushing Corey off.

I get my feet planted, pushing off of the ground and running after them as he walks her through a door to the side of where I was standing.

The door slams in my face just as my hands smack into the door “Hey– Addy!” I try the handle but it’s locked and I continue to bang my fists onto the door “Addy!”

Begging the door gods to listen and open this door, I continue to smash into it, trying the handle over and over as I scream at the top of my lungs “Addy!”

Theo’s voice angrily clips out behind me “Let me try” before he’s quickly walking past me and kicks down the door.

Should have tried that myself.

I share a look with him before I push past and run through the now open doorway hearing him call out behind me “You’re not gonna find her without me”

The fuck I won’t.

I can hear his footsteps quick behind me, however I put that out of my mind and continue to follow the hallway, looking for any other doors Valack could have taken her through.

I run around another corner and find one of the gate’s doors open. Coming to a stop in front of it I groan in frustration with his voice behind me again “Stiles”

Turning around to face him, he runs the last few steps until he’s stopped in front of me to argue “I want her out of here, too.”

I run my tongue along the sides of my back teeth as I shake my head at him, not believing him for a second.

Theo clenches his teeth as he offers “I’ve got her scent.”

Drawing my brows in angrily I look back at him “What do you want?”

“What’s the difference? I can find her– you can’t.”

I clench my teeth, knowing he’s right and look over the wall next to us.

Should have let Peter fucking bite me the night of Winter Formal so I could find her my damn self.

Theo looks up above us at the steam blowing out of the window open above the door that leads to one of the shower rooms.

Sharing a look with me and nodding that Addy went through there, we open the door.

Immediately all the guys in the room crouch down onto the floor, terrified of what we’ll do.

One in particular over in the corner points to his side and we walk over to him. He puts his hands up to guard his head and Theo sets his hand on the terrified guy’s shoulder, guiding him to step away from where he’s crouched down.

Once he moves we see a grate in the floor, exactly like the grate at the Telecom building we found the other day.

Theo and I kneel down next to the grate as he ponders “It leads to the tunnels, doesn’t it?”

Licking my lips quickly, I nod and internally groan in frustration as I answer him “Yup and there’s miles of them– they could be anywhere by now.”

We move the grate and climb down the ladder, Theo sliding the grate closed behind him and jumping down into the tunnel next to me.

He leads the way, following her scent through the tunnels. The deeper into the tunnels we get the more turns we start to make as he continues to lead the way.

I clear my throat and try to keep my mind busy since I’m basically putting all my eggs in one basket with letting him take lead on being able to find her “Why did you use Addy as leverage to get to Parrish?”

Theo looks over his shoulder at me quickly, never faltering his steps as we continue walking and he faces forward again “In my quest to read up on all of the supernatural creatures we have in this fine city, I found that the Banshee and the Hellhound are both harbingers of death. They’re connected, so to find one you only need to let the other lead you.”

“That was strangely cryptic” I grumble to which I hear him chuckle to himself as we turn another corner.

Theo looks over to the side as he stops walking and instead heads over to the wall of pipes. He rests his ear against one of them and I’m officially done with him “I thought you had her scent.”

“I lost it”

Raising my arms out to my sides, I offer helpfully “So find it again.”

“What do you smell down here, Stiles?” Theo ponders without looking back at me and I huff with my answer “Chemicals and fecal matter. Although, I’m pretty sure the fecal matter is _you_.”

He levels me with a look before he turns back to lean his ear against the pipes again “I smell it, too. It’s all that I can smell– which is why I lost her scent and now I’m trying something else. So can you shut up and let me concentrate?”

“Fuck this, I’m gonna find her” I grumble more to myself than to him and continue walking past him and down the tunnel we were originally headed down.

“You know you won’t, Stiles! You’re going to have to trust me.”

I turn on my heels instantly with my rebuttal “Trust _you_? The guy who murdered his own sister when he was nine?”

“Yeah, I was nine years old. I also believed a guy in a red suit came down the chimney to deliver presents. So when three people in leather masks showed up and said that my sister wanted me to have her heart, I believed them, too.”

I raise my brows, continuing on with his crazy train thought “So then together you gutted and killed her. That’s a beautiful story.”

“I watched her fall into the water and freeze to death in minutes. Do you think I had any idea what was going on?”

Leveling him with a look, I nod as I answer him lowly “I think you pushed her– and I think you _liked_ it.”

Addy’s scream echoes down the tunnel, sending shivers down my spine with how much more powerful it sounds. It’s always felt powerful when I’m standing right next to her, however I can tell it’s far away yet it feels even more powerful than any other time.

We’re running out of time.

I look around us and back towards Theo whose eyes are flitting around the space around us “What direction was that? Where is it coming from?”

Theo looks around and connects his eyes with mine as he murmurs in slight shock “Everywhere.”

I scrunch my face up in my agitation and declare we need to split up. I take off running down one direction while Theo takes off down another.

I run down the tunnels, taking turns and looking for any door or alcove she could have been taken into.

I run around another corner and stop my steps from crashing into Theo’s back. He turns to face me as he answers through a sigh “Nothing”

“Great. You’re just as useless as I am.” I quip and turn back to look over my shoulder, trying to figure out where to search next.

“I’m trying to help save her life.” Theo counters back defensively and I don’t miss a beat as I all but growl out “Would you just drop the altruistic crap? You don’t give a shit about her or whether she lives or dies! All you want Addy for is because she gets you to Parrish– you want Parrish ‘cause he gets you to the Beast.”

Theo draws his brows in angrily “Have you ever stopped to think that if I _only_ needed a banshee to get to him I could have used Lydia? I’m here because whether or not you want to believe it, I don’t want Addy to get hurt. She used to be my friend too you know.”

Frustration crosses my features as I shake my head with what he’s saying, still knowing he’s full of shit– which he proves as he continues “And so what? I want the Beast dead too”

He turns back around to walk away from me, however I scoff and stop his steps with my words “After you take its power, right?”

Facing me now, I smirk at him as I elaborate with what Mason and Liam told Scott the other night “We know why you got the talons and we know you’re looking for Deucalion.”

Theo shakes his head, looking up towards the pipes on the wall as he counters back smugly “I found Deucalion– and you’re right. I’m going to help Parrish stop the Beast. I’m going to take its power and then I’m going to break its neck. So maybe I’m not the good guy in your eyes, but I might end up being the guy that saves all your asses.”

I clench my jaw together, hating everything he says _always_ before one thing he said registers and I get an idea. 

I walk closer to him and the pipe wall, muttering my suggestion “Break it.”

Confusion crosses his features as he looks over his shoulder at me “What?”

“The sound travels through the pipe. You’ll hear better, dumb ass– fucking break it.” I throw my hand towards the pipe so he can finally put two and two together with what I’m saying.

Theo makes a fist and smashes his hand into the pipe, breaking a section away from the other.

He leans forward and again puts his ear against the pipe, only this time he looks over his shoulder and connects his eyes with mine as he nods “I can hear them”

***

_Addy POV_

A bright light shines behind my closed eyelids and with it comes an overpowering scream. Not mine though and not just one– hundreds, thousands of screams are sounding in my head.

I gasp deeply as I wake up and groan from the sensation that makes me want to die just to get it to stop.

My head lulls to the side and I realize I’m sitting in a chair resembling a dentist’s chair and I’m in a dimly lit straight out of a horror movie room designed specifically for off the books medical procedures.

However I can’t dwell on any of those facts at the moment as painful groans fall from my lips, the noise deafening and more powerful than anything I’ve ever heard before.

Valack jams his fucking piece of cotton into the side of my head where he’s put a hole that I’m going to guess is as big as a moon crater for how much it fucking hurts.

Saying it’s painful is an understatement and I suck in a sharp breath, groaning even louder as the screams increase as well.

“Just hold on a little longer, Addy. You can make it.”

I whimper and turn my head to the side, seeing him standing next to me. He sets down the cotton rag and walks over to a table lined with all sorts of scary ass ‘medical’ equipment, reaching forward to turn some device on “I want you to focus on this, Addy– and what other sounds you hear now, push them aside.”

Through my panting breaths, I let out another involuntary whimper with the screams and noises before they start to lessen some as a buzzing, almost hum, starts to over power them.

There’s a cracking noise and all the screams die away until they’re gone completely, leaving a rhythmic buzzing noise.

“Focus on this sound– that’s it. Focus on this sound and my voice. All right, Addy?”

I gasp from the peaceful almost silence, my eyes focusing on a glass cell over in the corner. I widen my eyes slightly, whimpering softly as I notice the body of one of the nurses who was keeping me hostage in the room the other day.

“Don’t worry, Addy. Nurse Cross wasn’t nearly as strong as you are.”

My eyes move and focus in front of me into the dimly lit room as the pulsing ache on the side of my head the only thing I can focus on now that the screams have stopped.

“Addy? Can you hear me?”

Fighting back the urge to scream or finally allow the tears to fall that have been gathered in my eyes since I woke, I croak out my answer to him “What do you want from me?”

“I want your help against the Dread Doctors. They ruined me– destroyed me. They drove me to obsession, consigned me to professional ridicule. People thought I was a monster when I was simply trying to open their eyes.”

Keeping my head facing forward, I only flick my eyes over to connect with his as I mutter lowly “Now you want me to be your eyes.”

“You’ll see things, Addy. Things no one else can see. You may not survive, but you might save the lives of your friends.”

Valack turns away from me and after he finishes his ominus thought he turns back around holding in his hands the creepiest mask I’ve ever seen.

It’s leather with goggles over the eye holes and staples keeping the mouth closed shut.

I whimper through a few quick pants, suddenly not able to breathe as I’m becoming hyper aware of every little noise around the room.

Valack grabs two cords attached to electrodes and places them on each of my temples.

I jerk my head from side to side in small movements, looking around quickly with each new noise and thought I have.

There’s a screen in front of me that’s attached to the electrodes and on the screen are waves that are displaying and monitoring the activity from the electrodes attached to my temples.

The waves of activity are going up and down like crazy, which Valack clicks his tongue at when he looks at the screen “We have to slow your mind first– there’s too much activity in your brain. We have to get from a gamma wave to a theta.”

A scream breaks through in my mind and I close my eyes as I grunt with the pain “It’s too loud– I can’t.”

“If I try the mask now it will kill you. You have to calm your mind. You understand what they’ve created?”

I take a moment, breathing quickly as I try to push the noise away “The Beast.”

“The Beast of Gevaudan. An engineered version of it– but it’s not yet fully grown. It’s still bound to its host, the teenage Chimera inside. And it still requires the Dread Doctors’ protection.”

“Damnatio Memoriae.” I croak out and he nods “That’s right. The Beast was a man first– a human killer in the late 1700s. The Dread Doctors are trying to get it to remember itself– to remember the man. When that happens, the teenager is gone.”

I groan and close my eyes, everything is increasing and becoming too much to be able to handle. I want it to stop, I want everything to stop.

Valack doesn’t care though as he continues to make the whole situation worse “This teenager, Addy, is the last Genetic Chimera. A young man or a young woman, maybe even someone you know. A success where Theo and the others were failures.”

I focus on the ground in front of me as I argue lowly “But we went through the list of Genetic Chimeras. There’s no one else.”

“There must be one you missed. Another way they could have two sets of DNA. If you could see the face of this teenager, discover its identity, then your friends would have a fighting chance. The mask can help you see.”

I look up to the metal door in front of me across the room when a loud thud crashes into it from the other side and the best sound I’ve heard all night makes my heart skip a beat “Addy!” **_Stiles_**

There’s a sharp loud zapping noise behind me and it’s the last thing I hear before the rhythmic buzz stops and the onslaught of all the multitudes of screaming slams into my ears. I grunt in pain and throw myself back against the chair, scrunching my face up into a grimace as the overwhelming pain takes over and I feel like my brain is going to explode.

I just barely make out Valack’s voice, declaring “I’m sorry– but time’s up” before I shoot forwards, sitting up in the chair as I’m not able to control it or hold back any longer and I scream louder than I’ve ever screamed before.

***

_Stiles POV_

Theo takes off down the hallway and I stay right on his heels as he navigates through the tunnels and hallways with Valack and Addy’s voices leading him to her.

“This way” he states and about halfway down the hallway from the corner we just took are a set of doors and I waste no time as I slam my hands on them screaming for her “Addy!”

Theo rams his shoulders into the doors, however they don’t budge. He tries two more times and I’m growing impatient “What the hell are you doing? Get the door”

“I’m trying!” Theo yells before he slams his shoulder into the door again.

The doors stay shut in front of us and he’s setting up to slam into them again when the ground shakes below our feet as Addy’s scream pierces through the space around us.

I grunt through the pain the power of her scream generates and slam my hands over my ears as Theo and I jerk our bodies away from the doors quickly.

Her scream dies down and we share a look before Theo reaches forward and breaks off the handle to the door.

While he looks at the handle in his hand I push past him and slam my hands against the door, pushing it open with ease and running inside.

My steps quicken across the room, seeing Addy sitting up in a lab chair looking dazed the closer I get to her.

She falls back against the chair, her wide eyes looking right into mine as I come to a stop next to her, setting my hands on her shoulders “Adds”

“You came back” She states so softly I smile at her as I start to pull off the electrodes from the sides of her head “I never left babe, come on we’re getting you out of here okay?”

Flicking her eyes down to the ground behind me where Valack’s body is lying with half his head missing, she shakes her head quickly. 

Connecting my eyes with hers, her voice cracks with her argument “It’s not safe Stiles– I’m not safe. You can’t take me, it’s too dangerous for–”

Keeping one of my hands against the side of her face, I lift the other to stop her words with my own declaration “Adds, please shut up and let me save your life.”

She stops talking and finally has life shining in her eyes as she looks up at me and smiles softly, agreeing with her own little nod.

I make a noise and nod back before I set my arm behind her back and under her knees as I lift her out of the chair and walk her out of this shitty laboratory.

I don’t look back to see if Theo is following us, frankly I’m fine if he stays here with Valack’s lifeless corpse.

Walking quickly through the tunnels back towards where we need to go, Addy groans deeply in pain and pushes her legs down and out of the grip I had on her.

She drops forward, resting her hands on the wall and I set my arm around her back “Whoa, okay you’re okay” 

I lift one of her arms up around behind my neck, grasping her hand tightly in mine turning us back away from the wall.

“Stiles– you need to get away from me” she commands through her panting breaths and I scoff, pulling her with me “yea not ever happening again, come on walk with me then. The plan didn’t work out too well– so I’m gonna need your help, okay?”

“You had a plan?” she mumbles through another heartbreaking groan and I scoff to take her mind off of what she’s feeling “You were taken so of course I channeled my inner Liam Neeson to get you back. It was good on paper– not too much in reality.”

I kick open a door and walk her through it, however she drops out of my hold again and kneels on the ground before we’re able to walk out the other doorway. 

I turn back to her quickly watching as she sets her hands on the sides of her head, yelling towards me “I can’t hold it– I can’t do it!”

I step closer towards her, reaching out for her “Addy–”

“Stiles, _run_!” she bellows as her terrified eyes connect with mine and she digs her fingers into her head harder.

A hand slams down onto my shoulder and pulls me backwards forcefully. As I try to get my footing I feel another set of hands wrap around my back, stabling me from falling as I hear Addy gasp loudly and she screams right before Parrish flames on and wraps his body around her.

Her scream is muffled, however the force of it is like an aftershock and a wave of power flies towards us. It moves us back, shaking the ground and walls which creates smoke from the falling debris.

Scott was who caught me from falling on my ass and him, Liam and I cough from the smoke that fills the area around us.

Silence follows our coughs until we see the outline of Jordan carrying Addy break through the smoke. 

Scott increases his hold on my arm as she looks limp in his arms and my heart stops until she gasps and her face forms a deep painful grimace.

Jordan is himself again and walks her over towards us exclaiming “Where to?”

Scott lets out a relieved breath and nods as he begins walking with his direction “This way”

I walk up to them and Jordan lifts Addy towards me, replacing his arms with mine. I cradle her to my chest as Liam sets his hand on my back and we follow quickly behind Scott.

Getting to the end of the tunnel where we’re going to be met with an electric fence unless Mason was able to do his part to shut it down, Addy tightens her grip around me and stammers out “What’s– what’s happening?”

“Plan B” Jordan answers beside us and Liam rushes past, running way ahead of us which Scott tries to stop “Liam, slow down.”

“Liam, wait!” I bellow and we stop our steps as he slams his hands onto the fence. There’s a slight zap that he grunts through before he increases his hold and pushes the fence gate open.

“I told you.” he smugly replies over his shoulder when he looks towards us and I smirk at him, lifting Addy higher and closer to my chest.

Scott turns his head to look at us and we share a nod before we follow Liam out of the fence and towards the ladder that will take us to the grate outside the front gates to Eichen.

Liam climbs up first and moves the grate out of the way and I hand Addy over to Scott, setting her over his shoulder for him to carry her up the ladder.

I follow behind them with Jordan following after me and we slide the grate back into place once he’s out.

Scott moves in front of her “Hang in there okay, Deaton knows what to do”

She tries to smile at his reassurance, however she sucks in a sharp painful breath and drops her head forward. 

Jordan stands on Addy’s other side, helping her stand upright with me while we watch Malia and Kira pull up in Roscoe.

Malia immediately looks over to Addy when she climbs out of the jeep “Is she okay?”

Scott’s voice cracks with his overwhelming worry as he rushes out “No, we need to go– give me the keys, we gotta get her to the clinic _now_ ”

Malia hands over the keys while Jordan interrupts with his own painful groan and falls forward against the jeep. 

We all look over to him seeing slashes in his back as Addy is ripped from my grasp and we turn to see Tracy holding on to her now “Sorry, but she’s coming with me.”

I hold my hands up towards them as I try to calmly state “Okay– Tracy, just wait. You don’t know what’s about to happen.”

Tracy taunts back quickly “I’m taking her. That’s what’s happening– and none of you are going to do a thing–”

Her words are stopped by a sharp electric crackle noise and I reach out quickly, catching Addy from falling as Tracy crumbles to the ground. 

I let out a relieved breath as Lydia stands behind where Tracy stood with a taser in her hands and a deep smirk on her face “Could somebody please get my best friend out of this hellhole?”

Scott sends her a grateful look and nods before he lifts Addy up and walks her over to the jeep, helping me get her seated in the back with me.

I pull her against my side tightly as Scott climbs in the front seat and doesn’t waste a second starting her up and driving as quickly as he can out of here.

Scott fumbles with the gear shift as he tries to get it into a higher gear and I rush out “Scott–”

Looking over his shoulder he stammers “Yeah. I’m trying, I’m trying.”

I can feel Addy shaking in my arms as she closes her mouth and eyes tightly, fighting the urge to scream again.

I pull her against me tighter, letting her know I’m here and trying to reassure “We’re almost there. Adds, just hold on, okay?”

She attempts to nod, instead dropping her head to the side and letting out a little scream before she regains control again.

That little scream was enough to make Scott swerve the jeep to the side and make my ears ring painfully.

I look down to her, seeing how much pain she’s in and set my hand on the side of her face “Hey. Addy, Adds, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Look. You’re gonna get through this, okay? Addy, look at me, you’re gonna make it.”

She leans her head off the back of the seat and finally connects her eyes with mine. Through her heavy breaths she opens her mouth, the words dying on her tongue as her eyes flick to my ear.

She draws her brows in sadly as she lifts her hand to my face and pulls back showing me her fingers with blood on them “but you’re not.”

Moving my eyes from her fingers, I share a look with her before I lift my other hand up and feel blood coming out of my ear.

Scott looks back at us in the mirror and slams the jeep into the next gear, flooring the gas and making the tires squeal as he speeds down the road.

I lean forward, resting my forehead on hers “We’re both getting out of this Adds, you hear me?”

She lets out a hiccup of a sob and squeezes her eyes closed, earning me to grip onto her tighter– I can’t lose her.

We pull up in front of the animal clinic in no time and quickly climb out of the jeep, Scott by our side in no time.

He grabs her other arm and slings it around his neck, wrapping his arm behind her back as I do the same with her other arm and we carry her inside where Deaton is holding the door open for us.

Running with Addy into the exam room, Deaton points forward “Get her on the table.”

Scott removes her arm from behind his neck as I lean forward and set my arm behind her knees and back– lifting her up quickly and laying her on the table as she groans painfully over and over again. I grasp her hand in one of mine while I move her hair out of her face with the other.

Scott shares a look of terrified worry that I know is showing on my face too, as he comes up on the other side of her and we set our hands on her shoulders. She arches her back up off the table, slamming her eyes closed and scrunching up her face in a deep painful grimace “Whoa, whoa, whoa” I rush out and Deaton looks over his shoulder at us “Hold her.”

Addy lays flat on the table again and drops open her mouth, her voice cracking as she tries to hold back and stifle her scream.

Her holding it back still causes the ground to shake violently, the racks of shelves to clatter around us like an earthquake is rocking the earth.

Scott and I lean against the table, bracing her as we set our hands on each of her shoulders and he holds her leg down while I set my other hand across her hip “Doc, think you gotta do something” I rush out quickly, worry lacing my words.

“ _I will_ – but right now, I need you to keep her still” Deaton mutters, fiddling with some jars and a syringe on the back table.

Addy opens her eyes before immediately slamming them closed again as she grunts through her labored breaths.

I squeeze my fingers into her shoulder and her side as reassuringly as I can that she’s not alone– we are right here with her.

Scott shares a worried look with me as she continues to move under our grip, he licks his lips quickly and tries to keep his voice strong for her “We’re here Addy, you’re going to be okay”

Deaton walks over and replaces Scott’s hand with his own on her shoulder however closer to her neck “Steady– steady”

My eyes widen at the massive needle in his hand and I make a noise “What the hell is that?”

“Mistletoe” he answers like it’s obvious and I scoff, sharing a look with Scott as I argue “Mistletoe? She’s got a fucking hole in her head–”

Addy groans loudly, lifting off the table and Scott throws his arm over her stomach, increasing his hold on her leg as he looks up to me “Stiles, help–”

I grab onto her harder, holding her down as Deaton grabs the side of her jaw and moves the syringe towards the side of her head with the trepanation wound “Steady Addy, try to breathe”

He jams the mistletoe concoction into the gaping hole and Addy scrunches up her face harder into an even more painful grimace before she can’t hold it back anymore.

She shoots up from the table, breaking through our holds on her as she sits up and screams so forcefully all the windows in the room shatter above us.

She falls back onto the table and I throw my arms up, moving to shield her from the falling glass as it falls everywhere around us.

Through my panting breaths I lean up off of her and look around, seeing Scott and Deaton are okay before I look back down to her.

Addy’s eyes are closed and she looks entirely too _still_ “Addy… Addy?” I set my hands on the sides of her face, moving my thumbs over her eyes to clear the glass that fell on her from when I stood up “Adds– baby, come on.”

When she doesn’t answer or move, I grab the sides of her face and tilt her more towards me as I rush out on a broken whisper, “No, no, no, no, no. Come on, Adds. Wake up.”

Scott walks closer, tears in his eyes threatening to fall as he sets his hands on her other arm and I continue to shake her, not accepting this nightmare to happen “Come on. Wake up– can you hear me? Adds. Addy, open your eyes– come on, come on.”

I slide my hand off of her cheek and into her hair, tears flooding my vision and falling down my cheeks with how quiet everything is. 

I rub my forearm over my face quickly to clear them away as my voice cracks “Come on. Listen to me, Adds. Hey, show me your blues, okay babe I need you show me those bright blues.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Scott shaking his head softly as he drops it forward, hanging it between his shoulders.

Not accepting what him shaking his head could mean, I slam my eyes shut tightly as I shake my head and drop my forehead to rest against her chest.

Increasing my hold on her, I don’t give up as I brokenly whisper “Addy, you have to open your eyes for me. I know you humored me before and promised you wouldn’t do this again– but you seriously can’t– you can’t do this, you have to wake up–”

My words trail off when I feel and hear as she gasps deeply from under me. My head snaps up off her just as quickly and my eyes move up to hers. I watch in disbelief as she opens her big beautiful eyes slowly, blinking a few times as she focuses on the room.

I make a noise, a relieved sob that falls from my lips as she moves her eyes between Scott and I.

Breathing quickly I move my hand from her cheek and into her hair “You okay?”

She lifts her hand up and wraps her small fingers around my wrist as she nods with a soft smile, tears welling in her eyes as I nod back needing to hear it said out loud “You’re okay”

Addy moves my hand off her head and intertwines our fingers, squeezing her three squeezes she always has done in any situation to reassure me.

I let out a relieved breath and drop my forehead onto our hands, not even able to keep the tears from falling now.

I wipe my free hand over my face as I lift my head up, standing up straight as Scott grabs her other hand and bends forward to kiss her temple “Yea you are definitely not allowed to ever do that again” he demands, his voice thick with emotion.

He pulls back to stand up straight and her eyes aren’t holding back her tears as she smiles up at him.

“Want to try to sit up?” I offer softly and she nods.

Still holding on to each of her hands, Scott and I pull her up so she can sit up on the table.

We hear the front door slam closed and Melissa rushes in not even a second later, tears already falling when she takes in her daughter on the table in front of her.

Addy lets out a little hiccup before she whispers “hey mama”

Melissa crosses the room and throws her arms around Addy, stating through her tear filled voice “Oh my lord– I’ve been so worried sweetheart, I–”

Addy drops her forehead onto Melissa’s shoulder, grasping onto her tighter as we hear them both crying.

Melissa pulls back and sets her hands on the sides of Addy’s face and sniffles once as she clarifies “You are okay right?”

Addy smiles softly and nods, flicking her eyes over to me “They saved me mom– Stiles saved my life.”

Melissa turns her head, wiping her hands over her eyes quickly as she reaches forward and grabs my arm, pulling me into her for a bone crushing hug.

I chuckle, fighting off more tears only the McCall women can bring out of me as I return her hug.

Melissa pulls back and sets her hands on the sides of my face, taking a moment as she clears her throat and strongly mutters just above a whisper “Thank you seems like a huge understatement right now– but Stiles, _thank you_ for bringing our girl back to me”

Not trusting my voice to _not_ betray me with the emotion her words brought on, I smile and nod once. Looking over to Addy whose fighting off her own tears, I clear my throat as I declare to both of them “I’ll always keep her safe.”

Melissa lifts the side of her mouth in a smirk that so resembles her daughter as she nods with my answer.

Addy reaches over and grabs my hand, pulling me over to stand in front of her and in between her legs. 

She sets her hands on my shoulders, making a face as she lets out a little sob and quickly wraps her arms behind my neck– pulling me forward against her as she molds herself against my chest.

I close my eyes as I wrap my arms around her waist, increasing my hold on her and letting my hug say everything I can’t in this moment. 

Relishing in the feeling of her in my arms when I was starting to think I wasn’t going to get the chance again. I drop my head forward, resting into the crook of her neck and breathing in deeply. After everything she’s been through, she still smells like coconuts– like my Adds– my _home_.

I lift my head from her neck, moving so I’m right in front of her. I run my nose along hers, earning her to chuckle lightly– the melodic sound calming me for the first time in days. 

I feel her run her fingers through the hairs at the bottom of my head and I close my eyes as I lean forward and capture her lips in a soft kiss, full of all my love for her. 

Not really caring other people are in here, however knowing she’s been through a lot– I pull back and place my lips on her forehead, closing my eyes as I breathe in deeply for a few seconds before I step back from her a little bit. 

I look back to Melissa and when she looks over to me I nod towards Addy, specifically the side of her head. 

Melissa registers what I’m suggesting and she walks up taking my place, gently placing her hands on Addy’s head again and turning her to the side a little bit “alright let’s have a look at that sweetheart”

Scott shares a smile with me before Deaton lets out a relieved breath and nods with his own smile. 

We did it– we saved her.

Smiling at them, I try to lighten the mood and point behind us as I softly digress “I’m not paying for the windows.”


	77. A Credible Threat

Jordan opens up to what he’s been dealing with lately, every night he is under the impression that he leaves his home after he’s gone to sleep. 

When he wakes each morning there are burned clothes and he’s covered in blood with the kicker that he has no memory of where he goes.

Since he knows what he knows about the supernatural, he needs to know if the blood he’s finding is evidence that he’s hurting people and adding to the body count that is plaguing our city as of late.

Chris, Scott, Stiles and I agreed to help him figure this all out, so when he wakes up at night and whatever this is takes over– we need to follow him and stop him if we need to.

Which is what we all climb into the jeep to do this evening once Chris texts us that Jordan woke up in a trance almost and left his apartment **_exactly what Jordan thought was happening– which means he’ll be covered in blood soon_**

Stiles starts driving, reaching over to rest his hand on his place on my thigh. I smile over to him and rest my hand on top of his, intertwining our fingers together as I look out the window.

It’s been a few days since I was broken down, beat down even farther, almost murdered and ultimately saved from a terrible fate of not only dying myself but taking countless of innocent people with me.

After we left the animal clinic that night, mom took me to the hospital and we found a cadaver donor skull to fill the trepanation wound Valack bestowed upon my poor head.

Luckily it was a smooth sailing fix it surgery and recovery has been a bit painful if I’m being honest **_however all things considered I’m okay– I’m alive_**

Nightmares over the guilt I’ve been feeling for single handedly killing Valack have caused for some sleepless nights since returning home from the hospital.

Yes he was the reason behind why my scream was so intense and out of control that it killed him– however ultimately it was still _my_ scream that killed him.

I know it wasn’t my fault, however try as I might– that doesn’t stop the image of his body crumbling to the floor go away any faster, or the guilt from knowing I took a life.

“Jordan’s headed to the school” Scott announces as he reads the text message from Chris.

“Why’s Parrish headed to the school?” Liam questions as he sits forward between the seats and I shake my head, looking over my shoulder at him “It’s not Parrish– at least not right now.”

“Okay, why’s a Hellhound going to the school?” Liam corrects and Stiles offers “Cause he’s got a yearning for higher education.”

I level Stiles with a look and he rolls his eyes playfully, offering a little lighter “Look this is what he asked of us so hellhound’s at the school– we’re going to the school”

I chuckle and elaborate “maybe once we’re there we’ll figure out the reason why he was headed there.”

“Okay?” Stiles grumbles, hoping that’s the end of the conversation before he revs the engine and increases our speed down the road.

We pull up to the front of the school and climb out of the jeep. Stiles walks around the front of Roscoe and comes to a stop on my side, wrapping his arm around my back and pulling me into his side as we wait for the other two.

Scott comes up on my other side just before we hear a loud banging of the door being slammed shut behind us.

The three of us jump slightly with the noise, turning to look over our shoulders seeing Liam grimace back towards us “Sorry.”

We walk along the side of the building, coming to the middle courtyard where Chris meets us. Scott lifts his hands out to his sides as we all stop our steps together with his question “Where’s Parrish?”

“I lost him– he’s moving too fast” Chris answers and looks around us, staying on high alert as his eyes take in the dark quietness of the school.

Liam taps my arm as he looks to our other side “Guys– that guy’s not moving at all.”

I look over to Liam’s face before we all turn in the direction he’s looking at, seeing an unmoving body laying down in the hallway near the other building beside us.

Scott and I take a few steps before Stiles grabs my elbow and silently disagrees with walking over there.

I soften my face and reach up to grab his hand, squeezing twice before I pull him with me. Scott nods towards him as well and Stiles makes a face before increasing his hold on me and moves his feet with mine.

We walk up the hallway and discover the body is completely bloody and slashed apart before we share a look and with my body being almost drawn forwards, we continue walking past him.

We see another body laying in the walkway just down a ways from the last one before I widen my eyes at the scene before us. 

The back of a school bus has its emergency doors open and a massive amount of bloodied, torn apart bodies are laying in a pile. I swallow hard before muttering just above a whisper “Guys– look”

One of the dead bodies, isn’t dead yet as he lifts his head up slowly, reaching his arm out towards us as he begs “Help– me…”

Scott takes a step forward with me following, however Hellhound Jordan stops our steps immediately as he comes walking out with purpose from the side of the building to our left, declaring “It’s a trap” as he comes to a stop in the middle of our group and the murder bus scene.

“Please…” the guy in the middle of the dead body pile on the bus croaks out again earning Jordan to quickly turn back towards us, growling out in a voice so unlike his own “You can’t help him.”

We hear a deep rumble of a growl before a stomach turning squishing noise slices through the otherwise silent night– the result of that noise baring witness to the top half of the guy’s body as it falls out of the bus and onto the ground below.

I slam my hand over my mouth to resist the urge to scream at not only that mental burning image but also my first in person glimpse of the Beast right before our eyes.

Scott lifts his arms out to his sides, making sure he’s standing in front of us at the same time Stiles sets his arm across my front and pulls me back a step with him, declaring “That’s big. No one said it was _that_ big.”

Liam shifts over a step in front of me as he states over his shoulder “I did.”

The Beast sets his massive black body more in the aisle between the seats, gripping the back row of seats as he roars loudly into the night towards us **_fuck a duck that’s a lot of teeth_**

Jordan flames on and returns with his own roar right back, earning the Beast to turn around inside the bus and run towards the front.

Jordan runs along the outside of the bus and the Beast breaks out of the front windshield before both of the creatures are running down the road and away from the school quickly.

We all run a few steps closer to watch the scene unfold as Scott asks the group “What the hell’s happening?”

Chris makes a noise and looks over to us “It’s getting smarter.”

***

I groan in frustration, trying to lay my hair in a way that’s not painful **_however also successful in covering this ridiculous, post surgical healing sight I’ve got going on the side of my head_**

There’s a knock on my door and I flick my eyes up in the mirror watching as Lydia pops her head inside the doorway, a smile instantly lighting up my face as I turn around towards her.

She returns my smile and crosses my room in no time, arms wide open before embracing me in a tight hug.

Tears well in my eyes instantly because while I’ve seen her since everything went down at Eichen, I haven’t actually gotten to talk to her **_and I’ve missed my best friend_**

Lyds pulls back and she mirrors my fighting back the tears as she sets her hands on the sides of my face. She makes a face before she moves them and rests her hands on my shoulders with her words “Damn is it good to see you out of the hospital room”

I chuckle lightly and rest my hands on her forearms, nodding once “Couldn’t agree more sweets”

She smiles, clearing her throat “Addy, what you did– what you went through because of me–”

I make a noise, stopping her words immediately “Lyds, I love you and I would do anything to ensure you were safe.”

A few tears roll down her cheeks and she removes one of her hands from my shoulder to wipe her face with the sleeve of her shirt as she nods “I already knew that, and I just want you to know I feel the same way about keeping _you_ safe.”

I scoff lightly, reassuring her “Yea, you don’t have to tell me twice, it wasn’t even a second thought for you to push me out of Theo’s path– which was what started this whole mess to begin with.”

Lydia smiles softly, “You’re my best friend Addy– my family even before we knew we were _literally_ family”

I pull her in for another hug, muttering my agreement before she pulls back and shakes her head “alright enough crying for the both of us, I thought you might want some help on how to style your hair to hide what I _know_ you are worried about hiding?”

I throw my head back lightly, making a noise of agreement as I grip onto her a little tighter with my declaration “Oh sweet christ, yes please”

We share a chuckle before she sits me down on the end of my bed and gets to work placing two loose French braids on each side of the top of my head down to just past my ears. She gathers the top half of my hair and puts it into a bun, leaving the bottom half of my waves flowing down my back.

It’s beautiful and covers the healing wound perfectly while being loose enough to not agitate it throughout the day.

I gasp softly, turning my head from side to side admiring her work “Lyds, I love it– thank you so much”

“Anytime darling, alright now for some clothes–” she trails off and heads to my closet.

I smile towards her back, appreciating in the fact of how much joy she still takes from dressing me up.

She grabs a dark navy sweater and some brown knee high boots in each of her hands, turning around with a bright smile as she suggests “Paired with some leggings to be nice and comfy for your first day back?”

I return her smile and nod as I reach out to grab the clothes from her “Seriously perfect– as always”

Walking out of the bathroom after changing, Lydia claps her hands quickly a few times as she nods with her approval and sets the necklace she grabbed around my neck “Beautiful as always, alright grab your bag we have time to get coffee before school”

I let out a huff of relief and grab my bag, following her out the door as I state in a sing song voice “Thank fuck, let’s get our caffeine on”

***

Stiles is leaning against his jeep, arms crossed over his chest and tapping his fingers against his arms as Lydia and I walk through the parking lot.

Stiles looks up from the ground and his whole face lights up when he connects his eyes with mine and pushes off his jeep, opening his arms out for me to walk into. 

Lydia gives me a quick hug “I’ll see you later– she’s all yours lover boy”

Stiles smiles even brighter as I snort with her words, muttering my thanks again which I receive a wink from her in response before I step into Stiles’ waiting arms.

He wraps them around my waist and lifts me up, dropping his head into the crook of my neck as I wrap my arms behind his neck.

“Good morning, you look stunning babe” he states as he lifts his head and brings our noses to touch softly.

“Thanks handsome” I smile brightly before leaning forward and capture his lips in a soft kiss. Breathing in deeply through my nose as he slowly slides his lips with mine and sets my feet back onto the ground. 

Setting his hands on my hips, he pulls back and kisses my forehead before stepping to the side and wrapping his arm behind my back. 

We start to walk towards the school and I fit into his side, lifting my hand up to link my fingers with his that was hanging off my shoulder. 

“Ready for this?” Stiles ponders as we walk down the hallway and I shake my head “No, but let’s get this over with”

***

Liam has us meet him in the library where he proceeds to tell us all about what Mason put together about the Dread Doctors and them using high frequency transmission sources to draw the Beast out.

Which is even more terrifying when we link that bit of information with the fact that there is a charity lacrosse game tonight.

Since it’s a charity game that brings a lot of coverage, all the news channels will be there covering the game **_covering it with their equipment and vans that will all be transmitting a lot of frequencies_**

Liam sets his hands on the table we’re all seated at “Mason said it’s not just to transmit frequency. It’s high powered– like it has to be a really strong signal”

“And that’s causing it to shift?” Lydia looks over towards him and I shake my head, gaining their attention when I lean against the table more “No– I don’t think it’s just that. Last night Argent said that it’s getting smarter. What if the Dread Doctors are trying to make the Beast grow faster?”

Stiles furrows his brows, trying to follow where I’m going as he ponders lightly “With– frequencies?”

I make a noise and shake my head once as I clarify “No, by shifting– the frequency is just the trigger. The important part is when it shifts into the werewolf.”

“Like Peter,” Lydia offers and I nod towards her “ _Exactly_ like Peter.”

Scott nods his head and continues “That makes sense, I mean when Peter was an Alpha, he got stronger every full moon. Eventually, the burns healed and he was back to normal.”

Liam looks between us as he works out “So the Dread Doctors don’t want to wait for the full moon.”

I nod with my gut feeling “They want the Beast to be as strong as possible, as _fast_ as possible.”

Liam looks over towards me as he elaborates with his agreement “Because of Parrish.”

Lydia makes a noise and narrows her eyes slightly “So if this is happening tonight, what are we going to do?”

Stiles points across the table offering “Uh, we’ve got one clue to go on–” he grabs his backpack and takes out a photo, placing it on the table as he continues “This came from the hospital. Whoever’s lurking inside the Beast is wearing a size ten of indeterminate make.”

“Indeterminate?” Lydia looks over and I nod as I fill in “Means, it’s a partial print.”

Stiles wraps his arm around me, smiling proudly as he continues “Basically, it was all we were able to get considering all the fire, blood and _carnage_.”

“How many size ten′s are out there?” Scott looks over towards us and Stiles flicks his eyes between us as he answers “Only one with Parrish’s blood on the sole.”

“So are we going to try to get the game canceled?” Liam chimes in and Stiles sighs as he answers as positively as he can manage “No, no, we’re going to play, but we’re just going to hope really hard that it doesn’t turn into a blood-soaked _massacre_.”

I snort and drop the back of my head onto his shoulder as Liam sits back in his seat on the other side of me “Okay, but, um… aren’t we kind of missing out on a chance to catch this thing?”

We all share a look before a look flashes over his face, begging us to hear him out with his next offer “We don’t have the ‘who’, but we have the ‘where’ and the ‘when’.”

I make a face like that’s not too far off before Scott takes a moment, ultimately shaking his head “There’s too many people.”

Lydia shares a look with me as she nods her head to the side “And we still don’t _actually_ know if it’s going to happen.”

I nod and shrug as I continue “True– I mean this could just end up being a regular lacrosse game. It’s _possible_ – right?” I draw my brows in helplessly, trying my damndest to be positive as I look between them.

Stiles sits forward in his seat, gaining my eyes to flick over to him as he makes a face “That’s absolutely possible” the little hesitant look he offers after he confirms my question has me internally groaning.

Liam notices the hesitance and quips “So we’re still getting the game canceled?”

“We’re getting the game canceled” Scott and I mutter before we all stand up and walk out of the library.

***

Stiles and I head to the station, figuring our best bet to get a night game cancelled would be to have the people in charge of issuing the county wide curfew cancel the game.

Noah grabs some folders off his desk, reaching into his coffee cup for his keys after we explain our dilemma and disagreeing completely with our idea “Guys, I’m– I’m not so sure I actually have that authority.”

Stiles opens the door for his dad to walk through as he argues “You’re the County Sheriff. You can’t cancel a high school lacrosse game?”

I follow behind them as Noah drops the folders onto one of the deputies desks and walks towards the hallway with his rebuttal “It’s a charity game which generates tens of thousands of dollars. I’d have to go to the school board with evidence of a credible threat.”

Stiles looks around exasperatedly and drops his voice to lower than a whisper as he rushes out “A _giant_ _werewolf_ might rampage across the field _killing_ people. That’s an _incredible_ threat.”

“Plus what about the curfew you established for the mass murdered amount of bodies that keep turning up every night? Why can’t cancelling the game go into the category of a public safety decision?”

Stiles makes a noise and points to me, earning Noah to sigh and shake his head as he lifts his arms up to his sides “Look, we’re going to have a presence at the game already. I’ll double it, I’ll triple it.”

Stiles and I follow close behind him as he starts walking again and Stiles stresses “Triple… Dad, quadruple it. Octuple it.”

I smile over towards him with his made up number before Noah stops his steps and looks back to us with his idea “There’s always a person who could forfeit the game… the Coach.”

I huff and shake my head, Noah looking between our reactions as Stiles informs “Not when you’re stuck with a substitute who’s strictly by the book.”

“What about Finstock?” Noah questions and I cross my arms over my chest as I grumble “Rehab for the last seven months.”

Noah tilts his head to the side “Maybe it’s time to check on his progress.”

Stiles and I turn to each other, raising our brows in agreement with that not being the worst idea in the world.

***

Scott, Stiles, and I climb out of Roscoe and walk up the pathway leading to the doors to the rehabilitation center, Stepping Stones.

We look in through the doors and since I’m standing in the middle of the guys, I tap both of them on the shoulders before pointing towards the couch that Coach is sitting on with his head leaning against the back of it.

“Oh, my–” Stiles mutters before he opens the door and we all walk inside and up to the sides of the couch in the reception area.

Coach is just haphazardly leaning back on the couch, his head leaning backwards as he stares up to the ceiling in a catatonic like state **_since I’m such a pro at recognizing those now_**

Stiles makes a noise as we all share a look and he whispers out “Whaaat?”

Scott and Stiles sit on either side of him on the couch while I sit on the very end of the cushion in the seat next to Stiles.

Scott clears his throat as he sits down “Hey, Coach, it’s Addy, Scott and Stiles.”

Coach doesn’t move or make any indication that he’s even heard us. Stiles waves his hand in front of his face and still not getting a reaction, he drops his hand down to his side as he argues “Coach, you’re in rehab– you didn’t have a lobotomy.”

I move and sit on the coffee table, careful not to disrupt the game of checkers as I try as well “Coach?”

Still nothing.

Stiles huffs and looks over to me before leaning across my lap, heading for the checkers when Coach lifts his hand out and wraps it around Stiles’ wrist with cat like reflexes “Don’t you touch it. I’ve got Nurse Gonzalez by the balls of the last three moves– and she knows it” he chuckles and finally sits up on the couch.

Stiles shakes his head “Let it go– you’re checking out of this place now.”

Coach scoffs, shaking his head quickly “Not a chance.”

“Okay, Coach– but, we know you’re fine.” Scott tries to argue however Coach shushes him loudly, looking around quickly to make sure no one heard him.

“I have a debilitating disease.” Coach offers, lifting his hand up towards his mouth to indicate he’s a heavy drinker and I roll my eyes, sharing an unbelievable look with Stiles as Coach continues “It’s called ‘I’m not going to take another arrow to my stomach-phobia’. Look it up.”

I scoot closer to the edge of the table as I reassure “Coach come on– nobody’s shooting arrows at anyone, okay?”

Scott nods and continues “We just need you to coach the charity game tonight for us.”

Coach scoffs into a chuckle as he declares “Charity? Not a chance.”

Stiles looks around the empty room around us “How exactly have you been conning them into letting you stay here?”

Coach clears his face of humor as he answers “I, uh… I have relapses. It’s– it’s serious. I’ve had seven of them.”

“So once a month?” I deadpan and level him with a look that he smiles at “Still such a smart cookie She-McCall– yeah, you see, uh, every time they are just about to discharge me– I relapse.” He clicks his tongue, making a face like it’s such a shame with the timing as Stiles quips without missing a beat “And no one’s noticed that pattern?”

Coach furrows his brows as he counters “I have _phenomenal_ health insurance. So why don’t you guys get the hell out of here. I hate charity games– they’re meaningless.”

Stiles rubs his hand against his jaw as he whispers out incredulously, “I don’t think the charities would agree.”

“What’s it for this year?” Coach snaps, earning Scott and I to mutter “Cancer”

“For or against?” Coach ponders and I narrow my eyes as Stiles answers back quickly “Against, Coach– _deeply_ against.”

“Yeah, okay, well, I’m _deeply_ not interested” he states before whistling and indicating towards the door like we’re a pack of dogs he’s trying to get rid of.

Scott sombers his face and takes a different approach “Coach, we need you.”

Coach takes a second before he sets his hands on either of the guys’ shoulders and states “I will never coach there again.”

Stiles lifts his hand up to his side “That’s okay– because we don’t actually need you to coach the game.”

Coach makes a face as I smirk and raise my brows quickly once, muttering “We need you to forfeit.”

***

Stiles sits against the teacher’s desk in the classroom we’re meeting everyone in to go over the plan of the evening. 

He reaches out and pulls me to stand in front of him and rests his hands on my waist once I’m situated.

I lean my head back against his shoulder as everyone else comes into the classroom. Once Mason and Liam sit down at the lab table in front of us, Scott pushes off from the window frame and walks over to stand in between us and their table “Mason you know your part…”

Mason nods and follows him with his eyes as he informs “Corey and I break into the Devenford Bus and search their shoes.”

Malia pushes off the window as well and walks closer to my other side “I take out the TV vans.”

I can feel Stiles move as he nods with his interjection “Right before the whistle, Coach forfeits the game.”

Liam looks between us as he adds “The rest of us are looking for a size 10 with a bloody sole.”

“Just out of curiosity… What if it doesn’t work? What if we have to go up against this thing? I mean, I hate to bring up bad memories but Scott’s still healing from what Theo did to him” Malia offers before Kira looks over to her quickly “No, he’s not.”

We all move our eyes over to Scott as he lifts his jersey up to show his completely healed chest and elaborates “She’s right. It happened the night we got Addy out of Eichen House.”

I drop my mouth open slightly, feeling Stiles press a kiss to the side of my head as Scott smiles over to us “I healed. When were all together again, when we were a pack.”

“The Beast doesn’t have a pack.” Liam remarks and I lift the corners of my mouth as I nod, agreeing “Not like us.”

Scott smiles, looking around us to confidently state “We can do this, guys. No one dies tonight.”

We all share a look, sharing in the agreement with his words before we walk out of the classroom and head towards the field.

Everyone does their part, putting on their gear while Malia gets set up in place.

Stiles hands me his lacrosse hoodie before he walks over to let Coach know now’s the time to forfeit.

I pull the hoodie over my head with Scott’s help to stay clear of the healing wound right before we hear Coach blowing his whistle and shouting for the players to get on the field. 

I pull the hoodie down into place over my torso as I share a _what the actual fuck is going on_ look with Scott.

Stiles runs back over and shakes his head in his aggravation “He fucking said he’s never forfeited a game and he never will!”

“What the hell do we do now?” I grumble, earning head shakes from them being just as without an idea as I am.

Liam and Scott grab their helmets, having no other choice to go onto the field as Stiles and I quickly run over to the side of the bleachers to talk to Noah.

“What if we call in a bomb threat?” Stiles offers, rubbing his hand over his mouth.

“You remember the bomb threat at the airport three weeks ago?” Noah counters and Stiles doesn’t catch on “Yeah, of course I do. It was all over the news.”

I draw my lips in between my teeth, tilting my head to the side to look at him as he nods his head and concedes right away “I see your point.”

Coach signals for us to get back over to the sidelines and hands me my trusty clipboard before instructing Stiles to head onto the field for the next play.

I grimace as Kira knocks down **_more like barrels into_** five of the Devenford prep players on her way to scoring a goal easily.

I cheer along with the crowd as the players get set up again and Kira takes off, crashing into another few players throwing the last one over her shoulder **_she didn’t even have the damn ball_**

Coach walks up to me after the whistle blow as he grumbles “Addy, is it just me or is your friend damn serious about charity?”

Watching as Scott runs up to exchange a few words with her, I grimace softly as I nod with his statement and laugh lightly “Ha– well, she is committed to winning for our charity we picked, that’s for sure”

Coach nods and slaps me on the shoulder lightly as we watch the players set up, Liam and Brett taking stance on either side of the ball.

“Down… Set…” we hear the refs yell before he whistles and Brett takes off running directly towards Kira. Brett jams his stick forward, connecting with hers as he knocks her down to the ground with the force.

The crowd gasps with the action as Brett turns towards her and says something I’m just out of ear shot to hear.

Whatever he said though fuels her anger as Kira answers by getting up and swings her lacrosse stick like a baseball bat, connecting with Brett’s helmet like she’s trying to knock one out of the park.

Brett’s helmet flies off his head as he falls backwards and the ref runs up to Kira yelling “You! You’re done. Get off the field!” 

Kira turns and walks off the field with purpose, not looking back or saying anything to Scott who runs after her **_who the fuck pissed in her cheerios?_**

Scott shakes his head towards me as he runs back onto the field and I set the clipboard against my chest, crossing my arms over it as I chew on my lip.

A few more plays happen and we’re officially losing 5-1 at the moment.

Liam runs up to Stiles and I before the next play, and I shake my head as I look over to the news reporters who aren’t freaking out with their non signal they are supposed to have with our plan “Something’s wrong. I don’t think Malia’s got all the vans”

“Then we’ll get her more time.” Liam answers like it isn’t a big deal and Stiles looks over to him “How the hell are we going to do that?”

“We’ll even up the score.” Liam shrugs and Stiles again makes a face with his rebuttal “Once again… How the hell are we going to do that?”

“Just get me the ball” Liam cheekily replies, earning me to snort into my palm.

Stiles throws me a look, that brings a smile to my face, as he bends forward and kisses my temple.

“Good luck stud” I whisper, earning him to throw me a wink before he sets his helmet back over his head and runs onto the field.

The players get set up for the next play and at the blow of the whistle Liam gets the ball and runs down the field, scoring easily.

We all cheer him on and Stiles gains my attention as he stealthily walks off the field and nods his head for me to follow him.

Once I meet him on the sidelines he grabs my hand and leads me over to behind the bleachers “Come on, Brett’s sister was checking the crowd but she ran after Kira– help me check some shoes?”

I nod and we move about the bleachers, getting no where with anyone’s shoes having blood on them. 

The game is officially tied up from Liam being a literal MVP and we’re going into overtime. I turn and walk back to meet Stiles at the end of the other set of bleachers as he reaches out to check the last girl in the row, who happens to be Sydney’s, shoes.

Sydney moves her foot every time Stiles tries to lift it just enough to get a view underneath it until finally she kicks back hard enough that Stiles hits his head on the metal bar below their seat.

I make a noise and quickly run up to his side as he collapses on the ground and I kneel next to him “Holy shit, Sty–”

“I’m fine” he grumbles and lets me pull him up. Once I’m confident he won’t fall over, I set his arm on the side of the bleacher railing just to be safe and I shake my head as I walk over to the medical supply bag by the team bench to grab an instant ice pack I just have to break apart to activate.

He takes it gratefully and holds it up to his head when I walk back over to him, lifting his free hand up to point towards my face “Don’t say a word.”

I bring my lips between my teeth to hide my smile as I raise my arms up in surrender, shaking my head with a raise of my brows. 

Stiles snorts and shakes his head, earning him to grimace. I walk closer, closing the gap between us as I set my hand on the side of his face. I feel him lean into my touch as I move my thumb against his skin.

A loud feedback screech interrupts our little moment as it blares over the speakers, making my head feel like it’s going to explode. I let out a deep groan as I slam my hands over to cover my ears quickly.

Stiles closes one eye from the noise as he bends forward and sets his hands on mine “Adds?”

I shake my head with his concerned gaze, trying to convey that I’m alright, even though I have a terrible feeling instantly settling with the shrill noise.

Once the screeching feedback is done slicing everyone’s eardrums, a whole new level of dread instantly crashes over me.

A hum almost starts in my toes and travels up my legs, causing me to fight every nerve and instinct in my body that’s telling me to scream right now **_last thing the crowd needs is another ear piercing sound_**

I connect my terrified eyes with Stiles’ wide ones as we hear a faint in the distance, however _very_ distinctive growl.

His grip on my arms tightens as he pulls me closer into his chest and we look over towards the school busses where the growl came from. Instantly we hear an even louder grumble of a roar belonging to none other than the Beast.

A flash of a maroon jersey rushes past us and my feet are carrying me without even thinking about it “Liam, no!” I shriek at the same time Stiles grabs my waist, stopping my steps as he pulls my back against his chest and bellows over me “Liam, wait!”

He doesn’t wait, he doesn’t stop– instead Liam runs at full speed towards the bus. He leaps in the air at the same time the Beast is leaping over the bus from the otherside.

They meet in the middle each offering their own claws out slash against the other before all hell breaks loose. 

I take a deep gasping breath in, the scream I can’t hold back any longer rips through my lungs as the crowd becomes fully aware of the Beast and they all run for their lives towards the school.


	78. Maid of Gévaudan

Slamming our free hands onto the double doors into the school I push open the doors with Stiles, each of us having an arm of Liam’s thrown over our shoulders as ours are wrapped behind his back.

Hayden falls in step next to me as we try to hurry down the hallway with a very injured Liam hobbling along with us.

We can hear screams from people as they are running every which way away from the growling and roaring of the Beast who is chasing people down in the halls all throughout the school. 

Shivers run down my spine with the echoing terror the roar leaves behind as we come up to round the corner of the other hallway.

Stiles sets his arm on the wall next to him as we all stop our steps and I throw my arm out from my other side, straight across Hayden’s stomach. I pull her back with us as a large group of people scream and run past us, heading down the hallway we just came from.

Once the group clears, Hayden sets her hand on my upper back and with Stiles’ head nod forward we continue down the hallway.

Hayden runs ahead of us and opens a classroom door for us to run through. We hear the Beast roar from somewhere deep in the hallways of school as another round of screams echo from the crowds of people.

Hayden closes the door behind us quickly as Stiles shouts “The desk– the desk!”

Stiles let’s go of Liam and I move to brace him more as he screams out in agony while Stiles throws his arm over the desk, knocking all the contents onto the ground.

Hayden comes up on Liam’s otherside and we all grab onto him, hoisting him up onto the desk.

Liam groans loudly as we scoot him up to lay across the desk, Hayden and I moving on either side of the desk, setting my hands on his shoulder while Stiles grabs the sides of his head “Okay, okay”

“Liam” Hayden croaks, worry lacing her tone as Liam tries to reassure her through his panting breaths “I’m okay– I’m fine”

Hayden and I quickly get to work, pulling back Liam’s jersey to asses the damage. My fingers shake as we pull fabric back until I realize it isn’t just fabric we’re pulling back and I have to fight back the urge to hurl all over him.

His whole abdomen is slashed apart with blood, muscle and things I don’t want to acknowledge I may be seeing with my actual eyes. I let out a quick, shaky breath and swallow thickly as I close my eyes and try to keep my composure.

I hear Stiles gag as I open my eyes and pull my hand back, instantly sharing a worried look with Hayden.

Liam looks between us and his attempt to look at his stomach as he rushes out “What?– is it bad?”

Hayden and I quickly shake our heads, reassuring “No” at the same time Stiles nods quickly with his answer “Very”

I huff and flick my eyes up to him, earning him to make a face and shrug like he isn’t wrong before Hayden rushes out “Okay– okay, what do you guys usually do when this happens?”

“Oh, I usually pass out– and I think I still might do that” Stiles mutters, his eyes looking droopy as I reach out to stable his arm from doing just that “Sty-”

“Right– okay” he mumbles and gains his footing again, setting his hand on mine as he adds thoughtfully “Okay– Scott did this with pain. He could trigger it– pain makes you human.”

“He’s already in pain.” Hayden stresses out through her freak out and I nod gaining her attention with my words “Right, but sometimes adding a little more could help trigger the healing process– Derek did that with Erica remember?”

I look over to Stiles with my question and he snaps his fingers, pointing to me as he nods quickly.

Hayden licks her lips, looking between us and Liam– who sits up quickly. He shouts out in agony as Hayden sets her hands on his shoulders, whispering through her heavy breathing “Take away his pain–”

She connects her eyes with Liam’s and sets her hand on the side of his face, leaning forward quickly to connect their lips in a soft kiss.

I drop open my mouth slightly, standing up straight and sharing a shocked look with Stiles. We watch the black veins shoot up the side of her face as she absorbs his pain **_well that’s one way to take away his pain_**

They break apart and Liam collapses back onto the desk, breathing out a relieved breath and not looking to be in as much pain as he was.

I let out a huff of my own relief as Stiles clicks his tongue, adding on a lighter tone from the previous couple of minutes “Alright– next time I’ll kiss him.”

I snort with his statement, sharing a chuckle with Hayden as I run my hand across Liam’s forehead and into his hair “Just relax Bub, you’re already starting to heal.”

Liam closes his eyes and nods slightly as Hayden moves up the desk and grabs his hand. I smile softly towards her, nodding with my reassurance before I push off of my lean against the desk.

I walk up to Stiles, wrapping my arms around his middle and drop my forehead onto his shoulder as he wraps his arms around me as well. I close my eyes and smile softly as I feel Stiles lift the back of his hoodie I’m still wearing, drawing little patterns into my skin with his fingers. 

I take a deep breath in and shift to lay the side of my head against his chest, letting the calm he instantly brings settle over my body. I lay my hands flat against his back, slowly moving my hands against his back before I hear him let out his own sound of content and lay the side of his head on top of mine.

A silence falls over the room and I jump slightly with each round of roars and screams we hear outside of the classroom door in the next ten minutes, Stiles continuing to increase his hold around me when I do.

I feel like I was punched in the gut and I suck in a sharp breath, stepping away from Stiles as I bend forward “Addy?”

I fall to my knees and slam my hands on the ground in front of me, throwing my hair back out of my face as Stiles kneels in front of me and rests his hands on my shoulders. Sucking in a sharp breath, I set my hands on his outstretched arms as I croak out “It’s Scott, he’s–”

Liam quickly sits up from the desk and swings his legs over the side, hopping down and crouching beside us “I heard him, let’s go”

“Liam wait–” Hayden rushes out and he looks up to her as he stands up “I’m okay– all healed and she’s right, Scott needs help”

Stiles helps pull me up and we open the door, checking to make sure it’s all clear before we take off running down the hall.

Stiles and I run with Liam through the hallways as we try to get to the library as fast as we can.

Braeden and Malia almost crash into us as they are also making their way through the hall. I make a noise and wrap my arms around Malia before stepping back from her with a shake of my head “You’re okay– what are you guys doing here?” 

“I called Braedon to bring her guns and she got here just before I heard Scott” Malia informs and I share a grateful look with the both of them before we game plan what to do next. 

Stiles and I step around to the side and peer around the corner, watching the doors in case the Beast comes out this way. Malia and Braedon stand by either door and open the doors slowly.

We can hear the ever present sounds of a fight taking place as Liam bounces on his feet and once the doors are open enough, he takes off running into the library with Malia and Braedon following behind him.

Stiles and I move to the doors and step inside the dark library as well, off to the side near one of the tables. We see the Beast standing tall in front of the stairs we can just make out Scott standing on as Liam quickens his steps and leaps up behind the Beast.

The Beast turns just in time for Liam to bring down his clasped hands hard, punching the Beast in the side of the face. He snaps his body to the side with the force of the punch as Liam falls onto the floor near Scott.

Braedon doesn’t give the Beast time to recover as she shoots shot after shot straight into its back and legs while he tries to move away from her.

Malia roars beside her as Braedon continues to shoot at the Beast who falls onto the steps with the last shot. He turns back with a roar of his own, ultimately having enough as he leaps out of the giant window above the stairs.

Stiles and I run further inside and help Liam pull Scott up from the ground. He groans in pain and I set my hand on his chest, frantically rushing out “What the actual fuck were you doing, Scotty? You didn’t seriously think you were gonna have a chance against that thing _alone_ , did you?”

Scott shakes his head, leaning on my shoulder more as he pants and looks over towards the broken window “No– but I got its scent” **_well that’s a silver lining to getting the shit beat out of you_**

I follow his gaze towards the window before he limps to the side and pushes off from me gently “Scott–” I trail off watching as Scott silently moves through the library towards the doors. We all share a look before Stiles sets his hand against the small of my back and nods his head forward ‘Come on”

Stiles and I follow behind Scott with Liam falling in step with us down the hallway towards the side doors leading to the side school parking lot.

“Scott, wait– you’re hurt” Liam tries as Scott pushes open the handle on the door and we stop behind him as I agree “Seriously Scotty– you gotta slow down”

Scott doesn’t listen and I share a look with Liam before we quickly follow after my brother who is letting the scent lead him through the parking lot.

We keep our steps right on his heels as we pass a few cars, Scott touching the sides of each of them as he passes by and sniffs the air around them.

He stops his steps, in turn stopping the three of ours as he backtracks to a trunk of a car we were just walking past. Scott bends closer to sniff around the trunk more and Stiles steps closer to me as we wait to see what Scott’s obviously found.

Scott sets his hands under the back and grunts through the effort of forcing the trunk open without a key.

He succeeds and opens the trunk, the four of us stepping closer to peer inside and we zero in on a pair of converse just sitting there **_I’m no expert on men’s size shoes but those look like they could be a ten_**

Scott looks over to us quickly before he reaches forward and picks up one of the shoes, turning it over so we can look at the bottom **_well hello Parrish’s blood_**

I drop my mouth open slightly in shock, not believing what we’re seeing as Scott shuts the trunk of the car and Mason is standing right near the passenger side door “Scott? What are you doing to my car?”

Gasping with Mason’s words, I flick my eyes over to Scott as Stiles grips the side of my hip and we all look towards Mason, not really believing this could be possible **_however also knowing deep in my gut it’s true_**

“It’s you.” Scott states, furrowing his brows as Mason jerks his head back in shock “What? Liam, what’s he talking about?”

Mason steps closer trying to get a response from his friend, who drops his eyes to the ground and shakes his head as he tries to work through all the information that’s just been thrown at us in the last thirty seconds “Liam?”

All our eyes snap to the car next to us, watching as Corey turns off his invisibility and pushes off of the car he was leaning against. He rushes over to Mason, slapping his hands onto either of Mason’s shoulders.

“Corey– wait!” Scott warns before Corey ignores him and turns his invisibility on again, making _both_ of them disappear right before our eyes.

“What the fuck was that?” I mumble at the same time Scott bellows for Corey to wait again as he runs over to where they previously stood, throwing his arms up trying to catch the invisible bodies.

No shock when he comes up short and we all turn in a circle, trying to find movement anywhere before we all share a wide eyed _what the fuck do we do now_ look.


	79. The Beast of Beacon Hills

Stiles and I help Scott get home where Kira meets us, taking over and getting him set upstairs into his bed.

I’m leaning against the doorframe with Stiles as Scott sighs and grabs a manila envelope on his nightstand with an application for a scholarship inside.

“I missed the deadline” he grumbles more to himself than any of us and I clear my throat with a little smirk “You did not, I filled them out for both of us while I was sitting in the hospital doing absolutely nothing.”

Stiles chuckles and drops his crossed arms down to his sides, moving out into the hallway as Scott flicks his eyes up to me and softens them, letting out a relieved breath “Addy–”

I shake my head and push off the doorframe, reaching over to grab the door handle “It was nothing Scotty, rest up okay?”

He lifts up the sides of his mouth and nods once before I smile softly over to Kira and close the door to his bedroom.

Stiles sets his arm behind my back, resting his hand on my hip before we turn and walk down the hallway towards my room. We stop our steps, and I tilt my head to the side in question at seeing Braedon and Malia a few steps away from my door, looking at us expectantly.

Stiles looks between us as he stammers “What is it? What happened now?”

I chuckle and look from him and over to Braedon who nods at Malia “Tell them”.

Malia huffs and looks over to us quickly as she rushes out “You know how my mother wants to kill me?”

I furrow my brows with this conversation started and at our nods Malia continues “I think she might want to kill you too”

She flicks her eyes to me with those words and I jerk back with my shock as Stiles makes a noise and points across his chest towards me “Okay, uh, that’s disconcerting– why the fuck would she want to kill her?”

Malia looks like she doesn’t want to answer and Braedon knocks her shoulder into her, earning Malia to groan in frustration before she rambles out “Okay fine, look she knows you mean something to me, Addy… you’re, you’re my family but you’re also my anchor. She picked up on that somehow after learning you were the reason she missed her chance to kill me the other night before Deaton finally warned her off. She said how poetic it would be, her coming after you, so I could know the pain of something important being taken from me, like I took her power from her, before she ultimately kills me.”

Raising my brows, I scrunch my lips out forwards and nod slowly as I digest her words in the silence of the hallway. After a few seconds I make a noise and question softly “I’m really your anchor?”

Malia makes a face and nods like it’s obvious “Yeah, I mean– you said your anchor should be someone who makes me want to stay human and no one was there for me more than you.”

I smile with her words while I step forward and wrap my arms around her “Fuck your mother is a bitch” I grumble earning Malia to snort, a small smile shining through before she lifts her head, connecting her eyes with mine as she nods once “I called her that exact thing earlier when she was preventing me from taking out the wires on the van”

I smile brightly at her “This is why we’re best friends"

Stiles chuckles softly before he makes a noise and looks over to Braedon “Alright well I should probably have a gun”

Malia and I look towards Braedon who in return jerks her head back as she argues “I’m not giving you a gun.”

Stiles scoffs and looks between the three of us as he counters “You have a gun. The Desert Wolf who is going to try to kill my girlfriend and myself since I’m not leaving her side, has a gun. I think I should probably have a fucking gun.”

Braedon rolls her eyes when we look at her expectantly with his reasoning and she takes a gun out of the back of her waistband. She holds the gun out in front of her, releasing the clip and showing him the parts in her palms before she throws it out towards him.

Stiles plays hot potato with the firearm before it clammers to the ground and I scrunch my nose up in a grimace as I look over my shoulder at him and he scratches the side of his jaw, conceding “I probably shouldn’t have a gun.”

They offer their agreements before stating they’re taking watch downstairs and I grab them some blankets from the hall closet. Taking them gratefully, Malia says goodnight and heads down the stairs.

Stiles and I head into my room and I close the door to the shared bathroom on my way to my dresser to grab some jammies. 

I get changed quickly into a long sleeve dark grey henley and black jammie shorts before climbing into my bed, Stiles following and opening his arms up for me to cuddle into. 

He jerks back with a slight hiss when my cold feet touch his legs “Fucking icicles for phalanges, c’mere– body heat is the only solution.”

I chuckle and burrow into him, throwing one leg over his as he wraps his arms around me tighter, rubbing his hands against my back once he settles my blankets over us.

Feeling warmth finally seep into my bones, I swallow thickly “We’re going to find him right?” my small voice fills the otherwise quiet of the room.

Stiles moves slightly before he looks down to me, increasing his grip around me as he whispers confidently “Yeah– I really think we are”

I smile up towards him and rest my chin on his chest “I’m loving how positive you’re being”

He snorts and leans forward to kiss my nose “Your fault, you’re rubbing off on me”

I smile brightly before I push up on my elbow, molding my lips against his instantly. I can feel him smile into the kiss as he moves his lips with mine, lifting one hand up to rest against the side of my face. 

Stiles moves his thumb against my cheek, breathing in deeply before I pull away slowly.

Stiles presses a few quick kisses to my lips before kissing my forehead and connecting his eyes with mine. I smile softly and rest my hand on his chest, shrugging a shoulder “I take full responsibility then”

Stiles releases a breathy chuckle before grasping my hand on his chest in his and laying back on the pillow “Get some sleep cutie, rescue plan preparations start bright and early”

“I love you, thank you for staying with me” I whisper and lay my head on his shoulder, feeling him press his lips against the top of my head, murmuring “Love you babe– I will always stay with you.”

***

The next morning, Stiles went on a coffee run with Liam while I get ready and wait for everyone else to get here.

I get dressed into a mint, aquamarine loose sweater with a white lacy designed top bralette underneath, paired with some distressed jeans and my trusty light grey slip on converse.

I walk down the stairs, throwing my hair into a messy top knot when the guys get back. 

Lydia, Malia, and Kira arrive and we move into the kitchen to discuss our _find Mason as quickly as possible_ plan while Scott is still asleep upstairs **_and we wait for him to heal_**

Stiles walks over and stands beside me, resting his hands on the table as he informs “My dad’s got an APB out…”

“For a 5'8” 16-year-old?” Kira interrupts and Stiles nods his head to the side to counter lightly “I recommended nine foot tall rampaging werewolf.”

“It still might not be him–” Liam offers quickly and we all look sadly towards him. I soften my face when he flicks his eyes across the island we’re all standing around to me before he looks down and sighs out “But, Hayden’s at the school looking.”

“I can keep checking the woods.” Malia offers quickly **_and as positive as I’ve ever heard her_**

I smile towards her before Scott chimes in behind us “Our mom can check all the hospitals in the county– _we can find him_ ” he urges as we all look towards him,

Liam sits up a little higher, more on board with our plan now that Scott is up and healed “What happens then?”

“We figure out a way to _save_ him.” I fill in just as confidently as Scott– who looks over and shares a _hell yea_ look with me.

Lydia nods and looks between us “Okay– where else could we look?”

“Let’s ask Corey” Scott states with a raise of a brow before he slaps his hand over to his side, gripping onto Corey’s shirt who appears immediately and starts stammering out “Wait. Wait– it’s not my fault. They took him and I couldn’t do anything– they took him… “

“Who?” Scott pulls him closer to his face and Corey swallows thickly before he digresses darkly “The Dread Doctors.”

***

Now that the Dread Doctors have Mason, Scott deducted that we are just desperate enough to need help from the one person who knows a lot about them and their work **_Theo_**

Him and Liam head to the school to meet with Theo and Tracy while Stiles and I head to the station. We get there at the same time as Lydia who was with Jordan at the Nemeton trying to figure out if we could get more from his vision on how to save everyone.

We walk into the station and meet Noah in his office before we fill him in on all the pieces to the plan we’ve been making up as we go.

Noah asks if we’ve heard anything from Scott since his meeting with Theo and we shake our heads before Stiles heads out to call him.

He walks back in a couple minutes later and closes the door behind him “Still nothing from Scott and Liam.”

“Are we really sure this is a good idea?” Lydia mutters before Stiles quips back with a sigh “Uh, no. _No one_ thinks this is a good idea.”

“But you’re trusting Theo, anyway?” Noah incredulously looks over to his son as I lift my hands out to my side as I clarify “We’re not trusting him– we’re using him.”

“What if he’s using us?” Lydia argues, earning Stiles to counter “That’s probably a given– but, look, we’re just trying to cover every place Mason could show up.”

I nod and chime in “Malia and Braeden are at my house.”

“Melissa’s got the hospital” Noah continues and I smile over to him as Stiles goes on “Hayden and Corey are at the school.”

“Somebody’s got to find him.” Noah states, seeing no other option.

I nod, taking a deep breath in before I digress “Let’s hope they find Mason, and not the Beast.”

***

I call mom to check if she’s found anything and she is in the middle of responding when I hear in the background “We got a hit and run. Victim is a black male, approximately 16 years of age. Blood pressure is 80 and dropping–”

I widen my eyes with those descriptions matching Mason so far “Mom?”

“Nothing here, honey– wasn’t him” mom’s voice comes back on the line

I shake my head over to Stiles with her words before I respond back “Same here– talk to you soon.”

We hang up the phone as I hear Lydia ask Malia “Anything on your end?”

She chuckles at whatever Malia responds back with before I hear her response “The Mountain Ash is there to keep you safe”

I smile with that, instantly knowing Malia is hating the mountain ash barrier we locked her and Braedon into at our house with.

Lydia turns around as she states “We _are_ keeping her safe, don’t worry and call us if anything changes.”

Lydia hangs up the phone and offers to go get some coffee while Stiles and I move to sit outside of Noah’s office so he can keep working in peace.

Stiles reaches over and grasps my hand in his. I rest the side of my head against his shoulder as I check my phone for any messages from Scott or Liam.

Lydia walks over, handing us our coffees before she takes a seat next to us and clears her throat “So Gerard is no longer in a retirement home choking on mountain ash infused blood like we thought he would die from”

Stiles and I widen our eyes towards each other before we look over to her. She raises a brow and nods, making a mhmm noise as she continues “Him and Chris tried to help me with an injured Jordan last night, put him in this below freezing device to try to communicate with the supernatural side of his subconscious. It worked for the most part, except it just scared Jordan into wanting to leave instead of staying here to fight.”

“Is that why my dad was trying to stop him from leaving last night?” Stiles ponders and Lydia looks down to her hands as she nods “Yea– think we convinced him to stay and fight the Beast for now at least”

I reach over and set my hand on hers, offering all the comfort I can towards her.

I haven’t talked it over with her, however I can see that there might be something there between her and Jordan– so it has to be difficult for everything he’s going through right now.

She moves her hand to grasp onto mine, offering a grateful smile before she makes a noise and changes gears again “Gerard and Chris told me a story about the Maid of Gévaudan and you have to hear this”

Lydia proceeds to tell us all about the story the Argents shared with her last night **_and you know what that means_**

So story time–

The geriatric pain in all our asses decided to fill Lydia in on a story about two siblings, Marie-Jeanne Valet and Sebastian Valet.

Gerard started off his own story time by comparing Lydia and Marie-Jeanne since they both were skeptical of not only the supernatural at one point in time but also their abilities.

Marie was a skilled hunter and in 1764 the beast attacked her village, she put together and lead a hunting party to kill the beast at the request of her brother.

The hunting party hunted from dawn to dusk, but when night fell the Beast attacked them. Marie had lost her bow and arrow, earning her to prepare to attack with a knife when a gentleman, by the name of Henri, came running from the darkness, told her to get down and casted a circle of mountain ash dust around them. The Beast slammed into the barrier but obviously couldn’t get through, so as a result the Beast ran away.

Henri explained to Marie that the Beast was a werewolf and since she was such a skeptic, he brought her to his home— which was protected by a circle of mountain ash trees.

Henri had more mountain ash and mistletoe in small bottles all around his home and on his table, gaining her attention which then prompted him to explain himself and what he knew to her.

Henri informed he had been gathering the knowledge and supplies to survive a werewolf. He offered to teach Marie how to combat the supernatural and survive the werewolf.

Marie countered with not wanting to ‘survive’ one— instead she wanted to _kill_ one.

The next night Marie poured wine for everyone at the inn in her village and discovered the bar owner Marcel, who was a loyal friend to her brother, had been covering for the creature by hiding the bodies down in the inn’s cellar.

Marie figured out who Marcel was covering for and was shocked to learn that her own brother was the monster she was hunting. 

Sebastian’s eyes glowed white when she confronted him the moment she walked back in from the cellar.

Sebastian had no remorse for what he had done. Marie said how he’d killed children which her brother countered by saying he killed whatever there was that crossed his path.

Sebastian said it was what he was, what he had become. Telling her the story of how he drank rain water from the paw print of the wolf while running from the British in Canada. According to the old story, when you drink from the print you become the demon wolf.

Sebastian had dared his sister to tell the others that he was the beast and then promised her he would tear them apart in a matter of seconds if she did.

After he promised she wouldn’t be able to catch him— he walked away, leaving her at the inn in tears.

Marie went to Henri and with his help they figured out how to kill the Beast. Henri said they would need a weapon that would use the beast’s weight against itself. So she forged a steel spear tip in the shape of a fleur-de-lis mixed with mountain ash, wolfsbane, and her own blood under the light of a full moon. 

According to Gerard, Marie hunted Sebastian for three years, finally cornering him in 1767.

Marie was fleeing from him in his human form after shooting an arrow into his arm.

As he followed her, black smoke like shadows rose from the snow below his feet and coalesced around him to form the Beast.

Since the Beast was quite close to her, Marie slid along the ground and picked up the spear that was hidden in the snow.

She quickly turned to face Sebastian and the momentum carried the Beast onto the spear, protruding the end out of his back.

Sebastian had turned back into his human form and called the spear through him ‘a minor injury’ that he would recover quickly from and kill everyone they knew, making sure history would remember his name.

Marie explained to him that no one would remember him, sparking him to realize she was talking about Damnatio Memoriae. 

Naturally he became angry with her for wanting to take away his name from him– for ensuring he would be forgotten.

Once he started bleeding black goo he realized whatever the spear was had actually substantially damaged him.

Marie filled him in on the fact that the spear wasn’t just ordinary steel and was actually the weapon she forged with Henri.

Chris and Gerard filled Lydia in on how Marie kept to her word and made sure Sebastian was erased from history, every signature, every possession– they burned it all.

“Sebastian Valet has been forgotten for more than 150 years and when the Beast remembers who it is– the teenager inside will be forgotten, gone forever” Lydia finishes, looking between Stiles and I as we both listened intently to her retelling.

I gasp softly and move my eyes over to her “that is what Valack said to me the other night”

Lydia brings her lips inwards, softening her face as she nods and sets her hand on mine again.

I make a noise and narrow my eyes in thought “Why the hell would Gerard suddenly be on our side?”

Lydia scoffs and shakes her head “I asked him that same thing. He showed me his family lighter that had a fleur-de-lis etched on the side. Said how Marie-Jeanne married Henri who was an Argent”

I drop my mouth open as I work out and state thoughtfully “She was the first of the Argent Hunters”

Lydia nods before she elaborates “The very one and she was known as the Maid of Gévaudan.”

***

Stiles fell asleep on the couch inside Noah’s office and I smile softly as I take in his sleeping form.

I poke him on the forehead softly, earning him to instantly suck in a gasp of breath as he wakes up with a jolt “What– what happened? Who’s dead?”

Tilting my head to the side, I snort “No one– at least not yet” 

I breathe out deeply as I pull my phone out of my pocket and move to sit beside him on the couch he’s now sitting up against.

We check our phones and after no updates we both sigh and put them back in our pockets.

I drop the side of my head to rest on his shoulder as I mutter up to him “You okay?”

Stiles kisses my head and nods, reaching over to intertwine our fingers and set our conjoined hands in his lap “Yeah, I’m still thinking. Still trying to figure out why Mason? I mean, he wasn’t even on the Genetic Chimera list.”

Mom walks in, interrupting my response to his statement with her own declaration “He is now. Mason was born with twin embolization syndrome.”

Stiles and I share a look while she lays a medical file open on Noah’s desk. I make a noise as we stand up and walk over to her while I clarify “You mean fetal resorption?”

She looks over her shoulder at me smiling with a nod and I continue my line of questioning “He had a vanishing twin in utero?”

Mom nods again before she stresses urgently “Which accounts for _two_ sets of DNA.”

“Holy–” I begin before Stiles cuts me off “Hi there, brilliant women of my life– can someone please say it with words that have less than three syllables?”

I look over to him as mom clarifies “He ate his twin.”

“Got it” he nods and looks back down to the desk as I look over to mom again with my hesitance “But does this help?”

Mom shakes her head with a shrug “I don’t know– but it’s just bizarre enough to sound like it might be important, right?”

Lifting the corners of my mouth into a hopeful smile, I nod as I rush out “Yes– I mean it has to help, there _has_ to be something.”

Mom shares a look with me before she reaches forward and flips some papers in the medical file up, revealing an ultrasound picture with a baby that has another smaller baby attached to its stomach **_really glad Scott and I didn’t share that fate_**


	80. Apotheosis

Mom leans forward towards the desk and closes the medical file. She picks it up and hands it over to us, though keeps both of her hands on the file with her words, “I have to go back to the hospital– hopefully this is enough for the two of you to be your genius detective selves and help this poor boy”

Stiles steps up beside me, wrapping his arm behind my back as I grasp the file mom now hands over and smile towards her “We’ll figure it out mom– we don’t have another option.”

She smiles softly, moving her eyes between the pair of us before she sets her hand on the side of my face “Stay safe guys and keep me posted.”

We nod and I offer a reassuring smile before she grabs her keys and she’s out the door.

Stiles sighs and moves his thumb against the skin of my hip as he offers hesitantly “Sooo… Deaton?”

I scrunch my mouth to the side, never one to want to go to the vet first for anything, however we’re out of options **_and he did know exactly what to do to save my life_**

I tilt my head from one side to the other before I flick my eyes up to connect with Stiles’ “Yea let’s give it a go.”

We get to the animal clinic about fifteen minutes later and having called Deaton on the way– he’s standing out back with the door open, waiting for us.

I hand him the medical file from mom and fill him in on what she found. Deaton lifts up the papers to look at the ultrasound picture “Vanishing twin syndrome…”

Stiles makes a noise and points across me as the three of us come to a stop in the exam room next to the back door “This is part of your expertise, right?”

“Not particularly, no.” Deaton smirks over to us and I shrug, **_about to remark that it needs to be all of our expertise as soon as possible_** when the door behind us crashes open.

We all turn around and my eyes widen slightly at seeing Scott and Liam walking in. Seeing them isn’t cause for alarm– no, no it’s the very tall and menacing Dread Doctor in between them.

They’re barely holding him up and he looks to be badly injured **_if the blood seeping into their clothes is any indication_**

Looking over to us, Scott pants out “He’s still alive”

Deaton sets the file down and we usher them over towards the table.

Scott and Liam lay the Surgeon Dread onto the exam table, while Stiles, Deaton and I walk up to stand around the table with them.

Deaton moves around, trying to see what state the surgeon is in before Scott looks over to him “Can you keep him alive?”

“I’m not sure he technically is alive.” Deaton counters earning Liam to scoff “Screw keeping him alive. How do we get him to talk?”

Stiles makes a noise and lifts his hand off of the side of his face “Personally, I don’t think we utilize torture nearly enough.”

I chuckle, bumping my shoulder into him and crossing my arms over my chest.

“Did you hear that?” Liam questions, earning a slight nod from Scott while Stiles and I share a look not knowing what they’re going on about.

The Surgeon Dread on the table shoots forward into a sitting position as he immediately emits a loud, high pitched frequency noise **_oh good it’s been a hot minute since my brain felt like it was going to explode_**

The shrill noise is so loud we all groan and bend forward as we slam our hands over our ears.

Everything in the room starts rattling and shaking like an earthquake is rocking the earth. I drop my mouth open, wincing from the high pitched torture session.

The Surgeon Dread drops his legs off the end of the table and stands up while the noise lessens around us.

Liam has a determined, angry look on his face and starts to charge towards the Surgeon who’s making his escape. I drop my hands from my ears as I throw my arm out towards him “No– Liam, wait!”

The Surgeon turns around, lifting his hand up towards an advancing Liam and releases and electromagnetic pulse from his hand, effectively throwing Liam back across the room and slamming him into the far wall.

I move to go and check on him when the doors the Surgeon walked out of slam closed and we hear another wave of the electromagnetic force slam against the building.

The ground shakes again, the tables following suit before Stiles grabs me, throwing his arms over my head at the same time as everything metal in the room flies past us, including the damn exam table we were standing around.

I set my hands on his chest and lift my head up to look over towards the door that is now covered in a huge metal barricade **_the Surgeon turned the door into a giant magnet_**

Scott and Liam stand up and move like they’re going to try to get through the electric barricade that has sparks flying from the top of a broken power cable and I rush forward, gripping onto Scott’s upper arms “Stop, don’t touch it– it’s all electrified, look”

Scott nods over his shoulder at me and I step back towards Stiles as Scott and Liam listen in on the conversation outside.

“The cane” Scott mutters about a minute later before Liam shakes his head “But they took it– they took the cane.”

I furrow my brows and look up to Stiles, earning him to shrug before I suck in a quick breath, narrowing my eyes over to the pair with my question “Wha– what cane?”

The tables and other metal objects crash to the floor making us all jump from the noise. Sharing a look with us, Scott walks over and after listening to anything that could still be outside, he looks over his shoulder and shakes his head. He walks outside and comes back in a few seconds later “Nothing, just this–”

Scott lays the mask the Surgeon Dread Doctor wore on the table, sets his hands on either side of it and proceeds to tell us what happened earlier as Deaton and Liam get to work replacing everything metal back to its original place.

 ** _Story time_** – Scott and Liam met Theo in the doctor’s lair that they found completely empty from how it was previously kept. Theo told them that body in the massive tube I saw when I was there, was a Nazi Alpha Werewolf that the doctors have been keeping alive in order to prolong their own lives.

He stated that wherever the Dread Doctors new lair was, the Nazi Werewolf would be there too because keeping him alive requires the bubbling tube to be set up with a power source and on a convergence of telluric currents **_it’s always the telluric currents_**

The trio figured it must be somewhere in the preserve, so they set out to the woods in search of that exact thing. Eventually Liam found Mason’s scent and it led them to a wooden door where they could make out a single heartbeat on the other side.

Once inside the new lair they found Mason attached by a glowing tube needle to the bubbling tube of the Nazi Werewolf. They tried to detach Mason from the needle, however he screamed in pain if they so much as even touched the needle.

The Dread Doctors returned and the Surgeon was mocking Theo as a failure but also a near miss. Stating how they learned from Theo and how his failure taught them an important lesson– it taught them the banality of evil. The Surgeon explained how Theo would always be an ordinary evil– they thought they needed perfect evil to resurrect the perfect killer **_making him kill his sister makes more sense now_**

However the found that corrupting something _truly_ good actually did the trick for resurrecting their perfect killer.

Theo apparently had enough at that point and began fighting the Dreads, after Liam decided to join in and Scott tried to stop him– Mason managed to stand.

He reached behind him and pulled out the needle himself before he began to transform and his eyes glowed a whitish blue color.

The Dreads were thrilled and started muttering “Transformation without frequency” before the Beast attacked the Dreads– ripping them apart.

After the Beast killed the Geneticist, he picked up the Pathologist and ripped off its head. It rolled across the floor until it was at Theo and the Surgeon’s feet.

The Beast knocked Theo aside, stabbed the Surgeon with its claws before the Beast dragged him outside.

Scott and Liam ran outside with them and watched as the Beast dropped the Surgeon onto the ground before Hellhound Jordan flamed on and attacked the Beast from behind.

Chris and Gerard walked up, the former firing large rounds of bullets at the Beast earning him to transform again– only it wasn’t Mason standing there, it was a man.

Gerard called out to him that he knew its name, asking if he also new. The man looked back and muttered Argent before he ran away into the shadows with Jordan chasing after him.

Scott shakes his head, making a noise as he tries to work out “I still don’t understand what happened, but I asked Chris who came out of the Beast and Gerard said it was the ‘Man of Gevaudan’–”

“Sebastien Valet” I mutter, just barely above a whisper as I look between Scott and Stiles.

Scott sucks in a soft breath, almost like a chuckle as he shakes his head “Yes, that’s exactly what Chris said too”

Liam walks over to the table with us and sets his hands out to rest against it. I lay my hand on his shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze before I murmur “We’re going to find a way to get him back”

Liam drops his head forward before turning it to the side to look at me “How? You said it yourself, once this happened the teenager inside would be gone”

I draw my brows in sadly, shaking my head once as I counter “Well I for one don’t think Mason is gone yet”

Liam reaches one of his hands up and grasps the top of mine, squeezing once in his thanks that is written all over his face. 

He drops his hand back onto the table and I step out of the way as Scott moves over to grab Mason’s medical file “Maybe there’s something in here. Something about how he was a Genetic Chimera.”

“Mason had a vanishing twin” I fill in, Stiles elaborating lightly “Now we’ve got a vanishing Mason.”

Liam shakes his head in frustration “What does that have to do with him turning into a 250-year-old French guy?– How does that even happen?”

I shrug and cross my arms over my chest as I mutter “Mason’s twin wasn’t entirely gone– that’s what made him a Genetic Chimera.”

Scott looks over to me as he states thoughtfully “The DNA was still there.”

Deaton makes a noise and nods “Metaphorically speaking, the DNA of Mason could still be inside Sebastien as well.”

Stiles furrows his brows and looks over to Deaton also with his question “How?”

Deaton nods his head to the side and brings his hands up to emphasize his words “Life is energy– energy _doesn’t_ just disappear. The Dread Doctors may have found a way to break the rules of the supernatural world but there are some rules that simply _won’t_ break.”

“So Mason can’t just be gone?” Liam implores with a hopeful tone, looking around at the three of us before Deaton nods and continues “Somewhere in Sebastien he has to still exist in some form. A spark of energy, a flicker of memory.”

Stiles picks up the Surgeon’s mask, looking it over before he flicks his eyes up to me. I furrow my brows with my silent question before he looks across the table “Hang on… Liam, you said Mason said something right before he turned.”

Liam nods and looks over to us as he fills in again “He said, ‘That’s not my name’.”

“He finally remembered his name” I mutter, earning Stiles to turn to me as he nods and whispers “Damnatio Memoriae.”

“That’s what they wanted– they wanted Sebastien to remember his name.” Liam frantically rushes out before Deaton looks up from the table “Scott, you know the myth of what happens when you call a werewolf by its given name?”

“It turns back to human.” Scott murmurs and Liam continues on his freak out train “What does that mean? Someone can just walk up to the Beast, yell Mason’s name and turn him back?”

“Not just someone…” Scott clarifies, snapping his eyes to me as Stiles sets his hands on the table looking over to me as well “It’s gotta be you, Adds”

I open my mouth slightly with their statement, flicking my eyes between them before determination crosses my features and I nod “Fuck yes, let’s do this.”

***

Scott texts Braedon since none of us can get through to Malia and all he gets as a return message is that Tracy broke the mountain ash barrier so the Desert Wolf is in our house with Malia– trapped because Braedon reactivated the mountain ash barrier.

Scott quickly calls Braedon, explaining to her that he put our plan A solution in her bag before he left to meet Theo earlier.

Once he’s off the phone, I shake my head towards him “What was that?”

Scott smirks and we look over to Stiles as his phone starts ringing. He grumbles its his dad before he steps away from us to answer the call.

I look back to Scott and he shrugs “It’s something I’ve been working on for a while– I didn’t think Malia would be dealing with her mom this soon but it’s plan A”

“But plan A never works” I mutter and Scott sets his hands on my shoulders “This one will– you remember the Belasko’s garuda talons?”

I nod, sifting through my memories “yea the first genetic chimera that tried to steal your power on Scribe ni–” I gasp and widen my eyes before I continue “Holy shit you gave them to Malia for her to _steal_ her mother’s power?”

Scott chuckles and nods “Yes– part of the reason it took so long to get them was because Theo had them. He was planning on using them to take the Beast’s power until he was warned, by a certain captive of his, that if he uses them they could kill him since they weren’t created for him.”

I smirk at that and shake my head **_that certain captive being Deucalian_**

Theo has no idea that Scott and Deucalian are working together now, also has no idea that Deucalian isn’t blind anymore. The former blind alpha lied about his cured sight being only temporary which “fueled his hatred for Scott” and why he could be trusted by Theo.

Theo is so blinded by his own power trip he believed the lies easily **_I so want to be apart of the situation where Theo learns the truth_**

Stiles rushes back over, worry etched into his features as he pockets his phone “Sebastien went to the station, he attacked my dad and Clark before he– uh he stabbed his claws in Lydia’s neck when she tried to scream at him”

I make a noise and cover my mouth, tears welling in my eyes as I digest his words about not only his dad and Hayden’s sister, but also my best friend who cannot catch a fucking break.

Stiles steps forward and wraps me in a hug, rubbing the back of my head as he reassures “She’s okay, my dad got her to the hospital and she lost a fair amount of blood but they got it under control and she’s resting now– he didn’t hit any major artery or anything”  
“So she’s going to be okay?” I whisper into his chest and I can feel him nod against my head “Your mom said she’s going to be just fine– she just can’t talk right at the moment”

I close my eyes and grip onto him a little harder as I let the relief course through me. 

I feel Scott set his hand on my shoulder, offering his own comfort before Liam sighs sadly behind us and I pull back to look over to him, “What is it?”

“There’s no hope of saving Mason now– I’m not… I can’t ask you to put yourself in that kind of risky situation Addy. I won’t let that happen to you too”

I smile softly over to him, wiping my face with my sleeves before I walk over to him and set my hands on his shoulder “And I won’t let you lose your best friend.”

He goes to say something else and I make a noise, stopping him as I continue “I may not be able to do much in the midst of all you badass werewolves, however I can do this– so you best be letting me show off my badass banshee skills that can save him.”

Stiles and Scott chuckle behind me as Liam connects his sad eyes with mine “What if he attacks you the same way he attacked her?”

I shake my head and state confidently “I will be screaming Mason’s name before he even knows what’s happening.”

***

We run into the tunnels and turn around a corner, stopping our steps when we hear zaps of electricity all around us.

Liam turns around and whispers “Scott? You hear that?”

“Guys– even I can hear it” I whisper back as Liam looks down into the puddle of water we’re all standing in.

“Stiles, Addy– get out of the water!” Liam shouts, grasping onto my upper arms and shoving me into Stiles and up against the wall, completely away from the puddle of water we were previously standing in.

Electricity crackles as jolts shoot up both Scott and Liam’s bodies and they crumble onto the ground with groans and whimpers of pain.

“Motherfucker” Stiles grumbles next before he falls away from me. 

He lands on his side, gripping the back of his thigh while I feel hands grasp my shoulders and turn me around, earning me to gasp and try to step out of his grasp when I see Theo standing in front of me now.

“Sorry Addy” he murmurs before turning me with him in a circle, letting go of me after a little shove.

I furrow my brows with his actions before I widen my eyes as I realize he wasn’t just throwing me down onto the ground **_instead he was throwing me into a damn hole in the fucking ground_**

My hands fly out in front of me, trying to reach out to grab onto I don’t even know what before Scott pushes off the ground, reaching past the edge of the hole I’ve fallen into and grabbing onto my wrist.

I scream with the momentum as he halts my movement and I dangle above who knows what below me in the dark expanse of these tunnels **_that are my own living nightmare_**

Scott moves his wide eyes around my face, his panting breaths mixed with my terrified ones as we access the current situation.

Theo walks up behind Scott, kneeling near his back before Scott scrunches up his face in obvious pain as he grunts and I hear the ever familiar sound of claws being imbedded into skin.

“Feel that, Scott?– Kanima venom.” Theo mutters darkly and I gasp, trying to wrap my hand around Scott’s wrist as I feel his grip start to loosen around mine **_fucking Kanima venom– that’s why Stiles was gripping his leg_**

Theo hits Scott on the back as he taunts “Just let it happen– let it go.”

I muffle my scream by closing my mouth, shaking my head slightly before Theo again states “Let everything go.”

“Addy!” Stiles’ shouting echo fills the space around us before Scott groans and bellows “No!”

His grip around me breaks and next thing I know I’m falling into the darkness, screaming at the top of my lungs all the way down to whatever will hopefully not be a hard landing.

Not getting my hopeful wish– I land hard on the ground, instantly turning over onto my side and coughing from the wind being knocked out of me.

Groaning as I get my bearings and stand up, I let out a soft gasp and try to keep my labored breaths slow and calm to not hyperventilate in the dark _can barely see in front of my face_ space around me.

After moving around for who knows how long, I find a door and slam my body into it as I try to open it– however I just find it locked **_fucking typical_**

I groan in frustration slamming my hands against the door as I continue to try to get it open **_hey mind over matter means I should be able to break this down eventually right?_**

Letting out a scream of frustration I slam both of my hands against the door again before I hear the sound of swords clanking on the other side.

Confusion crosses my features before it’s replaced with a little bit of terror to what that could mean and I quickly step back away from the door.

I hear a few more swipes of the sword against the door before the door itself is falling into the room with me.

I let out a relieved, yet shocked breath at seeing Kira standing on the other side of the now open doorway with Stiles standing next to her.

She smirks over towards me “Sorry I’m late” before Stiles rushes through the doorway and wraps his arms around me “Oh– okay, you’re okay.”

I grip onto him harder, shoving my face into his chest and making sure this is real **_and not a hallucination from hitting my head on the ground or something_**

I pull back from him and he instantly sets his hands on the sides of my face, rubbing his thumbs against my skin as he declares “Please stop separating yourself from me– I can’t handle the stress at this point”

Chuckling softly I nod, fighting back the tears as I rest my hands around his forearms “The Kanima venom didn’t last long– or did it? How long has it been since I was thrown down Mufasa style?”

Stiles licks his lips quickly, a smile breaking through as he answers “It’s been almost an hour, so venom didn’t last as long as it normally would– I’m not even sure _how_ Theo has Kanima venom in his claws, but at this point shouldn’t be surprised with his capabilities.”

Feeling a wave of gratitude for him being right in front of me I push up on my toes, pulling him by his flannel closer to me as I connect our lips. I breathe in deeply through my nose, moving my lips with his softly yet urgently– in all honesty just needing to feel him at the moment.

We hear a deep roar echoing down the hallways, immediately followed by a growl we recognize as Scott. The powerful growl earns us to pull apart and look down the hallway the noise came from.

Kira looks back at us and nods over her shoulder “We should go”

Stiles lets out a reluctant deep breath, sliding his hand from my face to link his hand with mine as we fall in step behind Kira and make our way down the tunnel.

Kira leads the way, hearing where Scott and Liam are currently fighting the Beast.

We turn the last corner and we see Sebastien standing over Scott, gaining their eyes as we stop our steps.

“Mason” I breathe out quickly and just get Sebastian to look over to me as a result.

“I think you’re gonna need to try it a little louder” Kira pants out and I look from her and Stiles, who nods in his support that I can do this before I face forward again.

Sebastien is stalking towards us, determined murderous look in his eyes as he advances his steps towards us quickly.

His eyes turn the whitish blue Scott talked about before black smoke encircles him and he’s transformed into the beast, baring his teeth as he roars.

Ignoring the shivers the terrifying roar elicits, I tilt my head to the side and lift my hands out in front of me. I let the scream build, taking a deep breath in before I mix Mason’s name with my now trained scream and direct the power through my arms and out of my hands “ _Mason_!”

Visible sound waves emanate from me and fly towards the Beast, knocking him back a few steps over and over before smoke fills the space around him.

Letting the scream die, I rest my hands back down to my sides as I feel Stiles step up beside me. We see human shoes walk out of the smoke, attached to a _very alive_ Mason as he stumbles out from the smoke.

Corey, **_the ever present invisible creeper as he has been as of late_** , appears from the pipe wall to the side of Mason, catching him with ease.

I let out a relieved breath at seeing Mason alive, sharing a success look with Stiles and Scott across from us. 

Our victory is short lived though as our attention is brought back to the black smoke that’s floating around the tunnel like the ghost of werewolf past.

The mostly formless beast careens down the tunnel, away from us and we move a step to follow it when Hellhound Jordan runs up out of nowhere and wraps his hands around the smoke beast, stopping it and keeping it in place somehow.

Jordan turns his flamed on face towards us, bellowing “Scott” which prompts Scott to rush over and grab the cane that had fallen on the ground.

Scott reaches his arm back and throws the cane like a javelin, piercing the would be chest of the smoked out beast.

A bright white light emanates from where the cane pierced him and he roars deeply before the smoke continues to disappear until eventually it dissipates into nothing.

Jordan looks at his now empty hands, turning his flames off before he stands up and looks down the tunnel at the rest of us.

We all share shocked yet relieved breaths, smiling softly and in complete awe that this is actually over “Is everyone okay?” Scott questions before we hear loudly behind us “Not everyone!”

Theo is stalking towards us, electricity shooting off of him just like Josh’s powers allowed him to do **_first he had Kanima venom, now he has electricity– what the hell did he do?_**

Scott and Liam growl defensively before Theo lifts his arm and attempts to shoot an electric bolt towards them.

Stiles pulls me against him and towards the wall as Kira runs up the tunnel towards Scott, swinging her sword and catching the electricity bolt with the end of her sword.

“The Skinwalkers have a message for you, Theo.” Kira states, earning Theo to turn off the electricity coursing through him as his face shines with pure terror.

“Your sister wants to see you” she declares and using her katana fueled with the electricity she absorbed, she stabs her sword into the floor below her feet.

I increase my grip on Stiles’ arms as we watch the ground crack down the tunnel between all of us. 

The crack in the cement opens near Theo and my eyes widen as we watch an arm shoot up and out of the hole, attached to a body that’s slowly climbing out from the crack **_like a whole lot of nope scary movie_**

Theo’s sister, I gather as much, continues to climb out of the ground until she’s able to reach over and grab Theo’s foot. She pulls him down into the hole with her as he fights back and pleads over to us “Scott, help me! No– no! Scott!”

With one more pleading, voice cracking shout towards us “No– Scott! Help me!” they both disappear below the ground and the previous hole aligns the cement perfectly making it look like nothing ever happened.

Letting out a unbelievable **_did that just happen_** breath we all turn towards each other, sharing looks of shock and relief.

“Holy shit we did it”

***

We went to visit Lydia at the hospital, needing to see with my own eyes that she was going to be okay. 

She has bandages on her neck and smiles brightly at us when Stiles and I walk into her room. 

Coming up to the side of her bed I reach over and grab her hand, and she squeezes softly as I fill her in on what we accomplished “We got Mason back and the Beast is gone for good– Jordan and Scott killed the bastard that did this to you.”

Tears gather in her eyes, lifting the corners of her mouth in a tight smile as she fights them back and squeezes my hand again.

I sit on the bed with her, bringing my legs up to lay next to her and rest the side of my head against her shoulder as I whisper “We won, Lyds”

***

It’s been a few days since everything went down in the tunnels. Braedon found the garuda talons Scott told her about and was able to get them to Malia who used them on her mother– stealing her power and officially making her not a threat anymore.

Lydia is out of the hospital and healed up since the claws _thankfully_ didn’t do much damage.   
Scott went with Kira to New Mexico– specifically to Shiprock and the Skinwalkers he previously rescued her from. Apparently in order for her to be able to wield her sword that night in the tunnels, she needed help from them– and like all help from some supernatural force… it came with a price.

The price was a deal Kira made with them that she would return to them and it’s for an amount of time that hasn’t been determined yet.

Scott came back today and I’m just finishing telling all of that to Stiles after class as we start to walk towards the library to meet Scott to study for finals that are coming up.

I reach down and grasp his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers as we walk down the hallway “But she’ll be back– I mean she still has to graduate.”

Stiles squeezes my hand, letting out a soft sigh “That’s the thing, though, I don’t know… When we started this school year, I was so stressed about everyone ending up in the same place after we graduate– but I don’t think it matters. We always seem to find each other anyway. Even Allison.”

I jerk my head back slightly with his words, stopping my steps which in turn stops his when he feels the pull on his hand from mine not walking with him anymore.

Stiles looks back at me, noticing the look adorning my face and he furrows his brows “He didn’t tell you.”

I raise my brows towards him, using my free hand to point at my face “This is not the look of a person in the know”

He chuckles and keeping our hands grasped together, moves his steps to standing right in front of me “It was in the tunnels when Sebastien had his hands around Scott’s throat. The guy probably didn’t even know what he was doing–”

I nod remembering Scott mentioning something similar when he recanted what happened before we met back up with them that night.

Stiles licks his lips quickly, moving his eyes between mine as he continues “His claws got into Scott’s neck. He was going to kill him, but then he stopped and he said a name… Marie-Jeanne.”

“He saw Scott’s memories” I mumble thoughtfully before Stiles clarifies “He saw Allison.”

My nose tingles almost painfully as tears threaten to cloud my vision and I shake my head, whispering “They must have looked like each other. I mean, maybe even exactly like each other.”

Stiles nods, muttering thoughtfully “It gave Scott a chance to break free. She saved him” he increases his hold on me as he smiles softly “Allison saved his life.”

I draw my brows inwards, letting out a shocked gasp of breath before closing the gap between us and wrapping my arms around his middle.

Stiles returns the embrace and I feel him rest the side of his head against the top of mine. I smile into his chest, working through missing her like crazy and being grateful that even though she’s not here, she was still able to save Scotty’s life. 

Stiles clears his throat as we pull back slightly, however keeping our arms wrapped around each other still as he changes the subject to a more lighter topic “So birthday girl, have you decided what you want to do this weekend? Big 1-8 and all.”

I scrunch my lips to the side as I answer thoughtfully “Mom wants the three of us and your dad to have our dinner tradition– so other than that I just want to be with you”

Stiles licks his lips– smiling softly as he leans closer, closing the small gap between us and molding his lips with mine. He pulls back after a few seconds and mutters between kisses “That’s– completely– do– able”

I smile into his kisses before I murmur thoughtfully “Oh and cookies– we definitely need some cookies”

Stiles chuckles, resting his free hand against the side of my face to cup my cheek “I’m getting you the biggest and best decorated birthday cookies that bakery knows how to make.”


	81. Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a series of requests around Christmas for Stiles and Addy so I created this mini series called Staddy in the Wintertime.  
> There's 5 chapters that I placed in between the end of season 5 and the beginning of season 6 based on them mentioning New Years in the season 6 premiere-- however they don't affect the main storyline at all, just a bit of Christmas/wintertime fluff for these two.  
> So if you aren't interested in reading this little mini series the regular rewrite storyline will resume on Chapter 86!

Stiles walks over into the living room from the kitchen, stepping his long legs over mine that are crossed at my ankles and resting on the ottoman.

He plops down onto the couch cushion next to me, making a huge over exaggeration of crossing his legs in the air into the same position as mine and smacking them down next to mine.

I don’t bring my eyes up from the pages of the book I’m currently reading, a smirk dying to break free as I watch from the corner of my eye as Stiles snaps his head towards me. He breathes out loudly before facing forward again at my non reaction to his actions.

With the dramatic huff falling from his lips– I break and let out a little chuckle, earning him to snap his head in my direction again “Damn babe, take a hint won’t you?”

I flick my eyes up to the page I’m on to remember for later as I absentmindedly turn the page, completely engrossed in the words I’m _not_ reading on the next page as I make a noise “hmm?”

Stiles groans and drops his head back to rest against the couch, earning a snort from me as I finally break my eyes from the book and over to see him with a slight pout. I move my lips between my teeth, enjoying the torment for a second longer before I cave “yes my love, what is on your mind?”

Stiles flicks his eyes from the ceiling and over to me quickly, stating “I’m bored.”

I chuckle and indicate outside with a nod of my head “you’re the one that said it wasn’t the right time to be outside enjoying the snow falling”

He scoffs and sits up straight, pointing towards me with his humorless chuckle “Pa- Ha– I said it wasn’t sticking _yet_ , so we just needed to wait a _little bit_ and it’s been _a lot_ a bit.”

I smirk and move my humor filled eyes between his a few times “All right sooooo–”

Smiling bright, Stiles reaches over and snaps my book closed before laying it down on the coffee table.

I follow his actions with my eyes, watching as he leans closer and rests his nose against mine. Raising a brow he whispers “ _ **You. Me. Snowman. Now**_ ” before pulling back and kissing my nose.

“Count me in” I wrinkle my nose and chuckle as he stands up and holds his hands out towards me. He hauls me up and turns me around, pushing me towards the stairs as he smacks my ass lightly “Excellent– go get changed into snow approved clothing.”

“Yes, sir” I salute him and his eyes flash with a fire before he clears his throat and stammers “I’m gonna go see– see if we have a– uh a carrot– for the, well you know”

His words trail off as he quickly moves towards the kitchen and I try to cover my laugh with a cough before I move up the stairs to change.

Walking down the stairs a few minutes later in a somewhat weatherproof ensemble, I pull my mint colored beanie over my head and into place over my ears.

Stopping in front of the coat rack at the bottom of the stairs, I part my hair down the middle of the back and bring both sections of my hair over my chest.

Putting on my rain jacket, I open the front door as I pull the hood of my jacket over my head as well.

I walk down the steps and smile softly at the bite of the cold snowflakes falling on my face when I look up towards the clouds.

Stopping my steps over in front of Roscoe, I start moving the snow gathered on the front bumper and hood together in my glove covered hands, forming a little upside down snowman on the bumper.

I’m just finishing with the small rocks of my little rambunctious Frosty’s smile when Stiles sets his hands around my waist, setting his chin on my shoulder and releasing a soft chuckle at my handy work “Wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I asked if you wanted to build a snowman with me, but he’s pretty adorable.”

I laugh lightly and rest my hands on top of his as I tilt my head to the side “Oh we are so on to build a proper snowman– this little guy was too tempting to build on your baby though.”

Stiles snorts and increases his hold on my waist, turning me quickly in his arms to face him.

I make a little squeak from the action, my hands landing on his jacket covered chest and my bright smile matching his own when our gazes crash together.

Stiles lifts one side of his mouth in the lopsided smirk I love as he moves his eyes around my face and hair “You’re so snowy”

I snort and lift one of my hands up to rub the bit of his hair sticking out of his beanie that’s also covered in snow “You’re just as snowy and I love it.”

Stiles’ eyes shine brighter with my words as he moves his thumbs against my sides. He licks his lips quickly before he closes the gap between us and connects our lips softly.

I smile into the kiss, moving my lips with his warm ones as he moves one of his hands up to cup the side of my face.

Rubbing my cheek with his thumb he tilts my head to the side, deepening the kiss and eliciting a soft moan from my throat when I feel his tongue slide against mine.

Stiles groans deeply in his chest with the noise– the sound sending shivers down my arms and legs, though I’m not the least bit cold at the moment.

A car driving by brings us back into the now and we pull apart slowly, though we don’t make it far as Stiles just leans his forehead against mine “Jesus Adds, kissing you just gets better and better every time”

“Ah Stilinski, your swoon worthy words plus snow is making one helluva combination right now”

He lifts his forehead from mine, throwing his head back softly as his contagious laugh fills my ears “Fuck I love you– come on”

He finishes his words by leaning forward and placing his hands on the back of my thighs, lifting me up effortlessly.

I wrap my legs around his waist, my arms going around the back of his neck and tightening my hold around him as I laugh through my question “Where are we going?”

Stiles slides his hands under my bum and jerks his head to the side, “We’re building a damn snowman at that corner of the lawn because there’s that small, barely there, hill that will have a shit ton of good snow to move around right now.”

I nod with his words as he starts his steps, moving us through the snow towards the spot he nodded his chin towards before he continues “And then I’m taking you back inside to get warm because your little nose is already so pink from the cold.”

With my arms around him I lean forward and smash my cold nose into his cheek, earning a little yelp “Damn woman, do you want us to fall?”

I pull back laughing lightly and just shrug as an answer “I’m not that cold so you’re not taking me inside and away from this beautiful December in California miracle, mister!”

Stiles chuckles and stops his steps though he doesn’t make any move to set me back on the ground “And after we enjoy the miracle to the fullest, we’re fucking going inside so we can cuddle in front of the fire– deal?”

I narrow my eyes at him for a few seconds before I make a little hum noise and lean forward, stating in between kisses “Deal– as long– as cuddling– is code– for _naked_ cuddling.”

Stiles groans like he’s in agony– bringing a smirk to my face as he slides his hands to my waist, bracing me as I unhook my legs and slowly slide down his front until my feet hit the ground.

Stiles licks his lips and smirks right back at me “You’re killin’ me smalls, but yes that’s _exactly_ what I meant– now let’s build this damn thing.”


	82. Catching Snowflakes

Stiles walks out onto the front porch coming to stop behind me as I’m leaning my stomach against the railing, my fingers tapping the wood lightly.

He sets his hands on my waist and leans forward, resting his chin on my shoulder.

I hear him breathe in deeply, letting the cool crisp air chill his lungs before he makes a little noise of content and brings his face closer to mine, kissing me on my cheek loudly.

I chuckle and turn my head, resting my chin on my shoulder as I connect our gazes and watch as his smile grows even brighter “Hey gorgeous, why are you standing in the freezing cold?”

I shrug my shoulder and look back out to the view of the snowy backyard lawn making the entire space glow a bright white “It’s all part of the experience of snow”

Stiles makes a noise and grabs my hands, earning him to suck in a sharp breath “Fuck Adds, **_your hands are freezing!_** ”

I smile sheepishly as I mutter softly “I was going to go in and grab gloves– but I got distracted?”

Rolling his eyes playfully he scoffs and goes inside, coming back a few minutes later with a mug of steaming hot liquid.

I offer him a grateful smile as he hands me the mug and I breathe in deeply, causing a moan to fall from my lips as the sweet smell of peppermint and white chocolate fills my nose.

Stiles smirks and reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out my beanie and a scarf that he proceeds to wrap around my neck before making sure the beanie is snug on my head as he informs “I attempted to recreate your favorite Christmas coffee order since they’re probably closed today with the snow.”

“It’s perfect babe, thank you” I smile over the rim of the mug while Stiles returns my smile and puts on his own gloves and beanie. He pulls the collar of his jacket higher up on his neck before he sets his hands on my shoulders and turns me back towards the railing, guiding me back where I was standing before.

He walks up behind me, presses his front flush with my back and wraps his arms around my middle, resting his chin on my shoulder again “There, enjoy away now that you’re somewhat at a level above hypothermia status”

I giggle softly and place the mug onto the railing, earning Stiles to immediately protest “Pick that mug back up and heat your hands or I’m taking you inside–”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time–” I quip earning Stiles to snort before I continue “Calm down sparky– the mug is _too_ hot to hold. So now it can still act as a heater without burning my palm as I try to hold it.”

“Fair enough” I hear him whisper next to my ear, placing a kiss against my temple that I lean into as he tightens his hold around my waist.

We stay like that for a few more moments, content in watching the snow falling and making this holiday season absolutely magical.

I lift my head from his shoulder and bring the mug to my lips, taking a sip of the delicious seasonal beverage he duped perfectly “Mmmmm– well this is Christmas in a cup.”

Stiles makes a noise of agreement and gently rocks us back and forth once I set the mug back onto the railing.

Stiles places his lips against my temple, murmuring against my skin “I’ll be right back, gorgeous.”

I offer a small nod with his words before Stiles walks back inside, me watching his retreating back and smiling softly at him.

I walk over to the porch door, bending forward to slide my feet into my rain boots resting beside it. I take a step, chuckling at my gloves resting on the arm of the chair against the house and slide those on too.

Once I’m Stiles approved for snow, I walk over to the stairs and step down onto the snow covered lawn, tilting my head back and closing my eyes with a bright smile on my face.

I’m a beach and sun girl any day, however give me rainy thunderstorms or snow and something comes alive in my soul.

I barely crack my eyes open– trying to shield them, however keeping them open enough to still be able to watch the falling white flakes, a bright contrast against the dark clouds of the evening that’s falling around us.

Like when I was a kid, I open my mouth and stick my tongue out, trying to catch a snowflake on my tongue.

When I feel one land successfully I drop my head forward, sticking my tongue out more to watch it melt away.

“I remember watching you do that when we were kids– you never stuck your tongue out long enough though, you were always so eager to see if it worked that you never gave the flakes time to _actually_ land” Stiles’ voice sounds behind me, humor filled wonder lacing his words.

I turn to face him, raising a brow towards him as I watch him walk down the steps and make his way over to me as I clarify “It hasn’t snowed since we were like what? Seven? Eight?”

He shrugs, trying to fight off his smile as he plays it cool “Yeah– so? What’s your point?”

I rest my hands on my hips, disbelief fills my words “You remember that you watched me in the middle of your snowball fight with Scott and your dad, because that’s all I remember from our last snow day.”

Stiles smiles like he’s hiding a secret and places his hands in the pockets of my jacket and pulls me closer to him, instantly closing the gap between us.

He rests his hands on the sides of my face, cupping my cheeks as he rubs his thumbs against my skin and murmurs just barely above a whisper “Adds, you’ve always been the most beautiful girl to me and watching your face break out into the biggest smile I’ve ever seen when weather– that usually makes most people grumpy– in involved… well now that’s the most beautiful sight in the world.”  
My heart warms with his words and I place my hands softly on his forearms as he moves his love filled eyes between mine and continues “You stole my heart the moment I met you Addy McCall, so damn fucking straight I took any moment possible to look at you doing the cutest things I’ve ever seen, because at that age– all I knew was that your quirky little self made my heart feel so warm and I never wanted to look away.”

I fight back the urge to let the happy tears gather in my eyes and I clear my throat, increasing my hold on his arms “My sweet goodness Stilinski, what is with you and the snow that makes you just even more swoon worthy than usual?”

Stiles chuckles, licking his lips before his face clears and he tilts his head slightly to the side as he moves his eyes over my face, making me feel loved all over “It’s not the snow, Adds– it’s just _you_ – it’s all you, cutie.”

I make a noise in my throat and push up on my toes, placing my lips over his for a few moments before I pull away ever so slightly. I don’t make it far though and my lips move against his as I murmur softly “I love you– never change”

Stiles’ eyes shine bright as his lips also move against mine as he murmurs back just as softly, “I love you– and I promise.”

He closes the barely there space between our lips and connects them once more, kissing me softly as he moves his lips against mine.

His lips are so soft and warm, which is surprising since we’re standing in the freezing snow still falling around us.

Stiles slides his hands from my waist, gripping the back of my thighs in the way I know means he wants me to hop up into his arms.

I do as he hints, sliding my arms around his shoulders as he places his hands under me, never once breaking the kiss as he walks us back a few steps.

Stiles slams my back into the tree that was behind us and pushes his hips into me to keep me in place. 

The action causes a moan to sound in my throat and Stiles groans at the sound and uses the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Once he’s sliding his tongue against mine, I increase my arms around his neck– bringing him impossibly closer to me.

We hear a noise above us causing us to pull apart slightly, our quick panting breaths filling the otherwise quiet of the night around us as we move our eyes around, trying to figure out what the noise was.

I’m just looking up when I see a pile of snow falling through the tree towards us, I let out a squeak and Stiles increases his grip around me as we are covered with the onslaught of snow that when it lands on the ground covers up to Stiles’ knees. 

His eyes widen before he looks down to the ground around his feet “What the fuck was that?”

I move my lips in between my teeth, fighting off my smile before I can’t hold it back any longer and I laugh out loud.

My shoulders are shaking and everything as he flicks his eyes up to me, keeping his head down “Something funny?”

I snort trying to hold back the laugh, finding humor dancing in his eyes as I rub the snow off off the top of his beanie and declare thoughtfully “I think the tree was protesting what we were about to do after we crashed into it”

“Cock blocking tree– come on” he grumbles to himself and rolls his eyes. He slides his arms under me again, waiting for me to slide my arms back around his neck before he pushes us off the tree and walks us back over towards the porch.

“Where ever are we going?” I ask, giggling at the gleam in his eye as he removes one hand from under me and opens the door “A warm shower is calling our name and I know for a fact that wall won’t throw down snow at us if I slam your back up against it.”

Stiles smirks, wagging his brows twice earning me to increase my hold around him before I unhook my legs and slide down his front until my feet rest on the floor. I smile cheekily at him and shake my head as I take off my boots, beanie and gloves “Well swoon me now, you always know just what to say”

He does the same with his shoes and winter attire, throwing our wet shoes back onto the porch before he closes the door and turns around quickly.

He rests his hands on my hips and softly yet urgently pushes me backwards towards the stairs, his smirk deepening “Is it working?”

I chuckle and turn around in his hold to climb the stairs, throwing over my shoulder “So much so, I don’t even think we need the shower to get me warm anymore”

I hear Stiles groan deeply in his chest before I feel him smack my ass, pulling me towards the bathroom once we reach the top of the stairs “You kill me in the best possible way woman– get in here.” 


	83. Mistletoe Kisses

Walking up the front steps of the Stilinski’s porch, my feet stop and I tilt my head to the side noticing the bundle of leaves above the front door.

I chuckle to myself as I continue to walk up the steps, unlocking the door and swinging it open.

I take off my coat once I get inside and close the door, reaching over to hang my coat up and once again stopping my movements when I see _another_ bundle of mistletoe hanging to my right heading into the living room.

A smile falls on my lips as I hang up my coat and head into the kitchen, seeing another bundle hanging in that entryway I mumble to myself “Okay– I mean it’s not weird _yet_ ”

Not seeing Stiles downstairs, I turn back around and head up the stairs finding more bundles at the stop of the stairs, in the middle of the upstairs landing, the doorway into Stiles’ room, above his bed, and in the middle of his room in a few spots. 

“All right, it’s a little weird now” I whisper through a chuckle to myself as I turn in a circle around his room.

I hear the water to the shower turn off and I cross my arms over my chest, smirk in place as I wait for Stiles to open the door. 

Which he does a few seconds later, towel low on his waist with that traitorous deep V in his hips that makes me forget what I was even thinking of asking him.

Towel in his hand as he dries his hair, Stiles smiles brightly as he walks over towards me and kisses my temple “Finally you’re here”

I make a move to talk, finding my throat dry and earning me to try again after I clear my throat “Yeah, mom had to drop me off and you know how much she hates driving in the snow”

He chuckles and moves over towards his dresser, grabbing a pair of joggers and one of his long sleeve dark grey Henley’s that I love while he offers “I would have come and gotten you–”

I scoff lightly and wave my hand towards him “And you would have deprived me of this glorious sight? That’s just rude”

Stiles throws a smirk my way before throwing the towel he was drying his hair with towards my face.

A laugh bubbles in my throat as I grab the towel, hanging it over the side of his hamper and throwing a “boo” over my shoulder when he gets dressed.

Stiles barks out a laugh, pulling his henley over his head and down his torso before he reaches over and grabs my hand, pulling me over to push my back up against his closed bedroom door.

He doesn’t give me a second to say anything as he sets his hands on the sides of my neck, his thumbs resting on my jaw as he tilts my head to the side and finally his lips meet mine.

I push up on my toes and wrap my arms behind his neck as I breathe in deeply and smile into the kiss as I move my lips against his– basking in how soft and warm they are and the taste of him that is just all Stiles and a hint of his minty toothpaste.

After a few more soft quick kisses, Stiles pulls away and rests his forehead against mine, his voice thick and deep as he murmurs “Hey gorgeous”

I smile brightly, a breathy chuckle falling from my lips as I tighten my arms around his neck, murmuring just as softly “Hey hot stuff”

Stiles licks his lips, smiling with my words while his thumbs move against the sides of my neck, instantly sending in goosies down my skin.

He lifts his head from mine and one of the mistletoe bundles comes into my view, a bright smile on my face as I connect our gazes again “So uh– question for ya… **_where did all of this mistletoe come from?_** ”

Stiles tilts his head back, a laugh falling from his lips as he pecks my lips once more and slides his hands down my arms to intertwine our fingers “Come on.”

He pulls me away from the door to open it and leads me out into the hall. We head down the stairs and towards the kitchen before he finally fills me in on the mystery mistletoe being everywhere “So I was at the store getting everything I needed to make you dinner and there were these little girls there trying to raise money for their dance company–”

Smiling with those words I set my palms on the counter behind me and hop up to sit down. I scoot back so I’m not on the edge and Stiles moves to the fridge, handing me a Dr. Pepper that I beam at him in thanks for.

He chuckles taking a drink of his own before he continues “So they’re just so little and cute– yet freezing and trying to sell these mistletoe bundles and I just– I obviously had to get one…”

“Obviously” I agree, completely genuine in my smile towards him and his big heart he has for the tiny humans.

He throws me a playful glare “Anyways– I asked one of the moms who was standing outside with them why they weren’t inside or you know doing this a different weekend when it wasn’t snowing– and one of the little girls piped up in the tiniest little voice, cracking from how much she was shivering that this was the _only_ weekend they could be at the store and they couldn’t leave until they sold them _all_ …”

“So you bought them all” I fill in, my eyes lighting up I’m sure from how much I love this man standing in front of me.

He nods and lifts his arms out to his sides like he was Santa himself “I bought them all and seeing how much those kids smiled was so worth _not_ knowing what I was going to do with all the fucking bundles.”

I snort and set my drink down on the counter, flicking my eyes around the rooms I can see and connecting our gazes once more “So you got the whole inside covered– your dad is going to be okay with it?”

Stiles shrugs and walks over, standing in between my legs and setting his hands on my hips “I told him it was a romantic gesture for you, so he seemed okay with it– plus we’re all going out of town for Christmas soon so he probably figures it doesn’t matter because he won’t have to look at it all for long.”

I set my hands on his shoulders, sliding them up the back of his neck and into his hair as I run my fingers through the finger length strands “For me?”

Stiles breathes out one of his breathy chuckles and increases his hold on my hips as he licks his lips quickly “Basically I placed them above every space I’ve been lucky enough to kiss you in throughout this house”

I widen my eyes slightly, chuckling as I move my eyes around the ceiling “That’s a lot of spots”

He chuckles and lifts one shoulder as he smugly replies “I know– you just can’t get enough of me”

I take one of my hands out of his hair and smack his chest playfully “All right, all right”

Stiles jerks back with my smack, laughing the whole time before he scoffs lightly “Hey now it’s not like I’m complaining– you know like _at all_ ”

“Mhmm” I smirk and place my hand back behind his neck as he leans closer, his lips almost touching mine as he whispers “Plus if it’s not _ridiculously_ obvious yet– I want you just as much, if not _more_ , Adds.”

My heart warms as I pull him closer, closing that miniscule gap between us and connecting our lips in another sweet, yet yearning for more kiss.

I pull back and rest my nose against his, watching as his eyes crinkle at the corners with his smile while I murmur just above a whisper in our small little cocoon “I love you, you big mistletoe buying goofball”

“I love you, my beautiful reason to buy all the mistletoe to kiss you anytime I want” Stiles states and pulls back slightly to kiss my nose and I giggle softly, shaking my head to clarify “You don’t need mistletoe hanging from every space two people can fit just to kiss me anytime you want, I’m yours always”

Stiles’ eyes flash, with that look that makes me feel the most loved I know I will ever feel and goosies to run down my arms in the best way possible with the intensity behind them, before he clears his throat “I will never get tired of hearing you say you’re mine because I feel the same Adds, I’m yours always– however it’s Christmas, so you know– kisses get to be festive and no one can say shit about it.”

I lean my head back, a laugh falling from my lips before I lean back seeing his bright smile as he watches me and I shake my head softly “Fair enough– bring on more of those festive kisses please”

Stiles flashes his lopsided smile, a breathy chuckle falling from his lips before he leans in close and does just that– dinner forgotten for the time being.


	84. Our Traditions

I set my suitcase by the front door before turning and heading for the kitchen. My steps are stopped immediately as Stiles turns around the corner, blocking my path as he offers a small grimace and clears his throat “So– uh you remember how we were meeting everyone for Christmas weekend since we couldn’t all get flights together?”

Walking past him and into the kitchen I chuckle and nod as I pour some coffee into a mug. 

I place my hand around the side of the mug and I bring it up towards my lips, answering his question over the rim “Yes, everyone has been leaving the last few days in groups and _our_ flight is leaving this afternoo– oh sweet mother of Christmas don’t tell me you aren’t packed yet, we have to leave for the airport in an hour– it’s Christmas Eve Eve and it’s going to be crazy busy.”

Stiles levels me with a look, feigning in mock hurt, as he touches his fingers to his chest “ _Wow_ , I can’t believe you think I’m _that_ irresponsible as to wait until the last minute to pack for–”

“ _Are_ you packed?” I interrupt without missing a beat, raising a brow while Stiles scrunches his mouth to the side, eyes narrowing at me before he flails his hand up off his chest and towards me “That’s besides the point, 4 flannels, 2 jeans and a few other things and I’d be golden”

I playfully roll my eyes, letting out a huff after taking a sip of my coffee. I set the mug on the counter and fully turn towards him as I cross my arms over my chest “Don’t be silly you’d at least need your black henley too– all right so why are you bringing up our Christmas plans that you still need to pack for?”

Stiles reaches onto the counter to grab something, lifting it above our heads when he turns around. I smirk as I look up towards the ribboned bundle in his hands “ ** _What are you doing with that mistletoe_** –”

My words are stopped as he bends forwards to quickly place his lips against mine. 

Stiles sets his hand on my waist as he kisses me silly for a few more seconds before he pulls away and my eyes slowly open “ ** _–Oh._** ”

“Our flights been cancelled” Stiles rushes out through a grimace, his grimace deepening when his words finally register in my brain and my eyes widen “What? It’s just cancelled? We can’t get another flight?”

A humorless chuckle laces his next words “Oh, yeah– we _can_ get another flight–”

I breathe a sigh of relief, not really knowing how I’d handle not seeing our parents or Scotty on Christmas this year–

“The snow has made the airport have to postpone all the flights until at least the 26th though…” Stiles interrupts my inner thoughts, earning my mouth to fall open as I gape at him and the realization of the earliest day to fly out is now _three days_ away.

I make a noise, jerking my head back slightly as I uncross my arms and digest his words “Stiles, are you telling me we don’t get to be with our families for Christmas?”

“I mean, sort of– but it won’t be so bad” he quickly rushes out, hands raised as he steps towards me and closes the gap between us, setting his hands on my waist as he reassures “We’ll still have Christmas– we’ll just be here, you and me.”

I feel Stiles lift the bottom of my shirt slightly, rubbing his thumbs against the skin on my sides just above my leggings.

I take a deep calming breath in through my nose, shrugging my shoulders as I mutter “It’s not that _that_ doesn’t sound like a dream come true and I know it’s silly– I just… not seeing them on our last Christmas living at home just seems so, I don’t know– wrong in a sense?”

“Hey–” Stiles increases his hold on me, waiting until I connect my eyes with his before he smiles his lopsided smile and eases the somber mood “I already talked to my dad and your mom and we’re going to celebrate a belated Christmas with everyone when they come back– plus in the meantime we’re going to have a nice cozy holiday here and I mean come on we have _snow_ ” he singsongs his last few words, instantly bringing a smile to my face.

With his hold on my sides Stiles tilts us from side to side, a smile lighting up my face as I nod with his way of looking at our current situation.

Stiles returns with his own smile, leaning forward to mold his lips with mine quickly before pulling back “I know we were all looking forward to a getaway– and I mean this can be our stay in getaway?”

I chuckle, sliding my hands up his chest as I nod “Well I definitely love the sound of that.”

Stiles kisses my cheek and brings me in closer, wrapping his arms around my waist “There’s my girl– all right there are absolutely no cookies here because we were making them at the cabin, so I vote that be the first thing we rectify this afternoon.”

Nodding I take a deep breath in and smile brightly as I push up on my toes and connect our lips quickly “Yes please– I’ll grab the recipe and make sure we have all the ingredients–”

Stiles makes a noise, letting go of me to turn around and swipe his hand towards the counter with a flourish “Done and done– we’ve got everything already, let’s get to baking baby!”

We spend the rest of the morning baking my grandma’s recipe for shortbread cookies, and once they’re all cooked we set up a decorating area in the living room so we can watch Elf while we decorate the cookies.

After dinner, we move into the next holiday tradition we came up with and get changed into some Christmas jammies. 

We climb into the jeep and drive to the coffee shop to get some holiday themed drinks to keep us warm before we drive through neighborhoods to look at all the lights everyone puts up.

Some neighborhoods we hop out of the jeep and walk along the sidewalks, cups in one hand while our other mitten covered hands are linked together as we take in the intricate light decorations on the houses and lawns.

Once we get back to the house, I change out my boots for some cozy warm socks. 

I plug in the lights in the living room around the windows, the fireplace and on the tree before we get set up on the couch to watch Love Actually.

##  **❄️❄️❄️❄️**

Christmas Eve was spent much the same, though this time we ate cookies instead of decorating them and we only walked around our neighborhood to look at lights to walk off dinner, which I ate too much of– but it’s the holidays so whatever.

Tonight’s holiday movie is The Holiday and we’re watching Cameron Diaz attempting to cry in her cab when Stiles turns to me “Wanna open your gift now?”

I chuckle and slide my head backwards on his chest until our eyes meet “It’s only Christmas Eve”

Stiles scoffs lightly “So– we’re basically adults now, we get to make up whatever traditions we want… including when to open gifts”

I raise a brow towards him, a smile fighting to break free on my lips earning him to huff and roll his eyes “Plus I’m impatient and want you to, so I win– tradition officially created.”

I snort through a chuckle with his words before he taps my arm for me to sit up from my lean against his side and chest. Once I’m up he reaches over to grab the remote, pausing the movie before he gets up off the couch completely.

Stiles walks up to the tree and grabs a box that fits in the palm of his hand, I flick my eyes from the decorative wrapped box and up to his eyes as he holds his hands up in surrender “It’s not much, but it made me think of you.”

I lift my lips in a soft smile as he hands over the box to me and sits down next to me “Sty– you didn’t have to get my anything, these past few days just getting to be with you was enou–”

Sitting forward and turning towards me on the couch, he’s quick to counter “Adds, it’s the first Christmas where our gifts aren’t just ‘friend’ related– now open it and let me be a boyfriend dammit.”

I chuckle softly, gripping onto the sides of the box to keep it safe as I lean forward and connect our lips. I smile against his lips as I mutter just above a whisper “All right bossy pants”

Sitting back I unwrap the paper, revealing a navy blue box and instantly I snap my eyes up to his. 

Stiles’ eyes crinkle at the corners as he rests his elbow on his knee and places his hand against the side of his jaw, raising his brows towards me as he smirks “Keep going”

I place the paper on the coffee table and cover the top of the lid with one hand, slowly lifting the box apart.

Not able to hold back the gasp as my eyes take in the stunning necklace resting inside. 

In the middle of the long chain is a snowflake with diamonds in each of the points of the snowflake and also in a cluster in the middle surrounding a beautiful aquamarine stone “Babe, this is– this is– you should _not_ have done this.”

“You like it?” I can hear the smile in his voice as I flick my eyes up to connect with his as I whisper “I love it– thank you Sty, this is– it’s _gorgeous_.”

He leans forward, connecting his lips with mine in a sweet kiss before he pulls back softly, whispering against my lips “You’re gorgeous– this is just pretty.”

Tears gather in my eyes and I lift my eyes up to the ceiling, laughing softly as I fight them back, “Oh my lanta, Stilinski– what did I do to deserve you?”

I bring my eyes back down, connecting with Stiles’ soft ones that are slowly moving around my face and eyes as he states thoughtfully “You’re just you.”

Smiling brightly towards him, I connect our lips again before I shake my head softly and lean the side of my head on his shoulder as I look at the necklace again “Well my gift won’t compare but would you like to open yours now as well?”

I feel his shoulders shake softly with his chuckle “You don’t have to sound so defeated– it’s okay that I win Christmas this year”

“Such a butthead” I grumble and lift my head off his shoulder before I push off the couch to head to the tree.

Every year since we’ve been exchanging gifts, it’s never been an outspoken competition, however one of us always ends up winning Christmas. Usually because the other person was so blown away with the thought and love put behind a gift. He’s been a great gift giver, always more about the thought and meaning behind the gift than just getting something to get something– however this year was unlike anything he’s ever given.

Bending down to grab his gift, I stand back up and walk over to hand him the decorative box– his smile as bright as the tree in front of us “Thank you my love”

I kiss his cheek and sit down beside him again as he rips off the paper and lifts the lid finding a new Mets jersey with two tickets to a game when the Mets play the Giants up in San Francisco the Monday after graduation.

“Sweet mother of baseball, Adds!” he exclaims, reaching over and crashing his body into mine causing us to lay back on the couch as he lays on top of me and kisses me silly.

He places kisses all over my face, earning giggles to fall from my lips with his antics “I take it, I did well?”

In between kisses against my skin he mumbles “So much– and we– tie for– winning– Christmas.”

With one last smack of a kiss against my lips, Stiles sets his hands on either side of my head and pushes himself up, placing his outstretched hands towards me to help me sit up as well.

I shake my head and pull the necklace out of the box, laying it in my hands “No way– this is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever gotten Sty, I can’t believe you had time to find this with the craziness of this year.”

Stiles takes the necklace from my hands and motions for me to turn around. I shift in the seat, putting my back towards him as I gather my hair in my hands and lift it up out of the way of his hands.

He rests the snowflake against my chest as he pulls the back of the chain behind my neck to fasten the clasp “I didn’t buy it this year– I uh, I found it a few years ago…” he trails off and once he’s fastened the clasp I turn back around, my eyes snapping up to his as I shake my head softly to clarify I heard him correctly “Years?”

Stiles clears his throat and rubs the palms of his hands on his jammie covered thighs, letting out a deep calming breath “Yeah– umm I know how much you have always loved snow and the aquamarine color reminded me of your eyes and I couldn’t just _not_ get it for you.”

The tears are back to welling in my eyes as his face softens and he shrugs “Since it was obviously a _more than friends_ gift, I kept it for the perfect Christmas– which just so happened to be this one.”

I make a noise and set my left hand on his shoulder, bracing myself as I set one knee into the cushion by his hip and swing my other leg over to straddle his lap.

Stiles releases a little shocked gasp as his hands grip onto my hips, his fingertips pressing into my skin as I lean forward.

My lips slightly touch his as I murmur just above a whisper “I’m so in love with you and the way you make me feel.”

“Oh Adds, I’m so in love with you– you have no idea” he murmurs just as softly before he crashes his lips to mine and shows me the perfect idea of just how true those words were.


	85. Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins

“Yeah, sounds great, I’ll see you in a little bit” I say goodbye to Lydia and end the call before pocketing my phone into the back pocket of my jeans as I walk into the kitchen.

Stiles stops the mug he was lifting up to his lips and flicks his eyes up to me as he mutters “Is our stay in getaway ending already?”

I soften my face and shake my head softly “Not technically– we however did promise Lydia we’d go to her Christmas party she was throwing since her mom wasn’t able to make it home because of the snow.”

He takes a sip and nods, slight smirk playing on his lips “Right– so what’s she roping you into, I thought she didn’t need help setting up?”

I chuckle and grab the mug Stiles prepared for me and breathe in the pepperminty aroma, informing before I take a sip “She’s my best friend, she’s not roping me into anything… she’s on her way to drop off outfits for us to wear though”

“Outfit? She didn’t say anything about this being a dressed up thing” Stiles grumbles, dropping the side of his head into his palm once he rests his elbow on the island in front of us.

“Relax, she has a festive outfit for me and a non dodgy ugly Christmas sweater for you” I murmur, taking a sip of my coffee and setting it onto the island as Stiles levels me with a look “Isn’t the whole point of the ugly Christmas sweater be that they _all_ look dodgy?”

I shrug, laughing lightly “Yes, but this is Lydia– that girl could make anything look good on us and she has yet to lead us astray.”

Stiles offers a look like I’ve got a point before he huffs and reaches over, setting his hand on my waist and pulling me closer to him “All right fine, I’ll give you that much– so what are you wearing?”

I slide my hands up his chest and shake my head, a soft smile lifting the corners of my mouth “No idea, she just said the girls are dressing up different than the guys and that I wasn’t allowed to show you said outfit until I put it on.”

“I’m both equally pleased and confused by that statement” Stiles chuckles and pulls me closer, kissing me softly.

We pull away when there’s a knock on the door and Stiles kisses my nose before we head to the front door.

Lydia walks in once I open the door and hands me a tied bag, pointing towards the stairs to set it down before she hands Stiles another bag that’s sans tied together “Here– the theme is Party like an Elf if you couldn’t gather”

Stiles laughs as he pulls out a forest green colored sweater that has rows of tiny snowflakes on the top and bottom of the front with an elf hat on top of block letters stating ‘Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins’

Lydia smiles brightly and hands over an elf hat to match the printed one on the sweater, setting her hands on her hips before she nods over to the bag she handed me “Everything you need is in there– so _wear it all_ and I’ll see you two in a little bit… well hopefully”

She cheekily throws me a wink and smirks before she turns on her heels to head for the door. 

I drop my mouth open, chuckling as I shake my head “Sweet Christ, I don’t even want to look in that bag now–”

“Well I do” Stiles quips and I hit him lightly in the chest, causing him to jerk back with a laugh.

Lydia chuckles, opens the door and offers a little wave of her fingers before she closes the door with a sing song “Tootles, love birds.”

##  **❄️❄️❄️❄️**

I am just finishing putting my other green colored glove on with a red tulle cuff to match the tulle at the bottom of my dress when I hear behind me “Oh holy fucking shit–”

I smirk into the mirror seeing Stiles standing behind me, looking frozen in place with his hand on the doorframe as he’s mid step walking into my room.

Setting my hands on my hips, just under the black belt situated over my waist, I turn around and smile softly towards him “So what do you think? There’s green and red tights I still need to put on to complete the look too”

Stiles swallows thickly, his eyes roaming over me slowly and appreciatively in a way that makes my nerves come alive.

His deep voice sends goosies down my arms as he steps further into the room with me “I think **_I shouldn’t be this attracted to an elf_**.”

Wrapping his hands around my waist he pulls me flush against his front, my arms going around to rest behind his neck “You look absolutely stunning, Adds”

I run my fingers through his hair just under the elf hat he has on as I smile brightly at him “You look handsome as always”

Stiles’ lips quirk before he licks them quickly and bends forward, capturing my lips softly. His lips move against mine, turning from soft and sweet to passionate and needy. 

His grip on my sides increases in a way that has a moan falling from my throat, Stiles taking the opportunity to sweep his tongue against mine– deepening the kiss and making my legs feel weak.

I increase my hold from behind his neck, pulling him with me as I shuffle my feet backwards, the backs of my thighs hitting my bed and halting my steps when Stiles pulls back quickly “Wait, wait, wait– we should–” he licks his lips, groaning softly as he looks me over and continues through his panting breaths “We should go– leave now, you know make an appearance at the party and then come back here and do more of this–”

I scrunch my nose up, pushing my lips out into a slight pout as I move my eyes between his “ _ **But I’ve been such a good girl**_ this year– so I vote for showing up fashionably late”

Stiles throws his head back, groaning deeply in his chest as he grumbles lowly “Fuck me, woman–”

I smirk, pushing up on my toes and nibbling lightly on his ear as I quip just above a whisper “I’m trying–”

“Oh– oh my god” Stiles gasps, bringing his head back forwards to crash his lips onto mine. I squeak with the action, instantly molding my lips to his as I increase my hold around him. 

Stiles leans forward, his hands sliding down my waist, hips and thighs– gripping behind them as he lifts me up and I wrap my legs around his waist.

Stiles never breaks our kiss, moving his lips with mine as he slides one hand up my back, his arm cradling me as he kneels onto the bed and lays me back onto the middle of the bed with his other arm bracing us.

I unhook my ankles from behind him, placing my feet on the bed as I roll my body into his, getting an appreciative throaty moan from him that has me smiling into our heated kiss.

Stiles braces himself over me with his elbows on either side of my head, sliding one of his hands into the top of my hair as I take off his hat, dragging my nails down his back.

Stiles breaks the kiss to sit up into a kneel, gripping the back of his sweater and pulling it off his back in one sexy pull.

I rake my eyes over his toned and muscled body, earning a spark of fire to light in his eyes as I sit up on my elbows and scoot up on the bed. Sliding my legs away from him as I sit up and reach over to my right side to unzip the dress.

I lift my arms up above my head and quirk a brow towards him as I whisper “Little help please?”

Stiles smirks and gathers the bottom of the dress into each of his hands before he tugs it upwards.

I move my shoulders with the tug, freeing the material from me before he discards the dress with a little throw over towards the chair by the vanity.

Stiles slides the pads of his fingers over the skin on my bare shoulders, followed by little feather light kisses as he slides his hands down my arms.

Shivering with his touch and the feeling of his lips on my skin, I set my hands on his upper arms as he grips my hips and pulls me closer to him, his lips brushing against mine as he murmurs “Merry Christmas, baby.” 


	86. Memory Lost

“Oh boy” I mumble as I take a step out of sight against the side of the ambulance and walk over to stand next to Scott. We watch as the paramedic is almost finished wrapping a brace around Stiles’ fingers and wrist.

“He looking at the van?” Stiles flicks his eyes over to me and I grimace, offering him a nod “Yeah, he’s umm– inspecting the hood right now” **_the hood with Scott’s claw marks etched into the hood– yea it’s been that kind of night_**

Stiles groans and tilts his head backwards a bit with my words for what we’re in store for when Noah makes his way over to us.

We are currently at a _now_ crime scene– that we may or may not have created **_we most definitely created it_**

In our effort to get the guy of the transport van to pull over until we waited for the cops to get here to search the back– the guy ended up crashing, earning Stiles to swerve in order to miss the van and in return the guy flew the scene while we figured out Stiles had hurt his hand.

The paramedic is done and walks back towards his ambulance at the same time Noah walks up behind us, exasperated as all hell when he looks at us “What in the hell were you three thinking?”

“We were just trying to help” I chuckle out nervously, though it sounds more like a question than a statement.

Noah snorts and shakes his head towards us “Why don’t you try and help me understand…” he drops his voice into a rushed whisper as he continues “…what the hell _happened_ here?!”

Stiles nods “Right, well, we were trying to _gently_ persuade him to pull over…”

I scrunch my mouth to the side, remembering exactly what ‘gently persuade’ meant **_Scott was Alpha’d out on the dude’s hood, roaring and slashing at the van until he crashed over against the side of the road_**

Noah doesn’t look like he believes that in the slightest and he looks over to us. Scott grimaces, sheepishly drawing out “He was getting away…”

Noah narrows his eyes towards us and walks around us, grumbling humorlessly “He got away.”

“Right– because obviously he’s some sort of criminal mastermind, Dad.” Stiles turns and we all follow Noah to the back of the van as he continues “Uh-huh. You want to guess what the stolen merchandise is?”

Noah opens the back door of the van, turning around to look at the three of us expectantly “Hmm?”

“Critical life saving medical equipment?” Stiles offers as I close my eyes briefly at seeing all the canisters in the back of the van.

I squint my eyes open, watching Noah point to his son with his answer “No” before Stiles tries again “Poison gas?”

“Nope”

“Filled with drugs?” Stiles offers thoughtfully until Noah finally fills us in on the answer “Helium.”

“Helium?” Stiles sing songs incredulously and I drop my head forward in shame.

Noah ushers us off on our way, the three of us climbing into Roscoe with Scott choosing to drive.

I get settled in the back seat, leaning forward to rest my elbows on either of the back of their seats, crossing my arms in front of me.

Scott waits a few minutes once we get on the road before he looks over to Stiles, obviously seeing how bummed he looks and wanting to lift his spirits “This could be a good thing.”

“That we saved helium?” Stiles grumbles sarcastically earning Scott and I to chuckle before I shake my head and clarify “No– that they don’t need us anymore.”

Stiles scoffs and sits up straighter in the seat, looking back to me and over to Scott with his offended argument “Okay, well, they need us. They just don’t _know_ it.”

Scott slightly lifts his hand off wheel to counter “We’re all going off to college soon– so Beacon Hills is gonna have to survive without us.”

“Beacon Hills will burn to the ground without us.” Stiles doesn’t miss a beat to argue and I nod my head once “That may be true”

“Guys– they don’t need us.” Scott offers softly, trying his hardest not to hurt his friend’s feelings of needing to be needed.

I set my hand on Stiles’ chest, feeling him lift his hand up to rest on top of mine before we hear a phone vibrating.

Said phone belongs to the love of my life as he shifts around, digging in his jacket pockets until he produces the ringing phone.

He lifts his phone up in the air, showing us the lighted up screen with ‘Dad’ in the middle of the screen indicating that he’s calling. Stiles beams a bright smile as he states cheerily “Oh, they need us!”

Noah explained to Stiles we needed to get to the station– that there was in fact an incident he believes our area of expertise could be needed at this time. Liam and Hayden found a kid in an otherwise abandoned looking car and brought him to the station.

We get to the station and Noah has us waiting just outside his office where a young kid is sitting, his head dropped forward as he looks at his feet **_what happened to this poor kid?_**

Noah walks around the front of the chair where the kid is sitting, dropping his voice down to a whisper as he kneels in front of him “Alex, you know we’re having trouble locating your parents. And since you can’t remember anything, we have a method, an _unusual_ method that might help you remember– but I need you to be okay with it. I also need you to know that it’s probably gonna hurt.” **_ah the good ‘ol alpha retracting memories bit– haven’t done one of those in a while_**

Alex looks up and connects his sad eyes with Noah’s, a determined look adorning his face “I don’t care. I just want to find my mom and dad.”

Noah looks back towards the three of us standing just outside of his office, nodding for us to come inside the room.

Stiles and I stand off to the side of Alex while Noah closes the blinds to the office. 

Scott clears his throat and kneels in front of Alex, setting his hand on his shoulder and speaking softly to reassure the kid that he’s alright “You ready?”

Alex nods and Scott reaches his arm up, placing his hand behind his neck and flicks his claws out of his fingers.

Scott punctures the back of Alex’s neck, earning him to drop his head back with a gasp of pain as his eyes roll into the back of his head– ultimately closing while they work through his memories of the evening.

I cross my arms in front of my chest, Stiles doing the same as he begins to drum his fingers against his arm.

After a couple of minutes, Scott gasps and staggers backwards away from Alex quickly, standing over near us as Alex’s head falls forward while he stays seated.

Stiles and I brace Scott, each of ua setting our hands on his forearms “What’d you see?”

Scott shakes his head as he pants out “I saw a guy on a horse.”

Stiles shares a look with me across Scott before flicking his eyes back to Scott with his question “Horse?” 

“He had a gun.” Scott continues on and Noah makes a noise, furrowing his brows as he looks over at us “Okay, a guy with a gun. That sounds like my department, not yours.”

I look from Noah and back to Scott as I keep the question train going “What about his parents? What happened to them?”

Scott screws up his face in concentration for a moment, attempting to jog his memory of everything he saw before ultimately frowning in disappointment “I don’t know– that’s all I remember. But… I got this feeling.”

Noah shares a look with us before he implores softly “What kind of feeling?”

“They’re coming back” Alex’s voice cuts through the room before he lifts his head up and digresses a step farther “They’re coming for me.”

***

Noah directed us on where to go to find Alex’s parents car that was taken to the Sheriff impound lot a few blocks over.

We called Lydia and Malia on the way and they pull up a few minutes after we arrived. 

Malia transforms into her coyote form, smells around the car before she takes off in the direction of the road Alex and his parents were on earlier **_she’s mastered how to actively full shift into her coyote form and now does it as often as she can_**

Lydia grabs her clothes and together we turn towards the car, seeing if we can sense anything.

I reach out and touch the broken and busted out windshield, closing my eyes as I try to focus on anything that could jump out at me, to figure out what the fuck happened to this kid’s parents tonight.

I climb into the driver’s seat grasping onto the steering wheel as Lydia climbs in the passenger seat. She reaches over and I place one of my hands in hers, each of us closing our eyes as we try to focus.

“Hmm.” I hear Lydia beside me causing me to open my eyes and look over to her with a raised brow **_I didn’t get anything– what did she sense?_**

“What?” Stiles exclaims, sitting up in the backseat and I flick my eyes to his in the rearview mirror as Lydia answers “Her hands are freezing, take her home.”

I snort and retract my hand from her grasp as Stiles rolls his eyes “Can we please stay on topic here?”

I shrug, making a noise before I open the door and climb out of the car “I’m sorry but I’m not getting anything.”

Lydia huffs and walks over as well with Malia’s clothes in her hands as she agrees “Neither am I.”

We hear a coyote howl, earning us all to turn towards the other side of the impound car lot and watch as Malia in her coyote form jumps over a stack of tires and trots over to us.

Malia transforms back into her human form and Lydia walks over to her quickly to hand over her clothes.

We turn away to give her some privacy **_though she seems completely fine either way_**

I set my hands on my hips and look over to Scott and Stiles with my statement “I don’t think they’re dead.”

“They’re dead. Probably torn apart.” I hear Malia quip behind us before she continues “The only thing I don’t get is why there’s no blood.”

“They’re not dead. If they were dead, I’d sense it.” I argue before Malia is quick to counter “If they were alive, I’d smell it.”

“Yeah, I’m not getting anything either.” Scott informs earning Stiles to look over to him quickly, “Scott, what are you talkin’ about? You were in his head for four minutes– I timed it.”

Scott shakes his head “Well, it’s not an exact science.”

I shrug as I offer thoughtfully “And he’s a kid. Maybe he’s too freaked out to remember.”

“Why does it matter if they’re dead? Dead is dead.” Malia questions as she walks over to where we’re standing, fully dressed.

Stiles scratches the side of his jaw “Okay, look if it’s just a robbery, we can’t help them. And if it’s something supernatural, my dad can’t help them.”

“It sounds like you _want_ it to be supernatural.” I smirk over to him, earning him to make a face and shrug as he looks around us, his eyes landing on mine with his answer “I mean– It’s been, like, three months since anything’s happened.”

I snort and cross my arms over my chest as I quip “Yeah, and once a week you drag me out of bed like I’m some sort of supernatural metal detector.”

Stiles scoffs and lifts his hands out towards me, elaborating his rebuttal “Okay, it is way more often than that, sweetums. I mean come on… you– you can’t tell me that you think this is just some series of _impossible_ coincidences?”

I soften my face and tilt my head to the side and mutter just above a whisper “What I’m saying is maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.”

“She makes an excellent point– now if you will excuse us I want to go home” Lydia remarks cheerily before she walks over to Malia, offering her arm and the two of them walk back over towards her car to head back home.

Stiles looks over to their retreating forms, sighing with them leaving before he walks over to the car and climbs into the driver’s side.

Scott and I share a look before I smile and nod my head. I slowly step towards the door, crossing my arms and leaning against the frame of the open window.

I rest my chin on my forearms, flicking my eyes up to stare at the side of Stiles’ face which he is drumming his fingers against.

He seems agitated while he exams the space in front of him and keeping my chin on my arm I tilt my head to the side as I whisper “You’re starin’ at a broken windshield, my genius Sherlock.”

Stiles drops his hand from the side of his face as he replies back quickly “There’s something wrong with it, my brilliant Watson.”

“It’s broken.” I deadpan, trying to hide my smirk when Stiles flicks his eyes over to look out of the corner of his eye at me.

Scott pipes up behind me “And it wasn’t a magic bullet. It was a regular bullet. That blew out a regular windshield.”

I stand up as we both look over to him and he smiles softly before he nods his head around to the cars around us “Just like that one, and that one–”

I furrow my brows looking at the windshields he’s indicating versus the one in front of us. 

All the other windshields are still in tact minus the bullet hole and the cracking of the glass **_the one in front of us is completely blown out minus the glass in the corners_**

Scott must notice as well because he whispers “and that one” before we all turn back towards each other sharing a look like we’re all thinking the same thing.

Stiles sits forward and reaches out to grab a piece of the glass from the windshield laying on the dashboard, furrowing his brows as he incredulously states “Magic bullet.”

***

As I’m waiting for the person in front of me to be done taking their photos, I make sure my dark heather grey long sleeve henley is in place. I gather my hair, that I’m wearing down in my waves, all over to one side and place it in front of my right shoulder.

Finally my turn after waiting in line, I get set up on the barstool and smile towards Sydney who is taking our photos for the yearbook.

Stiles runs up to me just as I hear the camera click and my smile drops. Raising my brows as I look over to him most definitely being in the shot with me, I shake my head softly “Really?”

Stiles notices the light of flash that went off and looks around sheepishly “My bad, sorry– go ahead, look pretty” he mumbles as he walks out of the photo area, pointing towards me with a wink.

I smile towards Sydney again and she clicks the shutter yet again just as soon as Stiles walks into the frame _again_ “Dude, I love you– but give me five sweet mother of Mary seconds to take my damn picture”

Raising his arms in surrender he steps back a few feet and I level him with a look before I look back to Sydney and smile brightly towards her.

Stiles _ever the impatient_ Stilinski gets in the frame two more times before on the third one my arms drop down to my sides as I exclaim “Stiles!”

“You’re still in the photo” Sydney grumbles and the line of people that have gathered for this taking entirely too long all groan in frustration.

Stiles lifts his arm out towards them with his grimace “Sorry.”

I climb off the seat and set my hands against his back as I push him towards the table Scott, Lydia and Malia are sitting at “For fucks sake– come on, you ruined it” 

“Why would I want to ruin your yearbook photo?” He throws over his shoulder at me and I shrug as we stop next to Scott and I set my hands on my hips “Maybe because you haven’t signed up for your own photo yet?”

“Yes, I did” Stiles rolls his eyes, smiling smugly as he digs in his pocket to produce a folded up piece of paper that he then unfolds towards me.

I grab the paper from his hands and tilt my head to the side “Your argument sucks because this is blank”

Stiles furrows his brows and flips the paper back towards him, clearly confused he hadn’t filled out the paper.

Scott, with his back towards us still, chimes in “Or maybe you’re sublimating the stress of graduating by avoiding key milestones.”

Lydia and I share an impressed, yet confused look before we look over towards Scott– who makes a face and smirks as he answers our silent question “Psych paper.”

I smile brightly at him, lifting my hand over my chest in awe as I choke out like I’m fighting back tears “I’ve never been more proud”

Scott’s face drops and he throws his pen at me, earning me to chuckle as I dodge out of the way, kicking it back towards him when it lands on the ground.

Stiles folds up the paper and sticks it back into his pocket as he moves on to remind us of the task at hand “Hey, the Deputy searched the car. No slugs, no exit hole. And the address Alex gave my dad, it’s an abandoned house. Come on– missing parents, suspicious guy on horseback, magic bullet. Who’s comin’ with?”

“I’ve got to retake my photos– so you have to wait until I’m done with that” I quip, earning his face to fall “but–”

Interrupting his plea I know is coming, I shrug and soften my face “I will go with you once I’m done with that”

Stiles opens his mouth, however doesn’t get a chance to reply as the excuses keep coming from our friends around us.

“I’ve still got to take my photos” Malia is first followed by Lydia shaking her head “Yeah, I’m completely _just_ not interested.”

“I _cannot_ miss any more classes” Scott answers, though he does look guilty about crushing Stiles’ hope for some company before school was over.

“Scott–” Stiles tries, however Scott talks over him “I missed thirty eight last semester.”

“Scott–” Stiles’ disappointed voice cracks while Scott again talks over him with his argument “And Lydia’s mom is the only reason I’m still in school. I can go after school.”

I lift my arms out to my sides and turn to Stiles as I try to offer lightly “See the three of us can go after school?”

However Stiles just scoffs and lifts his hands up, dismissing all of us “You know what? Forget it. I’ll take Liam.”

Stiles looks over towards the quad and scrunches his lips to the side in defeat, earning us all to look over as well.

I move my lips between my teeth, hiding my smile as we see Liam and Hayden in a lip battle **_that either one looks to be fine with losing at the moment._**

Stiles sighs behind me “Yeah, I’m not taking Liam”

“Mmm-mmm.” Scott hums under his breath, attempting to get back to his homework before Sydney walks up to us “Hey, can I get a candid?”

“Uh, no–” Stiles grumbles at the same time Scott and I cheerily reply “Yeah, sure.”

Scott pulls Stiles down to sit in between him and Lydia, while Stiles pulls me to sit on his leg– putting me somewhat next to Scott.

Stiles sets his hand against my hip as he reaches his right arm across my stomach to hand the piece of broken windshield he kept over to Scott “Okay– fine. If you can explain to me why this is blue, I’ll let it go.”

Scott takes the piece of glass into his hand and shares a look with me before I smirk and set each of my arms behind Scott and Stiles’ necks, smiling brightly between them as we all look towards Sydney “Everyone smile.”

***

Stiles and Scott tried to ditch our last class of World History, however, Ms. Martin stopped them and replied to Stiles’ comment of Scott being the sworn protector of Beacon Hills– that he could protect it at 3:30.

Stiles is currently staring a hole into the clock in our classroom, flicking his hand towards it a moment later like he has magical powers and can actually make the clock move faster.

I chuckle into my palm as I rest my elbow on my desk, clearing my face of humor when Stiles flicks his head over to me.

To make matters worse that we’re stuck here until half past three, our class today is not doing anything besides sitting here watching a history movie documentary **_super riveting stuff here_**

The waves from the ocean on the TV grow louder until they begin to sound like pouring rain **_complete with thunder crashing in the distance and everything_**

I look around the room, hearing a soft, faint woman’s voice singing a song I can just barely make out– but not enough to understand what song it is.

Stiles’ fingers tapping on his desk catches my attention, he’s tapping in sync with the beat of the song and the rain. I swallow hard trying to figure out what this obvious banshee premonition could mean.

The next thing I know, the school bell is ringing and everyone grabs their bags to leave for the day. I stand up and grab my notebooks off the desk and move to follow behind Stiles out the door, however walking past the TV that now has the static from the video no longer playing, has me stopping my steps.

Through the static I can hear the rain and the women indistinctly singing again and I slowly reach my hand towards the TV screen.

Just before I’m about to touch the screen a bolt of lightning strikes right in front of me and throws me back a few feet.

I grunt loudly from the landing on my back as I slide back on the ground a bit more, clenching my teeth from the pain as I slowly open my eyes to a loud crash of thunder.

“Adds!”

I jerk with the bellow of my name and lift my eyes up to Stiles who is standing in front of me, looking at me with all sorts of concern.

Looking around me I realize I’m not laying on the ground and the TV is still playing the history documentary as the teacher opens the blinds behind us.

I swallow hard, trying not to freak out at the lightning strike premonition I just had **_that makes zero sense_** and connect my eyes with Stiles’ again.

He draws his brows inwards and sets his hands on my upper arms “Babe– what did you see?”

“Lightning and I heard rain” I mutter just above a whisper, earning Stiles to look past me and out the window behind us taking in the sunshine day outside.

He licks his lips quickly and wraps his arm behind my back before walking us towards the door “Come on, Scott’s meeting us at the jeep.”

***

We pull up to the address Noah said Alex gave him for his house. It’s a disheveled two story brick house **_complete with a creepy swing set in the front yard_**

Stiles, Scott and I come to a stop in front of the house, looking up at the ominus building that doesn’t seem to have any life coming from it at all **_or in a long time if I’m being honest_**

Stiles sighs, voicing my same thought “That’s not creepy at all.”

Scott hands me one of the flashlights and we share a nod before making our way up the front steps towards the front door.

The door is unlocked and Scott pushes the door open, eliciting a nice haunted house creak while the door opens completely.

Scott steps inside first, followed by me which I turn on the flashlight. I point it inside the room that would be the living room, while Stiles follows behind me and closes the door behind him.

Just like with the exterior, the first floor of the inside of the house is completely empty of any sign of life and looks like it has been vacant for decades; everything is covered with dust and cobwebs, and there are no personal belongings to be seen.

The floorboards creak under our feet as we make our way further into the room. We walk into the dining room, where two plates, two water glasses, and two wine glasses are sitting on the table, which like the foyer and living room, is covered in dust and bits of dried up leaves. After visually examining the room with the flashlight, Scott looks back towards us with a concerned and confused expression **_I’m just as much at a loss for what the hell is happening_**

Scott shines his flashlight towards the stairs behind us and turns towards us “You guys wanna split up?”

I shake my head in the negative column while Stiles makes a noise and looks over to Scott like he’s lost his mind “Uh, absolutely not.”

Scott smirks and nods towards the stairs before he heads that way. Stiles reaches over and grabs my hands, linking our fingers as we follow behind Scotty.

The floorboards continue to creak on our investigation of the beyond creepy house and we walk up the stairs to the second floor. Like the rest of the house, the staircase is rickety and covered in cobwebs, causing the three of us to walk up the stairs slowly to ensure that we don’t break anything **_or fall to our deaths on this staircase_**

Once at the top of the stairs we see three doors open and we walk past the first with literally nothing in it. While the rooms are completely free of furniture, decorations, or other personal belongings, they are at least clean and free of dust and cobwebs, unlike the downstairs **_which is just all sorts of confusing_**

“Maybe Alex got the address wrong.” Scott offers before Stiles counters as we make our way further down the hallway “Or he lied.”

“Why would he lie?” I mutter as we look into another empty room and I watch as they both shrug with my question. 

We come to a closed door at the end of the hallway and I shine my flashlight towards the chipped, white wooden door in front of us.

We all share a look before Stiles moves closer to the door and I pull on his hand. He looks over his shoulder at me, lifting the corners of his mouth as he nods his head to reassure we’re alright. 

Licking his lips quickly he turns back towards the door and reaches for the crystal doorknob, turning it quickly and pushing the door open.

It also creaks on its path to being open and my mouth drops open slightly at seeing the fully furnished kids room to match Alex’s age that is laid out before us “He didn’t lie” I whisper as we make our way into his room.

“Why didn’t the cops say anything about this?” Scott implores, looking around the room as I shrug and answer thoughtfully “They don’t know it’s here.”

Scott looks over to me quickly and Stiles squeezes my hand as he nods “Exactly– they can’t come here without a warrant, and there’s no owner of record to serve a warrant to. So unless there’s some kind of threat or imminent danger, they wouldn’t come in.”

My heart hurts for this Alex kid as my eyes roam over his room, however Scott jerking his head to the side and furrowing his brows like he does when he’s listening for something gains our attention.

Stiles walks up next to me again as he sees the same look on Scott’s face “What?”

Scott looks up towards us and nods as he mutters “I think I heard something.”

We all share a look like we should go and investigate and I turn to follow Scott out of the room, feeling Stiles following right behind us.

We quickly make our way over the creaking floorboards and down the stairs as quietly as we can.

We walk into the living room and see the plates and cups on the table again. I look over my shoulder however I jerk my head back slightly when I notice Stiles isn’t right behind me like I thought he was. 

Scott and I share a look when we both hear footsteps coming from somewhere nearby.

My eyes are drawn back to the table and I gasp softly, elbowing Scott’s arm as I register that the dishes that were on the table are completely gone– leaving only circles left behind in the thick layer of dust.

Scott sets his hand on my back and guides us through the dining room towards the kitchen when we hear floorboards creaking near the foyer again.

We rush towards the sound, trying to figure out who is in the house with us, however as soon as we turn the corner towards the door we jump back on a gasp.

I release a deep breath as I take in Mason and Liam standing before us who also jumped back in their own frightened gasp momentum.

Liam throws his arm out towards us “What– what are you two doing here?”

I huff and turn off the flashlight as I answer “This is Alex’s house– what are _you_ _two_ doing here?”

Liam shrugs “This is where the compass lead us.”

Scot frowns and looks to me quickly before looking back to Liam “What compass?”

Mason steps forward and holds out his right hand, which is holding the compass they apparently stole from new teacher, Mr. Douglas’, cabinet at school.

Scott and I frown in confusion when we look at the compass and see that the needle is spinning around, seemingly of its own accord.

Scott points towards Mason’s palm holding the compass “Why’s it doing that?”

Mason looks up to us and shakes his head, “I have no idea–”

Liam pulls out his phone from his pocket, looking at his screen before he turns it towards us “They’re all doing it”

I look over to his screen seeing his compass app open, however the needle on it is also spinning around with two question marks in the center where the direction should be indicated.

The compass in Mason’s hand spins so quickly that the glass face shatters and startles the four of us.

“What the–” my words are cut off when we hear a loud thumping noise upstairs and I turn towards the staircase “Stiles?”

“Stiles is here too?” I hear Liam question before I don’t waste another second and run towards the stairs and up them as quickly as possible.

Once we get into the upstairs hallway, my eyes take in the dark hallway and Stiles’ silhouette at the end by Alex’s closed door.

I rush down the hall, setting my hands on his upper arms as I rush out “What is it? What happened?”

Stiles swallows hard through his panting breaths as he grips onto me “He was here, he shot at me!”

He turns quickly to look at the door and I move my eyes around the perfectly intact door, sans any bullet holes as Stiles removes one of his hands to touch the door and mutter back to Scott “It was one of the guys you saw in Alex’s memory”

“The guy who took his parents?” Mason questions earning Stiles to shake his head quickly “No, no, no… They weren’t just taken– they were made to disappear. That’s why there’s no furniture, that’s why they weren’t in any of the photos… They were erased.”

I share a terrified look with Stiles before he turns around and opens Alex’s bedroom door. As soon as he opens the door, we all are stunned to find that the room is completely empty– every piece of furniture, every photo, and every toy that was here just moments ago has vanished.

***

We head back to school, Stiles and I heading towards the library to try and research as much as we can find on strange disappearances and people just up and vanishing.

Stiles flips through a book he decided to check out with myths and legends including Roanoke and all the babies in a hospital in China disappearing one night.

He groans in frustration as he skims the pages of the old book “I keep feeling like it’s familiar, you know? Like I’ve heard it before.”

I nod and absentmindedly answer “Pensée a civage? It’s French for ‘a lingering thought you can’t reach’.”

Stiles flicks his eyes to me quickly and back towards the book “Don’t turn me on by speaking French, we need to focus– so is there a French word for ‘feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency and impending doom’?”

I chuckle and roll my eyes as I again answer in French “Féminine un fille phantom?”

Stiles looks over to me with an exasperated expression and I smirk as I translate what I said “It’s French for ‘Banshee’.”

“Again with the sexy language in that voice of yours” he groans and stops his steps to face me as I chuckle lightly and argue “You were the one that asked if there was a French word for all of that!”

Fighting off his own smile, Stiles shrugs “You could have just said yes there in fact was a word for it”

I snort and shake my head at his antics before he lets out an aggravated huff “Okay, well what– what does your Banshee intuition say this is?”

I smile softly and set my hand on the open pages of the book still in his hands “That you don’t have to figure all of this out _right_ this second?”

Stiles’ expression softens and his voice gets quieter as he counters “But this kid– Adds, this kid’s got no one now, you know? And– there’s a reason why, there’s gotta be”

Stiles snaps the book closed, the sound instantly sounding like a crack of thunder before I drop my mouth open slightly. I hear the pouring down rain again before hearing the women’s faintly singing voice again– only this time I can make out the words she’s singing–

“Give this man a ride, sweet family will die– killer on the road–” I mutter more to myself than Stiles, however he furrows his brows and nods towards me “Riders on the Storm?”

I jerk my head back slightly, looking up to him instantly “What?”

Stiles nods his head to the side, confusion crossing his features as he elaborates “That’s the song you just sang? Riders on the Storm.”

My eyes widen with my light bulb moment as I shift on my feet “Holy shit, that’s it!”

It’s Stiles’ turn to shake his head in his obvious confusion “I– what’s it?”

I make a noise as I move my eyes back and forth between his quickly “The Ghost Riders– The Wild Hunt. They come by storm, riding horses– and they _take_ people.”

Stiles releases an unbelievable breath before he hands over the book he was holding towards me. Once it’s in my hands, he places his now free hands on each side of my face and crashes his lips onto mine.

I make a noise and smile into the kiss as he moves his lips effortlessly with mine. Stiles tilts my head to the side, using the new angle to deepen the kiss and effectively making me forget my own damn name.

After a few more soft kisses, Stiles pulls away and places his lips against my forehead “You’re so fucking smart, I needed to smother you in kisses”

“Consider me smothered and not at all bothered by it” I murmur, smiling into his chest as he wraps his arms around me.

After a few more moments, Stiles squeezes me softly with his next words “Alright moment officially locked away into the memory bank– let’s go find Scott and tell him what you so brilliantly figured out.”

Stiles reaches for the book again and places it into the crook of his arm, before sliding his free hand into mine and we make our way towards the lacrosse field.

Scott is just walking away from the field as Stiles and I run through the tunnel towards him. Stiles rushing out frantically “Scott! Hey– alright so it’s called the Wild Hunt. It’s a myth– only apparently, it’s real, like every other myth in this town that should just really remain a nightmare.

Scott looks confused as he looks between us “The guy on the horse?”

I nod “Yeah, they call them The Ghost Riders”

Stiles makes a noise to continue telling Scott what he learned, however he’s momentarily distracted when he sees a group of lacrosse players walking through the tunnel, one of whom is wearing a familiar numbered jersey.

Stiles points towards the group, specifically the one wearing the number 24 “Hang on one second– hey! That’s my jersey– where’d you get that?”

The kid turns around, throwing over his shoulder as he keeps his steps moving towards the field “Coach gave it to me at practice.”

Stiles groans and looks back to Scott “We had practice?! Why doesn’t anyone tell me anything?”

Scott sighs before keeping Stiles back on topic and sets his hand on his shoulder “Why would the Ghost Riders want to take Alex’s parents?”

I shrug gaining his attention “Because that’s what they do. They take people– they run around, collecting souls and once they take you– you’re gone. I– I don’t think it’s just you though, it’s everything about you.”

Stiles nods and points towards me “Yeah, like how they took Alex’s room.”

Scott looks between us, worry etching his features as he voices our concern “Does that mean Alex is next?”

***

Scott, Stiles and I run into the Sheriff’s station and ask Clark to take us to the holding cell. 

She seems confused however she follows behind us as we run into the room, finding the cell Noah told us earlier Alex requested to stay in because he was scared of the Riders coming back for him, completely empty.

Stiles shares a look with me before he turns back to Clark “Where’s the kid? What happened to him?”

Clark frowns in confusion and looks between us warily “What kid?” **_holy shit, they took him and he’s already being erased from everyone’s memories_**

Stiles throws her an exasperated expression and tries again “Alex? The kid from the car wreck? The kid whose parents went missing last night?”

Clark again looks absolutely dumbfounded by what he’s saying “Who’s Alex?”

“Stiles–” I attempt to stop what I know will be coming next, however since he’s losing his patience he’s just on a roll and he sighs “Clark, listen to me– he was here, okay? You met him”

Clark looks at Stiles like he’s lost his mind and I change the subject **_since we’re on an obvious time crunch_** “Okay then– where’s the Sheriff?”

Clark looks a little relieved as she flicks her eyes to mine and answers right away “He got called out to the high school– they found a body.”

She turns to walk away before she reaches behind her and grabs the clipboard to hand over to Stiles “No one’s been in lock up all day– check for yourself.”

Stiles grabs the clipboard from her and quickly skims through the sign in sheets while Scott moves to examine the now empty holding cell.

I share a terrified look with Scott that this could happen so quickly, silently wondering how many more people are going to be taken **_and share this same fate not only being taken, but being completely forgotten_**

Stiles slams the clipboard onto the counter and grumbles through a whisper “He’s not here– they took him.”

Scott chimes in behind us “I shouldn’t have left him alone.”

I sadly look over to the cell as I murmur “He knew they were coming for him–”

Scott looks over to me quickly with his rushed question “What if they’re coming back for everyone else who was on that road?”

Stiles shares a look with both of us as he grimly states “Then we already know who’s next–”

He sets his hand on my arm as I gasp, whispering through my worry “Liam and Hayden”

We all climb into the jeep and Stiles races back to the school. There are Sheriff’s deputy cars filling the parking lot while the deputies are roaming around the school as they take in the crime scene from whoever it was that was found here.

The three of us run through the doors to the main entrance finding the halls filled with people who are being questioned by the police and waiting for news.

We skid our running steps to a halt, completely worried with how much more difficult it’ll be to find them and Scott nods “Split up– I’ll check the quad, you guys let me know if you find them and Stiles– see if your dad knows anything.”

“Addy!” I turn finding Lydia and Malia waving me down the hall. I wave at them letting them know to give me a second before I turn back to Stiles and Scott “Go, I’ll check the hallways and rope them into helping us.”

Stiles nods, an unreadable expression crossing his features “Yeah okay–”

I start to make my way down the hallway when Stiles’ voice stops me “Adds, wait–”

He takes the few steps towards me that I just took away from him and grabs my arms as he stammers “I uh– I just– I love you, be careful cutie”

I offer him a wink and smile before I push up on my toes to kiss his cheek “I love you right back– try to find your dad and call me to let me know where you’re at.”

Stiles looks worried, and I can’t quite put my finger on what else is swimming in his eyes, however I push down the dread feeling and quickly make my way down the hall towards Lydia and Malia “What’s up?”

Lydia shakes her head softly “Something bad is going to happen. Right, you feel it too?”

I nod and indicate for them to follow me “yea, that kid Alex whose parents were taken– he was taken earlier too. We think Liam and Hayden are next since they were on the road last night too.”

“Taken by who?” Malia chimes in as we continue to walk down the side hallway and I fill them in on what we’ve found out “I had a premonition earlier with a woman singing mixed with rain and thunder–”

“Wait thunder?” Lydia clarifies and I nod “Yea and it’s exactly what you’re thinking– The Wild Hunt. The Riders on the fucking horses sweeping up souls and making everyone forget them.”

We stop at the doors that will lead us into the quad and I start to worry we haven’t seen Liam anywhere yet.

Lydia pulls out her phone and brings up a search, mumbling under her breath everything I’ve already read on the myth before the last thing she reads gains my attention “Those who see the Wild Hunt, beware, for you are already lost.”

My eyes widen, remembering what Stiles told me he saw in Alex’s room and what that means in correlation with what Lydia just read. 

Tears instantly cloud my vision as I croak out just barely above a whisper “The horse was on the other side of the bed– the cowboy shot at him–”

They share a confused look and Malia reaches out to set her hand on my forearm “Addy–”

I shake my head and interupt her frantically “He saw them– he saw the Wild Hunt!”

Turning back towards the hall we just walked down, I gasp and wipe my hand over my cheek to clear the tears that are starting to fall “I have to find him– Stiles is going to–”

Lydia makes a noise and interrupts me “What the hell is a Stiles?”

Feeling like I was punched in the gut, I flick my head to her quickly. Taking notice of her confused, brows drawn in expression **_exactly like she looked before she really knew who we were_**

“No– you forgot him” I barely croak out on a whisper and move my eyes to Malia who is sporting the same confused look on her face before they flick their gazes to each other with their silent question.

I let out a gasp of a breath mixed with a sob before I quickly turn around, running as fast as I can down the hallway and back towards where I hope Stiles will still be.

Running up the hallway where the crowds of people are I find Liam, Mason and Hayden, stopping in front of them quickly earning them to jump back slightly with my sudden arrival “Guys– please tell me you’ve seen Stiles–”

The looks they throw my way has me groaning in scared frustration as I move my eyes past them and look every which way through the hall and at all the faces littering the space around me **_this can’t be happening_**

“Is that what that guy said his name was?” Liam ponders and Hayden shrugs, earning me to huff “I can _guarantee_ you it was him name– where did he go?”

Mason points past them towards the back of a deputy “He ran over to talk to him”

I move my eyes in the direction he’s pointing and see that it’s not a deputy and is in fact Noah “Oh thank christ” I mumble under my breath and run over to him “Mr. S– please tell me you’ve seen him, that you know where he is because if what I think is happening is happening I’m going to scream–”

“Addeline? Are you alright?” **_he called me Addeline– I can’t even remember the last time he did that_**

My mouth drops slightly open, shock quickly turning into down right fucking terrified to the tenth degree that he’s already been taken if his own dad has already forgot him.

I clear my throat, trying to find my voice as I shake my head “Did a guy my age talk to you recently?”

Noah nods and looks around like something bothered him about it “Yeah– you know what? There was a kid talking about people forgetting something but he uh– he walked off that way and I didn’t get his name–”

I don’t even wait for him to finish talking before I turn and quickly run down the hall and towards the doors leading outside that Mr. S was pointing to.

I slam my hands on the handlebars of the doors, crashing them open as I run outside and scream at the top of my lungs “Stiles!”

“Adds?” I hear Stiles’ shocked voice coming from my left and I turn my head quickly seeing Stiles running up to me “You know me? Oh thank fuck you know me”

I crash my body into his chest, wrapping my arms around his middle tightly “I know you– but everyone else is forgetting– I thought you–”

My voice cracks and I tighten my hold around him as I feel him increase his grip around my waist “I know, I–”

His words are caught off when a gust of wind blows past us, moving dried up leaves around near our feet.

Stiles’ body tenses and I pull back from his chest, raising my brows with my silent question as I look up at him, though his eyes are just past me “Hey do you see him?”

I pull back from him a bit more to turn and look over my shoulder, worry slams through my body with not seeing anything and I turn back to him “See what?”

Stiles licks his lips quickly and flicks his eyes down to me and back over behind me “The guy on the horse–”

I gasp and shake my head with what that means “No, if you can see them right now, they’re gonna–”

Stiles interrupts my words, placing his hands on my face to cup my cheeks. He moves his thumbs back and forth against my skin as he tries to soothe my fear “No, I know, I know– okay, they’re coming for me, so you have to get away from me– right now, okay?”

I throw him a look– letting him know just how crazy that demand was and I shake my head “No– there’s no way I’m leaving you right now, so don’t you dare ask me to.”

Stiles sighs in exasperation that I’m throwing his words he said not that long ago to me back at him. He gives me a look before he sets his arm around me and pulls me in the opposite direction he was asking me to look a second ago “All right, come on– come on!”

He grabs my hand and we run towards the parking lot as he keeps looking around and shouting instructions in a panicked voice “This way– this way come on!”

We keep our running steps quick before he stops and pulls me in a completely different direction “Whoa, whoa, whoa, okay this way– come on babe, keep going!”

Running down the walkway, he stops us once again and bounces on his feet as he turns each way seeming like we’re trapped.

I grip onto him tighter as I pant out “Where are they?”

Stiles looks around and increases his hold on my sides as he digresses lowly “They’re everywhere”

Stiles turns to our right and quickly puts his arm out in front of me, shifting me to the side and pulling me around towards him again before I realize we’re almost to the jeep.

He lets go of me so we can each climb into the front seat as he shouts over towards me “Adds, don’t look at them, okay? Don’t try to scream– they’ll take you too. Just do not look at them, babe!”

“I’m not, I won’t!” I shout back, keeping my eyes on the ground until I’m reaching for the handle and climbing into the passenger seat.

Stiles and I each slam our doors before he fumbles with his keys in his attempt to start the engine so we can make our escape.

He places the key quickly into the ignition, however he doesn’t turn the key right away. He hesitates and I set my hands on the window frame and the seat as I turn towards him “What are you doing? We need to go!”

Stiles licks his lips quickly and pulls the key out of the ignition, looking over to me with a defeated expression “There’s no time”

I jerk my head back slightly and my voice cracks as I rush out “What are you talking– yes there–”

Stiles reaches over and grasps my hand that was pushing against the back of my seat in his, squeezing softly as he interrupts quickly “There isn’t Adds– baby I’m going to be erased, okay? Just like Alex– you’re gonna forget me.”

Tears gather in my eyes, my nose tingling painfully as I shake my head frantically “I won’t! No, I won’t– I won’t because I still remember you now when everyone–”

Stiles reaches his free hand over and cups my cheek, stopping my words instantly with his own “Adds, you will. Just try– _try_ to find some way to remember me okay?”

I lean into his touch, a sob bubbling in my throat that I try to fight off as he continues softly “Remember how you were the first girl I ever danced with– how you were my first _everything_.”

My chin quivers with his words, tears continuing to threaten to fall down my cheeks as he brokenly whispers “How I wasted so much time waiting to tell you I’ve been in love with you all my life?”

Not able to hold them back any longer, the tears roll down my cheeks as I release a shaky breath, squeezing his hand harder and reaching my free hand over to grip onto his wrist.

Stiles moves his thumb to wipe the tears away as he continues, his voice cracking “Remember how you saved my life?”

I draw my brows in sadly, my voice quiet as I nod and grip onto him tighter “You saved my life, too.”

Stiles pulls me closer and rests his forehead against mine, the sob I was fighting back breaking free and making me feel like I can’t breathe as I hiccup and grip onto him tighter.

“Show me your blues, baby” he whispers so softly that I feel a whole new crack in my heart forming with what I _know_ is about to happen. 

I flick my eyes up from his chest, crashing my gaze with his as he murmurs “Just remember… Remember, I love you”

Before I even have the chance to respond, his door is being yanked open behind him and he’s being pulled out of my grasp with such a force I’m taken aback by it.

My hands are out in front of me, holding onto nothing as I drop open my mouth in shock at what I’m seeing before a bright white light engulfs him. The light is gone before I can register what happened and on its own, the door slams shut in my face.

My face falls and I desperately work through my memories, not just of the last five minutes but of the last five years, the last ten years. Reaching through my mind with every moment and time spent with Stiles, committing everything to memory as I murmur into the quiet, lonely space of the jeep around me “Remember… Remember…. Remember…”

***

I get to school and open the door, walking into the hallway and being immediately slammed with deja vu **_that kind of feeling is always so weird_**

I move my eyes around the hallway, watching as students are milling around in the entrance hall. 

My eyes land on Liam, Mason, Hayden and Corey over to my right standing near their lockers and chatting away. Liam nods and smiles over in his way of a greeting that I attempt to return, however, something feels wrong.

Malia and Lydia walk up to me, their brows drawn together in worry as they stop in front of me “You okay?”

I look over with Lyds’ question and open my mouth to answer her– ultimately shutting it and shaking my head instead **_something isn’t right in the slightest_**

I clear my throat and furrow my brows as I look between them, my voice quiet as I work through the feeling of dread swimming in my gut “I have this feeling– it’s on the tip of my tongue. I was supposed to do something, or know something?… I–”

“Do what?” Scott ponders as he too walks in front of me and stops on the other side of Malia.

I move my eyes between the three of them and their concerned gazes before I shake my head in frustration “I don’t– I can’t remember.”


	87. Superposition

“Do you see them?” A voice rings in my head, so abrupt and loud I gasp awake. As soon as I jolt upright into a seated position on my bed, I have just enough time to take in the darkness of my room before everything starts to rattle and shake like an earthquake.

The thing that follows next though isn’t an earthquake, instead a golden light floods into my room from the windows as a horn from a train blares loudly from outside my shaking walls.

My hands slam onto either side of my head, covering my ears from the volume of the horn as I squeeze my eyes shut and grit my teeth.

The violent shaking of the room around me calms and the bright golden light fades, just as Scott comes barreling into my room– alarm written all over his face as he rushes inside and sets his hands on my forearms.

He pulls my hands away from my head, moving his concerned eyes around my face before looking around the room “What happened? What’s wrong?”

I swallow hard, trying to slow my breathing as I take deep, calming breaths and shake my head quickly “I don’t– did you hear that?”

Scott let’s go of my arms and kneels on the floor next to the bed “Addy– I heard you screaming”

I furrow my brows, looking from his face and over towards the windows as I shake my head again and stammer through the previous occurrence “No, no, no– I wasn’t screaming, I– there was a train– it sounded like a train was passing straight through my fucking room.”

Scott softens his face, offering a little shrug “You must have been having a nightmare, because you definitely were screaming like you’ve done before when you were asleep, Adds.”

I make a noise, jerking my head back slightly “No, I wasn’t– it wasn’t a– wait–” I trail off, my frown deepening as I flick my eyes over to Scotty “Why did you call me that?”

Scott returns with his own confused frown “What? That’s what I’ve always called you…”

Eyebrows still bunched together, I blink a few times trying to figure out why that doesn’t sit well with me.

However I come up with absolutely no plausible reason why that sounded odd just then– so instead I sigh and try to figure out why I heard a train a few moments ago “It couldn’t have been a nightmare Scotty, I wasn’t asleep– I mean I was asleep until I heard a voice and then I definitely woke up before I heard and felt the whole room shake from a train passing by–”

Scott goes to say something and I lift my hand to point towards him as I quickly continue “And I’m talking living as close to the tracks where they’re in our backyard close to passing by.”

Raising his hands up in surrender, Scott quirks a brow “Well we definitely don’t live that close to the train tracks and we didn’t have an earthquake, so– maybe you were still sleeping even though you thought you woke up.”

“Like an inception nightmare…” I grumble and watch as Scott furrows his brows in complete confusion. 

I scoff lightly, shaking my head as I mutter “Never mind, you didn’t see that movie with me when it released a few summers ago.”

“What movie would you have gone to see by yourself, you hate going to the theater alone” Scott quips, a smirk falling on his face as he stands up.

I go to answer him, again coming up short with knowing he’s right but also knowing that something is wrong with what he said

Scrunching my nose up, I shrug “Or I watched it at home– point is you still haven’t seen it”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah– add it to the list under you wanting me to watch Star Wars” he grumbles and starts to turn towards the door.

Confusion crosses my features as I jerk my head back slightly with that statement and counter quickly “I’ve never given you shit for not watching the greatest movies of all time–”

Scott hisses in pain, setting his hand on the wall as he lifts his foot up off the ground– pulling a thumb tack out of his foot and turning around to face me.

Scott moves his glare filled eyes between me and said pain inducing tack as he gritty out “Why are you leaving torture devices all over your floor?!– Fuck, just be glad I stepped on this and not you”

I roll my eyes dramatically to go with his over dramatics, pulling the covers off my legs to walk up and grab the thumb tack out of his outstretched fingers “Oh you’ll heal– plus one tack doesn’t mean they’re all over my floor, something must have fallen off my bulletin board”

Turning in a circle around the floor, I stop my steps seeing a turned over picture at the same time Scott does as he leans down to pick it up.

He smiles as he takes in the candid photo I had Sydney print me the other day after she took it. 

I have my left arm around Scott’s neck, pulling him towards the side of my face with my other arm resting on the table. 

There’s a weird gap between me and Lydia that I don’t remember being there, as she leans in a little towards me with Malia sitting on the table leaning close to Lydia’s other side.

I move my eyes around the gap why I wouldn’t have my arm around her instead of resting on the table

Scott grabs the thumb tack from my hand, placing the photo back onto the board. He sets his hand on my shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze as he offers “Try to get some sleep, all right?”

I offer a small smile, nodding my head once “Yeah– sorry I woke you.”

Scott shakes his head like it was not a big deal and makes his way over to the door, turning off the light before he closes my door after he steps into the hallway.

The moonlight shining through my blinds lights up the photo again, and I cross my arms over my front as I stare at that gap a little longer was someone else sitting there?

***

I was almost late for school, not for any other reason than I didn’t have a way to get to school. 

Both mom and Scott asked and I gave them both the same answer “Yeah, I’m covered– I have a ride”

I did not have a ride.

Why did I think I would have a ride?

Not just thought I did, but was so convinced it was already figured out– like it’s always been figured out and it was second nature to not even worry about it.

Lydia was gracious as ever to pick me up on her way past my house, chuckling at my forgetfulness– however my gut is telling me there’s more to whatever this feeling is I just need to figure out what the fuck it all means

We get to school and walk through the main doors, smiling at everyone who passes by. We reach my locker and Lyds mutters she’ll see me in class before she saunters off to her locker.

After grabbing my books and notebooks needed for the first few classes before break, I shut my locker door and turn to lean my shoulder on it.

My eyes move around the space beside me, a deep frown overcoming my features as I look at the locker next to me. 

Every nerve in my body was prepared to see someone standing here, not just standing here to get their things– but to meet me.

It’s a feeling like I’ve done this routine for years, yet when I actually think about who I was expecting to see I come up completely blank

Scott’s locker is on the other side of mine, Lyds’ and Malia’s are down the other hall– hell even Ally’s old locker wasn’t over here.

The bell rings and I sigh, confusion wracking my entire body as I lean my back against my locker and watch the halls around me clear of students who the fuck was I meeting here?

***

I quicken my steps and just cross the threshold of the math classroom as the second bell rings. I touch Lydia’s shoulder as I walk past her, taking the seat behind her.

Malia is sitting next to Lydia and I notice that the seat behind her and next to me is empty, leaving the pit in my stomach to grow deeper.

I shake my head, trying to clear my mind of the confusion that’s been in place since last night with the train and the photo as I take my book and notebook out of my bag and place them on my desk.

Ms. Flemming stands up from behind her desk and begins class by handing back our tests “I’m impressed with most of you. It really speaks to your study habits and your commitment to your own education. Everyone else? See me for extra help.”

She throws Malia a knowing look before placing Malia’s test on her desk and turning to hand Lydia and I ours on her way back up the aisle.

Malia lets out a helpless whimper, looking my way as I chuckle and nod “Get the extra credit from her and I’ll study with you”

Malia bounces in her seat, a bright smile on her face as she goes back to highlighting in her book.

My eyes flick to the desk behind her, the smile dying on my face as I notice an older woman wearing scrubs and a white lab coat sitting in the seat beside me that was empty moments ago.

I look around, seeing no one else paying attention to this lady who is obviously not a student. I lean a little closer towards the woman and whisper lowly “Excuse me– are you looking for someone?”

Doctor lady turns to me, wide eyes directed at me however she says nothing.

I tilt my head to the side as I try again “Why are you in this class?”

The woman’s eyes widen further and her mouth gapes open in shock as a bright golden light shines over her face.

I can feel my breathing increases as I recognize the light from last night and just like last night, the classroom starts to rattle around us.

The definite noise of a train passes right next to the school, causing a high pitched squeal that is so loud, I’m once again forced to cover my ears with my hands as I flinch in pain.

After a moment, the train passes, and I frantically look around– gasping and jerking back in my seat to find that the doctor is gone and that no one else in the class seems to have witnessed what just occurred.

Lydia turns around, her brows pinched together in worry as she looks my terrified face over “You okay?”

I swallow hard, trying to slow my quick, panting breaths as I look between her and the now empty chair “You didn’t see anyone sitting over there or hear anything very, very loud a second ago?”

“Just you gasping awake like you were asleep or something–” She whispers back, setting her hand on my arm resting across the desk.

She offers a reassuring smile and soft squeeze of my arm before she turns back around and we get back to our silent work with the rest of the students.

***

After class, I quickly walk out the door and into the hall. I see the back of the white coat doctor and quicken my steps to catch up with her.

I ignore the questioning looks of people I rush by and don’t even think twice to push open the doors at the end of the entrance hall.

As soon as the doors open and I run outside, night time covers the space around me. I look down and I’m no longer wearing my burgundy chunky sweater, instead I’m wearing my long sleeved grey henley and skinny jeans I was wearing on school picture day and in the candid photo that fell in my room last night

There’s a strong gust of wind, blowing leaves around my converse covered feet. I reach up to tuck my hair behind my ear and out of my face as I focus on the obvious premonition I’ve been immersed into.

I move my eyes around the darkness around me as I hear a voice shout as though the person is right next to me

“You know me? Oh thank fuck you know me”

I turn towards the voice, however I don’t see anyone– just the wind as it hits me harder and tousles my hair again

“Hey do you see him?”

My hands lift as though someone is holding them, keeping them in place as I squint my eyes and look around to see whatever the voice is asking me to look at

“All right, come on– come on!”

I feel a tug on my arm, almost like an invisible force is gripping onto my hand as I’m pulled forward into a run away from the school.

My legs move with the force, stopping and turning my body with what seems like a mix of muscle memory and instinct as I again hear the voice

“This way– this way come on!”

I’m brought to an abrupt halt from the invisible premonition leading force and I softly gasp as I hear

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, okay this way– come on babe, keep going!”

I’m tugged in a completely different direction before my feet are stopped again and I’m moving in an almost circle, flitting my eyes around me as I can feel myself start to panic.

With that deja vu experience, I get the overwhelming and anxious feeling to call out “Where are they?”

My deja vu instinct was correct as the voice I’ve been hearing lowly digress

“They’re everywhere”

My whole body is flooded with terrified, panicked agony as I frantically look around the abandoned darkness around me. I whip my head to the side, trying to move my hair out of the way as I feel my heart breaking with the next words slamming around me

“You’re gonna forget me”

I shake my head and again answer back knowing this was what was said “I won’t! No, I won’t– I won’t because I still remember you now when everyone–”

“Addy, look out!”

The premonition’s dark night scene falls away as daylight slams into my vision at the same time as the parking lot and a car swerving away from me does.

Malia tightens her hold around my waist and lifts me out of the street, setting me back onto the safety of the sidewalk

The car I apparently walked out in front of honks at us as they pass by, Malia glaring at them before she turns back towards me “Are you okay?”

I move my eyes between hers and Lydia’s, moving my head towards the street again as I sigh and shake my head softly “Yeah I’m okay– thanks to you”

Malia doesn’t loose the confused, brows drawn in look as she attempts to smile and Lydia sets her hands on my shoulders to gain my attention “All right, what the hell was that and who were you talking to?”

I make a noise, opening my mouth to answer– however ultimately closing it and shaking my head because I have absolutely no idea who I was hearing

Malia shrugs and leans closer “What were you doing?”

I lift my eyes up, moving them between my confused friend’s faces as I mutter softly “Trying to remember.”

***

Walking back into school, I open my locker and reach inside to grab my next class’ book. 

I stop my movements, my eyes flicking up to the top of my locker before my gaze moves just past the edge of the door to my locker.

I tap my fingers on the door, scrunching my mouth to the side as I chew on my lip while my eyes focus on the locker from this morning.

I hear the second bell ring and since I’m already late for class, I huff and close my locker. 

I cross my arms over my chest as I walk a few steps over and come to stand in front of the locker.

I tilt my head to the side, examining the blue lock and wondering why I’m so drawn to this locker locker 1075

Uncrossing one of my arms, I reach out and rest my hand on the locker– closing my eyes and keeping my breathing in a steady even rhythm as I try to feel any connection to the locker.

My fingertips dig into the metal door as I work through the onslaught of emotions that overcome me– joy, laughter, immense sadness, worry… heartbreak.

The last one is so strong, I pull my hand away on a gasp. Opening my eyes and jumping forwards when I bump into someone.

I turn around and Scott holds up his hands “Hey– just me, what did you see?”

Shaking my head as I try to work through it all, I stammer “I uh– I didn’t see anything, I felt–” I trail off before I swallow hard and continue “I don’t know what that was… anyways, what are you doing?”

Scott shrugs and points to the locker “I felt like I was drawn to this locker earlier– couldn’t really shake that feeling so I came back to investigate it”

I nod, resting my hands into the back pockets of my shorts “Well then have at it”

Scott turns on the flashlight on his phone and shines the light into the vents in the front of the locker. 

I raise a brow as he sighs with not seeing anything and puts his phone into his pocket before he looks around us.

I do the same, wondering why he’s looking for witnesses before him grabbing the lock and making noise as he pulls on it grabs my attention.

I flick my head back to look at the locker, watching as he pulls harder on the lock. 

Just when I think the lock is going to break, I jump out of my skin when a voice chimes in behind us “Whatcha two doin’?”

We quickly share a look before we look behind us, seeing the new science teacher– Mr. Douglas– looking between us with amusement in his eyes.

Scott rushes out “Uh, nothing…” earning Mr. Douglas to throw him a knowing look and Scott rocks on his feet as he answers a little more truthfully “Just trying to open this locker…”

“Is it yours?” Mr. Douglas questions and I scratch the side of my head answering “It’s mine” at the same time Scott answers “Not really”

I grimace softly, moving my eyes from Scott and over to Mr. Douglas who lifts his brows in his question towards me “It’s your locker?”

“Yeah, I uh– I forgot my combination, so my brother here was just helping me try to open it.”

Mr. Douglas smirks, crossing his arms over his chest as he clarifies “Helping you break the lock instead of helping you remember the combination?”

I scrunch my nose up, earning him to continue “Or go to the office to get the combination?”

I chuckle nervously, lifting my hand towards the locker in a there it is way “Office– not sure why we didn’t think of that, Scotty”

Mr. Douglas smiles and shifts on his feet “Look guys– I’m relatively new here, but I’m pretty sure breaking into someone else’s locker is against the rules.”

Scott shakes his head as he argues “Oh, we’re not breaking into someone else’s locker…”

Mr. Douglas doesn’t lose his smile as he counters “What does it look like to you?”

Scott sighs and shares a look with me as we both answer “It looks like we’re breaking into someone else’s locker.”

He offers us a chuckle, that surprisingly sounds sincere– so we do the same, before I gesture down the hallway “Sooo, we should probably go to class now”

Mr. Douglas nods “Yeah– probably a good idea”

***

Scott and I head to Deaton’s after school, filling him in on what we know about the newest supernatural problem in Beacon Hills.

Mason and Corey were in the library last night and told Liam and Scott that they had seen the Ghost Riders up on the second floor.

They couldn’t see them until Corey grabbed Mason’s arm and made the both of them invisible. They couldn’t remember much else, only that the Ghost Riders didn’t pay them much attention and left soon after they came into the library.

Not taking someone isn’t exactly the Ghost Riders forte, which makes me believe they did take someone and that’s why Mason and Corey couldn’t remember seeing anyone else in there with the Ghost Riders.

Scott grabs my attention from my inner thoughts as he continues to fill in Deaton “I keep having this feeling like there’s pieces missing. Holes in my memory. Like this–”

Scott reaches into his jeans pocket and pulls out a shard of glass, which has a bluish-green color tint to it.

Deaton and I look at the piece of glass while Scott fills in “I took that from a windshield at the Sheriff’s impound lot, but I can’t remember why we were there.”

I draw my brows in, looking at the glass and trying to work through the confusion his words brought on why were we there?

Deaton nods and looks completely intrigued as he processes what Scott said “The subconscious can be a conduit for our memories. Dreams and waking dreams can be powerful tools to help us remember.”

I make a noise and lean my hands onto the exam table “Could it all be connected? The Ghost Riders, the Wild Hunt, the holes in our memories?”

Deaton frowns and shakes his head “The Wild Hunt are drawn to war and mayhem– I’ve never heard of it doing anything to anyone’s memory.”

Standing back up, I’m quick to counter “They take people though, they collect souls– so what if when they take people– if you knew that person, your memories of them are taken as well?”

Deaton pauses to ponder that, taking a moment before he continues “That’s not a bad theory– a beyond terrifying theory though. Look, what you guys are talking about with the holes in your memories, it’s almost like you have a form of phantom limb syndrome.”

Scott frowns, moving his confused eyes over to me and I clear my throat as I elaborate for him “It’s common in war– amputees can have the sensation of an itch they can’t scratch, or a pain that couldn’t possibly be there. The missing limb is so important, the brain acts like the limb is still there.”

Scott nods and looks over to Deaton “So, our subconscious is trying to tell us what’s missing?”

“Or who” I mumble and Deaton nods “It just may be”

Scott groans in frustration “Well how the hell do we figure out what it’s saying?”

Deaton shrugs, moving his eyes between us as he answers “Well, the easiest way to do that would be to simply go to sleep…”

***

Lydia, Malia and I pull up to the front entrance to the preserve. Scott walks up to us and hands us flashlights before he explains his reasoning for calling us out here so late at night.

Malia and I were staying at Lydia’s while the two of us were helping Malia with her math homework and extra credit. We were just getting ready to call it a night when Scott called me and asked for us to meet him at the preserve.

Scott indicates for us to follow him, and with our flashlights pointed towards the ground we follow behind him as he fills in “Hey guys, so I went to bed at home, and I woke up out in the woods, about a mile out. I think there’s a reason why this has happened…”

He continues to walk, looking over his shoulder at me as he sees the realization flash over my face “Yeah– we’ve been out here before, it was the beginning of sophomore year, the night before tryouts for first line– I remember because while we were walking out here that was all that I could think about.”

We stop walking and Malia looks between us curiously “What were you guys doing?”

“Looking for a dead body” I mutter just above a whisper, earning Lydia to throw us an awkward look “That’s morbid”

Scott nods “Why the hell would we be doing that?”

I pinch my brows together, complete confusion flooding through my brain as I try to work through the choppy memories of that night.

Lydia makes a noise and frowns “I wish I could help you guys, but I didn’t know you then”

Malia shrugs softly as she offers “I was still a coyote, so I might have tried to eat it…”

I snort and Scott looks between the three of us “Deaton said that my subconscious is trying to tell me something… I just– I need you guys to help me figure out what it’s saying.”

Lydia sighs and offers “Maybe you were just curious teenagers? Addy is usually figuring things out– so you heard there was a body…”

Scott makes a noise and points towards her “But how? We have never watched the nightly news, and we don’t have a police scanner”

I make a face, knowing that to be true as I nod “He’s right, and I know i wasn’t the one to suggest coming out here. Scott would never want to do that and I wouldn’t have had a good enough reason to bribe him to come out here with me.”

Malia makes a face and points towards us “Your mom works at the hospital. Maybe she got called in and you overheard her?”

I can see Scott shaking his head in the negative at the same time I am as I answer “She wasn’t home that night–”

Turning to Scott more I mutter softly “We were home alone, you thought there was someone trying to break in–”

Scott nods, his face mirroring mine knowing we’re right there with remembering something before he looks between us again “We live five miles away from here– how did we get here?”

“You drove?” Malia offers and I shake my head “We didn’t have a car, we shared with mom unless she was working a night shift.”

Malia lifts her hand up to her side with her next suggestion “You ran?”

I snort and makes a face “I hate running and Scott couldn’t have kept up even if I did like running because he had asthma.”

We continue to walk through the woods and my steps falter as I’m hit with another memory “Mr. S found me, and knew you were hiding somewhere.”

Lydia makes a face and points between us “Why would you leave her alone to be caught by the Sheriff?”

“I wouldn’t have.” Scott murmurs thoughtfully and I gasp as the memory– just like the premonition from earlier– slams through my mind.

“Where’s your guys’ usual partner in crime?– “Scott! Scott, you out there? Scott?!

I open my eyes and look over to Scott “Why would Mr. S be looking specifically for you just because he saw me out here?”

Lydia shrugs “Maybe because, like most deaths in this town, it was related to the supernatural.”

Scott smiles, still shaking his head through his confusion “But we weren’t supernatural yet– I mean, this was the night that I was bitten.”

We stop our steps through the woods and move to stand in a little circle, determined to figure this out.

“I wasn’t a Werewolf yet… and we weren’t out here by ourselves” Scott states before he mutters “I know it sounds crazy, but–”

Scott hesitates nervously for a moment, looking over to me as he elaborates “I think I had a best friend– and I think he was out here with us that night.”

Those words are the first thing I have felt confident about all day. I smile softly, reassuring him instantly “It doesn’t sound crazy Scotty– I have been looking for someone all day. I didn’t have a way to school this morning even though I know I haven’t worried about that before.”

Lydia flicks her eyes over to me, knowing I’m right before I continue “When I finally got to school this morning I was so sure I was supposed to meet someone– but I couldn’t remember who it was supposed to be. I have been missing them all day.”

I close my eyes, resting my hand over my chest briefly before I open them and digress a little hesitantly, yet knowing this familiar feeling with every nerve in my body “Whoever it is– I know I love him.”

“What if we’re missing the same person?” Scott offers before he pulls out the photograph from my room and shows it to us, voicing my same thought from last night when I looked at the photo “I think that he was in this picture.”

Lydia gasps and leans against my side as she points to the empty space between her and I in the candid yearbook photo.

Tears well in my eyes as I nod, knowing without a shadow of a doubt how true my next words are “He was sitting right there.”

***

Scott, Malia, Lydia and I arrive at the animal clinic, where we have joined Deaton in the darkened exam room.

We have put the piece of greenish-blue glass from the windshield of a car we can’t remember why Scott grabbed on a string that hangs from a beaker stand and have illuminated it with an LED light, which sits in front of Lydia and I on the exam table.

Scott and Malia both look to Deaton for an explanation of what we’re about to do, though Malia is clearly skeptical of its ability to help us “Now she just magically writes down all the answers?”

Deaton smiles patiently towards her as he shakes his head “It’s not quite that simple.”

“It never is.” I grumble while adjusting my grip on the pen that I have hovering over a piece of paper on the table in front of me.

Deaton turns back to look at me and elaborates “In automatic writing, the hand moves outside of any conscious awareness. Now, hopefully, the silence, the darkness, and the light will allow you to find a more comfortable trance like state. Addy, I want you to stare into the light, and let go of all thought…”

Lydia grabs my pen free hand, squeezing softly to let me know she isn’t leaving my side and I focus on doing exactly what Deaton said.

I stare blankly through the glass, feeling my entire body as it begins to relax and almost like an out of body experience– I feel my hand begin to write on the sheet of paper.

One word begins to flash in my mind and I begin to furiously scribble onto the paper. I don’t know how much time passes or what I’ve written, however I snap back into being fully conscious with a deep gasp when I hear Malia behind me “What does ‘Mischief’ mean?”

I feel Lydia increase her hold on me as I turn to the side and see four sets of curious eyes land on me as I state quickly “That’s not what I wrote”

Scott shakes his head and turns the paper around “It’s not– look”

On the paper, the seemingly hundreds of little scribbles of the word ‘Mischief’ actually form larger letters that compose one single word

“Stiles” I murmur, drawing a line under the name with my finger.

Scott and Malia share a confused look as Lydia makes a noise, gaining my eyes to flick over to her as she shakes her head “Well, what the hell is a Stiles?”


	88. Sundowning

Scott and I meet Lydia at the library, beginning our research hour to see if we can find anything online about the word I hypnotically wrote last night.

Typing ‘Stiles’ into the search bar gets us exactly _one_ result **_and it isn’t even the full word_**

I close my eyes on a huff as Scott reads our search finding out loud “‘Stile: an arrangement of steps that allows people but not animals, to climb over a fence’.“ **_well holy shit, look no further we figured it out_**

Slowly I open my eyes, looking between both of them with my doubtful look as I mutter “Yeah, somehow I don’t think this is the ‘Stiles’ we’re looking for.”

Scott shrugs and offers a hopeful look “Maybe Malia has found something.”

Lydia shakes her head as she fills in “No– she’s making up a test today with my mom.”

I groan in frustration, setting my elbows on the table and rubbing my hands over my face.

Lydia sets her hand on my back, offering her comfort and moving her hand in small circles as she reassures “We’re going to figure this out.”

Taking a deep breath in, I drop my hands back onto the table and nod with her words. I smile softly as I look over to her “Yeah, I just don’t even know where to start. We have nothing but a word, that could possibly be a name and–”

Hayden rushes up to the table, stopping my words as I take in the concern on her face “Hey guys–”

We all look at her offering our hellos before she continues “I don’t know if this is something but I think I may have another possible Wild Hunt victim. You guys know Gwen from your grade?”

I offer her a nod with the recognition “Yeah, she’s in our history class”

Lydia nods as well and Hayden goes on “She was just in the locker room talking about her apparent sister that no one remembers– myself included. Her sister Phoebe is missing and the school doesn’t remember her and all of her stuff from her room is missing.”

I make a noise and sit closer to the table as I agree “All right, well everything else is adding up except the fact that Gwen remembers her”

Hayden nods “I know– I don’t know if it’s related but I thought you guys should know. I’m going to go and see if she’ll talk to me more about it”

Scott agrees instantly “Yeah, see if she can remember anything else that happened before her sister went missing”

Hayden starts to walk away, promising to keep us updated as she heads out the side doors of the library.

I draw my brows together, deep in thought as I mutter my thoughts aloud just barely above a whisper “Maybe someone reported him missing…”

Scott flicks his gaze my way “Who?”

I lift my eyes up from the table, connecting my gaze with his as I stand up from the chair. I reach over and shove my laptop into my bag, shouldering it as I elaborate for him “Stiles. I just– maybe someone remembered him like Gwen remembers her sister and has reported him missing already.”

Lydia stands up with me, shouldering her bag as she nods her head, agreeing with me instantly “Reported him before they were made to forget him”

I look between them as I offer with a hopeful shrug “It’s possible right? No one at the Sheriff’s station knows _everyone_ in town, so there wouldn’t be anyone there telling them they were crazy from not remembering someone like they would here at school”

Scott stands up as well and sets his hand behind my shoulder, already guiding us out of the library “Let’s go.”

***

We get to the Sheriff’s station, immediately seeing Parrish when we walk inside “Jordan–”

He flicks his eyes up from his desk and waves us over “What’s going on?”

Lydia makes a noise before she digresses “We were just wondering if anyone reported a teenager our age missing in the last few weeks?”

Jordan groans softly, tilting his head back in frustration “Not you guys too, seriously?”

Scott and I share a look before I look back to Jordan as I question “What the hell does that mean? Who else is asking?”

“Corey and Mason were in here yesterday asking the same _exact_ thing– guys nothing crazy is going on and I’m in the middle of trying to solve a murder that for once isn’t supernatural related.” **_dude was bludgeoned to death and shoved into the vents at school but all right_**

He barely whispers the last bit of his statement and I scoff before filling him in on the very real problem he obviously isn’t aware of yet “Something supernatural is going on– the Wild Hunt is _taking_ people, innocent people and we specifically have lost someone. So if you want to just turn a blind eye to solve your murder that’s fine but we _need_ to get him back– now has anyone been reported missing recently who is around our age?”

Jordan clears his face from his previous annoyance and swallows hard, shaking his head softly as he digresses “No– no one has been reported missing”

Lydia sighs and turns to face us “I say we go back to research at the school. Guys, we don’t even know what a ‘Stiles’ is–”

“It’s a he” We hear from behind us, earning the three of us to quickly turn around to see the Sheriff standing just outside of his office.

“Who?” Scott and I question at the same time.

Sheriff moves his eyes between us, an unreadable expression on his face as he fills us in on the who “Stiles– it’s a family nickname. I never used it, but… my father did.” 

Widening my eyes slightly, I share a look with Scott and Lydia before I look back towards our dear Sheriff “May we ask you a few questions about him?”

***

Mr. S agreed, having Scott and I follow him back to his house while Lydia heads back to the school to pick up Malia.

Scott and I take a seat in the chairs in the living room, sitting in front of the couch Mr. S is seated on.

His wife, Claudia, walks into the room and hands him a box before she takes a seat beside him on the couch.

“Thanks honey” Mr. S murmurs before he opens the box and begins talking about his dad ”He was an army engineer–”

Mr. S pulls out a photo from the box and hands it over to Scott. 

Once Scott grabs the photo, he leans towards me as we examine the picture of the young soldier and Mr. S continues “He ended the war, one bridge at a time.”

I notice the name ‘Stiles’ written into the bottom right hand corner of the picture in white ink. 

Scott notices the same thing, releasing through a relieved sigh “And he went by Stiles.”

Feeling a spark of hope, I smile softly when Scott flicks his eyes over to me. 

Mr. S gains our attention though, as he implores with a little motion of his hand “So what’s this got to do with the Wild Hunt?”

Scott and I share a look before I nod and look back to the Stilinski’s sitting in front of us. I take a deep breath and digress softly “We– umm, we think that somebody was taken from us… by the Wild Hunt.”

“Any idea who?” Mr. S asks, lifting his hand up from the side of the couch before Scott shakes his head and retorts hesitantly “The Ghost Riders would have erased our memories…”

Mr. S sighs and looks between us as he grumbles “Well, that’s convenient.”

I clear my throat and scoot closer to the edge of my seat, countering back with a little hopeful tone “We did find a clue though– the word ‘Stiles’.”

Claudia looks over, nodding as she sighs out her assumption “And that’s why you wanna talk to Elias?”

I narrow my eyes slightly as I shrug and look between the pair “Yes– maybe he could help us figure it out. Maybe he knows who we’re looking for, since they have the same interesting name”

“And this is someone your age?” Mr. S continues his line of questions, earning Scott and I to nod as we share a look “We think so, we think he was our friend–”

Scott looks down to the coffee table as he murmurs “Maybe he was my best friend”

A look of understanding crosses over Mr. S’ face, however he stands up and shoots down our hope as he reaches his hand out for Scott to hand him back the photo “I can guarantee you my father can’t help you.”

He puts the photo back into the box as Scott tries to reason with him “Can we try?”

“Scott, he lives in a nursing home three towns over. He hasn’t received a visitor in years” Mr. S answers Scott, however, an older woman walking into the living room gains all of my attention.

She walks behind the couch, staring at me the whole time. My eyes narrow in confusion, yet since I’m the only one who is noticing her I don’t take my eyes off of her.

The elderly woman comes to a stop on the other side of the couch just inside the doorway. 

She opens her mouth and darkly digresses “The following stops have been cancelled–”

I hear the sound of a train going past– not as loud as yesterday at school or in my room– but loud enough to know it’s out of place as she again repeats “The following stop have been cancelled” **_what the actual fuck is that supposed to mean?_**

The woman turns back around and walks out of sight and down the hallway. 

I suck in a sharp breath before turning towards Claudia **_who is looking at me with a curious expression on her face_** “May I use your bathroom?”

“Sure” Claudia nods while Noah and Scott look over to me as I get up and follow the older woman down the hall.

As soon as I walk through the doorway into the hall, I turn the corner and find the older woman staring ominously at a wall.

I walk a little closer to her as I question “Why are you here?”

Getting no response to my question, I walk closer to her and try again “Is there something you wanted to tell me?”

The lady again says nothing and instead just continues to stare at the wall. Resisting the urge to throw my head backwards in exasperation from the creeper ghost woman who is being ominous and not answering my questions, I walk right up beside her “What is up with the train– and what stops have been cancelled?”

I reach my hand out, about to touch the lady’s shoulder when Claudia’s voice causes me to jump as I’m broken from the trance I was in “Addeline? Did you find it– the last door on the left”

I turn back towards the woman, finding her gone and the hallway empty as I huff and answer back “Found it.”

Figuring I’ve been gone long enough to have used said bathroom, I turn on my heels and head back to the living room just as Noah is exclaiming “You’re not hearing me. Trust me– you don’t wanna talk to him”

I stop my steps just inside the entryway to the living room as Scott tries to reason “We just need a few minutes”

“Scott, my father _can’t_ help you” Noah stresses, earning Scott to quickly counter with his insistence “Just a few questions– five minutes!”

Noah’s exasperation reaches its peak as he seems to snap back towards Scott “It’s not possible for you to _just talk_ to this guy! Okay?!”

Noticing the look that flashes across Scott’s face, Noah softens his tone as he offers “Just find another way”

I walk further into the room as I add in my own two cents “What if this is the only way? All we know is his name and it can’t be a coincidence that your father’s name is the same name. I know it’s a lot to ask but we are missing someone and basically grasping at straws here–”

“Guys– you have your answer” Claudia chims in, my eyes snapping to her as Scott ignores her completely “Sheriff please!”

“Scott!” Claudia exclaims, hoping to stop the conversation as she stands up from the couch to stand next to her husband **_yeah I officially don’t like you_**

I set my hand on Scott’s arm, moving my disappointed eyes between the married pair in front of us. 

Sheriff notices, sighing as he again states where his decision is set to “The answer is no.”

***

Scott and I head back to school, meeting Lydia and Malia there to explain about our shitty time at the Stilinski house.

Malia makes a noise as she grabs things out of her locker “Stilinski said no, didn’t he?”

“Yeah” Scott and I grumble before she continues “But we’re going anyway?”

I throw her a smirk as she closes her locker and Scott answers “Yeah”

She returns with her own smirk, turning towards him before Liam chimes in “Or you guys could stay here and help me convince Gwen she’s in danger.”

Hayden talked to Gwen, who saw a Ghost Rider in her lawn the night her sister went missing. Which according to legend as we know– you see them, you’re next to be taken.

Gwen didn’t take Hayden’s warning to heart though– instead she accused Hayden of making fun of her and stormed off **_all bad news now that we know she’s in danger and we need to make sure she’s safe_**

Scott looks over to Liam and shakes his head with his rebuttal “It’s not your job to _convince_ her. It’s your job to _keep_ her safe.”

We start walking towards the door, hearing Malia’s suggestion behind us “Just kidnap her”

Scott grumbles through clenched teeth as he turns towards her and warns “Malia”

I snort with a chuckle at the pair before I look over to Liam who is contemplating the suggestion, and I shake my head to gain his attention as I whisper “Do not kidnap her”

Scott points towards me “Exactly– you listen to her, all right? We’ll be back tonight after we’ve talked to Stilinski’s dad.”

Malia furrows her brows as she shares her doubt about our afternoon plans “Do we really need to do this?”

I make a noise and turn towards her as I shrug and offer “He’s our only lead” **_and the first bit of information to give me hope since I looked at that photo the other night_**

Liam steps closer as he exclaims just above a whisper “Okay– but what if the Ghost Riders show up?”

Scott turns to face him completely as he reassures “Then you’ll handle it, Liam. And look you’re not alone– you’ve got Mason and Corey and Hayden. Just find a safe place for Gwen and keep her there.”

Liam looks between the three of us, not hiding his worry in the slightest “Any suggestions?”

I shrug and reassure him “It doesn’t matter as long as she’s safe– you’ve got this bub, we’ll see you soon.”

Scott and I turn and walk out the doors, thinking Malia is behind us before I hear Scott groan in frustration beside me as he bellows back “Do not kidnap her!”

***

The four of us climb out of Lydia’s car and walk up towards the front doors of Goodwater Assisted Living Home.

Scott sighs and lifts his hand towards the doors as we slow our steps “I can’t believe we’re about to break into a nursing home.”

We come to a stop a few feet from the doors, Malia scoffing as she quips “After the orderlies at Eichen House– pretty sure we can handle some nurses.”

I share a look with Lydia, the two of us silently agreeing with her words before Malia walks deliberately towards the doors.

Opening them, with us quickly following behind her, we watch as she walks straight up to the front desk. 

The nurse standing behind the counter looks up, hanging up the phone and is just beginning to ask Malia how he can help her when she wraps her hand behind his head– and in one fluid motion, Malia slams the guy’s face into the desk earning him to grab his face and exclaim “Oh mother of fuck!”

I jerk back from the noise his face connecting with the desk makes, covering my mouth with my hand as I grimace and hear both Lydia and Scott hiss from the event unfolding in front of us **_I mean damn we could have just asked to see our grandfather we just found out was staying here_**

The guy falls back onto the ground after the impact and we watch as Malia drags him away from the front desk, down the side hall and into a closet.

She closes the door, locking the handle before turning to look at the three of us and our shocked faces. She flicks her eyes between us and shrugs “What? Let’s go”

I let out a snort, shaking my head and clearing my face from any humor when Scott throws me a look– begging me not to condone the previous knocking out of the nurse.

I walk behind the counter, searching through the computer until I find the room information and figure out where Elias is staying.

We walk down the hallway, finding his door open with the musical sound of a classic trumpet playing filtering out through the room.

Walking inside Elias’ room, he turns slowly towards us slightly confused as he looks the four of us over “Yes? Oh– is it time for my medicine?”

Malia clips out behind me “We don’t have your medicine”

I move my lips between my teeth, turning to look over my shoulder at her.

Malia shrugs and nods towards Elias who mutters an “Oh” and turns back in his seat when I face forward again.

I share a look with Scott who nods towards me before I question softly “Are you Elias Stilinski?”

“I am” Elias nods and I smile in triumph towards Scott and Lydia. We walk further into the room towards Elias and when he looks up at me I continue “I’m Addy McCall– do you know who I am?”

Elias draws his brows inwards, complete confusion lacing his words as he mutters “Should I?”

Scott clears his throat and walks up beside me, “Hi– Mr. Stilinski, we’re looking for somebody who might be named Stiles… you went by that name in the army right?”

Elias gets a longing look on his face as he nods in confirmation “Yes– those were the best years of my life.”

“Do you know any of us?” Malia questions, obviously losing her patience with how slowly the questioning is going.

Elias looks over towards her and back to Scott as he answers “Of course I do– how could I forget my own son.”

Scott frowns in confusion, looking up over towards me as he clarifies back “Your son?”

I close my eyes briefly, instantly figuring out why the Sheriff didn’t think his dad could help us. 

I open my eyes and look back to Elias, clearing my throat softly as I implore “Mr. Stilinski– what year is it?”

“1976– my son’s birthday is next week” Elias answers, looking away from us thoughtfully as I whisper over towards Scott “He has dementia.”

Elias looks between us, a cloud covering his gaze as he again asks “Is it time for my medicine?”

We take a few more minutes, trying to convey to Elias exactly who we are. He isn’t connecting who Scott is though, which he proves by pointing towards him “Scott McCall?”

We offer him nods and he shakes his head instantly disagreeing “No, no, no, no, you’re my son.”

“Keep it down, old guy– you’ll wake up the other old people.” Malia snaps with a deep glare, reaching over to steal one of the peas from Elias’ dinner tray.

Seeming to like the peas, Malia continues to keep eating them. Elias looks between us and leans his head backwards to digress to me “I don’t like her”

I soften my face towards him, pulling out the chair beside him as I sit next to him and elaborate softly “Your son– he’s the Sheriff of Beacon Hills.”

Elias draws his brows inwards, shaking his head as he stammers out through his confusion “Sheriff? No, no, no, no… I was in the army–”

Malia flicks her head to her other side as she offers her next suggestion “Use your claws, Scott.”

Scott and I snap our heads in her direction as Scott shakes his head with his rebuttal “It could kill him.”

“I get that, but we’re running out of time.” Malia argues back quickly, stressing our current situation.

Scott shares a look with me, shaking my head at him which he agrees with as he counters back to her “I can’t.”

Malia, obviously impatient and frustrated that Scott won’t perform the Alpha memory manipulation, flicks out her claws from her left hand and moves to lunge towards Elias.

Scott snaps his hand out towards her, wrapping his fingers around her wrist to stop her advancing steps “Hey– no we are not hurting him,”

Elias looks between the pair and down towards Malia’s claws out fingers “Young lady, you need to clip those nails.”

I set my elbow on the table, covering my mouth with my hand as I snort behind it. Malia throws him a look and actually looks more calm as she moves back a step.

Elias instantly points towards us, becoming more agitated with us still being in his space as he exclaims, “You shouldn’t be here. If you don’t leave, I’ll have to report you!”

Elias’ sudden change in behavior has Scott turning towards us “uh– what’s wrong with him?”

I flick my eyes outside, noticing the darkness of the evening that has fallen outside and knowing what that means for Elias’ condition “The sun went down.”

“Sooo…” Scott draws out, earning Elias to become even more agitated as he groans out in anger, muttering incoherently under his breath.

I move my eyes from him and over to Scott as I fill in “He’s sundowning– it’s when patients with dementia lose their faculties after the sun goes down.

“I don’t want to talk to you anymore!” Elias shouts, pointing towards us as his breathing starts to increase and he shuffles the newspapers in front of him angrily.

Lydia moves closer to me as she questions “So what do we do to calm him down? Wait until the sun comes back up?”

I offer a small shrug thinking that’s our only option at the moment, earning Malia to look at us like we’re insane “We can’t wait that long”

“There’s gotta be something we can do to keep him quite” Scott ponders thoughtfully and Elias brokenly starts pleading with us “Leave, leave, leave–”

Malia sets her hands on her chest as she offers quickly “I can calm him down”

“No!” Scott, Lydia and I quickly exclaim back towards her, stopping her advancing steps towards the table.

Getting an idea, I widen my eyes and instantly start digging into my messenger back for my math notes and set them on the table in front of me “No– hey Elias look at the equations– look, it’s binomial probability. What’s P?”

Elias looks down to the paper, setting his hand on the notes and taking a second before answering “Probability of success?”

I nod and move my hand to the next one “Right– so that means N minus K is…?”

Elias drums his fingers on the table before he answers quickly “Number of trials minus the number of successes.”

I nod, smiling that it’s working before Malia questions “What’s with the math?”

“It helps dementia patients concentrate” I quickly answer her before flicking to another paper for Elias “And this one?”

“That’s… um… conditional probability” he answers, seeming more calm now.

I sift through the papers, finding more copies of my notes and homework from my bag and setting them on the table “Let’s find the moment of inertia– Elias?”

Standing up from the seat, Elias looks from the paper and down to me as he answers “That’s Mr. Stilinski– and just who the hell do you think you are?”

I share a look of excitement that the math distraction worked with Scott and Lydia smirks as she looks over to Elias “So you know Scott isn’t your son?”

“Of course I know that– are the brains getting smaller with the skirts?” Elias quips rudely, a complete change in tone from what we were dealing with since we got here.

Malia starts growling under her breath, however, Scott is able to calm her down instantly “Hey, Malia– it’s okay”

Elias turns back around, flicking his eyes between Scott and I “So you’re those McCall twins”

Scott and I share a surprised look before I flick my eyes back to Elias “You know us?”

He nods, lifting a hand towards us as he counters “I knew your dad. He couldn’t hold his liquor, and he certainly couldn’t keep that wedding ring on his finger. A pretty young thing would walk by and poof– that ring just _disappeared_ like magic.”

As soon as his words register I drop my mouth open, shock, sadness, and anger overcoming my entire body in .134 seconds. I feel Lydia set her hand on my back while Scott looks over to me and I shake my head with that revelation.

Malia looks between Scott and I, instantly hearing her growl under her breath again. Scott silently reaches up and gently sets his hand on her arm while Lydia changes the subject “Do you know all of us?”

Elias smiles triumphantly and points over towards her as he chuckles “Oh– you’re Natalie Martin’s girl. Am I right? You look like her– she was pretty once too.”

Malia shines her bright coyote blue eyes as she warns “Stop talking.”

With his hold on her arm still, Scott stand up beside her, “Hey, hey– Malia”

“She also liked to talk like she was the smartest person in the room” Elias smugly grumbles and Malia moves towards Elias again, Scott holding her back “Malia!”

“Enough!” A new voice bellows behind us, the four of us turning quickly to see a very angry Sheriff standing with the even angrier nurse Malia knocked out earlier.

I widen my eyes, completely speechless with seeing him standing there as Scott stammers “Sheriff, we…”

Mr. S moves his disappointed eyes between the two of us as he snaps “I _explicitly_ told you _not_ to come here– and who attacked a staff member?”

The nurse beside him doesn’t give us a chance to answer as he points towards Malia “That’s her.”

“What the hell were you thinking?” Sheriff implores, moving his eyes between the four of us. 

Again we are kept from actually getting to answer as Elias walks behind us towards his son, drawing out like this wasn’t a big deal “Noah– we were just having a nice conversation–”

Mr. S ignores his father’s words though, and moves his anger filled eyes between us “The four of you, out– now”

I quickly grab my bag and follow behind Lydia with Scott and Malia following right behind us as we leave the room and walk down the hallway towards the front lobby.

Once Mr. S walks out of the nursing home, we get piled into the back of the Sheriff’s SUV and are taken to the station. 

Since mom is working Ms. Martin is the only one called. She meets us at the station while we wait to see what charges will be brought against us in regards to what we did at the nursing home.

Ms. Martin continues to pace in front of us as we tell her our side of the story, letting out disappointed huffs with every word.

Scott grimaces, following her steps with his eyes as he offers “We know this looks bad–”

Ms. Martin stops her steps and snaps “It doesn’t look bad, Scott– _it is_ bad!”

We look down sheepishly, knowing she’s right before she continues to drive her point home of the severity of our current situation “You’ve broken into a nursing home, you harassed a dementia patient and beat up a nurse. This could affect the rest of your lives! Especially you, Malia– they’re talking felony assault!”

Malia scoffs, shrugging her shoulders with her arms crossed over her chest as she argues “I didn’t beat him up– I could have, but I chose not to.”

Scott makes an impressed face as he mutters “That’s an improvement”

Ms. Martin looks exasperated with that statement, however, she’s interrupted from responding when the Sheriff opens the door, sighing as he informs to our group “By some miracle, the nurse decided to drop the charges. They’re free to go”

He closes the door, the four of us breathing a sigh of relief that is instantly overshadowed by Ms. Martin’s next words directed towards Lyds “Just because you’re not going to jail, doesn’t mean you aren’t grounded for _eternity_.”

***

Scott and I walk into the house, the breath instantly knocked from our lungs as we notice the destruction war zone that is our living room **_someone had a party and didn’t invite us_**

Liam sheepishly steps into view, moving his eyes between us and the mess of the party covering every corner and surface of the room **_the railing on the stairs is even broken_**

Realizing my mouth is still hanging open, I snap it closed and slowly turn in a complete circle. Crossing my arms over my chest as I face forward in front of Liam again.

He licks his lips quickly and nods, dropping his gaze to the floor as he justifies the state of the living room “You said to find a safe place– so we brought the party here.”

“What party?” I question and Liam scratches behind his head “Nathan’s– Mason paid him off to not beat us up for stealing his party.”

I snort, covering it with a cough when Scott snaps his eyes to me. I clear my throat and look over to Liam “And it needed to be moved here why?”

“Your house is lined with what we thought was the best defense against supernatural creatures. So we locked us all inside with the mountain ash barrier– but the Ghost Riders still got in. We fought them off though and then they left without taking anyone.” **_how the hell did they get in?_**

“Who said to throw a party at all?” Scott grumbles, taking in the railing on the stairs and looking back at me with an exasperated expression.

I shake my head, trying my hardest not to laugh **_because I laugh at inappropriate times_**

Liam drops his gaze down to the floor, obviously knowing he should have run this option specifically by us beforehand.

He shrugs and offers the positive side to things though “At least we saved Gwen.”

I make a noise, gaining both sets of eyes as I worriedly rush out “Wait– you saw one of the Ghost Riders?”

Liam nods, not seeing where I’m going with it as he elaborates “Yeah– Corey made him visible so we could fight him.”

Scott catches up to my worried level as he clarifies “But doesn’t the book say if you see the Wild Hunt, you’ll be taken too?”

I nod grimly and flick my terrified eyes over to Liam as he mutters “Everybody at the party saw him– does that mean…”

“They’re all gonna be taken” I croak out, looking between them.

Scott looks down as he steps on a piece of broken glass “I should’ve been here.”

We let the silence and meaning behind what the evening’s events means now for even more people that we know and care about.

Liam scratches behind his head and lifts his arm towards the living room “I’ll uh– I’ll get started on cleaning up.”

Mason walks in from the kitchen, garbage bags in his hands as he agrees “Me too, you guys go to bed.”

Flicking my eyes up the stairs and seeing the red solo cups littering the stairs, I chuckle and reach my hand out to Mason. I wave my fingers, indicating for him to hand one over “Yea– this was a party, upstairs looks the same as down here”

Scott and I each walk into our rooms, sharing an incredulous look through our open bathroom doors as we both take in the similarities of the after party state to our rooms.

I let out a huff and get to work, picking up _thankfully_ just the discarded cups littering my room **_bed’s still made and not crumpled so that’s at least a good feeling_**

Hearing a knock on my open door, I turn around becoming a little shocked at seeing Mr. S standing in the doorway.

I smile softly, dropping my arm holding the trash bag down to my side “Hey, Mr. S”

He returns the smile, moving his eyes around the room as he offers “Hey kid, looks like a hell of a party”

Scott walks through the bathroom, leaning his shoulder on the doorframe as we chuckle nervously and I shrug my arms out to my side when I look back to Mr. S “Yeah– well hopefully we can get it all cleaned up before our mom comes home.”

“I’ll help” he offers and moves into the room with us, grabbing a few cups off my tall dresser he walks past and dropping them into the trash bag in my hand.

Scott clears his throat “Hey Sheriff– we’re really sorry…”

I nod and continue “We really are, we never should have gone there to see your father–”

Mr. S holds up his hands to stop us “Nah– guys, it’s okay. I uh– I should’ve been clearer about who he is. Maybe a part of me just didn’t want to have to– um admit it.”

He looks down, reaching his hand up to pull down the collar of his shirt to show us a scar just under his left shoulder, moving his eyes between us as he elaborates “This is my dad guys. He pushed me through a glass table when he was going after my mom.”

Instantly feeling like I was punched in the gut with his words, I close my eyes briefly– opening them while he lets go of his collar and points towards his shoulder and continues “There are still tiny pieces of glass in here. The doctor told my mother that they would be there for the rest of my life working their way out. It was a small price to keep away from her– _that_ time.”

Mr. S moves his steps over, sitting down on the bench at the end of my bed as he lets out a sigh and turns towards us “You know– something you said earlier has just been bugging me all day– something about memories.”

Scott and I share a look, furrowing our brows as he questions “What do you mean?”

Mr. S moves his hands around slightly in front of him as he asks “Have you ever had a dream… that’s– that’s _so_ real, you thought it was a memory?”

I scrunch my nose up slightly, knowing what he’s saying however not exactly having that _exact_ experience yet.

Scott shrugs and Mr. S smiles, filling us in on where he’s going with this “Right, okay– well in this dream, I’m laying in bed with Claudia, it’s a couple of weeks before we graduate from college. And we’re talkin’ about the future and kids, and what we will call them. And I tell her, if we have a son– I wanna name him after her father.”

He smiles thoughtfully with the memory as he continues “So then she laughs at me and she says: ‘Why would you wanna saddle some poor kid with a name like that’?”

Chuckling softly with that means, it brings a little smile to my face when he looks up at us, murmuring “And I told her ‘Because he’s a great father’– the kind of father I wish I _had_. The kind I _hoped_ to be.” **_I feel like he would have been an excellent dad_**

He drops his gaze down to just past us, seemingly lost in thought and taking a few seconds before he finishes his story “And in that point of the dream, she smiles, kisses me and says: ‘Okay– we’ll name him that’– but it won’t matter–”

Mr. S trails off and looks up, connecting his gaze with mine as he states thoughtfully, finishing what his wife said in the dream memory “–He’ll just be called Stiles anyway.”


	89. Relics

Setting my hand on the railing, I increase my grip to swing my momentum off the last step and towards the living room. 

Taking a few steps past the side of the stairs, the hairs on my arms raise instantly– causing my steps to stop as I lift my arm up from my side **_expectantly looking at my arm to give me an answer as to why_**

Hearing faint, almost barely there whispers coming from above me, I lift my eyes slowly towards the ceiling. 

Seeing a black jagged line like a drawing of a tree branch, I narrow my eyes slightly as I fully tilt my head back.

My mouth opens on a small gasp as I take in the massive black spot with dozens of jagged, squiggly lines coming off the main center spot in sharp angles and points “Holy– Scott!”

Scott comes barreling down the stairs a few seconds later, his question for what’s wrong stopping on his tongue as he stops on the steps, and follows my line of sight when I lift my hand up beside my face and I point towards the ceiling.

“What the hell is that? Did someone draw on the ceiling? I’m going to kill them–”

“I don’t think the party animals did this Scotty, I’m getting a different more terrifying Ghost Rider vibe” I interrupt, Scott nodding with my words as he pulls his phone out of his pocket and calls Liam to meet us over here.

Liam, Mason and Corey arrive about fifteen minutes later, the three of them coming to a stop next to Scott and I while they look at the charred spot on the ceiling.

“That’s how he got in?” Corey asks curiously before Liam mumbles “What is it?”

“It’s a point of impact from a lightning strike– Usually you’d find charred black spots like that on the ground after a violent thunderstorm” Mason fills in as he looks over to us.

I widen my eyes as I look over to Scott and Liam with my conclusion “That’s how the Ghost Rider got in past the mountain ash– he rode the lightning.”

Liam shakes his head, moving his terrified eyes between us and the ceiling “If they can use the lightning to get past the mountain ash…”

“No place is safe” Scott and I mutter, finishing his terrified thought process.

Corey quickly brings light to the _other_ scary topic at hand “What about the others? It’s my fault they’re marked.”

Scott turns towards him immediately as he gets a determined look on his face “We’ll find a way to protect them– all of them.”

***

Liam hands me a school ID, Jake Sullivan’s, that him and Corey found the other night in the library. 

Jake Sullivan was the person the Ghost Riders took when Mason and Corey had been in the library and witnessed the Ghost Riders there when the pair was invisible.

Since the Ghost Riders took Jake, naturally Corey and Mason’s memories of him were lost– which was why they couldn’t remember anyone else being there that night.

Liam and Corey went back into the library **_since obviously not remembering anything didn’t sit right with them_**

Corey turned on his invisibility and Liam found a card jammed into the second floor railing. Corey was able to grab the card and bring it with him when he became visible again, however the card was blank.

Liam then went over to one of the computers and swiped the card, bringing up Jake Sullivan’s information onto the screen and some memories of the boys having him in their classes came back.

Next thing they saw was Jake’s student ID card no longer blank, looking exactly like everyone else’s student ID card **_his picture on it and everything_**

Liam hands me the card after his story time and I grab onto the four corners with my fingers as I examine the card.

Liam shrugs and points towards the card in my hands “I uh– Mason said something about physics and how it wasn’t there until we saw it and then it became real–”

“The quantum state of a superposition– to see something is to change its very existence. You finding the card in a different state– it changed reality.” I interrupt him, nodding my head as I look up from the card to his confused face.

He makes a noise, shaking his head to the side as he chuckles “You’re ridiculously smart and I still don’t get it.”

I lift one of my hands off the card, about to explain it a different way when he raises his hands up in surrender “I don’t need to, I’m getting a high B in physics so this whole superposition, states of reality can stay in the confused part of my school work.”

I chuckle, nodding with his words “Fair enough, so why are you giving this to me?”

Liam scratches the side of his head, flicking his hand towards the card as he shrugs “I know finding this guy is important to you, so if Jake was able to leave this behind when he was taken–”

Widening my eyes with what he’s implying, I whisper softly “Maybe Stiles left something too.”

***

Tapping the student ID card in between my thumb and forefinger, I make a noise when I see Lydia, Malia and Scott walking down the hall.

I walk up to them and show them the card as I retell what Liam told me about how it was found. 

Once I finish at the same part I lost Liam, Lydia nods as she flicks her gaze from the card up to connect with mine “It’s a relic.”

I smile towards her as Malia furrows her brows in confusion “What’s a relic?”

Turning more towards her, I elaborate “It’s an object with a fixed association to the past. Jake’s ID was left behind _after_ he was taken and Gwen found her sister’s bracelet on her bedroom floor.”

Malia flicks her _not getting it_ eyes between the three of us as she questions “How can someone be erased and still leave something behind?”

“Conservation of Mass– matter can neither be created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction” I answer her, receiving confused looks from both her and Scott before I make a noise and wave my hand in little movements to go with my explanation “Simplistically, the amount of matter in the universe cannot change. So basically the Ghost Riders can erase people– and everything that points to their existence– from the universe _only_ if the total amount of matter left behind is of equal mass.”

Lydia nods like it makes total sense and I’m instantly grateful I’m not alone in my thinking, before Scott smirks between us as he states thoughtfully “So even the Ghost Riders have a weakness.”

I nod as Lydia grabs the card from my hand “A relic would be proof that Stiles existed.”

Smiling with her words I look between them and state confidently “And even more– maybe we could bring him back with it.”

***

After what Mr. S told Scott and I last night, we all agree that if Stiles were to have left anything behind– the Stilinski house is where we should look first.

Lydia offers to drive me to the Sheriff’s station so I can talk to him about what new clues have been brought to our attention.

He ushers us inside his office, taking a seat behind his desk while Lydia takes a seat on the couch. 

I reach across his desk, handing him Jakes’ student ID card before I start pacing in front of the desk while I recant the story of finding it and what a relic is for the second time.

Mr. S listens intently, furrowing his brow and moving his eyes between me and the card once I’m finished with my story time “You two want to search my house?”

I grimace softly and set my hands on his desk as I nod “I know it sounds like a crazy request– but honestly is it any _more_ crazy than supernatural, horse rising ghost cowboys that no one can see snatching people out of existence and making everyone who ever knew them, _forget_ them?”

Mr. S makes a face, clearly fighting back a smile with my description and earning me to huff out a breath before I try again “Look, people are leaving things behind. So if Stiles left anything be–”

“Why– why would it be there?” Mr. S interrupts me and I throw him a look, though I don’t come right out and say because I have the strongest feeling Stiles is his son. 

Instead I look over my shoulder at Lydia, seeing her nod at me before I look back at him and mutter softly, “You can’t just _erase_ people– they leave things behind. With the connection between Stiles’ name and your family and that dream memory you told us about last night, I just–”

I trail off, looking over towards the windows and wondering to myself how much of my gut instinct I should share with the good Sheriff. 

He grabs me from my inner debacle as he snaps the card onto his desk and clears his throat “I couldn’t sleep last night so– um I got up, figured I’d do some paperwork.”

I look back over towards him, feeling Lydia come to a stop beside me as Mr. S looks up at us and continues “The files were in the back of the car, so I– I go to the garage and some junk has fallen off a shelf and I– I stubbed my toe on an old baseball bat. Without thinking I yelled a name–”

Tears prick the corners of my eyes as I move them quickly between his, knowing _exactly_ what name he yelled based off the expression on his face and the gut feeling slamming through me.

I let out a breath as I mutter just barely above a whisper “–Stiles.”

***

Mr. S agreed to have us search the house, informing us he would call his wife to let her know we would be on our way and what we were doing.

She lets us in and mutters about needing to finish making her tea, having us wait in the living room while she tends to that.

I cross my arms over my chest, slowly moving my steps in front of the fireplace as I examine the framed pictures across the mantle.

Not finding any weird gaps or holes where another person could have been sitting or standing with them, I let out a huff and connect my gaze with Lydia’s out of the corner of my eye.

She sets her hand on my elbow, whispering her reassuring words “Could just mean he was in different photos than these.”

“Alright, so is there anything I can do to help?” Mrs. Stilinski’s voice abruptly chimes in behind us.

“No–” Lydia answers quickly when we turn around from the fireplace before she softens her tone “–but thank you Mrs. Stilinski.”

I offer a tight lipped smile to go with Lydia’s words, still not liking the feeling from being around this woman produces.

She moves her eyes between Lydia and I, offering her own smile as she sighs out softly “Well, good luck– I’ll leave you to it.”

Mrs. Stilnski walks back towards the kitchen, earning Lydia and I to share a look. I shrug and let out a deep breath as I keep moving my eyes around the room– not really knowing what I’m looking for **_though going more for the I’ll know it when I see it kind of hopeful tactic_**

“Maybe we should have brought Corey with us” Lydia mutters through a whisper beside me and I chuckle softly, thinking maybe that’s not an insane idea before I look over towards the entryway into the living room near the front door and stop my movements.

Instantly remembering the old woman who was ghosting around, I elbow Lydia to gain her attention and nod towards the doorway “Let’s go back down the hallway.”

Remembering what I shared with her the last time I was here, she nods and we walk over towards the hallway.

We slowly move towards the middle of the hall where the elderly woman was staring at the wall last time I was here.

I stop my steps, hearing a slight hiss of a breeze of air seeming to be coming from the line in the wallpaper **_that’s weirdly down the middle of the wall and exactly where the ghost woman was staring at_**

I slowly reach out towards the paper and just when I’m about to run my finger along the seam, Lydia gasps and grabs my arm. 

I jerk back with her action, following her gaze and widening my scared eyes as we see a man standing just down a ways from us further down the hall.

He’s glaring towards us as he yells “You didn’t see it did you?”

“See what?” Lydia croaks as I swallow hard, feeling chills run down my spine with his words “It’s right in front of your face!”

Lydia and I share a look before looking back towards the seam in the wallpaper. The air is whistling louder now and I reach out to feel along the seam, letting out deep, scared breaths when I look back down the hallway and no longer see the ghost man.

I hear Lydia’s scared heavy breathing as well while she shakes her head “Did the old lady yell at you that creepily?”

I shake my head quickly, taking in a deep breath before I sigh out “She was just as terrifying but she didn’t yell at me– just ominously told me stops were cancelled”

Flicking my eyes back towards the wall, I tilt my head to the side as I reach out and set my hand along the wallpaper.

Finding an already loose part coming off the wall, I grip it in between my fingers and slowly pull back on the paper. The air whistles louder the farther I pull the paper back, until a hand gripping tightly onto my wrist stops my actions.

I gasp loudly as Mrs. Stilinski bellows “What are you doing?”

“You’re hurting me” I croak out instead of an answer, flicking my eyes from her face to her hand.

“Let go of her” Lydia snaps, reaching over to pry Mrs. Stilinski’s hand off of my wrist.

Once she lets go, I step back a step away from her as she moves her incredulous expression from my face to the wallpaper I ripped.

She reaches over and pushes the paper back into place **_though it’s obvious that won’t be fixing the slight damage I created_**

I grimace softly as I whisper “We heard air whistling from behind there– but I’m sorry I shouldn’t have done that.”

She gets right in my face as she snaps angrily “I think that’s something we can agree on” **_if it could mean finding a son you couldn’t remember, shouldn’t I have though?_**

“We’ll be leaving now” Lydia states as she grabs my arm and pulls me with her back down the hall and away from the terrifying Mrs. glaring over at us **_who is rivaling the ghosts with being creepy and giving me chills_**

***

Lydia and I head to the school, sharing in our thoughts on the way about the weird feeling Mrs. Stilinski is always giving us since seeing her lately “I don’t know maybe having your son taken from you and not remembering him is doing something psychologically to her”

I shake my head with Lyds’ words, looking over to her as I counter “The Sheriff isn’t even remotely giving me the same vibe as she is– is that different for how you feel around him?”

Lydia flicks her eyes to me, quickly looking back to the road as she smirks “No– she’s the only one giving me the creeps. Let’s figure out why.” **_this is why you’re my best friend_**

We get back to the school, heading to her mother’s office to use the computer and see what we can legally dig up on Mrs. Stilinski.

I’m just finishing typing in Claudia’s maiden name we figured out from a yearbook and hitting enter when Ms. Martin comes walking into her office.

Seeing us sitting in here, she immediately questions “Were the two of you _tearing_ Claudia Stilinski’s wallpaper off her wall?”

“No” Lydia quips back way too quickly, earning her mom to throw us a look like she is not buying that for a second.

I grimace as Lydia answers “Maybe” at the same time I answer back “Yes”

She fights back a smile and walks into further into her office, standing on the other side of her desk from us as she looks towards me, “She’s worried about your mental health, Addy”

I roll my eyes “Well you can tell her I’ve been cleared with Eichen, Auntie Nat”

She smiles towards me as Lydia fills in “We saw someone in the hallway– someone that Mrs. Stilinski _couldn’t_ see”

“Well, if Claudia is not seeing ghosts maybe it’s because she’s not a banshee like the two of you wallpaper destroying trouble makers.”

I make a noise before I offer thoughtfully “Who we saw today was the second ghost person I’ve seen at that house in two days. Both were in that hallway near that seam of wallpaper– I think they were trying to help us find something Stiles left behind– a relic.”

Auntie Nat looks between us as she shrugs “Did you?”

“No” Lydia and I grumble before I elaborate “Mrs. Stilinski grabbed my wrist and stopped me before we could even _hope_ to find anything.”

“That’s probably because you were tearing her wallpaper” She chuckles loudly and walks around the side of her desk to look at the computer screen.

She sighs when she notices the student information we pulled up on Claudia “Oh girls, look I’ve known Claudia since high school– I trust her.”

Lydia sighs in exasperation beside me and sets her hand on her hip as she turns more towards her mom.

Auntie Nat looks between us and softens her face before she moves around the front of her desk, sitting in one of the seats as she questions “Do you guys know what a confirmation bias is?”

We offer her nods, not really wanting to give her an answer since I know where she’s going to take it, before I mutter “The tendency to interpret information in a way that confirms an existing preconception.”

Lydia’s mom smiles “Yes, it’s a biased perspective. You’re looking for proof to support what you _already_ believe is true– because you _want_ it to be true.”

Lyds softens her face towards me when I look up at her and I shake my head as I turn back to my aunt “Stiles is real– _I know it_.”

Auntie Nat sighs, not even hiding her concern as she questions “I know you think that sweetie, but do you believe that there’s _some_ possibility he’s not?”

The look that overcomes my face must show her that there’s not a doubt in my mind to that fact even remotely being a possibility.

She looks from me and up to Lydia standing beside me, before she lets out a soft sigh and removes her glasses “Okay– tell me everything you know, I’ll be your guys’ unbiased perspective.”

I move my eyes from her softened face and up towards Lydia who smiles softly and nods before I look back towards my aunt and tell her everything.

***

Mainly what Mr. S told me about his dream memory with Stiles’ name and the toe stubbing baseball bat shout of said name was what convinced Auntie Nat that this was in fact a non biased possibility.

She states we need to go and see mom at the hospital to see if there’s any medical record of the married pair in question having a kid.

We’re walking up to Lydia’s car in the parking lot when a baby blue jeep parked backwards in a spot about twenty feet away gains my attention.

My steps stop, my hand frozen in the air on the way to grab the door handle to the car as I feel a familiar feeling, an almost pull towards this jeep.

I part my lips, desperately searching my brain for any memory as to why I feel this way towards a vehicle I’ve not seen before **_at least not that I can remember_**

“Addy?” Lydia’s voice snaps through my trance, gasping loudly I look over the roof of the car towards her and her furrowed brows looking at me and trying to see what gained my attention.

I swallow hard, looking over my shoulder toward the jeep one last time before I shake my head and climb into the car.

Lydia climbs in after me and she drives out of the parking lot, heading away from the jeep and the feeling that I was right on the cusp of remembering something.

We get to the hospital, meeting her mom in the lobby before we walk down the hall and find my mom at the nurse’s station.

Briefly giving her a rundown, on top of what I’ve already been sharing with her, I tell her about this afternoon and why we are here right now “You want _what_?!” she bellows loudly.

A few nurses walking by throw us a look, mom sheepishly looks around and connects her gaze with mine as she more quietly repeats herself “You want what?”

I scrunch my nose up in a grimace before I quickly rush out “Claudia’s medical records. Just for a minute mom, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important– even though I know it’s a lot to ask.”

“Oh it’s up there– it’s _way_ up there my brilliant daughter who knows just _how_ far up there it is!” she whisper shrieks the last part of her sentence and I throw her an exasperated look that screams _I’m aware and I’m sorry however I need to do this_

Auntie Nat grabs her attention from me as she mutters “As the more recently enlightened of the two of us, just trust me– there are lives at stake.”

Mom flicks her gaze over to her as she quips “Letting the three of you look at private medical records is completely and utterly against hospital regulations– so… we better make this fast.”

I smile brightly at my secret agent mama bear and we follow behind her quick steps down the hall and towards the medical records office.

Mom has me close the door once we’re all inside and she moves over towards the computer, quickly typing into all the fields needed as I walk up to stand beside her.

She hits enter and clicks on Claudia’s name, tilting her head to the side as the information displays onto the screen in front of us.

I move my eyes down from Claudia’s name finding under general information and the fields for number of children and number of pregnancies both have zero’s beside them.

“Sorry sweetie, according to her medical records– Claudia never had children” mom states and I furrow my brows as I read what’s below those fields.

Conditions and surgeries for that condition are filled out and I point towards the screen as I state “Okay, well wait she had–”

“–Frontotemporal Dementia… there must be a mistake” mom finishes what I pointed out and Auntie Nat looks between us as she questions through how confusing that bit of information is “How long ago? She seems fine now” **_completely fine with a super fast killing brain condition_**

“Ten years? I’m surprised she’s still alive honestly– it’s a miracle.” Mom states thoughtfully and I share a look with Lydia **_looks like we’re not wrong for getting the weird feeling from Claudia_**

***

So while Lydia and I were on relic searching duty– Chris, Scott, Malia, Liam, Mason, and Corey were on protect everyone from the party who saw the Ghost Rider duty.

Liam wanted to fight the Ghost Riders, claiming that with Mason’s insight on how to track a lightning storm we would know exactly when they were going to attack– and using a lightning rod would help us gain the upper hand and surprise the Ghost Riders.

Mason wanted to hide everyone they needed to protect underground since the Earth would naturally ground the lightning’s electrical charge.

Scott chose to hide everyone underground in the Argent bunker that’s also lined with mountain ash.

Plan was great until three of the people who were supposed to be in the bunker were not there once they got everyone else inside **_Gwen being one of them_**

Scott, Liam, and Mason went to the school when they figured out the people missing were lacrosse players and were obviously not wanting to miss tonight’s game.

Malia and Chris stayed in the bunker, however they had to chase and try to convince Nathan that he couldn’t leave the tunnels because he’d break the mountain ash seal and lead the Ghost Riders right to everyone.

Did he listen? **_No, no he did not_**

Nathan got out of the tunnels and the Ghost Riders got in, fighting Malia and Chris– hurting him badly– before they took everyone in the tunnels.

Scott and Liam tried to protect the other players on the field, however the Ghost Riders took Gwen and two others.

Mom wheels Chris who is laying on a hospital bed down the hall towards a waiting room for him to rest in. 

Scott hangs up his phone call with Liam, explaining what happened in the bunker, and comes to a stop beside me standing next to the bed “Is he okay?”

Mom lets out a sigh, looking around before she hashes out Chris’ medical standing with us “He has blunt force trauma to his temporal bone, three broken ribs, and multiple surface lacerations– which seem to be from… whip marks?”

Chris groans and I set my hand on his arm softly before mom nods and continues “What he needs is a lot of rest.”

Mom finishes wheeling Chris’ bed into the room, moving around to get him hooked up to everything he needs.

Lydia walks up and we turn to Malia who we see is slowly healing from her own wounds “What happened?”

Malia shakes her head as she digresses “The Ghost Riders took everyone– we barely slowed them down.”

Scott looks between Lydia and I as he implores “Tell me you guys found something.”

I swallow hard, dropping my gaze to the floor as Lydia mutters softly “We found out that Claudia never had children– so, Stiles can’t be her son.”

“Doesn’t mean he’s not Noah’s son” I grumble, earning Scott to throw me a look as Malia questions “What about a relic?”

I sniff angrily, trying my best to fight back the tears that are threatening to fall purely out of aggravation over how fucking frustrating this whole thing is as I look over to the wall beside us **_I know he’s real, I know he’s Noah’s son– I just can’t fucking prove it_**

“There never was a Stiles was there?” Malia’s questioning and defeated voice has my gaze snapping back to the group as Scott continues to make me want to scream “It doesn’t even sound like a real name”

I make a noise, jerking my head back as I disagree instantly “He’s real and that name was real enough for Elias. We have to keep looking” I stress, looking between the three of them.

Lydia nods and offers “We may not have much to go on, but I agree with Addy. She’s right, we can’t give up now– we need to check the school records again, or call your guys’ dad–”

“We’re fighting the wrong battle.” Malia argues and I’m quick to counter “We’re trying to bring Stiles back!”

“The Ghost Riders came back. We still have no way of stopping them– and whatever they are, they’re real. We can’t keep chasing someone who isn’t.” Malia digresses and I fail at fighting back the tears, a few falling down my cheeks that I angrily wipe away as I turn to the side away from them.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I continue to voice my thoughts on where I stand with our current situation “You guys may see this as the wrong battle, but I can feel it in my bones– Stiles is _real_. He’s real and he’s _missing_ and I– I feel like I _can’t breathe_ as I try to even say those words. I feel like I’m missing a part of who I am– and I’m not stopping until I bring him back.”

I see Scott shrug before he whispers towards me “He didn’t leave anything behind–”

I snap my head back towards them, moving my sad gaze between them as my voice cracks through my answer “Just us.”


	90. Radio Silence

_Stiles POV_

Breathing a sharp deep breath in, the trance I was in is broken instantly. I take in my surroundings, seeing that I’m sitting on a bench in a train station.

Remembering the Ghost Riders, I figure this place is where you’re taken to after they grab you.

Everyone is sitting, quietly– too quiet if I’m being honest. No one is moving or fidgeting, they’re all just sitting and staring forward. 

The station is cold, dark, grey and has no life in it– even with all of these people sitting on the rows and rows of benches around me.

I start to move my gaze around the people near me, the memories of the night I was taken slamming to the forefront of my mind and I close my eyes tightly. I can just make out Addy’s tear stricken face, the fear in her eyes as I’m pulled away from her and the warmth of her hand fades from mine.

Feeling a lump in my throat I push those memories back, opening my eyes and clearing my throat as I scoot further back in my seat.

There’s a ticket counter up ahead in front of the rows, however no one is sitting in it and there’s a sign that reads ‘Back in 5 minutes’.

I can’t remember how long I’ve been sitting here, or even why I’m sitting here, those facts causing me to fidget. 

I run my hands over my jean clad thighs, hearing a metal clink of the keys to Roscoe clutched tightly in my right hand. 

Seeing a woman in a doctor’s white coat and scrubs sitting next to me, I clear my throat and lift my hand towards her to gain her attention “Excuse me, sorry– where are we?”

“We’re at the train station.” She says like I’m the moron who couldn’t figure that out.

I make a face, tilting my head to the side slightly “Right– okay, helpful. Which train station exactly?”

She turns her head away from me, looking over towards the wall with a marquee board with different cities on it and apparently the info about the train station she is searching for.

“Train station number one thirty seven.” She says before she turns away and sits forward again, seemingly okay with that as an acceptable answer.

I, however, am _not_ okay with that answer and I need more information “Did you see me come in?”

She looks back over, shaking her head with her answer “No…”

“How long have you been here?” I question, trying a different approach to a time table for her. She makes a face, shrugging her shoulder as she comes up with “Maybe an hour?”

The guy sitting next to her chimes into our conversation from behind his newspaper “We got here at the same time– it’s been at least six hours.”

Confused by that, I sit closer to the edge of my seat as I clarify “ _Six_ hours? Where are you going?”

The doctor goes to answer, however she looks even more confused by that question. 

She has absolutely no idea where she’s going and starts to pat her pockets “Uh… uh, I had a ticket with me somewhere, um…”

I make a noise and point towards her doctor uniform “You always travel in your work clothes?”

“I must have been in a rush…” She offers, looking down to her clothes and over towards me with her furrowed brows looking even more confused.

Yeah I’ve had enough of this confusing vague answer bullshit.

I stand up from my seat, quickly walking up the aisle and towards the ticket counter. I take notice of the sign again and know that we’ve all been here way longer than the five minutes this sign is stating.

My eyes move from the sign and down towards the counter, seeing about eighty layers of dust on top of the counter.

I swipe my fingers across the edge, gathering a disgusting amount of dust on my three middle fingers. 

Moving my fingers around to disperse the dust, I turn around to ask anyone sitting near me who is listening “Do you know if anyone works here?”

I don’t get an answer from anyone sitting on the benches, instead the PA system clicks on “The following stops have been cancelled: Hollatine, Batten, Baybury, Deer Ridge, Red Oak–”

Everyone stands up silently, moving away from the benches and towards the area where a train would be coming through a tunnel.

I reach my hand out, trying to get the attention of a guy standing near me “Excuse me, where are those trains going?”

He ignores me and keeps walking towards the train entryway as the PA continues “–Trenton, Anderson, King Springs.”

“Excuse me, do you know what train this is?” I attempt to ask another lady– who also ignores me as she moves with the crowd.

“Does anyone know where this train’s going?” I say a little louder to the growing crowd, still not getting an answer before I reach out to another lady “Excuse me, do you know what train this is?”

Everyone has gathered into a massive crowd, all standing in front of the tunnel entryway with a sign reading ‘To Trains’ hung above the dark tunnel archway.

There’s a gush of wind before I hear the very distant sounds of a horse neighing coming from deep within the dark tunnel in front of us.

The horse’s neighs become louder before we can hear their galloping stomping hooves– the noise terrifying enough to the crowd that has gathered and they all clammer away from each other.

People are screaming and pushing as they scatter away from the tunnel entryway, moving to hide behind pillars and the benches they all previously sat upon when two Ghost Riders on horses run through the tunnel and into the station with us.

One of the Ghost Riders knocks down a guy standing in his path before the other rider throws a guy down onto the ground who is tied up with rope around his wrists and ankles.

The rope however is gone in the next second, disappearing into nothing but bright green smoke before the Ghost Riders start to gallop towards me.

I quicken my steps, rushing backwards and trying to get out of their way. I move behind a pillar, however, that seemed to be the path the Ghost Riders wanted as one follows me.

The next thing I feel are two hands gripping onto my shoulders as I’m pulled out of the Riders path and my back is pushed up against another pillar.

My eyes widen as I register who I’m seeing standing before me.

Peter _fucking_ Hale.

He makes a face, shaking his head once as he grumbles “It had to be _you_.”

The three Ghost Riders continue to scare everyone as they make their way through the station, taking off towards the tunnel again.

Once the horses cross over into the dark tunnel, the wind stops, the screams stop and everyone moves silently back to sit down on the fucking benches again.

Peter starts to move away from me earning me to reach out to stop him “Peter? Peter, what are you doing here? How are you here?”

Flicking his head up towards me, Peter draws his brows inwards “What do you mean, how am I here? I’m _here_. You are _here_. We are _all here_. Now– get the hell away from me, Stiles.”

He sits down on the bench seat behind him and I jerk my head back with his ridiculous attempt at keeping this train station waiting charade going.

I look to my left and see the last of the crowd sit down, and it just fuels my anger at the fact no one is even acknowledging what the fuck just happened.

Looking back down towards Peter– who is now staring off into nothing like the rest of the sheep, I raise my hands out from my sides “Hey Peter– Peter… Peter! What are you doing?” I ask once he finally looks up at me again after I snap my fingers towards his face.

He offers me a look like it couldn’t be more obvious “I’m waiting for my train.”

I shake my head once, pointing behind me “Okay, did you not just see that?”

“See what?” he says, picture of confusion as he looks around.

I raise my brows as I reiterate, in a light tone, the event that transpired not two minutes ago “The horses, the hogtied businessmen with the magically _dissolving_ ropes?”

Peter doesn’t have any recognition flash across his face so I turn to my side and loudly address everyone else “I’m sorry, did anyone just see that?”

Literally the most quiet I have ever seen a group of people be.

I resist the urge to scream louder at all of them, when Peter makes a noise and points behind me “You mind? You’re blocking the board– I’d like a little warning before my train arrives.”

Throwing him a face like _all right I’ll play_ , I stand in front of him again “Okay. So, you’re waiting for a train– how did you get here?”

“Pretty sure I took a cab.” Peter jabs smugly and I shake my head “The last time I saw you– you were being locked away in Eichen House…”

Peter’s gaze falls away as finally some recognition flashes across his face. A moment later he looks up to me as he thoughtfully informs “I was in Eichen… thanks to _you_.”

“Memory’s good. Can you remember how you, uh, got out? They discharge you?” I offer, which he disputes right away with a shake of his head “No. The power went out, and I ran like hell.”

Scrunching my face up in shock that I shouldn’t be feeling, I clarify “That’s it? You just ran?”

“Yes, that’s it– I literally just ran away from the insane asylum that was holding me hostage!”

Peter gets up and walks around silently as his memories from the night he left Eichen seem to be resurfacing in his mind.

I take a seat since this seems like it’ll take a little bit and a few seconds later, he begins his pacing. 

He turns to face me again– his now freak out to what is our crazy situation has finally caught up with him “How long have I been here?”

With my elbows resting on my knees, I link my hands together in front of me “The night we broke Addy out of Eichen that caused the lockdown was three months ago…”

Peter jerks his head back, furrowing his brows “Addy was in Eich– I’ve been missing for three months, and no one came for me?”

I huff and sit back in my seat as I digress “That’s what the Ghost Riders do. They erase you–”

“Ghost Riders? Ghost Riders of the Wild Hunt?” Peter interrupts and I look up to him quickly “Yeah, you know what I’m talking about?”

Peter closes his eyes and sits down on the bench across from me on a huff “Of course, I know what you’re talking about. They ride the lightning. They are an _unstoppable_ force of nature– but I promise you, they don’t make pit stops in train stations.”

He turns his head to the side, making eye contact with an older woman who throws him a smirk and I laugh to myself as he turns back to me, raising his brows as he mumbles “I’ve escaped one prison only to land in another one. And this looks like the underground lair of a depressed bureaucrat.”

I make a noise and try to be hopeful now that I know someone who is stuck in here as well “Come on, there’s gotta be a way out of this place, right? Have you tried looking around? Have you talked to anyone who knows anything?”

“If this is the Wild Hunt, there is no escape. You and I are doomed to ride the storm– forever.”

I stand up quickly with his words, an idea forming as I walk towards him “Yeah, we’re not in the storm, we’re in a train station… but we can get out of a train station.”

“We can’t get out of here, Stiles… because this place isn’t real” Peter argues and I don’t miss a beat as I counter “ _What_ are you talking about?”

Peter tilts his head back a little more, fully connecting his eyes with mine as he digresses “Beacon Hills doesn’t have a train station.”

Well since that sounds like all sorts of bad news, I quickly walk out of the area with the benches and over to one of the doors against the side wall.

I run my hand across the chains that are keeping the door locked and look over my shoulder seeing Peter sit down in one of those shoe shine chairs up against the wall beside me.

I start yanking on the chain that’s wrapped through the door handles, grunting as I try to break it loose.

“What are you doing?” Peter flicks his hand off his face with his question and I let out an aggravated huff as I turn back towards him, indicating back towards the door “Little help, please?”

Peter looks from me and over to the door, shrugs like _why not_ , before he hops out of the chair and walks up to the door.

He wraps his hand around the chain, quickly breaking it like it was nothing.

I roll my eyes and offer a little sarcastic “Okay”

Setting my hands on the door, I push them open and quickly run into the next room.

The next room, however, ends up being the same waiting area I was just in. Only I’m down about twenty feet from Peter who now has his back to me as he faces the doors I walked through.

Peter looks over his shoulder and raises his brows in shock when he turns around to face me a little ways down from him.

I look between both sets of doors, incredulous terror lacing my words “What the hell?”

Determined to prove that was a one time fluke, I quicken my steps towards the first set I walked through. 

Passing by and ignoring Peter, I set my hands on the doors and walk through them again– and once more I walk out the set of doors twenty feet away putting me in the same waiting area _again_.

I make a noise like this can not be happening and quickly make my way to the set of doors by Peter again. 

Once I’m walking past him, he mutters just above a whisper “No, no, no, keep going–”

Thinking he’s being a smartass, I angrily lick my lips as I turn towards him “I don’t see you comin’ up with anything–”

“Stiles…” Peter whispers and turns to put his back towards the crowd behind us, continuing to whisper “Left shoulder, against the pillar. Don’t look–”

I don’t listen and flick my eyes over in the direction he indicated “I said, don’t look!”

I snap my eyes back towards him, barely mumbling “Yeah” before Peter continues on “He’s watching us.”

Looking back over towards the guy who is leaning against the pillar, I shake my head softly as I question “Yeah, so?”

Peter drops his arms from being crossed over his chest as he argues “So… every person in this station is either comatose or catatonic. He seems very interested in keeping an eye on us.”

Raising his brows quickly once like he made a point we should follow up on, Peter nods his head over towards pillar dude.

I make a face like it couldn’t hurt and walk over towards the pillar. The closer I get the more the guy slinks around the other side of the pillar until he completely moves out of sight “Hey!”

Moving my feet towards him and then deciding to go in the direction he was moving, I shuffle my feet quickly to my left.

Dude comes around and stops his steps, I see why a second later as I almost crash into the reason– said reason being Peter. I jerk back a step away from him “Oh holy fuck–”

“Why are you watching us?” Peter asks completely unfazed from my actions.

The guy flicks his eyes between us and the doors we broke open, chuckling humorlessly through his response “You tried the doors– nobody ever tries the doors.”

“Sounds like you have” I nod towards him and he snaps his gaze to mine as he clarifies “The ones that I could open– I’ve tried everything else.”

“Not everything. You’re still here.” Peter argues before I elaborate “Yeah, it seems like you got some kind of a plan. So, why don’t you tell us about it?”

“I can tell you… doesn’t mean you can do it.”

I smile lightly, Peter sharing a look with me as I chuckle out “Oh, we– we can do it. He can– he can…” I correct and trail off, nodding towards Peter standing next to me.

Pillar dude smirks and states with a nod of his head just past Peter “Well, it’s right in front of your face.”

We follow his line of sight, taking in the dark train tunnel before he continues “You didn’t see it, did you?”

“I saw it.” I reply earning him to scoff “Then why’d you waste so much time running through the doors?”

He doesn’t give me time to answer though as he quickly fills in right away “I’ll tell you why– because it’s all part of the illusion. You’re afraid… and they want you to be afraid.”

“I’m not afraid.” Peter growls out through clenched teeth, turning away from us and heading straight for the darkened tunnel.

Pillar guy and I follow behind Peter, stopping just behind him when he comes to a stop right below the archway. 

Peter hesitates and even we can sense it, pillar guy laughing as he clarifies “Can’t do it, can you?– He can’t do it” he chuckles towards me, earning Peter to throw a glare over his shoulder “We really should kill him.”

I resist the urge to laugh at the scared look the new guy throws at me and direct my words towards Peter “ _Or_ … you can just walk through it.”

Peter nods and I watch his shoulders rise and fall with his deep breaths before he whispers over “Push me.”

Thinking I heard him wrong, I step closer “What did you say?”

“Push me!” comes his bellow of a response that has me jumping into gear and setting one of my hands on his shoulder and the other on his upper arm.

I increase my grip before I push him forward a few feet into the darkness of the tunnel.

Pillar guy looks over towards me as he chuckles “Now you’re gettin’ it” before he walks past and straight into the tunnel like it’s not absolutely terrifying.

“Stiles– Stiles let’s go” Peter replies instantly once the guy walks past him.

I take a few seconds trying to overcome the illusion of fear he was talking about before a hand reaches out and grabs onto my shirt, quickly pulling me over the line into the dark ominous tunnel.

***

_Addy POV_

“The corpus callosum is not only the largest white matter structure in the brain, but also the bridge connecting all parts of the brain to each other–” Mrs. Finch states, pointing towards the chalkboard behind her before she continues “–That ability for all parts of the brain to communicate and to work together help us make leaps in cognitive thinking.”

Though I don’t register a word because movement outside the window has completely gained my attention. 

The same blue jeep from the other night when I was leaving school with Lydia is still parked outside **_and has gained attention from someone at the school because it’s about to be towed_**

A tow truck driver, clipboard in his hand, is circling around the jeep and knowing it may be taken away is causing an unease to sit unsteadily in my gut.

I shouldn’t really care since I don’t own said jeep and have presumably never seen the jeep– I can’t even figure out whose jeep it is **_though whoever it is they haven’t moved it in days_**

“Any questions? Thoughts? Insight?– Addy?” My name being called registers through my ears, earning my eyes to snap from the tow truck that’s now backing up in front of the jeep outside and connect with Mrs. Finch’s curious gaze directed right at me.

I clear my throat, trying to play off my obvious not paying attention “–I completely agree.”

She smirks and lifts one of her hands towards me with her question “Is there something outside that’s more fascinating than the structure of the human brain?”

My eyes slowly move from her face and over her shoulder– looking at the driver grabbing a hook off the back off his truck to attach to the front of the jeep as I trail off softly “No… I don’t think– no” I sit up straighter, connecting my gaze with hers again like I’m determined for those words to be true.

She smiles softly, nodding once “Okay, good. Now, many people credit the corpus callosum, uh, for giving us a sense of intuition, gut instinct, that even we ourselves aren’t aware–”

Seeing that the tow truck driver is now about to actually tow the jeep away, an overwhelming feeling slams through my body and I know I can’t let him take that jeep away **_for whatever reason I need that jeep near me_**

“I’m sorry, I’ll be right back.” I quickly rush out, grabbing my bag and ignoring Mrs. Finch’s incredulous stare with my outburst as I run out the door and into the hallway.

Making my way out the front doors, I beeline straight for the tow truck driver “Hey!” I pant out, closing the distance between myself and him as he’s walking around the side of the jeep “Hey, you can’t tow this jeep!”

He throws me an amused look, lifting his clipboard up as he quips “Paperwork says I can– it’s reported as abandoned.”

Thinking on my feet, I reach out and slam my hand onto the side near the front tire. 

Feeling a spark when I do, momentarily distracting me before I clear my throat and announce “And now it’s not.”

Mister truck driver smirks, chuckling through his amusement “Oh, this is _your_ vehicle?”

“It’s more mine than whoever reported it as abandoned, so does it really matter?” I question, earning him to laugh lightly as he shakes his head “Sounds like a ‘no’.”

“It’s mine!” Scott exclaims, slamming his hands onto the hood next to me “Uh, my jeep. This is my sister, telling you not to tow _my_ jeep– so thank you. I’ll move it… once I get the keys… from my locker–”

“ _After_ you leave” I finish for Scott, earning him to chuckle lightly and point over towards me.

The tow truck driver moves his eyes between us, seeming to believe us for the most part since he doesn’t question that timeline of events. Though he proves to continue to be difficult as he states “I’m sorry, once it’s on the hook–”

I grimace while interrupting “Please don’t say, ‘You’re on the hook’.”

He chuckles, swinging his humor filled eyes over towards me as he quips “Well, I can’t now…”

Scott pushes off the jeep, rushing out “Oh, I– Okay look, there’s gotta be something that we can do. Sign something, call someone–”

“Pay someone?” I offer, raising a brow over towards the dude who I know will rip us off for simply taking the hook off the front bumper.

Tow truck douche canoe of the year smiles brightly as he states _way_ to cheerily “Drop fee is a hundred and fifty– _cash_.”

I roll my eyes and grab my bag to search for my wallet **_good thing I still have my birthday money saved_**

Scott chokes on air, grumbling barely above a whisper towards me “A hundred and fifty? This thing isn’t even worth that much.”

I shrug and throw him a look “I don’t care at this point, I’m not letting him take it– aaaand if getting ripped off in the process is apart of the deal–” I state louder towards the tow truck driver standing in front of us, his smirk deepening with my words as I shove the money into his awaiting hands.

“Then so be it– now if you’d be so kind, good sir” I finish, lifting my arm towards the front of the jeep where the hook is positioned.

Once the hook is back into place on the bed of his truck, he gets into his tow truck and drives off.

Scott makes a noise and turns towards me “You do realize, I don’t have the keys to this thing right?”

I scrunch my mouth to the side, shrugging my shoulder as I look over towards the jeep “You remember how we were drawn to that locker?”

Scott look from me and over to the jeep as I mutter barely above a whisper “This has a more powerful draw for me”

***

_Stiles POV_

Walking through the gravel of the abandoned train tracks tunnel, we come out of the darkness and into another waiting area– though it’s darker than the waiting area we were in when we awoke out of our trance.

Peter clicks his tongue behind us and mocks the new discovery “Congratulations– you found another part of the phantom train station.”

Ignoring him, I point in front of us towards a dark grey thick cloud of mist about fifty feet away “Is this the way out?”

“If it was, we would be leaving.” Peter interrupts though pillar guy, who he informed his name was Trent, also ignores him “You might want to stay off the tracks, ‘cause that’s the way in and out.”

We hear a crash of thunder rumbling deeply inside of the dark grey cloud barrier and I instantly think of Addy. That comforting thought is quickly smashed away when the thunder is followed by a horse neighing in the distance.

Trent widens his eyes and looks towards the grey cloudy mist “They’re coming!”

His shoes slide in the gravel as he runs towards the stomach high wall of the platform to our left, Peter and I following him as we all set our hands on the wall and pull ourselves out of the gravel.

We hide behind a pillar as we hear the neighing sounds of the incoming horses before finally seeing the three Ghost Riders appear through the misty clouds in a bright flash of green light.

They gallop past, the three of us hiding out of sight as the Ghost Riders make their way down the darkened tunnel we just walked through.

Once the coast is clear, I swallow hard as we walk away from the pillar. The sound of our heavy breathing with what this means, the only noise next to the now distant sounds of the Ghost Riders’ horses.

Peter points towards the grey clouds “That’s the way out? How in the hell are we supposed to do _that_?”

“We jump” Trent states like it’s the easiest thing in the world to accomplish, Peter arguing that thought and exclaiming “ _Jump_ –”

“On the Riders as they go through” Trent finishes his suggestion and Peter is quick with the sarcasm “Oh, is that all?”

“I’ve been timing it. Look, we can jump from here just before they go out.” Trent declares, completely solidifying his decision that this is possible.

“I think you’re confusing your pronouns– _we_ aren’t going to do anything, but _you_ should _absolutely_ give that a shot.” Peter offers and I close my eyes in exasperation, opening them quickly when Trent counters “Do you not wanna get out of here?”

Wanting to stop the madness, I lift my arms towards Trent as I elaborate “We want to get out _alive_ , okay? How do you know this works? Seems like a lot could go wrong.”

“Look, I can’t stay here. I’m losing my mind in this place.” Trent fills in, my heart going out to the guy wondering how long he’s been here if he’s this desperate to try a basically suicidal plan.

Peter leans closer as he offers “I think you have an excellent grasp of the situation. I say, go for it.”

“Peter” I snap and look over my shoudler at him, silently telling him to back the fuck off this kid.

Horses neighing loudly from the tunnel gains my attention, however, and Trent bounces on his feet “Hey they’re coming back.”

Trent slides around the pillar in the opposite direction to keep out of sight of the Riders as they come towards us again.

Peter quickens his steps to the pillar closer towards the tunnel the Riders will be coming from and I move my steps to follow him as I hear the horse’s hooves galloping closer towards us.

I slam my back against the pillar next to Peter, seeing Trent look out from behind the pillar in front of us. 

I slap Peter on the arm as I disagree with what we’re about to witness “No, we can’t let him do this, right?”

Peter softens his face, shrugging a little as he counters lightly “What if he’s right?”

Going with my gut instinct as I hear the Ghost Riders almost to us, I shout over towards Trent “Hey, we’ll figure something else out– hey, look, there’s gotta be another way out of this place.”

“But there isn’t, I’ve been looking for months– are you comin’ or not?” Trent bellows back towards us, Peter raising his arm to throw Trent a thumbs up “It’s all you.”

The Ghost Riders break through the darkness and into the area of the tunnel we’re hiding and I just know I can’t let him do this.

“Shit–” I murmur, taking a few steps away from the pillar– though Peter is quick to snap his grasp onto my arm and pull me backwards out of sight “Let him try.”

Just as the third and last Ghost Rider passes the pillar Trent is hiding behind, he quickens his steps to the end of the platform and jumps onto the back of the horse behind the Rider.

“Come on– come on” Peter whispers beside me as we watch the Rider shift around on the horse, trying to knock Trent off.

Trent holds on though as the first two Riders pass through their green light into the grey cloud barrier. As soon as the third Rider passes through, the green light acts as a force field and slams Trent backwards into the air before he lands on the gravel with a scream of agony.

He writhes on the gravel, his unnerving screams of pain echoing through the tunnel around us before he burns up into a bright green flash of ashes and disappears completely.

“…Somehow, I don’t think that went the way he was hoping.” Peter quips, though I don’t give him a response. 

Instead I walk towards the edge of the platform and jump down into the gravel again, moving towards where he was laying.

“Stiles, he’s _dead_. You see his face? Trust me, he’s _gone_.”

I scoff, looking sadly into the dark grey barrier of disintegrating death “You knew he’d die”

“I didn’t know– I mean I _assumed_ –” Peter admits and I snap back towards him “Yeah, but you could have warned him.”

“He was gonna do it anyway. Now, we know.”

Drawing my brows in, I shake my head towards him “Know what?”

Jumping off the platform and onto the gravel with me, Peter answers “That we’re stuck. It’s over. We are trapped because that was our only way out.”

“Or that’s just what they want us to believe.” I try, channeling my inner ever the positive Addy McCall– who I can’t even imagine not seeing again.

Peter groans in annoyance, lifting his hands out to his side as he grumbles “What? What _is it_ with you teenagers? You think that you’re so special? You think the rules don’t apply to you? Don’t you get it? We are _dead and buried_!”

Reaching into my pocket Peter grabs my wallet, opening it and scoffing at what he finds as he continues to drive his point home in between a humorless chuckle “Money? It’s worthless– driver’s license, credit cards–”

“Give me my fuckin’ wallet back!” I reach out towards his grip on my wallet as he snaps back “It’s all meaningless”

Snatching the keys to Roscoe from my hand he holds them up in front of my face, dangling them from his finger “Keys?”

“Give me my keys–” I demand before he doesn’t miss a beat and throws them back over onto the platform near one of the pillars.

I snap my eyes from the space he just threw the keys and back towards him as he continues to be a pain in my ass “What? Did you think you were gonna drive us out of here? Is that what you thought?– Don’t you get it? We don’t exist! And we are already forgotten.”

I shake my head with his words, knowing deep in my gut that what he said is not true– not for me anyways “Somebody’s gonna remember me. All right, Addy? She is capable of things you can’t even comprehend. I know _she knows_ something is wrong– so either she will figure it out or Scott will, or Lydia– hell even maybe Malia. Someone will. They’re gonna find me, all right? They’ll come for me. Who would ever come for _you_?”

Peter clicks his tongue, moving his eyes quickly between mine while he grumbles lowly “You give me a call when your high school sweethearts conjure up a plan to get out of here.”

He turns on his heels and walks back towards the dark tunnel and the waiting area with everyone else.

With one final look at the grey cloud death sentence, I turn around and also walk back through the dark tunnel, heading towards the waiting area.

I sit down next to an older lady, linking my fingers in my lap and looking down at the ground as I weigh my options with what the fuck to do next.

The lady waits a few minutes after I sit down before she turns towards me “I’m waiting for a train.”

My lips twitch in my attempt to not rain on her parade as I turn my head towards her as well “Yeah, it’s probably runnin’ late…”

“I’m going to see my grandchildren” She smiles towards me, ignoring my statement before she sets her hand against my arm with her next question “Who are you going to see?”

I return her smile with a soft one of my own as I think of Adds, licking my lips quickly as I answer her “I’m hoping to see my girlfriend”

The lady nods with a knowing look “I’m sure the train will get here soon to take you to her.”

I release a breathy chuckle, my heart aching with how much I wish those words were true before the intercom buzzes and the voice announces over the PA system again “The following stops have been cancelled: Hollatine, Batten, Baybury, Deer Ridge, Red Oak, Trenton, Anderson, King Springs…”

I stand up from the bench and walk over towards the speaker on the wall near the board with all the cities on it.

My eyes move from the speaker, following a wire cord that moves up the wall and across the ceiling. 

I follow the cord with my eyes, eventually having to move my feet to also follow the cord as it takes me across the entire waiting room floor and over towards another wall.

The cord comes down the wall a little ways ending just above a door with two thin windows above it.

“Intercom” I hear Peter’s bewildered whisper of a voice behind me.

I look over my shoulder at him, seeing him leaning against another damn pillar before he shrugs thoughtfully “Maybe a radio?”

We break inside the door, the whole time I’m recanting my theory about the magnetic disturbances that have been following the appearance of the Ghost Riders.

Peter scoffs at my theory while I try to examine the disused but otherwise still seems to be working equipment in the radio room “Your theory is ridiculous. Magnetic disturbances and a few pixelated photos doesn’t mean that you can use a ham radio to communicate across a supernatural barrier. Ghost Riders can’t be seen, heard, or remembered. You really think they’re gonna leave a gadget around that you can use to call your girlfriend?”

I notice a wire underneath the desk is cut in two and I push up to sit back in the seat– just in time to watch Peter turn a dial on a wall of towers. 

That turn of the dial results in the loudest and highest pitched shrill noise to fill the room.

We each slam our hands over our ears to block the noise before it eventually dies down.

The radio static instead fills the space and I continue to mess with the buttons on the control dash, flicking a few switches trying to get the radio static to lessen so I can get the microphone to work.

“Take your time– no rush. Only thing at stake is any evidence of our existence… soon to be lost… _Forever_ …” Peter grumbles lowly and I roll my eyes “Okay, so _not_ helping”

The next thing I know, Peter rushes over towards the tower wall he was fucking with a second ago– unplugging things I had him plug in before he grabs the collar of my shirt and rushes us out of the room.

He pushes me behind a pillar and out of view of the radio room just as the three Ghost Riders are galloping into the train station waiting area.

They come to a stop right in front of the radio room door and I swallow hard with how close that just was.

One of the Riders dismounts his horse, drawing his gun on his way to walk towards the door to the radio room– his boot spurs clinking with every step he makes before he opens the door, walks inside, and slams the door behind him.

We hear loud crashing sounds coming from inside as well as the raspy scream like noises that the Ghost Riders make. Think of the Nazgûl riders from Lord of the Rings– just as terrifying of a sound as they hunt you down.

Peter leans closer to whisper towards me “In case you’re keeping count, that’s twice I’ve saved your life today.”

***

_Addy POV_

A sharp shrill noise, like when you put a microphone too close to a speaker, sounds throughout my head. I quickly place my hands over my ears, my mouth dropping open in pain as I slam my eyes shut.

The ringing noise lessens some and when I open my eyes I’m no longer standing in the hallway outside of the classroom– I’m standing in the parking lot _right_ in front of the blue jeep **_all right then– one guess as to where the noise is coming from_**

Scott, Malia and Lydia come to a stop beside me about a minute later, the radio static coming from inside of the jeep never once letting up.

Seeing Scott look over to the side of my face out of the corner of my eye, I don’t move my eyes from the jeep as I whisper “It’s coming from inside.”

Scott moves around to the drivers side window, looking inside as he pulls on the handle. Finding it locked, he looks over to us as Malia offers “Did somebody just lock the keys inside?”

“Break it” I stress, knowing keys or no keys we have to get inside at this point **_this has to mean something_**

Scott grasps the handle and turns it to the side, resulting in a sharp metal sound indicating he broke it. 

He swings the door open in the next second and the four of us climb inside, Lydia and I getting situated in the front seats after Scott and Malia climb in the backseats.

The radio hasn’t stopped with the broken static noise as we desperately search the jeep for anything– any clues, insight, feelings.

A few minutes later the radio clicks off, the lights dimming on the controls and earning us all to look at the device in between Lydia’s and my seats.

“Why’d it stop? Malia questions, setting her hands on the seat as she leans forward.

Lydia reaches over and flips the switch for the power on and off a few times, getting nothing from the radio as I shake my head “It doesn’t matter– there has to be a reason.”

“What?” Scott whispers, his question not a reply to my statement as he closes his eyes and breathes in deeply.

I gasp softly as I turn in the driver’s seat to face him more, clarifying “You caught a scent?”

He opens his eyes, connecting them with mine instantly as he incredulously mutters “Yeah… _yours_ , mine– Malia and Lydia’s are faint but they’re there too.”

“Mine? I’ve never been in this jeep before” Malia states with an exaggerated shrug **_couldn’t hide the skepticism in her voice if you tried_**

Scott agrees instantly “Neither have I” and I throw them both an exasperated look as Lydia chimes in softly “Yes, we have–”

I connect my gaze with hers as I nod and state confidently “We just don’t _remember_ it.”

“I thought we were done with that” Malia grumbles before Scott continues “Yeah– um Addy, look Parrish checked the VIN number– there’s no record of an owner.”

I let out a frustrated groan as I look into the backseat at the ridiculous pair “Have you both learned _nothing_ about what the Wild Hunt does– they fucking erase people and apparently your memories of that person! Look, you may have decided this wasn’t your battle, which in that case you both can leave– but I’m not giving up on him. Okay, the jeep didn’t just drive itself here.”

Scott throws Malia a look like I have a point and she jerks her head back slightly as she grumbles lowly “Whose side are you on?”

I scoff and narrow my eyes at her “Sweet Christ ‘Whose side?’ Are you five? We’re on the _same_ side– the bringing people back who have been taken from us side, for fuck’s sake.”

Lydia chuckles under her breath as Scott raises his hands up to his side in surrender as he declares “I’m on everyone’s side.”

Malia rolls her eyes at him and looks back towards me, again stating to piss me right off “He’s not real–”

I make a noise of frustration as I snap back towards her “Stop saying he’s not real, Mal or I will punch you in your boob. Saying he’s not real to me right now would be the same as me telling you you’re a glitter covered fairy instead of a fucking werecoyote.”

Scott snorts and looks out the window to hide his smile as I don’t waver my eyes from her and continue “Stiles is real and this jeep is his fucking relic we couldn’t find the other day. And I could give two shits if you believe that or not because with every fiber of my little human body– I _know_ it’s true.”

Malia softens her face, taking a few seconds before raising a brow towards me “You’d punch me in my boob?”

I throw her a look and shrug “Yes, I may not have super strength but that will still hurt enough that I’d feel at least a little bit of justice for what you’re saying about him.”

She makes an impressed face, her tone softer as she murmurs “I’m sorry, I just– I feel like we have all lost enough people and I don’t really want to add to that list”

Lydia snatches a paper out of the glove box as she smugly looks from me and back towards Malia “We might not have to– not if we get him back.”

She hands me the paper, a smile instantly overcoming my face as I take in the car registration paper.

I share a look with Lydia, silently thanking her for never wavering being on my side through all of this as I flip the paper towards Scott 

“This is from 1996 and there’s no name–” He trails off and I point towards the other bit of information, countering brightly “But there is an address– 129 Woodbine Lane.”

Lydia smirks over towards me as she remembers what we found the night we looked up Claudia’s school information “We know that address.”

***

“I don’t know what to tell you– I haven’t seen that Jeep in… almost eighteen years.” Claudia states as she looks over the registration paper I handed over to her once I got to the Stilinski household.

I make a noise as I look between the pair sitting on the couch in front of me “But it’s in your name…”

She raises a brow as she stresses “But it was stolen”

I share a look with Lydia as I argue “Well then how would it end up at the high school?”

Mr. S shrugs, looking between us “Beats the hell out of me– I mean, that thing was a junker back in the day. God only knows who’d want it now.”

“Maybe somebody dumped it there?” Claudia offers and I feel like screaming at her complete unhelpfulness.

Lydia must sense that because she sets her hand on my arm and looks over towards Mr. S “Is there any way to trace the history of the Jeep after it was stolen?”

He throws her a look, though he keeps his tone without a trace of the humor he obviously finds from her question “No.”

“Maybe there’s fingerprints on it?” I grasp for straws, trying to make them see how serious I am about needing to find some link with this jeep to them.

“Addy– kid, is this about Stiles?” Mr. S softly implores, causing me to drop my eyes down to the ground to hide the tears that instantly flood my eyes. He doesn’t even sound like he believes me anymore **_for a moment there it felt like he did_**

“Honey, don’t you think you’ve taken this far enough?” Claudia asks as she hands the paper back over to me **_respectfully, fuck off lady_**

Once I’m grasping it in my hands, she softens her face “I don’t really know what’s going on with you lately, but maybe it’s a good time to talk to your mom…” **_about my ‘crazy’ grandmother who was locked away in Eichen, yeah fuck off twice– you’re the one living way past her medical diagnosis_**

Since they aren’t going to listen to me I reel in my emotions, licking my lips quickly as I nod “I’m sorry– you’re probably right.”

“Hey, are you okay?” Mr. S whispers, the tone a familiar feeling like he has asked me that countless times before ** _though from my limited memory, I can’t recall that to be true_**

I suck in a sharp breath, my eyes snapping over to his as I stammer “No– yeah. Um, I’m sorry– can you just… uh do you mind if I–” I trail off, moving my hands around to indicate my watery eyes and the hallway towards the bathroom.

Claudia throws me a pitiful look, attempting to sound sincere as she nods “Of course– take your time.”

I quickly get up out of the chair and I’m already walking through the entryway towards the hallway before she’s done with her sentence.

Letting the tears I’ve been holding back fall freely now, I quickly make my way down the hallway to actually go to the bathroom I’ve yet to go into since being here.

Hearing the whistle of the air as I walk past the wallpaper I had previously tore– my steps halt, a soft gasp falling past my lips.

Keeping my head facing the hallway, I slowly move my watery eyes towards the seam in the wallpaper– seeing the same spot I had peeled back in _exactly_ the same state since I was here last.

My chin trembles as I reach out, setting my palms flat against the wall on either side of the wallpaper seam.

Leaning my forehead against the wall for a second, I silently cry– begging for any clue as to what to do next before I turn around and instead place my back against the wall.

I slowly slide down the wall until my bum hits the floor and I keep my feet flat on the ground in front of me, resting my forehead against my knees.

A sob catches in my throat and I lift my head up, resting the back of it against the wall behind me. I set my elbow on my knee and slide my fingers through the front of my hair, moving it out of my face.

I close my eyes tightly, crinkling the edge of the registration paper in my hand slightly as a constant stream of tears fall down my cheeks– silently crying and mourning the man I know is real, yet I have no way of proving he exists in this ridiculous reality I’m stuck in.

Feeling a warmness, almost, behind my head and all the way down my back– perfectly lined up _exactly_ where I’m leaning against the wall– I cling to it, desperately holding on to the feeling that I’m not alone. 

It’s almost like the feeling when you sit or stand with someone, back to back for a game something similar.

I close my eyes and pretend that instead of a wall, it’s Stiles sitting behind me.

***

Lydia and I leave the Stilinski house, instantly getting a call from Scott that he’s at the school and fighting with the tow truck driver **_who is trying to tow the fucking jeep again_**

“We already paid you. We gave you _all_ of our money for that drop fee” We hear Scott all but growl out towards the driver who shrugs as we make our way over towards them “Yeah, and I dropped it, all right? Now, I’m picking it up again.”

Lydia scoffs and walks right up to the driver “How much? I’ll write you a check.”

He huffs and swings his eyes over to her as he argues “It’s not about how much– they want it out of here, okay? It’s not up to me.”

Scott shares a look with me before he gets that determined look in his eyes and steps one step forward, not wavering his just hiding from sight alpha eyes from the driver.

Not knowing _who_ he’s dealing with, the driver smirks “Don’t make me move you, kid. Okay? I’m hookin’ this thing up and I am towing it away.”

We hear a metal clang before a _definite_ breaking noise sound behind us and we all turn towards the tow truck.

I smile brightly at seeing Malia standing there with the hook in one hand and the rope it was connected to fall down to her feet “Your truck’s broke.”

***

_Stiles POV_

The crowd of people start scattering around in mass chaos, hiding behind the benches again as we hear the galloping hooves of the neighing horses signaling the return of the Ghost Riders to the station.

Peter and I hide behind the end of the row of benches, seeing the Riders break through the blackness of the tunnel entryway.

The Rider has his gun drawn and releases a series of gunshots before another Rider comes in and drops someone onto the ground.

“This place is really starting to fill up.” Peter grumbles before a girl’s voice gains my attention “Gwen? Gwen!”

The girl, Gwen apparently, on the floor sits up with the voice and returns with her own happy realization “Phoebe? Oh, my God! You’re here!”

The Riders release a few more series of gunshots, scaring the embracing girls enough to sit down before he rides off.

I notice the girl who just came in is wearing a Beacon Hills lacrosse jersey and I tap Peter’s arm “Wait a second… that girl. I know that girl. Her name is Gwen. She plays lacrosse.”

The Riders continue to shoot gunshots into the air, scaring everyone around us into ducking out of sight with every shot.

“How long has this been going on?” I ask over towards Peter, who takes about a minute of looking around and over to the board before he groans in realization “This isn’t a train station, it’s a way station. It’s not gonna stop.”

The gunshots continue as Peter turns around, sighing as he leans his forehead against the end of the bench.

I look down from the board with the cities and to the back of his head with his defeated action “What is it?– What are those places? Bannack? Canaan? I know you know something.”

Peter pants out quickly as he lifts his head and digresses “We gotta get out of here– nobody is safe.”

“Yeah _in here_?” I agree, though he’s quick to counter and make my blood run cold with his next words “In Beacon Hills. Your girl, your friends, your family– everyone you’ve ever known. They’re all gonna be taken–”

Peter finishes and quickly moves away from where we were crouched down and out of sight. 

I follow his steps with my eyes, whisper shrieking towards his retreating back “Where are you going?”

I quickly get up and follow behind him as he breaks through the darkness and into the tunnel a lot faster than he had earlier.

He’s determined and I’m even more determined to figure out why “What did you see up there? The towns– what did it mean?”

We walk quickly through the gravel and into the open area of the tunnel with the platform we were on earlier with Trent. 

Peter keeps his steps going forward as he answers over his shoulder “I just told you– they’re never gonna stop.”

“Okay, so what’s the plan, then?”

Peter and I continue our steps through the gravel getting entirely too close to the grey cloud barrier of death as he informs “I’m going through the portal.”

I jerk my head back however I don’t falter my steps as I clarify “Wait, wait, wait– no one gets through the portal. You said that yourself.”

Peter shrugs “No human can– but I’m better than a human, remember? I’ll heal.”

I stop my steps with those words, Peter taking two more steps before he turns back towards me “Stiles, let’s not have a moment.”

Realizing he’s serious, I take the chance on him having a heart and being the only one to actually make sure someone will remember me “If you survive, you have to find Adds and Scott for me, okay? You have to tell them about me, 'cause they’re not gonna remember me, so you have to tell them that I’m here–”

“I thought your Addy could do things I’m not even able to comprehend?” He sarcastically jabs and I throw him a look, one that screams _come on_ and he makes a noise, setting his hand on my shoulder “Said in the moment– I understand.”

Dropping his hand off from my shoulder he continues with a point towards my face “ _When_ I survive, I’m going to get as _far_ away from Beacon Hills as I possibly can. And, _if_ I happen upon the love of your life or one of your below average friends _and_ it doesn’t inconvenience me, I _might_ mention your name.”

He nods like that sounds like a plan and turns back to walk towards the barrier. I scoff and throw back at him “Yeah– what about Malia?”

Peter’s steps halt, gaining the reaction I was hoping for with mentioning his daughter. 

He takes in a deep breath and turns quickly back towards me as I take a step closer and continue “I know you’re doing this for her. You’re risking being incinerated for her– and I’m okay with that.”

“Stiles–” Peter murmurs, the echo of the horses neighing gaining our attention to the dark tunnel.

“Stall them” he states and I make a noise, quickly snapping my head to look from the tunnel and at him as I stammer “Wh– what? How?”

He smirks, softening his tone as he offers “Use your head”

The horses are closing in on where we’re standing and Peter runs over towards the platform, pulling himself up and hiding behind a pillar.

I climb up onto the platform as well, looking around at my options for stalling the Riders, when my eyes land on a bench seat.

Figuring why not, I run behind the bench and slam my body against the back of it, moving it across the platform until it falls into the gravel and tracks below.

Peter hides out of sight behind the pillar after seeing the Ghost Rider break through the darkness of the tunnel and into the space with us.

The horse’s steps falter, going up on its hind legs when it comes across the bench laying down in the pathway.

The Rider guides the horse around the bench and Peter uses the stall to time his jump onto the back of the horse just right.

The Rider attempts to knock Peter off once he jumps onto the horse with him, however he continues to hold on. 

My focus was on them so I miss when the second Rider stops in front of me on the platform and my failed attempt at hiding behind the other pillar.

The Rider takes out his whip and snaps it towards me, the end wrapping around my neck before he pulls and I’m thrown onto the gravel floor and into the wall across from the platform.

I land on the ground with a grunt, lifting my head up and watching as the Riders, one still adorned with Peter, continue on with the galloping strides of their horses towards the grey cloud barrier.

Peter looks back at me, determination set across his features as he turns to face forward. The Rider he’s riding with crosses through the barrier, the second one following suit and I widen my eyes– hope filling my entire body as I take in the empty space in front of me.

That crazy mother fucker actually made it through the barrier.

***

_Addy POV_

The loudest roar I’ve heard since Scotty tried signaling to the Alpha that we were at the school a few years ago echoes through the night.

The hairs on my arm raise with the noise “What the hell?” I mumble as Lydia and I share a look before we climb out of the jeep and run over towards Scott and Malia.

“Did all of you hear that?” Malia questions and I nod “I think all of Beacon Hills heard that.”

“Who is it?” Scott questions, his brows furrowing as he tries to place the owner of the roar.

Malia shakes her head and looks back towards him “I’m not sure, but I think I recognize it.”

We all share a look before Lydia and I shoo them off with a wave of our hands “Go!”

***

About twenty minutes later Lydia went to meet Malia at the hospital while Scott came back to meet me at the jeep.

That roar we heard was from none other than Peter Hale.

Peter who I had _completely_ forgotten about until Scott said his name and it was like all the horrible memories from that man and what he’s done to us all came rushing back.

Peter was taken by the Ghost Riders… and he escaped.

Scott said he didn’t look like the Peter we now remember though– he was badly burned and couldn’t speak **_he had something in his hand though_**

Scott holds up the keys, sharing a look with me as I look from his face and to the keys dangling from the keyring on the pad of his forefinger.

We climb into the jeep, me taking the drivers side while he climbs into the passenger side and hands the keys over to me.

I flip through the ring, passing keys I have no idea are to what before one makes me stop and I hold it in between my thumb and forefinger.

I look over to Scott, seeing him smile softly and nod towards me before I slowly move the key towards the ignition, inserting the key as I close my eyes.

I turn the key, stepping my foot on the clutch as I try to turn the engine over.

Nothing happens.

Opening my eyes I try again, pushing harder on the clutch and words I’ve never heard Scott mutter fall from his lips “Don’t flood it.”

We both make a face and I raise a brow towards him “Do you even know what that means?”

Sheepishly Scott drops his gaze to the dashboard “Not really…”

I close my eyes and try once more with turning the key and pushing down on the clutch, and the next thing I know– instantly the jeep roars to life.

Scott and I let out shocked relieved breaths, moving our eyes around the jeep and out the windshield seeing the headlights shining brightly towards the school.

I look around and over my shoulder into the backseat, almost wishing once it had started that Stiles would have just appeared in the seat **_our life isn’t that easy though_**

Looking forwards again I slide my hands over the steering wheel, silently wondering what to do now when the radio lets out a high pitched noise.

Scott moves his hand around on the dials, trying to turn it down when I hear a distorted “Hello?”

I gasp, quickly moving my hands over his to stop his movements “Wait, wait, wait, wait–”

Scott drops his mouth open, shock overcoming his features as we hear a voice come over the radio static “Hello? Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me?” **_it’s him_**

Reaching forward for the microphone I quickly bring it up towards my lips, my voice cracking as I click the button to talk into it “Sti– Stiles?”

Scott scoots closer to the radio, grabbing my hand and clicking my finger down onto the button as he also tries “Stiles– are you there?”

I hear an audible gasp of breath before his voice cracks “Adds? Scott– is that you?”

I let out a hiccup noise, tears instantly clouding my vision as I quickly rush out “It’s us, oh my god, Stiles! We can hear you–”

“Oh, my god– you know me? You– you remember me?”

Drawing my brows in, instantly recognizing the way he just asked that with the voice I heard in my premonition the day I almost got run over in the parking lot, I take a deep breath in.

Sighing through my words thoughtfully as I try to clarify I haven’t been crazy this whole time “Stiles, is thi– is this _you_? Is this _actually_ you?”

“Yeah Adds, babe it’s me. Listen to me… Do you remember the last thing I said to you?”

I close my eyes, the action causing the tears I was holding back to break over the rim of my eyes and slide down my cheeks as I nod even though he can’t see me.

Opening my eyes, Scott looks at me expectantly and I make a noise as I bring the mic up to my lips. 

I click the button on the side of the mic and answer his question **_with the words that have been ringing in my ears for days every night when I try to sleep_** “You said– you said ‘Remember I love you’.”

Scott smiles softly, setting his hand on my shoulder and reaching over with his other hand to click my finger down on the button of the mic again “Are you okay?”

“Where are you?” I add in right along with Scott before we both mutter “We’re comin’ to get you.”

We hear his slight chuckle drift through the radio before he argues “No, no, no McCall twins, you can’t– you won’t be able to find me.”

My brow twitches, the familiarity of his voice calling us that while he laughs bringing a smile to my face before the end of his statement registers, earning Scott and I to glare in confusion towards the radio.

“Stiles– wh– what– what are you talking about?” Scott stammers before I elaborate “Please just tell us where you are, and we’ll– we will come and get you. Stiles we have to get you _back_ –”

“Adds– I’m– I, look just remember this– Canaan. Okay? You have to find Canaan– be my brilliant Watson and just find Canaan.”

The radio static growing louder before the line finally breaks away is the last thing we hear– deafening silence comes over the radio and I instantly feel like I was punched in the gut.

I move my watery eyes up from the mic and over to Scott who gently grabs my wrist and pulls the mic over towards him again “Stiles?”

With one last click on the mic I shake my head softly, following with my own cry “Stiles!”


	91. Ghosted

Standing in front of the mirror in the locker room, I lather up soap in my hands and place them under the running water to wash the soap off.

I turn off the water and look up into the mirror, jumping back slightly when my reflection changes into that of a different woman. 

She has wild curly blonde hair and as soon as she turns around to walk away from me I notice the background behind her is in some sort of neighborhood.

Closing my eyes and shaking my head softly for just a moment, when I open them again the reflection in the mirror is back to the locker room and my very wide bewildered eyes looking back at me.

I slowly reach my hand out, my fingertips touching the cold glass of the mirror before a bright light illuminates around my hand, and the hard plane of the mirror morphs into a rippling effect– pulling my hand through the mirror.

The next thing I know, I’m _completely_ pulled through the mirror and I land into the same neighborhood I saw behind the woman when I come out the other side.

Noticing the retreating back of the woman, who was standing before me a moment ago, walk further and further down the road I’m standing on– I quicken my steps down the street of the neighborhood after her “Hello– wait!”

She doesn’t seem to be running away from me, however she keeps her steps just quick enough that I’m not able to catch up to her **_I wonder if she can even see me_**

The woman walks under a banner sign hanging above the street that reads: 

**35th Annual Neighborhood Block Party**

**Canaan Day**

**Saturday 4pm**

I lose her in a crowd, stopping my steps and looking around at the groups of people mulling about in the street and in front of their houses. 

There’s families all around, laughing and enjoying a cookout while kids play on their bikes, riding through the street and younger kids are riding a carousel situated near the picnic tables.

A boombox on one of the tables clicks on and the sounds of Duran Duran’s ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ blares from the speakers.

I slowly move around the people, noticing every detail I can place that would put this block party as happening sometime in the 80’s.

Coming to a stop near the carousel I watch it go around in a circle, seeing kids happily entertained until I notice one of the horses is empty of anyone riding it, the reason becoming clearer when it passes by me and I notice it is covered in blood.

Almost instantly, there’s a darkness that comes over the atmosphere. The wind picks up, blowing my hair across my face as well as the remnants of the party. I tuck my hair behind my ears, looking up and watching the dark clouds quickly roll in the sky above me before I hear the carousel screech to a halt.

A man runs out the front door of his house, the screen slamming shut behind him and as soon as he reaches the street, he disappears in a puff of green smoke right in front of me.

Screaming people run in all directions around me, my eyes quickly moving with each of them as I watch them run away from invisible threats. The kids on the carousel quickly disappear into the flash of green smoke, turning away from them I watch a man try to get away on his skateboard– him also disappearing in the flash of the green smoke.

Each and everyone of the people I had previously seen laughing and enjoying the party eventually all disappear in the same fashion until only the blonde woman remains.

She is standing in the middle of the street a few feet in front of me and she places her hands onto either side of her head as she screams into the lightning, thunder and wind roaring around her “It’s not real– not real, it’s not real!”

I rush up beside her, reaching out to place my hand on her shoulder. The woman turns to me, narrowing her eyes at me in confusion before she ages into an old woman in a flash.

The feeling that overcomes me, in one of complete and utter terror. I don’t even think twice, dropping my mouth open and letting the scream that has become so natural for me come barreling out of my throat.

***

Scott and I get to the Sheriff’s station, Mr. S quickly ushering us into his office when we inform him the reason behind our visit is involving the jeep development with Stiles and our proof he’s real.

Mr. S huffs, rolling his eyes as he grabs the door handle and quickly shuts his office door, turning to us as he works through our theory “All right… so the two of you heard a voice coming through the radio, and now you’re convinced its the voice of–”

“Stiles” Scott voices before I connect my eyes with Mr. S’ as I elaborate “ _Your_ son.”

He throws us a look **_like he could not believe us less_** “Uh huh– and _maybe_ it’s just a random signal cross?”

I make a noise, shaking my head to go along with how much that isn’t the case “He said our names, he knew a nickname of mine! It was Stiles and plus–”

I trail off, grabbing the keys from my bag and slamming them onto his desk in between us before I continue “Peter gave us the keys to the Jeep and it started _right_ up– _Claudia’s_ Jeep you both thought was stolen.”

Noah crosses his arms over his chest, a deep frown maring his features as he exclaims “Oh, wait, wait– so now I’m supposed to _trust_ Peter Hale?”

“No– we want you to trust _us_.” I correct him, watching his face soften ever so slightly with my words as he takes a deep breath in and releases it slowly.

Scott sets his hands on the desk before he continues trying to convince the good Sheriff “Look I was just as much on the he wasn’t real train, but the way he talked to Addy… we heard Stiles on that radio– it was him, I’m _sure_ of it.”

Nodding with Scott’s words I shrug, muttering softly to elaborate “If you had heard it too, Mr. S–”

“Well I didn’t” he quips harshly, interrupting me quickly– earning Scott to make a noise and urge right back “Yeah, but if you had–”

“ _Enough_ , guys!– enough.” Mr. S snaps, pushing the keys angrily back across his desk towards us.

I move my eyes quickly between his, feeling the familiar sting in my nose signalling tears are quickly on the horizon **_I will not cry in front of him again_**

Biting the inside of my cheek I quickly snatch the keys off his desk, throwing them back into my bag as I turn on my heel and march right out of his office without another word, Scott quickly following behind me.

***

Getting to the school after we left the station, I throw off Scott’s concern if I’m alright before he goes to update Liam on our afternoon plans and I head to the library to meet Malia and Lydia. 

The two of them have been researching the city of Canaan, and both throw me exasperated looks when I sit down at the table with them.

I grimace softly, setting my bag on the ground by my feet and moving my eyes between the pair “I take it the research hasn’t been going well?”

Lydia shakes her head, moving her hand in a circle towards me “Tell us again about your dream last night”

Taking a deep breath in, I reiterate the dream in more detail than I was able to in my text message to Lydia during my rush to get ready this morning.

Lydia scrunches her mouth the side, deep in thought while Malia furrows her brows as she clarifies “You saw a carousel?”

I nod and scratch the side of my head “Yeah, and a big sign that said Camaan, and people disappearing in clouds of smoke.”

“Do you ever have nice dreams?” Malia quips and I level her with a look “Not since my abdomen was stabbed with an Alpha’s claws– look we just… we _need_ to go to Canaan.”

Malia huffs and lifts her hands off the table “Well it would be helpful if we knew anything about the place. I keep calling the number for City Hall and no one answers.”

Lydia nods and pulls out a map as she continues with a point to the city che circled on it “The only map I can find it on is thirty years old– so far, the only thing we could find on Canaan is where it is.”

I smile brightly at her, standing up and grabbing the map as I announce “That’s all we need to know– come on, let’s grab Scott and hit the road.”

***

About two hours after we started driving out of Beacon Hills the GPS announces we have arrived, Lydia and I sharing a look before I pull over to park on the side of the street behind an old deserted looking car.

“Does this look familiar to you?” Lyds questions and I lean my chest against the steering wheel to look out the front windshield, nodding as I move my eyes around “Yeah– this street looks identical to where the woman was walking.”

She smiles softly when I look over to her and we both turn in our seats to look in the back seat where Malia and Scott are both sleeping.

Malia has the side of her head resting against Scott’s shoulder, the side of his resting against the top of hers **_now there’s a relationship I can get behind_**

I smirk over towards Lyds who throws me a knowing look as she mutters quietly “Well that’s adorable.”

Nodding with her words, a soft smile falling on my lips as I reach back and shake Scott’s knee to wake him.

They both sit up quickly, each adorning their own blush of embarrassment for how they woke before Scott clears his throat and looks around “Where are we?”

I sit forward to hide the fact that I’m trying not to laugh at their reactions and clear my throat before stating “According to the GPS– this is it.”

The four of us climb out of the car, walking down the leaf strewn street with countless abandoned cars, rickety picket fences surrounding matching rundown houses.

We turn to face the other direction, taking in the what I’m guessing was once a town square **_now it is covered in dirt and is completely overgrown with weeds_**

Looking around at how empty this place is, I turn back to them as I digress the blatantly obvious “Well this is it– Canaan is a ghost town.”

Scott shares a look with me, taking in the town square before he nods his head back towards the other direction of the street.

We start walking past the houses lining the street we’re on, and I move my eyes around the kind of destruction that you would expect to see after a massive storm wiped the town out.

“I don’t hear a single heartbeat” Scott announces before Malia elaborates “I’m not catching any scents.”

“Why would Stiles send us here?” Scott questions, earning one of the streetlamps we’re walking past to buzz before it sparks to life.

The light flickers away, the four of us looking curiously back at each other before we continue our walking steps further down the street.

I notice the Canaan Day block party banner from my premonition hanging across the street, though it is now faded and torn as it barely hangs on with its ties. 

Taking in the tattered banner hanging across the street above us, I nod in confirmation “This is definitely the same place I saw in the mirror.”

We move through the picnic tables, Scott finds an early model cell phone that he picks up and examines before setting it back onto the table.

Finding a newspaper also on the top of the table I reach out and pick it up, flipping the worn out pages to look at the front of the Canaan Courier and the date April 8, 1987 

The carousel creaks loudly in the distance, startling us and we all share a look before we move towards it. 

I notice the overgrown strands of vines covering the top of the canopy of the carousel, and that the bottom platform is covered with leaves.

The black horse I saw in the premonition is still covered in blood, and Scott steps forward towards it. He places his foot onto the rusted and faded metal platform, as soon as he does– the ride suddenly starts turning. 

The carnival type of loud music starts blaring out of the speakers right along with the spinning ride and the horses are bobbing up and down.

Deciding to split up ** _because we’re full of shit ideas at the moment_** , Malia and Scott head in opposite directions while Lydia and I decide to stick together.

We make our way up the street, losing sight of Malia and watching as Scott walks into an abandoned looking house, the screen slamming shut behind him.

Moving my eyes between the houses we stop pour steps just as we see a crying Malia run out of the front yard of another.

“Mal, what is it?” I question, setting my hands on her upper arms. She wipes her face clear of the tears as she indicates behind her “My mom and sister– they were laying in the front yard over there, covered in blood. I heard Theo’s voice behind me and when I turned around he was standing in front of me holding a shotgun saying I should have died with them and he’d help with that– then the fucker shot me in the stomach.”

My eyes quickly look down to her stomach, though I figure this was more a vision than an actual occurrence since we didn’t hear any gunshots. Malia closers her eyes, shaking her head quickly as she stammers out “I fell back and was laying in between my mom and sister, they opened their eyes and each threw an arm over me as the ground below us started to sink. Just as it felt like I was going to be buried I woke up on the grass alone like nothing happened.”

Lydia furrows her brows, flicking her eyes over to me “We haven’t seen anything–”

I shake my head, in agreement with her statement before she offers “What if it’s like the night at the hotel– only the werewolves were affected”

Not even a second after she finishes her question and my eyes are widening, dropping my hands from Malia as I shout into the abandoned neighborhood “Scott!” 

I move down the sidewalk towards the house Scott walked into with Malia and Lydia following quickly behind me.

“Hey! Mom!” I hear Scott bellow and the three of us quickly run down the side of the house and towards his voice.

I see him standing with his back towards us and I reach out to place my hand on his shoulder. 

Scott sucks in a sharp gasp of air, quickly turning to see us standing next to him and I calmly reassure him “Hey it’s okay– Scott listen to me, mom is not here.”

Pointing back the way he was facing when we walked over here, Scott stammers out “I saw her… and her head– it looked like somebody took a bite out of her skull…” He rushes out, looking every which way trying to find our injured mom again.

I shake my head, smiling softly when he looks back over towards us “It wasn’t real–”

“Yeah, but it _felt_ real…” he urges before I elaborate, walking back around the side of the house towards the street again “The energy here, it’s causing hallucinations.”

“We can’t stay here” Lydia announces and I’m quick to disagree “We can’t leave– not until we figure out why Stiles sent us here.”

“Who are we going to ask? There’s no one here.” Lydia grumbles behind me.

I widen my eyes, my steps halting in front of the group at seeing a little boy standing across the street with his back towards us and looking at the house in front of him “We can ask him.”

“Hey!” Scott exclaims, the little boy instantly turning around to look at us over his shoulder before he turns and books it down the sidewalk and away from us.

“What do we do?” Malia questions, earning me to look back at Scott and nodding as we come up with “Go after him”

We quickly run down the sidewalk seeing the little boy up ahead just go out of sight, earning us to slow our running steps into a walk as we continue down the neighborhood street.

Keeping our eyes peeled for where he could have disappeared to, we see the curtains in a house to our left move as if someone was peering outside and dropped them from their hand.

I share a look with Scott before we turn and head through the opening in the fence and walk up the walkway towards the house.

Scott doesn’t knock, instead just turns the handle on the door and slowly walks inside. 

I follow behind him, Lydia and Malia following me as we walk further into the living room beside the front door.

I knock on the open door when I’m passing through the entryway “Hello? Anybody here?”

Looking around the empty room, I jump when I notice a woman standing at the far end of the dining room which is the room off to the right of the living room we’re standing in currently.

I close my eyes for a moment, gathering my senses and thinking she’s a ghost before I open them again.

However she squashes that thought as she smiles brightly and walks through the dining room, making her way closer to us and exclaiming cheerily “Visitors? I can’t believe we have visitors! Oh, Caleb will be so happy to see you. It’s been such a long time since he’s had anyone to play with.”

Raising my brows with her words, she moves her eyes between us as her smile falters “Oh, you must be thirsty! Come on in and have a seat while I get you something to drink.”

She indicates the chairs in the dining room as she quickly walks towards the kitchen, which looks to be off to the right of the dining room, to apparently get our drinks.

We follow her, hesitantly yet intrigued, while Malia leans closer to me as she whispers “Seriously? What is with her?”

I swallow hard nodding as I whisper right back “She’s the woman I saw in the mirror.”

We each take a seat at the dining room table, hearing the lady we barged in on tinkering around in the kitchen.

She emerges a few minutes later with a tray carrying glasses of what I’m hoping is lemonade, smiling at us as she sets the tray on the table in front of us “This was my mother’s lemonade recipe… at least, as much as I can remember. We always served this when we had friends to visit– I’m Lenore by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Addy– this is Lydia, Scott and Malia” I introduce us all, smiling warmly towards her. 

She returns the smile and nods towards the cups, indicating for us to drink. 

I pick up mine, however, noticing either dirt or leaves floating on the top of the lemonade– I discreetly just set the cup back onto the table.

Lydia shakes her head at Scott who also sets the glass back onto the table and we all look over when we hear Malia gulping her drink down.

She sets her cup down and looks over towards the woman “We didn’t come to visit– we’re looking for someone.”

Scott clears his throat and elaborates “A friend of ours– maybe you’ve seen him?”

“His name is Stiles” I fill in softly, Lenore’s face scrunching up in thought before she shakes her head “It’s been a while since anyone came through Canaan…”

“How long?” I question and she looks away, drumming her hand on the table as she tries to remember how long ago.

Malia shares a look with me before she shifts in her seat, grabbing something out of her pocket and unfolding it. She lays it on the table in front of Lenore while asking “Since April 8th 1987?”

The lady’s face clears of any friendliness she may have had, answering back in a cold, harsh tone “Why would you disturb those things? They don’t belong to you.”

Scott makes a noise, raising his hand off the table as he tries to defuse the situation, “We just need to know what happened.”

Moving her anger filled eyes from Malia and over to Scott, the woman softens her tone **_yet you can tell she’s still on edge_** “There was a picnic, a community party.”

“It seems like everyone left in a hurry–” Malia trails off, the woman shrugging her shoulders as she offers “People have been leaving Canaan for a long time. That’s the day the last of them left.”

Lydia shares a look with me while Scott draws his brow inwards in confusion, clarifying “All at once? They all just disappeared?”

The woman snaps her gaze back to Scott as she clips out sharply “I didn’t say they disappeared– I said they left.” She accentuates her words by slamming her hands onto the table, the glasses moving with the force.

I close my eyes quickly with the wave of energy I feel slam through me. Opening my eyes, I raise my brows as my mind clears of the fog her actions caused. 

Malia misses the vibe the woman is throwing around and questions “Did they leave in a cloud of green smoke?”

Lenore stands up, scrunching her face up in anger as she grabs onto the table and screams back at us “ _They_ _just_ _left_!”

Everything shakes around us, a feeling of being completely dizzy and like I’m about to pass out crashes over me.

I set my hands on the table to steady myself, Lydia placing her hand on mine while the room finally stops spinning.

I clear my throat and look up at the woman “We didn’t mean to upset you– we’ll just be going now.”

Nodding towards Scott and Malia, we all stand up from our seats and walk on shaky legs out into the living room.

We’re just about to the front door **_that was still open from when we walked in_** , when it slams shut right in front of Malia’s face.

We all share a wide eyed look, quickly looking over our shoulders and back towards Lenore who eerily states “No one is leaving– no one is leaving Canaan ever again.”

Definitely not liking the sound of that Scott makes a noise and slams his shoulder into the door, grasping onto the door handle and trying as hard as he can to get it to budge.

“Scott, open the door– you’re a werewolf.” Malia throws over her shoulder, bouncing on her feet as we watch the woman staring at us like she’s going to attack.

“I’m trying” Scott grumbles back to her, earning Malia to let out a noise of aggravation before she makes her way over to the front window.

She pulls the curtains back, making a fist with her hand before she tries to break through the glass of the window by punching it. 

Nothing breaks, it even looks like the window actually hurt her hand when she pulls it back to look at it.

Malia tries a few more times, each with the same result of the window staying in a solid piece. She turns around and reluctantly walks back over towards us “What the hell is wrong with this place?”

I look over towards the terrifying woman again, trying to remain calm as I ask “Lenore? Could you unlock the door, please?”

She has a dazed look in her eyes, her brow twitching as she doesn’t answer my question and instead puts us all on guard with her next statement “Now that you’re here, you need to stay– Caleb likes you.”

“And we like him” Lydia states, grabbing onto my arm and leading me over to Lenore with her as she continues “But we need to help our town. People are disappearing–”

“Leaving–” I mutter quickly, not wanting to make the woman mad again. I nod and continue “People are _leaving_ just like how they left your town– you could really help us.”

Lenore looks between us as she disagrees “No one can help you. If they want to leave, they’re going to leave. They’ll go, and they’ll go and there won’t be anything you can do about it.”

“Come with me” we hear a distorted childlike voice come from near the hallway off of the other side of the living room. 

Lydia and I quickly look over our shoulder, seeing the little boy– Caleb I’m presuming– from earlier standing in the hallway looking at Scott and Malia.

Lenore walks away from us and starts cleaning up the glasses of lemonade from the table behind us. Caleb turns and walks back down the hallway and out of sight, earning Scott to share a worried look with me.

Malia shrugs and I smile reassuringly to Scott, nodding to indicate behind us that Lydia and I will work on Lenore.

“Go” I whisper, Scott and Malia hesitantly following in the direction Caleb walked away while Lydia and I turn to take a few steps closer to Lenore. 

“Why didn’t you leave, too?” Lydia questions, Lenore snapping her eyes up from the table to look between us “What is that supposed to mean? Is that an accusation? Are you accusing me of something?”

I make a noise and gain her attention as I try to work through what happened “We’re not accusing you of anything, but how come you’re the _only_ one left? Did you hide– or did you try to fight them?”

“Fight who? Who are you talking about?” Lenore quickly rushes through her questions and I make a face, realizing she has no idea what happened or who did this– so I fill in for her “They’re called the Ghost Riders and they took everyone from Canaan.”

“Why did they leave you?” Lydia reiterates my previous question and Lenore shakily replies through her terror, getting more and more worked up with every word “I don’t know! They took _everyone_ … but they _didn’t_ –” she pauses for less than a second, raising her hands up to her sides– palms facing us as she screams “– _TAKE… ME_!”

Lenore’s voice turns into a scream and pulses out in waves, slamming into Lydia and I and throwing us across the room **_so that’s what that feels like_**

We land on the ground with a grunt, Lydia and I sharing a wide eyed _there it is_ look as we push up onto our arms and mutter incredulously “You’re a banshee”

“It’s not my fault they didn’t take me” she croaks out, Lydia and I quickly standing as I step towards her and try to reassure her “No, and I know why they didn’t–”

Lenore ignores my statement and continues on brokenly “You think I helped them because they brought back my dead son–”

“What did you say?” I whisper, furrowing my brows with her words before she gets the same look on her face she had before she scream launched us a moment ago **_yeah you’re not doing that again without a fight_**

She takes a deep breath in, raising her hands towards me at the same time I copy her movements and launch my banshee scream back towards her.

Our screams pulse outwards, hitting in the middle space between us before Lydia steps up beside me and raises her hands up in the same way, launching her banshee scream towards Lenore as well **_so grateful I taught her how to use her voice in the same way that Meredith had taught me_**

As soon as the three of our screams crash together Lydia and I land right in the middle of the premonition I had from the mirror.

Standing in the street, my eyes move from the bloody horse and up to the sky as the dark clouds roll in quickly.

I grab Lydia’s hand and pull her against my side as the guy running out of the house in front of us, the screen door slamming behind him just like before.

This time is different though because instead of _not_ seeing anything behind him, I see a flash of lightning strike on the ground behind him and a Ghost Rider is now standing behind him. 

The Rider takes his gun out of his holster and shoots the guy, resulting in him disappearing in the cloud of green smoke I had seen previously.

The crowd of people are dispersing in the same manner, running in all different directions except now I can see the Riders as they chase down the people, shooting them away into the green smoke clouds.

Through the scattering crowd and the constant sound of gunshots, I see the younger version of Lenore. 

She turns her head in every direction as she also watches the chaos through terrified eyes, flitting her eyes between all the people being taken right before her.

In the premonition before she stood alone in the middle of the street, setting her hands on the sides of her head and screaming into the storm. 

However now I see she wasn’t alone, she’s being surrounded by the Ghost Riders as they circle around her– one getting so close to her face before he holsters his gun and they all disappear in green flashes.

Lydia and I run up to her and I again reach out to touch her shoulder. She looks over to me, though she doesn’t turn into an old woman this time. Instead we grimace in pain, each of us slamming our hands over our ears and releasing our screams together.

When I open my eyes we’re back in her living room and sharing a quick look with Lydia, I snap my gaze back to Lenore “You didn’t know what was happening, did you? You only saw them at the very end.”

“They were all around me, but they didn’t take me…” She mutters, looking between us quickly and I nod “It’s because you’re a banshee– like us.”

Lenore looks a little taken aback by that development and walks past Lydia and I, heading over towards a mirror that’s hanging on the wall in between the front door and the window Malia tried to punch.

She swipes her hand over the mirror to clear the dust from blocking her reflection as she asks “How long has it been?”

I cross my arms over my chest as Lydia digresses “Almost thirty years.”

Lenore keeps staring into the mirror as she states barely above a whisper “You won’t be taken– you’ll be safe.”

I release a breath, almost like a scoff, and drop my arms down to my sides as I quickly counter “I don’t want to be _safe_ – I want to _save_ Stiles.”

Lydia reaches over and grabs my hand, looking back over to Lenore as she pleads one last time “Don’t let us be left behind– we don’t have a Caleb.”

Turning back around to face us, Lenore moves her eyes between us “You won’t need a Caleb, you will have each other– go” She raises her hand to go with her statement, the front door swinging open and banging against the wall behind it.

Lydia doesn’t waste a second and grabs my hand, pulling me outside.

Scott and Malia rush outside right behind us a moment later, Scott declaring frantically “Let’s get out of here.”

“Yeah” I whisper, hating that we didn’t get any closer to finding a way to save Stiles from this fate.

“Yeah, absolutely.” Malia grumbles, walking past us with Scott.

I turn to follow them, however I stop and turn back towards Lenore who is standing just outside of her front door with Caleb. 

Lydia sets her hand on my upper back, looking towards the pair with her offer “You know, you could still come with us.”

Lenore smiles sadly “I couldn’t leave Caleb.”

“Lenore, you know he’s not real” I counter back, earning her to look fondly down to her son who smiles back up at her “I couldn’t leave Caleb” She states when she looks back over to us.

I offer her a soft understanding smile before I turn back around, linking my arm with Lydia’s as we quickly follow behind Scott and Malia back towards the car.

Lydia offers to drive and we all climb into the car and take off, getting back onto the main highway just as darkness falls.

“You guys think Stiles sent us here to warn us? Maybe Beacon Hills is gonna be the next Ghost Town?” Scott questions from the backseat, Malia agreeing instantly beside him “If we don’t stop it, yes– we need to get them to leave, _now_.”

I look over my shoulder at them as I shake my head “We can’t– not yet.”

Scott connects his eyes with mine as he questions “Why can’t we get rid of them?”

I chew on the side of my lip, hesitating for a second before I answer him “Because I saw what happens to the people they’ve taken when they leave.”

“Do they all die?” Malia chimes in and I face forward again as I digress “No– it’s something worse than death. I felt it in Lenore’s memory. It’s like their soul’s hollowed out– they became something else… I think they became Ghost Riders, and then they were gone.”

Silence settles over the car ride for a little bit until Lydia’s voice causes my eyes to flick over to hers “You okay?”

I try to smile reassuringly towards her “I’m fine.”

My answer clearly doesn’t work because she throws me a look screaming _just spill it_. 

I roll my eyes playfully and shrug, picking off non existent lint from my leggings “I dunno, I was just thinking about Lenore. You know, there’s myths about the Wild Hunt and the Morrigan– they just left Lenore behind.”

“I thought you said Lenore was a banshee?” Malia questions from the backseat and I nod “The Morrigan was a banshee…”

“So when the Wild Hunt moves on from Beacon Hills…” Scott trails off, leaving me to fill in “We’ll be like Lenore– left behind– alone.”

***

We pull up outside our house, Liam having texted us on the drive back that him and Hayden were here and needed to fill us in on something that they made an executive decision on **_obviously all good news is awaiting us inside_**

Scott and I walk inside the side door off the kitchen, our steps halting as soon as _three_ pairs of eyes swing our way– Liam, Hayden and _Theo_.

Theo who last time I saw him was being pulled into the depths of hell by his sister he murdered.

“Somehow, I don’t think we’re gonna hug this out…” Theo quips and I can feel the anger rolling off of Scott as he steps in front of me slightly and growls out “I hope you realize it’s taking all of my strength to _not_ tear you in fucking half right now.” **_there’s the brother I’ve been missing when it came to this douchebag_**

Theo make a face before his attention is brought just past us and towards Mal who walks in beside me “Hey, Malia– you aren’t still upset about the whole shooting you thing, are you?” **_you didn’t just shoot her, you betrayed her and basically offered her up for her psychotic mother to kill, dude_**

I throw a deep glare his way before I move my eyes over to Malia when I hear the low bubbling growl forming in her chest.

Seeing her eyes shine her bright were-coyote blue color, I smirk over towards Theo as Malia roars so loudly he flinches backwards from the force– just before she closes the gap between them in two strides and punches him right in the face.


	92. Heartless

Theo falls to the ground with the force behind Malia’s punch, her following right behind him to lean over his chest as she punches him over and over across his face.

The bone crushing sound causing me to flinch back every time her knuckles smash into his cheek bones **_is it wrong that this is slightly cathartic to witness?_**

Malia reaches back, releasing an even stronger punch against his face, Theo’s head falling back to lay against the ground as his eyes slide closed and Malia pants out quickly, trying to catch her breath.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to stop” Theo croaks out and Malia growls back furiously, flicking out the claws out of her fingers “Trust me, I won’t!”

“Malia enough!” Scott orders, his hand wrapping around her wrist to halt her movements while his other hand grabs her opposite shoulder to pull her off of him.

Liam grabs her other side and helps Scott push her back a few steps, Malia snapping forward with a deep warning growl towards Liam.

Scott leans closer towards her face, trying to reassure her “Slow down, okay? He’s going back into the ground.”

“You can’t– he remembers Stiles” Liam rushes out, looking over to me when I gasp softly with that interesting little development.

Snapping my eyes over to Scott’s wide ones, we look over towards Theo who lets out a painful grunt as he sits up from his lay on the kitchen floor.

Theo breathes out deeply, opening his eyes and connecting them with mine. He smiles softly, a knowing look in his eye **_why do you get to remember him but I don’t_**

Malia grabs my attention as she angrily counters back through clenched teeth “Addy and Scott _remember_ Stiles– Lydia and I remember him.”

I roll my eyes as I quip back “The fuck we do, Mal. You’re only _now_ on board with him being a real person and even then we couldn’t describe him if we tried. I know what his voice sounds like but that’s it.”

Liam quickly urges “The dread doctors knew all about the Wild Hunt– he can help us.”

Scott shakes his head, the exasperation in his voice palpable “Or, he could _kill_ us.”

“He’s my responsibility, Noshiko gave me the sword.” Liam elaborates and I turn to face them again “Why would she give you the sword and why would you bring him back?”

Theo scoots over to sit back against the bottom cupboards, muttering “It’s so awkward when mom and dad fight” and earning the four of us to immediately shout back at him “Shut up!”

I huff and look back towards Liam, raising my brows in my silent encouragement for him to answer my previous question. 

He nods his head to the side as he fills in “We needed someone who could handle the level of joules needed for our Ghost Rider trap–”

“I’m sorry, _your_ _what_ now?” I ask, jerking my head back slightly as I blink a few times, wondering when trapping a Ghost Rider became plan A.

Liam huffs with my interruption and goes on “I’m catching one of them, and I needed electricity which we _thought_ he would still have after killing Josh”

“Let me guess– going to hell took that power away?” I grumble, flicking my eyes over to Theo who shrugs, resting the back of his head against the cupboards “I’m just classic Theo now” **_classic douchebag as always, what a treat_**

Hayden steps up and tries to meet everyone in the middle “Look everyone is right in their own way– but we think he’s our only option. So if Theo tries anything, we’ll send him back to the Skinwalkers– but for right now…”

“He’s going back _now_ ” Scott urges, leaning closer to Liam to drive his _he’s not budging_ point home.

“Except Liam’s the one with the sword.” Theo remarks looking absolutely terrified as he sits up straighter, earning the lot of us to _again_ snap back at him “Shut up!”

Scott grabs Liam’s wrist, nodding his head for me to follow them as he leads us into the living room.

Scott drops Liam’s wrist, the latter flicking his hurt eyes between us as he questions “What, you don’t trust me?”

I make a noise and shrug slightly, reassuring him instantly “We will always trust you.”

Scott nods as he agrees “We don’t trust him– do you?”

Liam shakes his head, shrugging one of his shoulders as he answers back quickly “No… but I think we can use him.”

“Remember who he is– he got into your head and you tried to kill me. And when that didn’t work, he _did_ kill me.”

“And tracy, and Josh, and his sister” I mutter the series of events that were oh so fun a few months ago, scrunching my nose up in a grimace when they each look at me.

Liam makes a noise, nodding his head to the side as he counters “And you aren’t wrong to not trust him– but this might be our only chance to get Stiles back.”

Making a face and raising my brows towards Scott like that’s a very good fucking point, I chew on the inside of my cheek as he offers “Okay– but can’t we just try to find somebody that we at least trust?”

I set my hands on my hips and turn more towards him, lifting my shoulders with my words “Who? No one else in this fucking city thinks Stiles is even a person let alone that he needs saving– we have a burned to a crisp Peter and even then it’s _Peter_. I just– who else is our option right now Scotty? Theo knows who Stiles is and he obviously knows how much he means to us if how he looked at us just then was anything to go off of.”

Scott softens his face, looking quickly between my eyes as he digests my words and I use his silence to continue “I dislike him as much as you do for the shit he pulled a few months ago, however if there’s even a _hope_ to get Stiles back based on his knowledge of the Wild Hunt _and_ we keep him on a short leash with this sword as our leverage– at this point I know we owe it to Stiles to at least try every option no matter how crazy that option may be. And right now? This is our _only_ option since Peter is dancing with death while we wait for him to heal.”

Scott looks back into the kitchen towards Theo and Liam also uses his silence to make another argument “This might be a mistake, but you don’t know that yet– and you made mistakes when you were learning to be an Alpha.”

I move my lips between my teeth, hiding my smile with Liam’s point, earning Scott to throw me a look before he nods “Yea, I made _a lot_. But we don’t have time for mistakes–” he looks over to me and sets his hand on my shoulder as he adds softly with so much emotion behind his words “We can’t lose Stiles.”

I release a shaky breath, knowing deep in my gut how true those words are. Losing him is not even an option in my mind right now. I may not remember him however I can’t disagree with the feeling that he means a lot to me, to all of us.

“So, we should try anything we can to save him… _right_?” Liam argues, Scott’s face softening as he moves his eyes between us.

Liam raises his brows, finishing thoughtfully “Even Theo–”

Scott sighs, taking a moment before he mutters “Convince me.”

Liam explains about Mason’s idea with building a metal cage that can withstand the lightning and effectively trapping a Rider inside of it. Considering how much the Dread Doctors worked with electromagnetic power– it is not crazy to think Theo knows of somewhere we can get the amount of high electricity we need to pull the trap off.

Scott releases a deep breath, nodding his head back towards the kitchen for Liam to barter with Theo.

“I can put you in the ground any time.” Liam warns, holding the sword defensively with his warning towards Theo who quickly remarks “You also need a transformer that can handle five billion joules of electricity. I know where to find one– and I can show you how it works. I’ll tell you if Malia promises not to kill me.”

Malia answers his stipulation with a deep growl lowly in her chest back towards Theo, earning Liam to nod and answer for her “She promises.”

Malia snaps her head over in our direction, deeply offended as she glares “No, I don’t!”

Snapping her gaze around the rest of us, Malia confirms our crazy plan before she connects her eyes with Scott’s “We’re really gonna do this? Trust _him_?”

I shrug, gaining her eyes as I counter “You got a better idea? Because we’re quickly running out of time and options.”

“I’ve got an idea. It may not be _better_ – but at least it’s not _him_ ” Malia grumbles crossing her arms over her chest as she walks past us, deepening her glare towards Theo before she opens the side kitchen door and walks out into the night.

***

Malia went to the hospital, prepared and determined to somehow heal Peter faster so he could help us.

Scott, Liam, and Theo went with Hayden, Mason, and Corey along with Theo leading the way to whatever transformer box in the preserve he knows about from the Dread Doctors.

Mason and Corey figured out a way to build a cage that can transmute the energy from a lightning bolt. They attached a lightning rod on the roof of the shed the cage is built inside of and connected the rod to a conduit cable which will draw the Ghost Rider to a spot just outside of the cage.

Since the inside of the cage is shielded from any outside electrical current as it neutralizes electromagnetism and will cause lightning to just bounce off the cage– the Ghost Rider won’t be able to escape, however he also can’t be sent _directly_ into the cage.

They need bait to lure him into the cage– which Hayden apparently offered to do. Earning Scott and Liam to be on guard to seal the doors of the cage shut once Hayden is out of the cage and Mason will ensure the mountain ash barrier is activated.

Sure– things could go wrong with said plan _however_ it’s the best one we have right now **_and everyone is voluntarily putting themselves in harm’s way_**

While everyone is doing their own thing– I’m pacing and trying _not_ to focus on what _exactly_ they’re doing by thinking about the other problem at hand.

The Stilinski’s and the way Lenore was with her son.

Lydia offered to keep me company and work things out with me, especially since she’s been getting the same weird vibes from Claudia that I have.

Mom knocks on my bedroom door, smiling towards us when we turn to look at her. 

I don’t stop my pacing steps as she moves further into the room and sits down next to Lydia on my bed “Still thinking about how to prove the Riemann Hypothesis?” She smirks, linking ger fingers together and resting them on her knee once she crosses one leg over the other.

I throw her a look at her subtle jab towards my college application which I talked about said theory before turning on my heel and walking away from the bed “No– how’s Mr. A?”

She softens her face and nods “He’s out of the woods, whatever nine herbs concoction he had me make healed the whip marks.”

I nod with her words, smiling softly towards her as I walk back towards them “That’s good”

I mean it too, he was not looking good yesterday and mom barely figured out one of the last ingredients she needed to complete the nine herbs. 

Chris is as good as family as I’m concerned and that doesn’t even include how close I’ve noticed mom and him have gotten **_also a relationship I am so on board with_** – So I’m definitely very relieved to learn he’s going to be okay.

Mom lifts the corners of her mouth, nodding towards me with a knowing yet concerned look “Alright but seriously what’s wrong, why are you pacing? Any new developments on Stiles?”

I make a noise, bringing my hands together in front of me and linking them together. I lift a shoulder as I inform “That’s what we’re trying to figure out, something about the lady we met yesterday is giving me the same feelings about the Stilinski’s.”

“Which is?” mom questions and Lydia shrugs “We’re linking a dead kid in Canaan to the weirdness we’re getting from them.”

“Dead?” Mom exclaims, raising her brows and looking quickly between us in her confusion and silent plea for us to enlighten her.

I nod “Yeah, he drowned in 1985– his mom, Lenore who we met yesterday, conjured him to fill the void she felt after the Wild Hunt passed through Canaan.”

Mom makes a face, unliking her hands to wave them in front of her as she continues “I’m going to need a little bit more information to link that to the Stilinski’s…”

I stop my pacing steps, fully facing the two of them and with the nod from Lydia, I take a deep breath and connect my eyes with mom’s “What if Mr. S is filling a void of losing Stiles– and he’s _actually_ filling it with… Claudia?”

Mom raises her brows, shock completely overcoming her features as she confirms “You two think Claudia is _dead_?”

“Yup” Lydia deadpans, shrugging her shoulders like she wants someone to challenge her answer when mom flicks her eyes over to her.

I chuckle softly and elaborate “It’s just _so many_ things don’t make sense, mom– she had a fatal disease but then she’s _fine_. She says her jeep was stolen twenty years ago– but it’s _Stiles_ ’–”

“Oh plus you should have seen the look on her face when Addy was peeling back the wallpaper.” Lydia says and I nod, pointing towards her “Right, she wasn’t just angry I was doing it– she was _scared_ , like she was protecting a secret.”

Mom nods, clicking her tongue as she counters “Okay, well if this is true then… maybe Noah needs this– maybe it’s his way of coping.”

I lift my hands out to my sides as I make a noise “But that’s just it mom– what if Claudia being here is _preventing_ him from fully being able to remember Stiles?”

Mom takes a moment, softening her features before drawing her brows in with a little shake of her head “Sweetheart… if Claudia isn’t real, you do not want to be the one to tell him.”

I slowly drop my hands back down to rest against my sides, taking a moment before I murmur “If it brought back his son– who obviously meant a great deal to him to want to fill the void of him not being here– why wouldn’t I want to?”

***

Turns out Noah was going to be the one to reach out first, he found something in his house he thought I would want to see. Which was good since I’m still not sure how to prove Claudia isn’t real– so I’m hoping whatever he found is at least going to prove Stiles was real.

I knock on their front door, Noah answering instantly and taking me down the hallway to the left of the front door **_the hallway I’ve become very familiar with on every other visit to this house_**

He stops me right in front of the spot I tore the wallpaper– massive difference being there’s more wallpaper torn down.

Not just wallpaper, drywall– drywall that has revealed a door which is opened and Noah immediately walks through the doorway– right into an empty room.

He sets his hand on the doorknob, raising his opposite arm to indicate for me to also walk inside.

I swallow thickly and slowly walk inside, my eyes taking in the dark empty room with two windows that are boarded up **_I wonder if you can see the windows from outside the house_**

“You knew about it didn’t you?” Noah asks, drawing my eyes over to his as I nod softly.

With my confirmation, he draws his brows inwards as he rushes out “Jesus, it– it was on the _blueprints_ – it was here when we moved in and that was _eighteen_ years ago.”

Getting a wave of energy against my back, I turn around– moving my gaze around the empty space. 

Though my mouth parts, a barely there gasp leaving my lips as the room appears to _not_ be empty at all anymore.

Through my cloudy vision thanks to tears threatening to fall, I see a bed with a blue comforter up against the wall in the corner near one of the windows.

Turning more to my right, I notice against the other wall there’s a massive cork board that’s empty and some kind of plexiglass board on wheels beside a desk that also appears.

“Addy?” Noah’s voice breaks through, my watery gaze moving to his before he questions further “What is it?”

I hear an audible whoosh of air, and in an instant everything I just saw vanishes and it’s just the two of us in this empty room again.

Shaking my head softly, I swallow the lump in my throat as I answer “Nothing…”

Noah nods and raises his hands out to his sides “I don’t understand how you knew this was here…” he trails off and I drop my embarrassed eyes down to the floor between our feet.

His next words though have my gaze snapping back up to his “If you want to discuss the possibility that I had a son– kid, I’m listening.”

I breathe in deeply, crossing my arms over my chest as I digest the sincerity behind his words.

His eyes never waver from mine, there’s a sadness behind them and I know he’s being serious. So I walk past him and over towards the door, closing it before looking back at him.

I clear my throat and fill him in on our Canaan adventure and my theory about Claudia.

Noah listens, waiting until I’m finished before he raises his hand up beside him “So, wait a sec– so this woman, Lenore, she _conjured_ up her dead son?”

I nod my head to the side “She was the only one left. She had to fill a void– so she filled it with her son.”

“And you– you saw this kid?” Noah implores earning me to answer back without missing a beat “We all did. He was _real_ – he was there. But–”

“But what?” Noah hesitantly asks, the frown in between his brows growing slightly.

I release a soft breath of air before continuing “She was there when everybody was taken. In the middle of the street of the block party, she _saw_ it all happen– but she didn’t wanna believe it… she wanted to believe in her _son_.”

Noah’s face clears of confusion, replacing it instantly with shocked doubt in what I’m implying “What are you trying to say? You think _Claudia_ is not real?”

I make a noise, lifting my shoulders as I try to put as much gentle understanding behind my words “As awful as it sounds, I think Claudia had a disease she could _not_ have ever survived from. I think you and Stiles _lost_ her and I think losing _Stiles_ was not something that you could have dealt with– so with whatever power the Ghost Riders put over our town–”

Noah scoffs, his brows forming a deeper glare with his incredulous eyes as he points his thumb over his shoulder towards the door into the rest of the house “You– you think I made up a _phantom wife_?”

I nod my head to the side, stating matter of factly “You’re afraid to remember him.”

Naturally, he doesn’t miss a beat with his defensive rebuttal “She’s a flesh and blood woman. She’s _real_. Everything else here is just… is just speculation– conjecture. It’s just– it’s a theory based on a– on a _ghost_ town.”

Resisting the urge to scream at him, I move my gaze to look just past his shoulder– my eyes widening and the breath getting caught in my throat as I see a chair by the door.

It has a Beacon Hills Lacrosse jersey laying across the back of the chair, along with a helmet resting on the seat. 

I slowly move my steps past Noah, who turns with my passing steps, as I walk over towards the items.

Tears well in my eyes as I reach out, tentatively– afraid as soon as I’m about to touch something that actually belonged to him, that it will disappear like everything else I saw just moments ago did.

I let out a surprised, soft hiccup of a shaky breath as my fingers run along the material of the jersey and it _doesn’t_ disappear.

I bunch the material into both of my hands before I pull the jersey off the chair, slowly bringing it closer towards my face. 

The corners of my lips twitch as I roam my eyes over the jersey, my physical proof from this room he is real.

Bringing the jersey closer, I feel tears fall down my cheeks when I close my eyes and breathe in deeply– the smell of a woodsy, sandalwood beach hitting my senses instantly.

I make a noise in my throat with how familiar the smell is, how _comforting_ the smell is. 

Gasping, I open my eyes and quickly turn back towards the middle of the room to look at Noah.

He doesn’t seem to be looking on in awe that I was able to pick something up from a chair that just appeared– no, instead he’s looking at me like I’m seven shades of crazy. 

“You don’t see anything?” I ask, my voice thick with emotion as another tear slides down my cheek when my eyes connect with his.

Noah raises his brows, muttering lowly as he doesn’t sugar coat anything “I see a deeply disturbed young woman.”

My fingers tighten around the material still bunched in my hands with the frustration his stubbornness is bringing on– so I, in turn, don’t sugar coat my next statement “You’re afraid to remember him because you’re afraid of what it means.”

“Why do you care so damn much if I remember him?” Noah exclaims on a harsh, broken whisper.

“Because you loved him” I declare as strongly as I can, emphasizing my words by throwing the jersey in my hands across the space between Noah and I.

Noah’s face morphs from complete confusion to utter surprise, his eyes following the material through the air before he lifts his hand up and catches it between his fingers.

Moving the material into both hands he grips the shoulders of the jersey– lifting the front of it in front of his face, before he snaps his confused _to what the hell just happened_ eyes to mine and turns the other side of the jersey towards me.

I let out a shocked breath as my eyes move across the letters on the back of the jersey spelling out ‘Stilinski’ with the number ‘24’ below it.

The Jeep and everything else may have been speculation or conjecture– but Stiles Stilinski is real, he’s Noah’s son and he was taken from us.

And this jersey fucking proves it.


	93. Blitzkrieg

The trapping of the Ghost Rider plan went accordingly, the cage held up and Hayden escaped being the bait to lure him into the cage unharmed.

Scott and Liam tried to interrogate the Rider, asking him every question under the sun about what their plan is and how to get to the people who were taken **_unsurprisingly, Mr. Rider man didn’t want to answer any of their questions._**

Mason figured out that the night of their impromptu party at our house where the Ghost Rider crashed said party and Parrish showed up, they looked to be in a silent stare down before the Rider just disappeared– only after hearing the Riders together last night, Mason concluded that Parrish and the Rider were actually communicating.

Parrish showing up should have been a point in our favor since he could communicate with the Rider– key words being _should have._

The Rider had turned to Jordan and gargled something that no one else could understand– well everyone it would seem _except_ for the hellhound part of Jordan, who flamed on and burned through the mountain ash barrier completely intent on setting the Rider free.

Scott and Liam had tried to stop Jordan, Theo also jumping in before his hand was burned and Jordan knocked him down to the ground. 

Jordan being distracted by Theo was enough of a break for Scott and Liam to push him outside.

Once he was far enough from the Rider, apparently whatever control he had over Jordan fell away and he was back to himself, muttering for Scott not to follow him before he ran away into the woods.

Scott, Liam, Hayden and Mason ran back to the shed, finding the Rider dead on the ground inside of the cell and Theo cowering over in the corner.

Naturally the four of them thought Theo had killed the Rider, **_however plot twist it was the new teacher Mr. Douglas_** – proof being the Rider’s pineal gland, a small pea shaped part of your brain, was missing.

The murders with the pineal glands missing from the victims, according to mom and Chris, have been going on for weeks– so Theo was telling the truth and we have a new murderous teacher in our midsts **_our school really is shit with their hiring process_**

Oh and a lovely little, _terrifying_ fact– the Rider’s whip, which is used to also snatch people away into nothing, was missing from his dead person **_such great news, I can’t even begin to tell you._**

So with the new development involving Mr. Douglas killing one of the Riders and taking his whip, I head to the Sheriff station with Lydia to meet Scott, Liam, Malia and Peter– who has decided to have a heart and apparently help us.

Walking inside the station, surprisingly we find it very, very empty– I remember that Noah works here, however I can’t for the life of me remember how many deputies actually work here **_which is terrifyingly eye opening to how many people have been taken from our city_**

Lydia shares a look with me, raising her brows as she figures out the same thing I did as we walk through the empty station towards the back desk area where Scott is pacing.

Scott was ringing his hands together in front of his chest, dropping them instantly down to his sides as he shuffles his steps over towards us.

Resting his hands on my upper arms he pulls me over to stand near the doorway from the hallway and rehashes his plan to save Stiles. Said plan has been formed with inspiration from Peter’s journey back here and mom being able to heal him apparently with the same nine herb concoction she healed Chris with.

I jerk my head back, eyebrows raising towards my hairline as I clarify “You’re going to _bite_ Stiles?”

Scott, who had dropped his eyes to the ground as I digested his words, slowly raises his gaze to connect with mine. The uncertainty swimming behind his sad eyes as he nods “To get him through the rift–”

Scott trails off moving past me and over towards the desk by Liam, resting his hands on top of the map of the preserve they laid out “–it’s the only way.”

Peter makes a noise and pushes off the wall he was previously leaning against to walk towards us “Just to clarify, are you planning on biting _everyone_ in the train station?”

Scott drops his head between his shoulders, arguing back quickly “With Stiles back, he’ll be able to help us figure out a plan.”

Crossing my arms over my chest I nod and smile softly, somehow knowing without a shadow of a doubt how true my next words are “He’s good at that.”

Peter walks past us, turning on his heel to face us standing around the desk again “So, the plan is to get Stiles to come up with a plan?”

“You can shut up now.” Malia grumbles, turning around to face Peter who frowns at her “Malia, look around. We’re the only ones left in Beacon Hills. If they take us, Addy and Lydia will be the only ones left to haunt the place.”

I narrow my eyes over towards him, Scott looking up from the desk as he argues “That’s why I’m the _only_ person that’s going in. Liam and Hayden will stay here with Mason– as long as somebody is left in Beacon Hills, the Wild Hunt can’t move on.”

Peter smirks and walks away from us again “I like your plan, Scott, I really do, _especially_ the part about turning Stiles– but it can’t work.” **_so glad you’re here to help us, I don’t know what we’d do without you_**

“How do you know that?” Malia questions, turning to look over her shoulder at him again.

Peter makes a face as he quickly argues back, pointing towards Scott “Logic? Life experience? What are the odds that he’ll get taken? What if Stiles isn’t there? What if there’s no Beacon Hills for you to come back to?”

“You got a better idea?” Liam questions, Peter flicking his eyes over to him as he nods “Yeah– it’s called ‘run like hell’. So– leave in five?” he makes a face like that sounds like the perfect amount of time to make our escape.

Scott huffs and looks back towards the map, while I share an exasperated look with Lydia and Malia quickly turns to stand in front of Peter “You promised you’d help us– we still need to find the rift.”

“I didn’t promise I’d help you commit suicide” Peter counters, earning me to huff as I look over towards the pair “You know Stiles, you know what he means to us or you wouldn’t have brought back his keys to us. You’ve been in our lives through a lot of situations involving saving someone, so you should know that we aren’t just going to leave him behind as we run away like cowards. So if you can’t help us now, go ahead and leave– we will just find the rift ourselves.”

Connecting his eyes with mine, Peter lifts the corner of his mouth and makes a hmm noise before he continues “You know, you McCall twins do have an _incredible_ flair for beating the odds– but this?” he trails off, taking a few steps backwards away from us on his way towards the doors “You don’t walk away from– _you run_.”

And with that– he sets his hand on the door handle, pushing the door open and walking out of the station quickly **_coward_**

I take a deep, calming breath in as I watch Malia step forwards a few steps, looking sadly at the empty space Peter was previously standing.

Scott follows her movements, his worried gaze flicking over to share a look with me. 

With my sad smile, Scott looks back to the map with Liam and I set my hand on Mal’s shoulder, nodding my head towards the desk when she looks back at me.

***

Scott, Malia, Lydia and I get to the preserve, trekking through the woods as we begin to follow the trail Malia and Peter had taken the previous night. 

They were attempting to find the area Peter was thrown into the night he was burned from escaping the rift and had roared loudly.

Their search however was cut short when a couple of the Ghost Riders showed up. Peter ordered Malia to run and when he was preparing to fight the Riders– they let out some painful high pitched scream and turned away from him, riding back through the woods **_we’re guessing that happened at the same time Mr. Douglas was murdering the Rider they had captured_**

I hop over a branch, stepping on a few crunchy leaves as I look over towards Malia with my question “When you were here before, how long until the Ghost Riders showed up?”

“A couple minutes” Malia answers, earning Lydia to snort and mumble under her breath “That’s reassuring.”

We walk out into a clearing from the trees as Malia questions “What’s a rift supposed to look like?”

I make a face, looking up in thought and answering “If it’s a tear in the fabric of our world?– Theoretically, it could look like anything from a microscopic black hole to a free floating Einstein Rosen bridge.”

Stopping our steps in an area of dead grass, I feel a wave of energy fall over the space. Lydia and I share a look before we tilt our heads backwards, seeing fog roll over the space above us **_well up is definitely not ideal_**

“I really hope it’s not up there.” Lydia grumbles and we face forward again, Scott declaring “Let’s split up”

I huff, always hating when we split up, as I turn around and see through some tall brush a massive pipe that would lead underground.

I move my steps towards the pipe, calling over towards the others “Hey, look at this–”

Walking up towards the entrance of the pipe that’s at least seven feet tall, I crouch down noticing black leaves covering the ground and pick one up in between my fingers.

I turn in my crouch on my toes to the side, looking up towards Scott as I reach the leaf out towards him. 

He takes the leaf from my hands, moving his eyes over it and down towards the ground near our feet while I look into the tunnel, resting my arms on my bent knees “The rift’s not above us–”

“It’s below” Scott finishes for me as I stand up and nod, our eyes looking into the darkness of the pipe in front of us.

Pulling out our phones, Scott and I turn on the flashlights on them and lead the way through the pipe that turns into a tunnel.

A fair distance into the tunnel there’s a ladder that leads to, you guessed it, the tunnels we are super familiar with thanks to the Beast nightmare a few months ago. 

We climb down the ladder, landing on the grates of the tunnel floor and Lydia pulls out her phone as well “I can’t see a thing.”

Shining my light around the area I lift my shoulders, narrowing my eyes as I try to see farther in front of our faces “It’s got to be down here somewhere.”

There’s a juncture in the tunnels earning Scott and Lydia turn to the left of the fork, my eyes following Malia who turns to the right. 

She takes two steps before she immediately smacks into an invisible force so hard that she bounces off and is thrown backwards, landing by my feet.

I kneel down next to her, grabbing one of her arms to help her up with Scott grabbing the other as she grumbles “Owww– found it.”

Moving my eyes up to the space she just tried to walk through, I notice the rift is about a foot or two above the ground and it’s almost translucent as it ripples with swirls of green, blue and purple.

Taking a step closer to it I tilt my head to the side as I examine it, slightly in awe “It’s remarkably similar”

“To what?” Malia questions, turning her head to the side towards me.

I flick my eyes over to her, lifting my brows once as I smirk “To the Einstein Rosen bridge.”

Malia breaks off one of the pipes from the wall beside us, turning around and walking towards the rift. 

She pushes the pipe into the rift, immediately causing dark green angry looking swirls to emanate from the pipe that is just melting away from the power lining the rift.

She grunts and staggers backwards a step, the pipe half melted as she raises it up against her side and catches her breath from the force she was trying to break through the rift with.

“There’s gotta be another way– we just need to think.” I mutter, lifting one of my arms that was crossed over my chest up to drum my fingers on my chin.

“Think?” Malia incredulously snaps over to me, Scott elaborating thoughtfully as he looks up at the rift “Yeah– think about how to get through a supernatural rift… that melts steel.”

Lifting my hand out, I shrug and quip back quickly “I didn’t say it would be easy.”

“But it doesn’t have to be _so hard_ ” A voice sounds behind us, the four of us turning around to see Mr. Douglas standing behind us.

Scott takes a step towards him “He followed our scent–”

“I followed your _desperation_.” Douglas quickly counters, an air of pity lacing his words before he flicks his eyes around all of us and continues “We’re all in a tough spot. Desperate to get inside and save everyone, and hoping to find a way to stop this army of the dead– we all want the same thing.”

“He has a point” Lydia mumbles, stepping up beside me as I shake my head once “If he doesn’t kill anyone.”

“Else– if he doesn’t kill anyone _else_.” Scott corrects, my eyes snapping back over to Douglas who smirks “All that matters right now is getting through the rift.”

“Then you’re out of luck” Malia quickly fills in before I elaborate “The rift burns everything that tries to pass through it.”

Douglas’ smirk deepens as he informs “Perhaps not _everything_.”

Jordan appears behind Douglas, quickly walking up beside him. He’s in his hellhound form, though he’s not covered in flames– he does however bare his teeth, his eyes shining a greenish blue color instead of their usual hellhound orangish color as he roars loudly towards us.

Lydia gasps softly, if she wasn’t standing so close to me I may not have heard her as she tries to reason with our friend “Jordan–”

Douglas interrupts their moment “If the hellhound can open the rift, we all go together.” **_I’ll take you’re full of bullshit for 2,000 Alex_**

“You’re the bad guy, I’m pretty sure helping you is a bad idea” Malia says, earning Douglas to patronize her as he answers through a sigh “Good guy, bad guy– when has everything ever been so black and white?”

“World War II” Liam’s panting breath comes from our left. We all turn to look at him as he makes his way up the tunnel we originally walked through.

He comes to stop on my other side, his eyes flitting over from Douglas towards us as he fills in through his labored breaths “He’s a Nazi, he wants the Hunt for himself– he wants his own supernatural army.” **_pineal gland stealing Nazi… sure, why not._**

Douglas sighs, his plan all out in the open now. We all look over to him, watching as he tilts his head to the side in exasperation before he releases the whip, keeping the handle at the end tightly and defensively in his hand like he’s warning us.

“We’re not letting you through that rift.” Scott warns, Douglas drawing his brows in as he sways the whip in front of his feet “Not letting me? I see… you still think you have a say in the matter.”

He finishes his words with a crack of the whip as he flicks it towards us, the five of us jumping back a step.

Scott looks around us, partially shifting and baring his teeth as he roars deeply back towards Douglas– who cracks the whip towards us, repeatedly hitting the ground by our feet and causing green sparks to fly up with the contact.

Liam grabs my arm in between the cracks of the whip, pulling me over towards the hallway of the tunnel we came through.

Lydia and Malia follow after the next crack of the whip, Scott’s roar echoing off the tunnel walls before we hear Douglas’ grunts of effort as he quickly snaps the whip a few more times, earning Scott to run over against the wall with the rest of us.

“Höllenhund!” We hear Douglas command, watching a few moments later as Jordan walks over to the rift just in front of us. 

He slams his hands into the rift, using his power of being able to touch intangible beings and objects to widen the rift. Bright green flashes of light and smoke appear from the rift around where Jordan is pushing against it.

“Parrish stop!” Scott begs, earning more cracks of the whip from Douglas as he comes into view of the tunnel we’re standing in.

Jordan grunts from the force he’s pushing against, his arms shaking as he pushes them farther and farther apart until he’s elbows are locked and the green light and smoke fades, the clear ripple effect of the rift no longer there.

Jordan turns towards our hallway, roaring loudly at us and keeping us at bay while Douglas walks up to the rift “Wunderbar” he murmurs in German **_not really so wonderful where I’m standing you Nazi psycho_**

Jordan again roars so loudly, I flinch back a step before Douglas addresses him in a low command “Höllenhund… kommen”

Scott moves towards him, Malia snapping her hand out to stop his steps and whispering for him to wait.

One last warning roar from Jordan before he turns and walks towards the rift, Malia shouting “Now” before we all run around the corner towards the rift on the other side.

We make it just in front of the rift a few seconds too late as it reactivates, the translucent green ripples slamming in front of our face and we see Douglas and Jordan turn the corner up ahead on the other side of the rift.

Feeling like I was punched in the chest, my mouth drops open and a shaky breath falls from my lips as I whisper “No–”

The word is barely echoing off the wall beside me when another flash of green light appears and two Ghost Riders walk towards us.

Scott throws his hands out to his sides, protecting us as he steps us all backwards matching the Riders advancing steps and keeping a fair distance between us and them.

“Liam, take Addy and Lydia to the bunker.” Scott throws over his shoulder, Liam grabbing my elbow and guiding Lydia in front of him with his other hand as we turn to run down the tunnel and towards the bunker.

With the roars behind us fading, we continue to run as fast as we can through the tunnels. Turning around a corner, I slam my hands against the pipe wall and slow my steps now that we’re a safe distance away **_the Riders never run, they don’t ever seem to be in a hurry_**

We hear a deeper roar echo down towards us, it sounds different from Scott’s and Malia’s and it takes a second before I can place it “Peter” I whisper back towards the way we came **_maybe he does want to be a hero father figure for his daughter_**

Liam sets his hands on my shoulders, turning me to keep our steps towards the bunker as he grumbles “That roar didn’t sound promising–”

“Yeah, well they rarely are” I digress grimly, keeping my pace with him and Lydia falling in step on my other side “Keep going, keep going–”

Her words trail off as we turn another corner, a Ghost Rider standing in the middle of the tunnel with his gun drawn and pointed towards us.

I make a noise, quickly stepping forward and throwing my arms out to my sides and pushing Liam and Lydia behind me.

Liam grabs my arm trying to pull me back, however stops when the Rider uncocks his gun and lifts it up to his side.

“What’s happening?” Liam questions and through my nervous breaths I whisper “I don’t know for sure– I have an idea, but just stay behind me”

We start to move against the wall and past the Rider, Lydia’s hand clasped tightly in mine as I make sure we’re standing in front of Liam.

The Rider drops his arm to rest the gun against the side of his leg, releasing shrill snarls as we pass by him.

I walk backwards, my arm wrapped behind me as I keep Liam out of harm’s way and guide him down the hallway with my hand on his chest. 

Once we make it to the safety of another corner Liam concludes “He’s afraid of you”

I swallow hard, nodding my head slowly “Banshees are the ones left in forgotten towns for a reason it would seem.”

Liam sets his hand on my arm, gaining my eyes from the Rider who turned his body with our steps and continues to face us now. 

Liam smiles softly, muttering “Come on” before leading us down the last hallway before we reach the bunker.

***

Scott called, Peter showed up and gave him and Malia enough time to escape from the Ghost Riders. He told them to run, and they watched him get blasted away in a flash of green smoke before they ran away.

We bypassed the bunker and found our way out of the tunnels before we headed home to meet Scott and Malia to regroup.

In one day we lost Peter, Mason and Hayden. The two of them were taken at the Sheriff’s station where Liam was before he came to find us. They locked Theo in a holding cell while they tried to negotiate with him to tell them about Douglas. 

After Liam broke our only bargaining chip– the sword he could send Theo away with, Theo told the three of them all about Douglas. How he was the Alpha werewolf the Dread Doctors kept in that glass container of green liquid and his previous run in with the Wild Hunt back in 1943 **_Douglas is also a Löwenmensch which is half wolf, half lion– fucking Nazi’s man_**

Figuring out those three, along with what seems to be the rest of the city, has been taken– another horrifying discovery has all our attention at the moment.

We have been trying to get ahold of mom and Chris since we got home, both of their phones don’t go to voicemail though **_they go to an automated message stating their numbers aren’t in service_**

Scott has his phone on speaker, laying on the table in front of where we’re seated with mom’s contact lighting up the phone call screen “The number you have reached is not in service. Please check the number or try your call again. This is a recording.”

Scott disconnects the call, immediately trying again.

My elbows are resting on the table with my hands resting together against the side of my head, tears welling in my eyes at our mom being taking and the memories of her already fading.

Sliding my eyes closed when the automated voice echoes through the room again, the tears that were threatening to fall finally slide down my cheeks “We’re sorry, the number you have reached is not in service. Please check the number or try your call again.”

“Scott…” Malia softly calls, my eyes opening and looking over towards her as she’s leaning her back against the fridge beside us.

She smiles softly at me, pushing off the fridge to walk over towards Scott who disconnects the call, setting her hand on his shoulder and kneeling on his other side “Scott, your mom is gone– but she’s still alive.”

Malia finishes her whispered, reassuring statement and reaches over, clicking the button on the side of his phone to lock it.

I clear my throat, trying to get rid of the lump that has taken residence since learning what happened and I softly lay my hands down to rest on top of the table.

Liam reaches over and sets his hand on the back of my shoulder, asking quietly “What do we do now?”

“We can’t hide from them” Malia informs before Liam moves to sit down beside me “Well what about Addy? The Ghost Rider was afraid of you.”

I shake my head, “I’m not sure if it was fear so much as reverence…”

Scott drums his fingers on the table “Doesn’t matter. The rift is gone– we’re the only ones left in Beacon Hills.”

There’s a knock on the window of the door that’s off the kitchen. All our eyes are drawn to the door, watching as it opens and Noah smiles softly before he walks inside and closes the door behind him.

He walks over and rests one of his hands on the counter, moving his eyes around the table at us before they land on me “I have a son. His name is Mieczyslaw Stilinski… but we call him Stiles– I _remember_.”

The tears are back to gathering in my eyes, clouding my vision as I lift the corners of my mouth with his confident statement.

He returns the soft smile before continuing on “When Stiles was a little kid, he couldn’t say his first name… not sure why, it pretty much rolls off the tongue–” he jokes, making a face and lifting one of his shoulders. “–but, uh, the closest he could get was ‘Mischief’– and his mother called him that until…” he trails off dropping his eyes to the ground as he chokes up.

When he lifts his head again, he releases a shaky breath and points over towards me, lifting the corners of his mouth “I remember when, uh– when Stiles first got his jeep–” 

I smile back, tears freely falling down my cheeks as he continues, moving his eyes around us all “It belonged to his mother and she wanted him to have it. The first time when he took a spin behind the wheel, he went straight into a ditch. I gave him his first roll of duct tape that day. He was always getting into trouble, but he always had a good heart– _always_. And kid?–” Noah looks at me again, my brows raising in my silent question as he chuckles light heartedly “He _loves_ _you_ with every inch of that heart.”

I let out a shocked, soft hiccup of a breath, feeling everyone’s eyes land on me as I try to hold my emotions back. I knew he must have been a huge part of my life, and I’ve been beyond ready to remember just how big of a part– now more than ever with those words.

Noah sniffs and nods his head with his next words “We’re here tonight because my goofball son decided to drag… Scott and Addy, his _greatest_ friends in the world– who were also known growing up as The Three Musketeers for being partners in crime– into the woods to see a dead body.” ‘ ** _where’s your guys’ usual partner in crime?’ makes sense now_**

I release a shaky breath, looking over towards Scott whose eyes are also clouded with tears. He looks over to me quickly and back at Noah, croaking out his stunned question “How did you remember?”

Noah steps closer to the table, pointing over towards me “It started with Stiles’ jersey”

I breathe in deeply, wiping the tears off my face and smiling softly over towards him before he continues to fill in “Then I found the red string for his crime board– finally his _whole_ room came back, and all the memories… and then the strangest thing happened–”

I sit up straighter, clearing my throat that’s thick with emotion “What kind of strange thing?”

“I thought I saw him” Noah whispers, his brows drawn in with how crazy that sounds. He lifts his hands out in front of him to elaborate his next words “It’s like something opened right there in the middle of the room. Just for a moment– and then it was gone.

Widening my eyes slightly, Scott and I mutter together in our shock “A rift”

Noah makes a face and steps closer to the table with our shared statement, setting his hands against the edge as he leans against it.

“I thought there was only one rift– we saw it disappear.” Malia argues, Scott looking from her and over to Noah to counter “You _remembered_ Stiles… and then a new rift was created.”

“If the Sheriff can do it…” Lydia trails off thoughtfully, looking over towards me as I nod “Then maybe we can too.”

“But that rift closed” Liam states with a little shake of his head.

Scott gets a determined look on his face, lifting his hand off the table to state like it’s no big deal “Then we’ll open it again.”

Noah looks between us, seeing the idea forming behind our eyes “How?”

“By _us_ also remembering Stiles.” I say confidently, Scott looking over towards me and nodding before he finishes my thought “We have to remember _everything_.”


	94. Memory Found

Scott, Malia, Lydia and I run throughout the bunker, sealing and locking up all the entrances from the tunnel.

Lydia runs up the tunnel towards the main door of the bunker that Scott and I are holding open for her. Once she’s running through the doorway, she informs “The tunnel gate is locked. Everything is locked.”

I step back with her into the room while Scott closes the door behind her, lock sliding into place as Malia runs from the other side’s entrance “Think it’ll hold them off?”

“Probably not.” Scott mutters, Lydia and I sharing a look before I grumble “ _Definitely_ not.”

“You guys aren’t hoping _I’m_ gonna be the optimist, are you?” Malia quips, flitting her eyes between the three of us.

I shrug and follow behind Lydia who leads the way over to the device that made us choose the bunker as our hideout for our remembering Stiles plan.

The device is called a cold sarcophagus and she witnessed it being used with Jordan the last time she was in the bunker. He was put into a trance, hypnotic state because of this device. Since a few certain people we know in this room can withstand elements that would normally kill someone, this is our best idea we have on such short notice.

“So, how cold does this thing get?” Scott inquires, stopping his steps in front of the sarcophagus.

“Cold enough for a Hellhound.” Lydia replies and I cross my arms over my front, turning to Scott standing on my other side to elaborate “It’s not the same thing as the ice bath we gave Isaac, but it can lower your core temperature past anything a human can survive.”

“So, what does freezing our asses off have to do with our memories?” Malia questions, not hiding her fear as she moves her eyes between Lydia and I.

I make a noise and fill in “It’ll slow your heart rate and put you in a trance like state.”

“Like hypnosis.” Scott interrupts and Lydia nods before correcting “Hypnotic regression.”

I snort with her wit and look back over to the device in front of us as I murmur “If we can figure out how to work it…”

Malia snaps her hand out to her side, pointing towards two buttons that are green and red “This says ‘start’– so, maybe it’s not that complicated.”

“… _It’s_ complicated.” Scott grumbles, looking on the other side where there are dozens of switches and dials and oxygen levels **_oh my_**

“So, optimistically, how much time do you think we need to do this?” Malia implores, Scott and I sharing a look which I shrug as an answer before he goes with “As much time as Liam and Noah can buy us.”

After Noah told us about the rift he almost opened, him and Liam headed to the station to collect Theo, adding him to their plan to draw the Ghost Riders to them and make sure we’re in the clear while we work through our memories to hopefully open a rift that will stay open.

I breathe in deeply, moving my steps over towards the side with all the dials and switches. I lean closer, moving my eyes around all the levels and make a contemplative noise before I implore “Do you think everything is still set to when Jordan was in this thing?”

“Why does that matter?” Scott asks, walking over towards where I’m standing and I shrug “You and Jordan are both supernatural healing creatures, so whatever level was needed to keep his body temperature down low enough to safely be in a trance should work on you also.”

Scott makes an impressed face, nodding once before he steps back and moves to remove his shirt “Good enough for me, let’s try it.”

We open the door, the deep creaking noise similar to what you’d imagine hearing when opening a door to a dungeon in a castle, while Malia hits the green start button she had pointed out earlier.

The sounds of the machine whirring to life fills the space and Malia turns to Scott “Okay. It’s doing something– you ready?”

He nods and reaches out to rest his hand on my shoulder, smiling softly before he takes a step towards the door.

I let out a breath and grab his arm with both of my hands “Okay wait, remember, this thing will get cold enough to _kill_ you. So, if something feels wrong, or, like it’s not working–”

“It’s going to work” Scott interrupts, reassuring with his words and the look he throws me.

I let out an exasperated noise, drawing my brows inwards as I counter “I hope you’re not saying that because you think I know what I’m doing?”

Scott lifts the corners of his lips, turning to face me completely as he sets his hands on my shoulders. He shakes my shoulders softly as he states “I’m saying that because I _know_ you can figure it out.”

I let out a shaky breath, **_telling the tears to back off because we have zero time for them at the moment_** , and instead I nod.

Scott squeezes my shoulders once, climbing into the capsule pod looking thing and closing the door behind him.

He faces the glass window on the door, looking to take a few calming breaths and offering a nod of reassurance offer towards Malia while Lydia goes about sealing the door with the three red handle lock levers on our side.

Lydia looks over towards me and nods before she turns the dials controlling the temperature. All four dials get turned from zero to ten and the inside of the pod immediately blasts with cold frosty air a moment later.

Scott gasps, his arms crossing over his chest as his eyes slam closed “Oh, okay. All right– yeah, that’s cold. _Really_ fucking cold.”

“So, what are we supposed to do? Talk to him? Help him remember? Wait ‘til he turns into a Werewolf freezy pop?” Malia rambles out her freaked out questions and I look over towards her, reassuring with a soft smile “We need to guide him and help keep him focused.”

Scott hisses in pain, clenching his teeth as he breathes through being absolutely freezing. I set my hand on the door, leaning closer towards the glass and trying to keep my voice comforting and even in tone “Scotty, you have to think about him.”

Scott opens his eyes a little bit, just enough to connect his gaze with mine and nod that he’s hearing me before I go on “Concentrate on Stiles– try to picture him in your head. Think about what he looks like, things he’s said…”

The machine makes a noise like it’s powering down, our eyes moving frantically around the switches trying to figure out what’s happening.

Scott grunts in pain and I shake my head as I push off the door “I don’t like this– something’s wrong.”

“Wait. Give it a few more seconds.” Lydia offers, setting her hand on my forearm as we watch Scott drop his head forward on another painful grunt and he slams one of his hands, open palm, against the glass window.

“I’m getting him out of there.” Malia declares, reaching over towards one of the lock levers and I, in turn, quickly reach out to stop her movements when I remember the same process with Isaac’s ice bath “Wait!”

A few, longer than they actually were, seconds later– Scott’s shoulders sag, his hand slowly falling from the window as he raises his head to look straight on towards us, his Alpha red eyes shining brightly “Scott… Can you hear me? Scotty– can you hear me?”

His eyes droop closed and when he opens them they are back to his brown color and he looks like he’s going to pass out.

I press my hands against the window again as I calmly try to stress “Scotty, don’t fall asleep. You _have_ to keep your eyes open.”

“I’m trying…” comes his mumbled reply as he head flops forward before he lifts it up again and I tap my fingers on the glass in front of him “It’s not sleep. I think you’re losing consciousness… and, if you do that, I think we’re gonna _lose_ you…”

“Scott, _stay awake_! Scott!” Malia bellows, Scott’s eyes seem to focus but he looks a million miles away.

“Scott… try to find him– try to find him in your memories. Find him in any memory, good or bad!” Lydia commands and I set my hand on her arm.

Lydia snaps her eyes over to me as she rushes out “What do we do? Should we be trying something else to get through to him?”

I shrug, my eyes never leaving Scotty’s face “Maybe, because he doesn’t look good.”

“What’s happening to him?” Malia frantically questions and I shake my head as I whisper “He looks lost.”

Scott flicks his head in every direction, looking like he’s hearing voices coming at him over and over again. The realization making me draw my brows together “I think he is lost, I think it’s too much information. Noah said growing up we were friends with Stiles so that’s what?… at least fourteen, give or take a few, years of memories? He’s getting buried under all the memories, they’re overloading him.”

“So what do we do to help him?” Malia exclaims and I press my hands on the glass, desperately wanting to help him as Lydia tries again “Scott? Can you hear me? You have to try to focus!”

Scott silently reaches his arms up, slamming his hands on the sides of his head as he scrunches up his face in pain and bends forward.

I keep my hands on the glass, desperately trying to figure out a way to get through to him so he can focus on a memory instead of however many thousands are crashing through his mind right now.

“You hear that?” Malia questions from over near the bunker door and I resist the urge to roll my eyes “Let me guess… thunder?”

“Maybe” Malia digresses and Lydia sighs next to me “This isn’t working”

I close my eyes and rest my forehead against the glass in between my hands, hearing them continue on behind me “Then we have to figure something else out” Malia offers before Lydia agrees “I know, I know”

“Is he gonna freeze to death in there?” Malia questions and I return with my own helpless mumble “If his memories don’t kill him…”

Malia groans in frustration, her feelings for my brother making me smile to myself despite the scary situation “There has to be another way to do this… isn’t there?”

“I don’t know! This is my first attempt at trying to open a dimensional rift in space-time, so I’m kind of fumbling around in the dark, okay?” Lydia’s anxious reply has my head snapping up off the glass to look over towards them, Malia stepping forward again “I’m getting him out”

“Wait!” I exclaim, both sets of eyes landing on me as I motion my hand out in front of me “We’re not the only ones fumbling around in the dark.”

“What does that mean?” Malia questions and I look over to Lydia as I work out my thoughts “I think we have to treat this more like _actual_ hypnosis. They use images to guide you through memories, right? Like a stairwell– the steps take you down through one year of your life to the next. That’s how they regress you back.”

Lydia nods, lifting her hand up beside her as she points towards me “You’re right, he needs to imagine something like a stairwell– any ideas?”

“Yes–” I mutter, turning back towards the glass “Scott? Can you hear me?”

I wait a few seconds before I continue “Scotty, listen to my voice– focus on my voice and stop trying to focus on the memories. Imagine this– imagine you’re in the high school, visualize yourself in the corridor where all the lockers are. Just try to imagine standing there in front of the wall of lockers. That’s where your memories are– they’re all locked away in the lockers. They’re locked behind each one– every memory of Stiles is in a separate locker. Scotty, you’re there, in the high school in front of the lockers– you’re standing there now.”

Scott stops moving, dropping his hands from the side of his head as he seems to be listening to my guidance. He’s staring straight ahead, hopefully going through the lockers in his mind and searching the memories.

It’s a few seconds later when we hear him shout, the three of us flinching back from his sudden outburst “Addy! I need your help. I don’t think I can do this– I can’t– I can’t figure it out!”

“Keep looking through the lockers, Scotty– you can do this, just try to stay calm and open one at a time.”

“There are memories, but I don’t know which one’s the right one. What am I supposed to do?”

Lydia steps forward, calling out to him “Find another memory, just find another memory”

The glass on the widow is frosting over in the corners, slowly creeping down towards the middle of the glass and I release a soft gasp “It’s getting too cold– he’s getting too cold.”

Lydia and Malia step up beside me, looking at our limited time frame the frost is showing with me.

A thought slams through my head and I look over towards them “What if it’s not just enough to remember him? Scott said there are memories, he just doesn’t know which one is the _right_ one… what if that’s what’s missing? He needs a connection he’s supposed to make _because_ of the memory?”

“Like an emotional connection?” Lydia questions and I nod “That’s why it worked for Stilinski, right?”

Lydia makes a noise, almost like a scoff as she replies “All right but he wasn’t just remembering someone– he was remembering his _son_.”

“Right but Stiles and Scott were like brothers” I reply, absentmindedly. The words just falling from my lips, earning the three of us to share confused glances.

Lydia points over towards me, scrunching her lips out and tilting her head to the side in her confusion “How do you know that?”

Shaking my head quickly once, I mutter thoughtfully “I just do” before I turn back and rest my hands on the glass again “Scotty, listen I remembered something… you and Stiles weren’t just friends– he used to say you guys were more like _brothers_. Find a memory where you _knew_ he was more like your brother than anything else…”

Scott’s eyes look even more focused, a few more seconds passing before a bright light shines above us.

There’s a deep rumble of a noise as the light is breaking through like cracks in the ceiling and I quickly tilt my head back to look at it **_holy rift it’s working_**

“Lyds–” I trail off in wonder, looking at the light and what that most definitely could mean.

“Is it working?” She ponders and I nod ever so slightly “Noah said he saw a bright light once he remembered–” Scott’s heart rate dropping makes the machine produce an awful noise, interrupting what I was about to say.

We quickly get to work unlatching the levels and open the door to get him out of there as soon as it’s unlocked.

We swing the door open, Malia and I each grabbing his arms before we tumble to the ground with him falling onto his knees.

He looks up and around at us as he croaks “What? What’s wrong? Why’d you bring me out?”

Lydia hands me his shirt and I drape it over his back as I answer him, “Your heart rate dropped– you were gonna die–”

“We had to” Malia nods, Scott helplessly looking around “But, then… but then nothing happened did it? It didn’t work?”

I smile sadly and point above us and slightly to the right “There was a noise and a light cracked over there but it went away as soon as the door was unlatched.”

“I’m going back in–” Scott declares and pushes up to walk back to the machine.

I stand up just as quickly and stop him by wrapping my hand around his wrist “No you’re not!”

“It was working– something was happening I could feel it” he argues and Malia shakes her head “You’re still too cold”

Scott groans in frustration and turns to me “We _can’t_ give up now. Addy, if you’re not letting me back in there, I think you need to be next.”

I jerk my head back slightly, pointing over my shoulder towards the ice machine “Me? I won’t last two minutes in there.”

“I know that, which is why you and Lydia are going to figure out a different way because you were right, Addy– it was about the connection. The memory I found after you said Stiles and I were like brothers– that was it.”

I shrug nervously “Okay then why are you suggesting it be me?”

Scott smiles softly and urges “When I was remembering him, I was also remembering the two of you together. What Noah said, I want– I want you to remember for yourself– but he was right about how Stiles feels about you… I don’t think anyone had a connection like you guys.”

I release a shaky breath, digesting his words before I whisper so softly without his heightened hearing he may not have heard me “What if I let you and him down– what if I can’t do it… remember him?”

“Addy–” Scott shakes his head on a soft breath, bordering on a chuckle. After waiting a beat he licks his lips quickly, the corners of his lips turning up as he nods towards me “What do you remember about the night we rescued you from Eichen– when we took you to Deaton’s?”

Taking a deep breath, my eyes fall to his shoulder as I try to remember that night “I uh– well not much really, I mean I remember Jordan stopped me from screaming when we were escaping, you driving me to the animal clinic, being in so much pain I just wanted to die to get it to stop. I remember being so scared I was going to kill you with my scream– but when Deaton injected the mistletoe I couldn’t hold it back. I screamed, I screamed so loud all the windows shattered into pieces and everything just went dark and so, _so_ silent… I uh– I thought I killed everyone in that room. I thought I may have even killed myself.”

“That’s what I was referring to.” Scott mumbles, my eyes snapping up to his with my question “What were you referring to?”

He clears his throat, his face taking on a more serious note “The darkness you felt– the silence… I remember it all. I remember holding my breath and watching Stiles hold onto you, setting his hands onto the sides of your face. He was begging for your life– begging for you to just _wake_ up and look at him. He was breaking apart, right there in front of me I could hear him breaking apart every second you wouldn’t respond… Addy, I didn’t– I couldn’t hear a _single_ heartbeat come from you since those windows shattered and you fell back on the table. I was desperately searching for even the faintest sound as I blocked out the other heartbeats of the room, in between his pleas for you to wake up– I still was always one heartbeat short– you were dead.”

The room is silent, Lydia wiping a few stray tears away as Scott continues to share a memory he now remembers that I wasn’t ever aware of. I never lost this memory because I wasn’t awake, or apparently alive, for it.

Scott has all my attention as he breathes in deeply, releasing a shaky breath, “I couldn’t even fathom what not hearing your heartbeat meant, I think I was in too much shock to actually process not having you in my life. I remember the most prominent feeling was the grief I already felt coming, the violent flashbacks to holding Allison in my arms as she died. I remember thinking ‘How the hell am I gonna survive having to voice to my best friend– tell him that the girl he loves is dead, and how in the hell am I gonna live the rest of my life knowing my sister– my literal other half died and I couldn’t save her.”

Tears are freely falling down my cheeks with Scott’s emotion filled voice, I have no hope of stopping them because even though I know I obviously didn’t die, I can’t handle the emotion of hearing what he, and apparently Stiles, went through that night.

Malia has tears in her eyes and is moving them back and forth between us, while Lydia has reached over and has my hand clasped tightly in hers.

Knowing what we went through with losing Allison, I don’t even want to attempt to think about what it would have been like to lose Lydia shortly after. So Scott rehashing that _that_ was almost what she went through had I _stayed_ dead, has me squeezing her hand right back.

Scott tries to clear the emotion from his throat, however, his voice still gives way and betrays him “Stiles kept looking from you and over at me, almost like he was begging for me to do something– to do anything to help you or to give him confirmation that what we thought was happening was not in a million years _happening_ right then. I just– I just stood there, absolutely frozen because I knew _exactly_ how he felt– it felt like he was holding his own life, his whole future planned ahead with that person. His whole world shattered into pieces within seconds, knowing nothing will ever feel the same because he would still be alive in a world where you weren’t. I thought it was all over– I knew deep down that there was no way to bring you back to life, no supernatural tricks up our sleeves could ever fix this– everything was gone– _you_ were gone.”

Smiling sadly, Scott doesn’t wait long before he finishes his how I woke from the dead story time “It was Stiles. No super powers, no extraordinary trick– it was just Stiles being the _spark_ to your life. Stiles repeatedly asking you to open your eyes, urging you to wake up and just be with him again… and after the longest two minutes of our lives… you woke up.”

Scott swipes his thumb and forefinger across his eyes, me doing the same with the sleeve of my shirt. I clear my throat and sniffle, connecting my eyes with his “I’m sorry I put you through that– why has no one ever told me this before?”

“Yeah or me?” Lydia exclaims, earning chuckles from us before Scott makes a noise and lifts a shoulder “Stiles and I discussed it before, we thought as long as you were alive and still here– it wasn’t important for you to know.”

I nod with his statement “Fair enough, so why now? Why did you decide to share that with me right now?”

Scott scoffs, looking at Lydia and Malia for support as he raises his arms out to his sides “Because that’s huge Addy! I mean, sure one could argue that _that_ was some medical thing where your heart stopped for a few minutes and then you woke up– however I _know_ it was Stiles that brought you back. You guys have a special connection, a bond that can’t be broken. It’s always felt like– like you guys have your own language. And that’s why we felt his presence– that’s why we didn’t fully forget him because _YOU_ never forgot him Addy. You were the one who figured it out, the rest of us be damned because you were not giving up on him. You’re the second half of the equation, the second side to the same coin– you’re not going to let him down because you can do this. You’re going to have no problem remembering him and you’re going to bring him back.”

Lydia nods and walks up beside us, her teary eyed smile bringing more tears to my eyes “I may not remember him or the two of you together, but I know deep down in my gut that he’s right Addy– Scott remembering Stiles broke the rift open a fraction of the way, you’re the key to break that thing wide open and bring him back.”

I breathe in deeply as I digest their words. I know what I’ve been feeling since Stiles was taken from us, so I know we have a connection like they’re saying and I’m to the point where I need to remember. I need to remember him and what we are to each other because I haven’t felt right in weeks. I’ve felt like I’ve been missing a part of me… **_and I’m ready to have that part back._**

I move my eyes between hers, offering a single _lets do this_ nod and smiling confidently to push the nerves down “Looks like we get to do this the old fashioned way and actually hypnotize me– any chance you know how to do that?”

Lydia beams, nodding with her words “My mother had a hypnotist who helped her quit smoking, she had me see the same one when I was ten– I can definitely guide you through this.”

“You smoked when you were _ten_?” Scott mutters incredulously earning Lydia to sigh as she walks over to the table to get our chairs situated “No– I bit my fingernails smartass. Just find a lighter and a candle please.”

Listing off the supplies, we get to searching around the bunker for the items. Malia and Scott head to the side of the room where there are cabinets and drawers attached to workbenches while I take off my sweater, leaving me in a long sleeve mint colored henley **_to be comfy according to hypnosis 101_**

Malia finds a blow torch and clicks it on, looking at the rushing blue light emanating from the end “Too much?”

Lydia shrugs like it’s the best we got and Scott walks over to Malia with his finding of a candle “I got one”

Malia grabs the candle from his hand and walks over to place the candle in front of me, placing the blow torch near the wick. It lights and she turns off the blow torch, setting it on the ground near the table as Lydia sits in front of me.

“Any reference to what you want me to use to guide you? Books in a library, lockers like Scott, or–”

“I have an idea” Scott interrupts, a smirk playing on his lips that has me narrowing my eyes “What?”

“Just trust me” comes his reply as he writes something down and I roll my eyes with his secrecy while Lydia reads what he wrote.

Lydia looks like she doesn’t get it, but nods nonetheless and has me rest my palms on the table comfortably before having me close my eyes.

Her soft, calming voice fills the space between us, instantly putting me in a trance “Take a deep breath and focus on my voice. Feel the muscles in your body begin to relax… your feet and hands relaxing, your shoulders and your eyelids relaxing… nice and even deep breaths and as you relax imagine you’re standing in your room. In front of where you are standing, is a large plexiglass crime board with your desk beside it. Sitting on top of your desk are two boxes and in those boxes are pieces of paper. Each piece of paper is a memory of your life with Stiles–”

True to her words when I open my eyes, I’m in my room standing in front of the crime board I had seen when I was in Stiles’ room and everything slowly had appeared.

Lydia’s voice continues to filter around me “There’s red tape in a dispenser mounted to the side of the crime board– that tape gives you _complete_ control to hang whatever memory on that paper to the board in front of you. As soon as it’s taped to the board, the memory will play out– all you have to do is attach the tape on the paper to the board or rip it off…”

Seeing the boxes beside me, I reach inside one of them and pull out a piece of paper, rip off a piece of tape and place it against the board. Like the paper was a little tv screen, the memory plays out:

_–“Well that my dear Watson is the best part… they only found half”_

I gasp, seeing who I remember to be Stiles– although he’s younger– the night he wanted to go looking for the body.

Instantly the memory unlocks the fact that I remember he calls me Watson and I call him Sherlock, our nicknames because of our love for figuring everything out.

Quickly I reach into the box and pull out a handful of papers, taping them all onto the board and watching more of the memories play out:

– _“Adds, show me your blues”_

– _“Fucking A woman don’t you first name me–”_  
– _“You first named me first!”_

– _“Just promise me that you won’t willingly throw yourself in front of a bone saw ever again.”_

– _“You know, the past three hours, I’ve been thinking, it’s probably just the full moon, you know, he doesn’t even know what he’s doing, and tomorrow, he’ll be totally back to normal. He probably won’t even remember what a complete fuckwad he’s been. A fucking unbelievable piece of shit friend, and an even worse brother.”_

Moving my eyes over the tiny screens on the papers, I slowly take them down leaving one against the board that has my heart pounding and butterflies filling my stomach in such a familiar way:

– _“You wanna dance?”_  
– _“Hard pass”_  
– _“Hard pa– you know what? Let me try that again– Addy, get off your cute little ass and dance with me now.”_  
– _“Just because I’m sitting here alone doesn’t mean I want a pity dance, Stiles.”_  
– _“Addy McCall, you are going to dance with me. I don’t care that you have excuses for every foot that you are tall. I don’t care if your feet are hurting in shoes that don’t even remotely resemble your Converse you’re always in. I don’t want to dance with you out of pity. I want to dance with my best friend, because we made a pact when we were 8 that we would not only attend this thing, but that we would dance our first dance together– no matter what. I want to dance with the only person who has kept me alive and sane these past few weeks– I want to dance with the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.”_

The memories from the night of the winter formal come flooding through my head. Seeing Stiles in the parking lot, seeing the love in his eyes that I had my blinders on from seeing because I thought he loved someone else. The way he asked me to dance and once we were dancing, how safe and absolutely perfect it felt to be in his arms.

Lydia’s voice filters through my head “Find another memory Addy, Keep looking for Stiles– find another memory.”

Ripping those memories off the board and letting the now blank papers filter to the floor by my feet, I tape more onto the board and set my hands on the sides as I watch these memories play out in each piece of paper:

– _“Girls always know, Sherlock”_  
– _“Al– always, Watson?”_

– _“Abominable Snowman and a Winter Fairy. But, uh, it’s more of, like, a wintertime thing, you know– seasonal.”_

– _“Addy– Jackson’s distracted you have to run”_  
– _“No”_  
– _“Adds seriously go”_  
– _“I’m not leaving you”_

– _“You’re the wisest person I know Addy McCall”_

– _“Where is she?!”_

– _“Hey turn it off!”_

– _“But you know how I’ll feel if something happens to you? I’ll be devastated. And if you die, I can’t– I will literally go out of my fuckin’ mind.”_  
– _“You can either stay here and continue to be pissed off at our supernatural life we were thrown into, or you can come help me. That choice is yours but what you don’t get to do is continue to yell at me for doing something you would do if this were any other day.”_

That was one of our first fights, the night he was taken by Gerard– also the night of the lacrosse game where I came to the realization that not only was I in love with him at that moment, I always had been. Pushing those feelings down to remain his friend when I thought he was love stricken by Lydia did not last long.

Again I rip those down, feeling even more anxious to find the right memory– the right connection to bring him back. 

I tape more papers up, watching those memories play out and remembering the feeling of being loved by him.

– _“You just got back and you already almost died”_

– _“Of course I’m okay, you just turned into a human shield for me– are you okay?”_

– _“Maybe my face just has, like, a naturally interrogatory exp– expression, my dear Watson.”_

– _“I just don’t want you thinking that I– that we–”_  
– _“Shouldn’t really matter what I think though right?”_  
– _“No, Adds–”_

– _“Okay then scream– Addy, scream.”_

– _“Ooh–how’d you do that?”_  
– _“I, uh–I remember reading one of those pamphlets in the hospital waiting room once that said– ho– holding your breath could stop a panic attack– So when I kissed you– you were shocked enough to hold your breath”_  
– _“I was– I did?”_  
– _“Yeah– you did”_  
– _“Thanks– that was really smart”_  
– _“I just– I don’t know– needed something to do quickly– I’m sorry–”_  
– _“Don’t apologize Adds, you literally saved me with a kiss”_

Our first kiss– That was the moment it all changed. Being in love with him was one thing, but it was always from afar. It was hugs and the occasional hand hold as we ran for our lives or one of us was upset. 

That kiss was like fireworks and every cheesy ending of a rom com you can come up with to describe it. Nothing had ever felt as right as when I pressed my lips to his. The moment may not have been ideal but when he held my hip tighter and kissed me back, I knew Stiles Stilinski just ruined me for any hope of attempting to find another person more suited for me than him.

Though it was a close second to this kiss, the one after I blurted out that I was in love with him. I smile, tears rolling down my cheeks as I set my hands on either side of the paper and watch the best moment of my life play out in front of me

– _“You heard what I said. Is it really that crazy for you to imagine in that incredibly brilliant brain of yours? That I could love you, that I am in love with you? That I have been in love with you since we were 8–_ ”  
– _“I’m in love with you, Adds”_  
– _“You– you are? What? When? I thought–”_  
– _“I’ve been in love with you since before I even fully grasped what the feeling was.”_

– _“Addy McCall, I am so in love with you.”_  
– _“I know”_  
– _“It’s always been you, Adds.”_

“Addy, keep going! Find more memories.” Lydia’s voice filters through the room and I take those memories down, looking to the last four still hanging up.

– _“I know how much early summer storms are your favorite to sit and watch, paired with the city lights– I thought tonight was the perfect night for a little escape from our crazy life”_

–“ _Adds, shut up and let me save your life.”_

– _“Adds, you are so much apart of the vision it may scare you a bit”_  
– _“Try me, Stilinski”_  
– _“Let’s just say, the only way I will accept you not being in my life is the day you finally realize you’re too good for me– even then I’m not above begging you to settle for me.”_

Stiles Stilinski is the blindest person I know, he’s so focused on me being out of his league he doesn’t even realize how much of a catch he his– how much calling it ‘settling’ to be with him is so the opposite of how lucky I am to be with him. How lucky I am to be loved by him.

One last piece of paper on the board has a chill running through me, straight to my bones as I watch it play

_–“There isn’t Adds– baby I’m going to be erased, okay? Just like Alex– you’re gonna forget me.”  
–“I won’t! No, I won’t– I won’t because I still remember you now when everyone–”_

I feel a hiccup of a sob catch in my throat, realizing that premonition wasn’t of someone else. 

It was Stiles and me in the jeep the night he was taken **_I saw it all happen_** “I saw him– I was there. I was the last person to see him.”

I must have said that out of my head as well because Scott sets his hands on my shoulders, the vision of my room falling away and the dim lighted bunker coming into view.

Scott kneels beside me, moving my eyes from the table to connect with his as he questions softly “Where? When did you see him?”

My voice cracks, tears flowing in a constant stream as the memory plays out in my mind, no longer forgotten “The Ghost Riders, they took– the night they took him. We were in the Jeep trying to get away…”

 _–“Adds, you will. Just try– try to find some way to remember me okay?”_  
–“Show me your blues, baby”  
–“Just remember… Remember, I love you”

“They took him, right from my hands they just took him before I could say it back” I croak out, a silent sob shaking my shoulders as I close my eyes tightly.

I remember everything. 

I remember everything we have been through together and apart. 

I remember walking up to him in preschool, sharing my carpet square with him and beginning our friendship. Him, Scott and I being inseparable when we were growing up, calling ourselves The Three Musketeers like Noah said.

How he protected me from the Suit when he was too shit faced to be a parent. Stiles would let Scott and I come over and stay the night, and once Scott fell asleep– Stiles would hold me as I fell asleep. We were just kids and yet I have never felt more protected by someone than I do by him.

Stiles’ mom dying and how much I tried to be there for him with what little I knew about being there for someone when I was eight.

Knowing now that I fell in love with him that summer after how much time I had spent with him after his mom passed, just the two of us and seeing a different side to him than he let Scott see. 

Breaking my arm and Stiles carrying me to the car, sitting in the backseat with me and never leaving my side once we stepped foot in the hospital. He held my hand when they reset my arm, he picked out the color of the cast and drew pictures and pick me up sayings all over that thing.

Stiles has been in love with me for longer than I ever knew and he never missed a chance to show me just how deep that love ran. He always protected me, always saved my life since the supernatural invaded our lives. He never missed an opportunity to grab me, shield me, protect me, look after me, or make sure I was safe.

I didn’t need to find one memory to have a connection, because it’s all of my memories with Stiles. Our connection started when we were four and our lives have been so intricately woven that it doesn’t even surprise me that I haven’t felt whole since he was taken. 

Stiles Stilinski is fiercely over protective, a stubborn butthead on a good day, funnier than anyone I’ve ever met and my best friend through it all.

Stiles is my comfort, my saving grace and the love of my life– _he is my home._

A bright spotlight shines above us, all our eyes lifting to the ceiling before the ground violently shakes below our feet. All the items in the bunker on the shelves start to shake and rattle, sliding off the shelves and crashing down onto the ground as I hold onto the table with the others.

We all share a look when the ground stops shaking before my eyes snap to the bunker door and the rift that I know is open on the other side.

_**Stiles** _

I make a noise in my throat, an audible gasp as I’m out of my seat and rushing over towards the door.

Quickly throwing the bolt back into place I open the door and swing it wide open, seeing a bright white light at the end of the tunnel in front of us.

Scott and Lydia stand on each side of me, Malia standing on the other side of Scott as we step into the tunnel outside of the bunker door.

A gust of wind blows throughout the tunnel, rustling the air down the corridor that has my hand coming up to protect my eyes.

Though what I see next has my hand dropping down to my side, my eyes widening and my mouth parting in shock.

A shadow, a definite outline of a man appears in the light that is too bright to see their face, however those shoulders and the way he’s standing? I’d know that shadow anywhere.

I suck in a sharp breath, swallowing thickly to give myself a moment before my soft, whisper of a voice fills the space in front of us “Stiles?”


	95. Riders on the Storm

_Stiles POV_

As I have for countless minutes and hours since I’ve been here, I walk over to the bulletin board hanging on the wall in this god forsaken waiting area. My eyes move over the cities on the list, looking over the arrival times and noticing Beacon Hills no longer says Delayed– instead it reads On Time.

My attention is drawn to the ground though as a gust of wind blows some leaves littering the floor around my feet. 

Narrowing my eyes when I see a train ticket slide out from under the door in front of me, I bend forward to pick it up.

An echo of _“Stiles”_ has my movements stalling as the wind is knocked out of me. I haven’t heard her voice in what seems like forever and I quickly stand up straight, moving my eyes around me trying to find her.

 _“Stiles… Stiles”_ I hear her again, each time more urgent than the last. No way was she taken, I may want to see her more than I need anything else at the moment but I don’t want her stuck in this nightmare “Adds?”

I move towards the crowd of people sitting down, however the beeping of the PA system blares loudly before a voice chimes over the line “Attention all passengers– the train will be arriving in twenty five minutes.”

The rows and rows of people who were sitting on the benches all stand up and move in a massive crowd towards where I’m trying to push my way through “Addy!”

 _“Stiles?”_ I hear her again, her voice giving me energy to continue to push through the crowd that is unrelenting in letting me easily get by “Addy!”

_“Stiles? Stiles, look at me.”_

Look at you? Where the hell are you? Addy has a brightness to her, a light that always seems to surround her– so she should be like a beacon in this dark and dreary world I’ve been living in for who knows how long. 

I search the crowd, pushing my way through as best I can looking for her blonde hair and her bright blue eyes that make me feel alive “Adds, wait!”

_“Stiles!”_

A series of gunshots erupt from the other side of the crowd, it wasn’t the same sound the Riders’ gunshots make though and my eyes quickly scan the crowd fro the source.

When I notice an arm raised in the air holding a gun above the top of the crowd, my eyes widen as I take in whose face I see next to the raised arm “Give the boy some room.”

“Dad? Dad!” I rush forward, dad instantly wrapping his arms around me when our chests crash together, my arms encircling his back as well as I choke out “Oh thank god.”

“Oh, I found you– I can’t believe I found you.” he mumbles, more to himself I’m sure than to me– however it doesn’t stop the smile from forming on my lips.

I let out an unbelievable breath that he’s here, he knows who I am and he’s fucking here, standing in front of me.

Slapping him on the back of his shoulder, I pull back from him “Dad, I can hear Addy. I think– I think I can go to her… I think she can get us out of here.”

Dad smiles, so much emotion shining in his eyes as he nods once “You bet your ass she can get you out of here– that girl… she’s something else– she _made_ me remember everything. She never gave up on you, kid.”

Well if I wasn’t already head over heels in love with her, I think my heart might just explode from the feeling his words just produced. Yeah, I need to find her– like now.

We hear the approaching gallops of the Riders and their horses, dad raises his gun ready for a fight and points in the other direction with his command “You need to get out here, don’t worry about me.”

Not even able to hold back my scoff if I tried, I draw my brows inwards “What? You’re kidding, right?”

Dad sets his hand on my shoulder “Go– get help. Find your girl and your friends!”

“Yeah? And what about you?”

He just smirks, believing his next words without a shadow of a doubt “We’ll find each other again.”

“Dad–”

“Stiles… I’ll hold them back. Now, get the hell out of here– go… go!”

I scrunch my face up with his words, hating turning away from him but knowing I’m no use in here. We need a plan and the only way to free everyone from in here is to break something open from the other side.

So I turn, I turn and head through the dark tunnel way I last was in with Peter when he made his escape. 

There’s a massive white light, emanating in waves where the grey mist of death clouds resided before. There’s a strong gust of wind pushing against my steps and through the wind I hear _her_ again _“Stiles, keep going. I remember you, I remember everything–”_

The closer I get to the light the harder it’s pushing me back, however, with her voice urging me forward and knowing she’s on the other side– I push back twice as hard against the force.

I push forward grabbing onto her words, her voice the guiding path for me to pass through the rift. As soon as I’m completely encircled with the bright white light, I land with a grunt. 

Realizing I’m in the jeep, I reach up and grab onto the wheel with both of my hands, pulling myself up to a seated position as my wide eyes move around.

The jeep is already on, my headlights shining brightly towards the school. My breathing is quick, still processing that this is real– I’m not in the train station anymore… I’m sitting in Roscoe in front of the school because of Addy–

Throwing the jeep in reverse I back out of the spot, switching to drive before I’m out of the parking lot in no time. 

I have no idea where she is, no idea where anyone is or if anyone is even still in this city. I push all the doubt out of my mind and make a mental list of where to go looking for her first.

All I can think about is getting to her, making sure she’s safe and okay. Putting the jeep into a higher gear, I slam on the gas as I turn onto a side street, heading straight for her house.

***  
 _Addy POV_

It looks like the shadow is moving forward, however it doesn’t look like he’s getting any closer to us “Stiles! Keep going! I can see you, Stiles! Don’t stop!”

The light fades, taking with it the outline of the person I know beyond anything was Stiles. The next moment the bright white is gone, nothing but an empty dark tunnel is left in front of us.

I shake my head and move my eyes around every space and corner, just waiting for him to come into view **_he doesn’t_**

“Stiles?” I whisper, letting out a shaky breath and feeling a fresh wave of tears prick the corners of my eyes.

“Addy?–” Scott softly trails off and I turn around quickly, my voice cracking “Where is he? It was working– you saw him, right?”

Malia flicks her eyes between us, the look that flashes over her face like a swift punch to my gut “…we didn’t see anyone.”

Moving my eyes over them and seeing the same sad, pitiful look adorning their faces, I close my eyes and quickly turn back around to the still dark, Stiles no where in sight tunnel “No, he was here. I know it– Stiles was here.”

Scott reaches forward, setting his hand on my arm to pull me towards them. He sets his hand on my back guiding me into the bunker behind Malia and Lydia.

Crossing my arms over my front, I turn to face him as Scott moves to close the door again, however a hand followed by a shoulder stops him “Liam!”

Liam comes into view of the doorway, flitting his eyes between us and licking his lips nervously “There’s something you need to see.”

“You’re still here…” Scott trails off, Liam nodding before he digresses “But everyone else is gone. All of them– they’re all gone. Look, you have to come with me.”

Drawing my brows in I nod towards him with my question “What is it?”

Liam shakes his head, stammering out quickly as he connects his eyes with Scott again “I can’t explain it– I have to show you.”

Scott nods, replying through a sigh “Uh… all right. You guys stay here– just in case.”

“In case Stiles comes back?” Malia offers, Scott flicking his gaze to mine as he urges softly “If there’s any hope, you need to keep trying.”

I offer him a quick nod which he softens his face at before he turns and shuts the door to the bunker, leaving with Liam.

I stare after the door, though my thoughts are what happened _outside_ of the door **_specifically the rift I know was opened_**

I know I saw Stiles out there, I just can’t figure out where he went.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Malia look from me to the door two times before she sets her hand on my arm, gaining my full attention as she walks past me and over towards the door.

“What are you doing?” Lydia questions, causing my eyes to move from her and over to Malia with my shared silent question.

Malia connects her eyes with mine and smirks “We’re gonna go find Stiles.”

Lydia shares a look with me, though I’m not in total agreement with her next words “Scott told us to stay in case he shows up here.”

Malia shrugs, looking down the tunnel and back over towards us “Stiles isn’t coming here. If he was, he would’ve, and he hasn’t– so he’s not. You still think it worked, right?”

Not wavering my eyes from hers, I nod once “I know I saw him.”

Malia nods, nothing but support flashing in her eyes “And you’re never wrong about these things.”

“I wouldn’t say never…” I grumble, Lydia snorts beside me as she fights to hold off her smile and Malia throws us a look as she urges “But right now?”

My face clears of any humor, sharing a look with Lydia before I look back to Malia and answer her “Right now, I’m not wrong. Stiles is out there– I _can feel_ it.”

Malia lifts the corners of her lips, stating as she turns out of view of the doorway “Then what are we doing standing here?”

Lydia smirks towards me, nodding her head towards the door and we quickly follow behind Malia and make our way out of the tunnels.

We climb into Lydia’s car and figure since Stiles was taken from the school, maybe that’s where the rift took him to return to our side of the world.

Pulling up to the school and making our way through the empty parking lot, I suck in a breath as I notice just how empty the lot is– specifically of a blue jeep that has been parked here for what seems like ever **_it’s gone_**

Lydia parks the car and I’m out of my door in seconds, walking up to the spot I know it was parked in. I see two tire marks that look just fresh enough to be my luck that he was here and he already left.

I kneel down onto the pavement, placing my hands near the marks as I investigate closer

“These look fresh.” Lydia chimes in from my side as she comes to a stop to stand next to me.

I nod as I vocalize my thoughts “They’re from Stiles’ jeep– he had to have just left.”

“Don’t you still have his keys?” Lydia questions and I tilt my head back to look up at her, shrugging a shoulder “Yes, but half the time he got it started with a screwdriver. He’s here, we have to tell Scott”

“We should probably tell Scott about that, too.” Malia mutters distractedly and I lean back on my legs, lifting my eyes up to her and moving them over across the parking lot towards where she’s pointing.

I set my hands on my knees and immediately stand up, my eyes widening slightly at what we see in front of us. There’s a huge train track coming from the woods and going right through the front lawn towards the school.

The three of us share a look before we walk over to the cement Beach Hills High School sign in the front lawn and the train tracks leading into the school quad.

We walk on the tracks, following them into the school grounds until we get to the doors of the library. The windows on and beside the doors show bright lights from lamp posts that definitely don’t belong coming from inside.

Malia looks over to me and I nod before we step off the tracks and each grab a door handle, pulling the doors open. 

My brows raise instantly seeing the lower level of the library no longer has the desks and tables in the center, instead there’s rows and rows of benches with people sitting on them.

The benches and lamp posts look like something out of a train station and Malia voices the same thought I’m on “Why’s there a train station in the middle of the library?”

“There’s also a train station in the Wild Hunt” I digress, Malia looking over to me as she hesitantly questions “Any chance they’re connected?”

I make a noise and move my eyes back over the crowd in front of us “I’d say high– like one hundred percent.”

Lydia makes a noise, turns to me and hands me her car keys “Here, you go find Scott and we’ll stay here to investigate this–”

I bring my brows together looking from the keys in my hand, up to her face and over to the train station slash library we just found “But–”

Lydia squeezes my hand, smiling softly “But nothing my dear, hell Stiles may even have already found him so you’ll kill two birds. Go get your man and bring him back here so we can figure out what to do next.”

***

_Stiles POV_

Quickly running up to the side door off their kitchen, I find it open and rush inside “Addy! Scott?–”

I run through the dark kitchen towards the stairs, taking notice of just how quiet the whole house is as I set my hand on the banister. The eerily quietness surrounding me still doesn’t stop me from calling out one more time up the stairs “Adds?”

Since I know my dad was taken, maybe they’re at the station with Jordan or any other deputies who may be helping them.

I quickly make my way across town, noticing how deserted the whole city is. The thought has me swallowing the lump in my throat as I pull into the parking lot of the station and quickly run inside.

The place is just as empty of any human life as the outside and is in shambles from some kind of fight it looks like. 

Dad’s office is completely trashed and there’s leaves littering the entire floor, so Ghost Riders obviously were here fucking shit up as they took everyone.

Seeing a microphone to the PA system on the desk, I remember what the announcer said in the train station about a train arriving soon. 

So I decide to follow the train tracks.

Addy and Scott have to have already seen these because they’re running straight through the entire city from the looks of it. 

Hopefully following them will lead me to her or at least one of them– which will in turn lead me to her… sue me, I fucking miss her.

Someone walking into the hospital has my interest peaked and I pull Roscoe into the parking lot.

Grabbing my bat out of the back seat after I park out front, I head inside after him. Since I lost him while I was parking and I have zero clue where random dude would be going– I just continue to follow the tracks.

Hearing voices coming from the other side of the door I’m standing behind in the stairwell, I grip the bat harder in my hands. I raise it up defensively, biding my time to strike as I hear someone shout “Hollenhund!”

My German isn’t the greatest, however I can gather just enough to know that means hellhound, especially when I hear the hellhound roar follow his command from my hiding spot in the stairwell.

“Parrish! Parrish, you don’t wanna do this. Stop!” Scott bellows, trying to reason with Jordan who just answers with his own roar back and moves to attack them.

“The train is coming, boys. There’s no stopping the Wild Hunt. You’ll make a fine Ghost Rider, Scott– and I’ll have a True Alpha by my side.” Some blonde dude taunts as I watch him pass by through the window on the closed door of the stairwell.

“Jordan! Stop!” Scott tries again, the blonde dude near me continuing his list of people I want to get as far away from him as soon as possible “And then a Werecoyote, the surprising bonus of _two_ Banshees–”

Knowing he’s talking about Addy gives me the adrenaline rush to step forward out of the doorway, lifting the bat a little higher as I come up behind him muttering “A Stiles–”

“A what?” He answers and starts to turn around right as I bring the bat down, hitting the back of his head and watching as he crumbles to the ground beside me.

I look up taking note of the surprise on Scott and Liam’s faces as they look between me and the guy on the ground “Bad guy, right? I didn’t misread that?”

Scott opens his mouth, however the groan coming from the guy I just hit as he moves to stand up has my feet quickly shuffling towards the side of the tracks as far away from him as I can “Oh jesus-”

Scott grabs at Jordan’s green lighted up body– green is new– and hauls him over to this side of the tracks. I slam my back against the wall to get out of the hellhound path, throwing my arms up to shield my face as Jordan flies past and crashes into the blonde dude.

They crumble to the floor and I drop the bat as I look to the passed out pair. I share a look with Scott, who raises his brows like he can’t believe what he’s seeing and I quickly run over to them, careful to not twist my ankle on the tracks.

Scott’s arms opening at the same time as mine before we embrace in a tight hug and he slaps my back lightly a few times as I do the same, my words muffled into his shoulder “Oh fuck man, it’s so good to see you.”

Liam interrupts, tapping our shoulders and stammering “Hey, hey, hey! Uh–”

I release Scott and set my hands on Liam’s shoulders, bringing him in for a tight hug as well “Liam! It’s so good to see you, too!”

Liam returns the hug, again tapping on my back and apparently pointing behind me “Yeah– no yeah, good to see you, Stiles… but, uh–”

I pull back from him, noticing his eyes are down the hallway from where I just ran and I turn my head to also look back behind me.

My eyes widen as I see Jordan’s body engulfed in orange and green flames. He lifts his arms out in front of him, the flames seeming to grow against his arms before he roars and sends them flying towards us, earning the three of us to turn and quickly run away as I declare helpfully “Okay. Yeah, we should go. Go, go, go!”

We take off down the hallway, losing Jordan somewhere behind us. Running through another waiting room, I stop my steps and veer to the left into a supply closest, moving items around trying to find the Nitrogen “I can’t believe I’m gone a couple days and the whole place falls apart.”

Scott makes a noise from his spot out in the hallway with Liam “No, you were gone for three months.”

Walking through the doorway and back into the hallway with them, his words stop my steps “I was– what?”

Scott throws me a helpless look and I resist the urge to scream that the Wild Hunt took that much of my time away from them. Instead I let out a frustrated groan, moving past them and into the other supply closet across from the one I was just in “Okay, if they don’t let me graduate, I swear to god– where the hell is Addy?”

I keep searching the shelves as I hear Scott’s reply “She’s with Lydia and Malia in the bunker– I’ll try her cell again”

“What are you looking for?” Liam questions and I push supplies out of the way, doing a little celebratory flail of my arms when I find the Nitrogen liquid canister buried behind a box of blankets that fell over “Ah– this!”

I walk back into the hallway setting the canister by my feet and grabbing the hose attachment that’s going to provide the same effect like a fire extinguisher hose does.

I twist the nozzles on the top, flicking my eyes down the hallway from where we’re stopped, offering a little nod to finish voicing my vague plan “And him.”

Scott and Liam follow my line of sight seeing a green and orange flamed on Jordan stalking towards us, growling lowly in his chest and releasing a roar before I continue “Grab him– grab him now” I flick my hand towards Jordan when they don’t move.

Jordan quickens his pace towards us and as soon as he’s close enough, Scott and Liam each grab onto either of his arms and slam his back against the wall.

I walk in front of him instantly spraying the liquid nitrogen out of the nozzle, dousing them with the supercooled liquid and watching as Jordan’s flames go out, his head dropping to the side.

Jordan slides down the wall as Scott and Liam let him go. Liam immediately makes painful little gasps as he vehemently pats his chest and arms, trying to chase away the pain from the Nitrogen “Fuck, ow!”

I draw my brows in, seeing Scott not reacting at all and flick my eyes over to the younger wolf “Liam, you’re fine.”

“Jesus, that just doesn’t feel good, you know?” Liam mumbles, looking from his chest and over to me.

Jordan’s voice gains our attention though as he croaks out through sharp pants “Stiles? What are you doing here?”

I slightly tilt my head to the side to address him “Buddy, love you, but we’re way past that, okay? You gotta fill us in– what’s going on?”

Scott and Liam each grab under his arms when he makes a move to try to stand up on his own. They help him stand up against the wall as he answers “Douglas– he’s merging the worlds so the Ghost Riders can cross over.”

“Yeah, he wants his supernatural army in our world.” Liam offers and Scott looks between us and back over to Jordan “How do we stop him?”

“The train– it’s coming” Jordan answers, looking to his right, the rest of us following his line of sight to the board hanging above the nurses’ desk with the locations and arrival times just like the board in the Wild Hunt’s train station.

Scott breathes out impatiently “Okay, and how do we stop that?”

Jordan looks from Scott and over to me as he urges “You can’t stop it– but you _can_ divert it.”

***

_Addy POV_

Walking out of the library, I quickly follow the tracks and head back out towards the parking lot. I’m across the quad in no time and almost to the front lawn we originally walked through when my steps stop, tears threatening to cloud my vision and my mouth parting on a small gasp.

Scott and Liam instantly snap their heads my way with the noise I made, however, my focus isn’t on them. 

I breathe in a shaky breath watching _Stiles_ step onto the track with them– though he’s focused on looking behind him at where the tracks are coming from.

When he looks forward again he freezes, I can hear his sharp intake of a breath in the otherwise quiet night around us as his gaze instantly crashes with mine.

The shock from seeing him standing in front of me had me rooted to the spot, however as soon as he makes the first step towards me with the whisper of “Adds–”, I quickly close the space between us, my steps matching his.

When there’s only a few feet between us I launch myself forward, pushing off my feet and crashing my chest with his. 

Stiles wraps his arms around my hips, keeping me flush against him and our faces level at the same time my arms wrap behind his neck and I press my lips to his.

Stiles makes a noise in his throat, the best sound in the world that has me breathing in deeply through my nose, savoring the softness of his warm lips and the taste of him I have missed so much.

Stiles increases his grip on me, slowly sliding me down his front until my feet are on the ground. Removing his arms from around me he slides his hands up my sides, placing his hands on the sides of my face to cup my cheeks as he moves his lips against mine.

After what was probably only a few seconds we pull away slowly, Stiles resting his forehead against mine and moving his thumbs against my cheeks as I slide my hands down his arms, gently wrapping my fingers around his wrists.

I open my eyes, instantly seeing his warm honey colored eyes staring right back at me and earning me to smile a bright, watery eyed smile towards him.

Stiles’ eyes crinkle at the corners as he returns the smile “Damn, I’ve missed you”

I let out a sound– a mix between a sob and a chuckle as I nod quickly “Seriously, you have no idea”

Stiles swipes his thumbs under my eyes removing the tears, **_that I have no control of anymore now that he’s finally holding me again_** , before he pulls me closer and envelops me in his arms.

I wrap my arms around his middle, sliding my hands up his back to rest behind his shoulders as I bunch his shirt in my hands. 

“Do you feel that?” I hear behind us, Stiles and I turning our heads to the side seeing Liam with his hand over his chest as he looks over at Scott standing beside him.

They both look over at us again, Scott smiling softly as he drops his eyes to the ground and looks over to Liam “Yeah, they uh– they always feel like that when they’re together… it’s insanely comforting isn’t it?”

Liam makes a noise and closes his eyes, whispering thoughtfully “I usually feel more calm around them… but this– I feel like nothing bad is going to happen right now.”

I snort with a soft chuckle that Stiles joins in on with me before he squeezes me a little tighter and kisses my temple. He pulls away slightly, still keeping one of his arms wrapped around my waist as I do the same with one of mine behind him.

I look up at him, though I direct my words to the three of them “What are you guys doing here?”

Scott and Liam walk closer to us, coming to a stop beside Stiles as he answers “We’re trying to figure out how the hell someone can merge worlds because no where in the manual does it say that werewolves can do that– and I know that because you, Scott, and I pretty much wrote the manual.”

I chuckle while Scott nods and elaborates “We can’t even move between them–”

“Right, look what it took to break you out.” I finish Scott’s train of thought, squeezing Stiles’ side with my words.

Liam looks down thoughtfully, taking a few seconds before he comes up with “ _We_ can’t move between worlds, but Corey can– he can exist in _both_ worlds…”

I widen my eyes, pointing over towards him as I offer “And he can take people with him”

Liam nods enthusiastically “Yeah, at your guys’ house! He pulled a Ghost Rider into our world.”

Stiles furrows his brows looking down at me as I nod, confirming that _that_ was a real thing that happened while he was gone and Scott continues “At the lacrosse game, he brought us into theirs.”

Liam looks between us quickly as he works out “What if that’s how Douglas is doing it? What if Corey’s the key?”

Stiles huffs, moving his free hand out in front of him “Interesting theory, okay? _Solid_ logic. It is– but he’s in there, and we’re out here. So, the only way to save everyone now is to just _divert_ the train.”

“We have to find him” Liam argues and Stiles is quick to counter “How?”

Liam takes a moment, before he snaps his eyes up to us “I’m going into the Hunt.”

Stiles makes a noise, dropping his arm from around me to walk closer to Liam “No, no, no. Liam, I think you’re confused. We’re trying to get people _out_ of the Hunt…”

“He can get taken by a Ghost Rider.” Scott offers and Stiles turns back to us “It’s just… that’s not a pleasant option– I mean I’m just speaking from experience.”

Liam widens his _excited with whatever plan he’s come up with_ eyes and declares quickly “I don’t need to get taken to get into the Hunt!”

Stiles jerks his head back, offering slowly “Okay, seems like you’ve got an idea. Let’s discu–”

Liam interrupts Stiles’ words by running away from us and in the direction I just came from inside the school **_who taught him how to brainstorm?_**

“Where are you going?” Stiles shouts to his retreating back, getting Liam’s bellow over his shoulder as he runs into the quad “I’ll be back!”

Stiles huffs, setting his hands on his hips as he regards Scott “Were we like that?”

Without missing a beat, I snort as I answer “Worse.”

Stiles levels me with a look, earning me to throw him a wink that he can’t help but smile at.

“Jordan said we just have to follow the tracks to find the diverter” Scott breathes out through a sigh, the three of us looking at said tracks and Stiles points around “Yeah, well– those lead into the woods… this way back into the school…”

“You wanna split up?” Scott offers, earning me to quickly shake my head in the negative column as Stiles looks between us, answering quickly “Never again”

Scott breathes out a sigh of relief “Thank god” and I smile before pointing behind us “The direction of the school leads to the library and there was a second train station waiting area set up inside but no diverter in sight.”

Stiles nods, grabbing my hand and links our fingers together while pointing in the other direction “Woods it is then.”

Following the train tracks into the woods, we’re just coming up on a curve in the tracks when Scott grabs us and pulls us off the tracks

“Wait, wait– get down” he whispers, having us take cover behind a tree. I set my hands on the bark, Stiles standing behind me and Scott stopping beside me.

“Why are we stopping?” Stiles questions, gripping onto my waist a little harder as he looks around us.

Through the middle of the tree that breaks off in two branches I see a lever off to the side of the tracks and I nod forward “Is that it?”

“It can’t be this easy” Scott argues and Stiles scoffs, “Yes it can, Scott. It _can_ be this easy– for _once_ let’s do easy!”

Stiles squeezes my side, letting me know he’s going for it and he walks around the tree heading straight for the lever.

Scott and I share a look, muttering “Okay” before we walk quickly behind him.

Stiles reaches for the lever and right when he’s about to grasp it, the end of a whip wraps tightly around his wrist “Oh fuck–”

Douglas comes into view and yanks on the whip hard enough to slam Stiles’ back onto the ground. He lands with a grunt, grumbling “Or not” before Douglas pulls back harshly and Stiles disappears into a flash of bright green smoke.

“No!” I exclaim, stepping forward a few steps only to have Scott grab my arms and pull me back with him.

Douglas smirks throwing the whip out again, this time wrapping around my arm before he yanks back with a force that has a gasp leaving my throat.

I see a flash of green, Scott’s grip on me falling away before the next thing I know I’m landing in the hallway of the school. My back hits a row of lockers and I let out a deep grunt as I grumble “What the fuck was that?”

I push up from the ground, turning around in a circle to figure out where I am when the door next to me opens and a body crashes into my side.

I’m prevented from stumbling to the side as hands grip onto me and I let out a little squeak when a familiar teakwood with a hint of sandalwood smell invades my nose as Stiles crushes my body into his “Thank fuck you’re okay.”

I chuckle and return his embrace, pulling away as we turn to go find Scotty who shouts a few seconds later “Stiles? Addy– ahh”

We all halt our steps almost crashing into each other and Scott, who was coming down the stairs to our right, sets his hand on Stiles’ upper arm “Damn, man! Are you guys okay?”

“Yeah” I nod with my answer at the same time Stiles quips “I think so– I finally saw the girls’ locker room… it’s not that different. It’s kind of disappointing.”

I snort and we collectively start to walk towards a set of doors to take us back outside “What just happened?”

Stiles shakes his head “I don’t know, I think the worlds– I think they’re collapsing in on each other.”

The PA system speakers beep above us before a muffled voice informs “Attention all passengers, the train will be arriving in eleven minutes.”

We look up through the announcement, our steps never faltering as we make it closer towards the set of double doors.

I look between Scott and Stiles on either side of me as I work out “We were obviously on to something with the diverter if Douglas sent us all away from it– we have to get back to it.”

“Yeah” They both agree, setting their hands on the handlebars as they push open the doors and the three of us step outside.

We don’t make it far though, as soon as we step outside we’re crashing into a massive force field and again I see a bright green light before I’m transported to a different part of the school.

Once again I land with a grunt, smashing into a different wall of a classroom this time **_and I’m alone again, fantastic_**

I push off the ground and move towards the door to the classroom, stepping into the hall and trying to figure out where to head first to find the guys.

An unexplainable feeling overcomes my entire body and I halt my steps, tilting my head to the side as I try to figure out what it’s warning me of.

The picture of the locker room slams through my mind and I take off down the left hallway heading straight for there. 

I keep my running steps as fast as I can, making my way through the dark hallways only lit from the moonlight outside. I turn the last corner and run down the stairs, my converse clad feet sliding to a stop as I set my hands on the wall.

Through the open doorway I see Stiles standing in front of a Ghost Rider who has his gun aimed right in the middle of Stiles’ forehead.

The moment I see Stiles close his eyes I quickly raise my hands up, the scream I was building instantly flying out of my throat as I push it out through my hands. 

Directing the sound waves from my scream straight towards the Rider, I throw him away from Stiles and across the space to slam into a locker. The scream waves continue to beat the Rider further into the locker until my screaming fades and he crumbles to the floor in a heap of dead weight.

I breathe in deeply and rush inside the room, coming into view of Stiles whose surprised face looks from the Rider on the ground and over to me. 

I smirk and nod towards him “They aren’t a fan of me.”

“Such bastards” Stiles quips, his eyes roaming over me and looking like he’s trying to figure out if I’m real or not.

Now that we’re alone I swallow hard, tears pricking the corners of my eyes as I whisper my biggest regret from the night he was taken “For three months I never forgot that I love you– I’m sorry I didn’t say it back before you were…”

Stiles flicks his eyes up to mine and in the next second he’s shaking his head and stepping towards me, quickly closing the gap between us “Adds, you never needed to”

He’s right in front of me now and I take the last two steps– my hands sliding up his chest at the same time one of his hands grabs my hip and the other grips the side of my face, his fingers sliding into my hair above my ear as he pulls me flush against him and our lips crash together.

Stiles groans lowly in his throat at the contact, moving his lips with mine in a kiss to end all kisses. He kisses me like he will single handedly erase every minute we were apart these last three months **_and I fucking believe it_**

He tilts my head to the side, easily deepening the kiss and causing a whimper to fall from my lips, Stiles swallowing the noise with another swipe of his tongue against mine. 

A few more soft, sweet kisses before we pull apart and Stiles rests his forehead against mine, our gazes crashing as he moves his eyes between mine and I lift my hand up to rest his cheek in my palm, whispering in our little world “I love you”

Stiles’ grip on my hip pulls me impossibly closer as I move my thumb over his bottom lip. The corners of his mouth quirk up before Stiles kisses my nose and wraps his arms around my waist tightly, dropping his head into the crook of my neck as I wrap my arms behind his neck “I love you, Adds”

I smile, slowly running my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and hearing his groan of appreciation as he squeezes his arms around me a little tighter. 

The sounds of the bullets being fired from the Ghost Riders guns echo through the halls and instantly snap us out of our moment. We pull apart and Stiles licks his lips quickly “We should probably head back to the woods.”

I nod and Stiles slides his hand into mine, turning us to head out of the locker room and gripping my hand harder as we run down the dark hallway towards the side double doors. 

We each set our free hands on the handlebars on each of the doors, however, a voice echoing down the hall stops our movements “Stiles…”

Stiles turns his head to look down the hall to his left, my eyes snapping up to the side of his face as I feel shivers cover my arms with her being here again “…Stiles, is that you?”

“Mom?” Stiles mutters just barely above a whisper, pulling my hand with him as he moves towards the direction of the voice. 

I grip onto his hand as I rush out quickly “Stiles, that’s not your mom.”

Stiles continues walking down the hall, countering softly “I know who it is— I know her voice.”

I pull on his hand, trying to stop his advancing steps as I rush out “No, that’s the Wild Hunt. They’re tricking you. Stiles, please believe me– the Wild Hunt brought her back, but she’s not real.”

Stiles furrows his brows, moving his eyes between mine quickly “What do you mean ‘brought her back’?”

Claudia prevents me from answering as she appears in the doorway Stiles was guiding us towards after hearing her voice. 

She walks towards us, keeping her voice gentle while walking through a shadow “Stiles… I know what you’ve been through. I know how much you love your father…”

Thunder cracks outside and when she walks out of a shadow her face is no longer what Claudia looked like.

The face in front of us is pale and has dark lines going across in every direction starting from the nose, exactly like a Ghost Rider “But I love him more– Even from the Hunt, you somehow wormed your way back into his memory.”

“Yeah, worming is one of my skills.” Stiles quips, shrugging a shoulder and I step closer, gripping onto his arm tighter “That thing is conjured from your dad’s pain. If he remembers you, he can’t believe in her.”

“That’s why you have to go.” She declares and I don’t even think twice before I lift my arms up, open palms towards her as I project my voice directly at her.

Only I don’t get to succeed in screaming because she wraps her hand around my neck, squeezing painfully. I make a sharp noise of pain, trying to fight for a breath around her hand, and Stiles doesn’t miss a beat as he reaches forward, breaking the hold the She Rider has on me.

I bend forward from the sudden force of the hand being ripped away, replacing the previous vice grip with my own hand as I struggle to cough and get air into my lungs. 

I stumble to the side, laying my free hand on the wall to the side of us and hearing her voice again “You shouldn’t treat your mother that way.”

“You’re not my mother.” Stiles mutters, the She Rider grabbing onto his throat instead and walking him backwards to slam his back against the wall.

I turn towards them, clearing my throat and trying to build my scream back up in between my gasping breaths.

“He believes in me. Dreams– so hard to kill.” she taunts in Stiles’ face that is slowly getting red from the air she is restricting from him.

I take a deep breath, knowing whatever I’ve got will have to be enough to hopefully break her hold off of him when Noah sets his hand on my back and steps into the hallway with us, aiming his gun towards the She Rider “But not impossible.”

Noah fires a gun shot, the bullet going straight through her stomach in a little puff of green smoke that otherwise does no harm to her. 

She looks over and achieves a little smirk with her lifeless looking face, tilting her head to the side as she taunts “Noah– your bullets can’t hurt me.”

With my help they can– I push off the wall, walking up beside Noah and sharing a look with him before looking back towards Stiles. My voice hoarse as I snap my glare filled eyes towards the She Rider and declare “Fire again”

Raising my hands up I let the scream barrel out of my lungs, directing it through my hands at the same time Noah shoots another bullet. 

The bullet flies with the power of my scream and strikes the She Rider right where the heart would be. Her hold on Stiles drops and she flies backwards before completely disappearing in a bright flash of green smoke.

Stiles coughs, bending forward and letting the air rush back into his lungs before he runs over to his dad and me “You okay?”

I nod, not finding my voice as I wrap my arms around his middle as he throws his arm around my shoulder. 

Noah sets each of his hands on our backs as the building and floor around us starts to shake violently.

I bend my knees slightly, attempting to stabilize myself through the earthquake like shaking as we hear the shrill noises of the Ghost Riders and their horses all around us growing louder and louder– until we hear absolutely nothing.

***

Scott, Malia, Peter, and Theo _**if you can imagine it**_ fought off Douglas and his supernatural army long enough for Scott to be able to pull that damn lever and successfully divert the Wild Hunt train from crossing through Beacon Hills.

Liam crossed into the Wild Hunt, finding Hayden and Mason at the train station where they also had found Corey who was hooked up with countless wires and metal cords. 

Douglas was using Corey to merge the worlds and once Scott Alpha roar signaled to Liam the train was diverted, Mason and Liam freed Corey from the wires.

With the train diverted, the Ghost Riders were leaving and apparently Douglas didn’t like being abandoned so he ordered the Riders to kill Scott and the others– only the Riders don’t like taking orders because they don’t have a leader.

So instead of listening to his demands, the Riders surrounded Douglas and turned him into a Ghost Rider, adorning him with the cowboy tattered outfit, hat and a fucking Nazi arm band and everything. They all vanished in a flash of lightning, taking the storm with them.

Mom, Chris, and Mason took Corey to the hospital where mom administered her Nine Herbs concoction that she is getting really good at making. The Nine Herbs healed him right up from what Douglas had inflicted on him with being the center of the merged worlds.

Everyone was returned to the city– school and everything picked up like nothing ever happened. 

Except loads did happen, only a few of us remember though and now we’re attending our last day of the school year.

Officially sitting in the last class of senior year, the bell rings and our teacher turns around to face us “Have a great summer, everyone–”

“No…” Stiles protests, Mr. Croft continuing his announcement to the class “And to the seniors– I’ll see you at graduation.”

“No, no, no, no– that’s it? What?” Stiles turns around in his seat, looking from me and over to Scott who is sitting across from him.

When he looks back at me, I smile brightly and hit my desk lightly with my palms “Last day ever!”

Scott stands up from his desk and Stiles’ face drops a little “Well, I just– I mean that feels so anticlimactic.”

I make a face, softening my features as I add cheerily “Well, we still have the whole graduation thing–”

Malia makes a noise, grimacing at us all “I’ve gotta go to summer school, or I can’t do the whole graduation thing.”

Scott steps closer to her, resting his hand on her back as he reassures softly “We’re going to help you pass summer school, don’t worry.”

Stiles draws his brows in, complete confusion overcoming his face as he looks on at the pair in front of us **_that needs to make it official already_**

I snort and stand up from my desk, gaining his attention as I nod behind me indicating the pair “Later– come on let’s go.”

I move to head out of the aisle, Scott, Malia and Lydia already almost to the door when I look back at Stiles and see him still sitting in his seat, a deep frown marring his features “No– come on, wait– Watson, this can’t be it.”

The lights to the classroom shut off and I step back over to his desk, lifting my hand out towards him “Come on, Sherlock we need to go clean out our lockers.”

Stiles huffs, slipping his hand into mine and lacing our fingers together before he stands up and we walk out of the classroom together.

We clear out our lockers, Scott mumbling inside of his “I can’t believe we’re not in high school anymore– kind of feels like nothing’s really changed.”

“Everything’s changed” Stiles murmurs beside me.

Feeling his eyes on me, I smirk and flick my eyes over to him as I close my locker. Turning to face him I push up on my toes and plant my lips against his cheek, smiling as I pull back and lean my shoulder into the lockers.

Scott chuckles and closes his locker “Right, right– what am I saying, everything has changed– the two of you stopped being idiots and instead try to gross me out everyday now.”

I snort and push off the locker, pointing towards him “Add in supernatural disasters at every turn and being a pot calling the kettle black– you may just be on to something Scotty.”

Walking past him and his confused face, Stiles catches up and falls in step with me as Scott exclaims behind us “What does that mean?”

I just chuckle and Scott continues “Addy what the fuck is a black kettle?”

Barking out a laugh I throw my head back, hearing Stiles snicker beside me before I compose myself long enough to throw Scotty a bone “All I’m saying is don’t keep giving us shit for what apparently was right under our noses when you’ve been toying with the _same_ issue all year!”

Scott passes us, quickly stopping our steps as he raises his hands up in front of us “Who?” he demands, and I level him with a look.

He clears his throat, lowering his hands back down to his sides “Malia? No– it’s not like that, she doesn–”

“Doesn’t feel that way about you.” Stiles and I mumble together.

I smile and lay the side of my head on Stiles’ shoulder, directing my words towards my blind brother “Yeah, we know the excuse”

Scott, however, doesn’t look convinced and Stiles slaps him on the shoulder with his free hand “She feels the same– now go get the fucking girl, man.”

***

Liam and Mason meet Scott and I at the back of Roscoe, Stiles noticing their arrival and he slams the hood down before he walks over towards us “Okay! So, Liam, since you’re the new Alpha…”

“I’m not an Alpha.” Liam interrupts, Stiles jerking his head back slightly as he continues “Right– but, you know, Alpha in training…”

Liam shrugs, looking over to us quickly “Well, I’d have to kill an Alpha.”

Stiles huffs out through his frustration “Liam! Since you’re taking over, the most important thing you can remember is that Mason is always gonna be the one who’s there to save your ass all the time.”

“Well, not all the time.” Scott grumbles, looking over to me trying to hide my smile **_good majority of the time_**

Stiles on the other hand smiles brightly as he offers a wink “Most of the time, though. Which is why…” he trails off, digging in the open window of the back before he produces his metal bat.

He reaches said bat over to Mason as he continues “I think you’re gonna need this.”

Mason draws his brows in, looking from the bat in Stiles’ hand and up to connect his gaze with his “Uh, I don’t play baseball.”

Stiles shrugs, furrowing his brows “Right, neither do I. It’s… it’s not the point.”

I clear my throat, nodding towards the bat when Mason looks at me, “Just keep it in your trunk, you never know when you’ll need it.”

He smiles hesitantly and reaches over towards Stiles, grabbing the bat from him “Okay… thanks…”

Mason and Liam share a look before they turn and begin to walk away from us, **_hopefully heading for Mason’s car where the bat will find its new home in the trunk of his car_**

“Love you guys!” Stiles calls after them and I cross my arms over my front, smirking over to him as he turns and grabs something else from the back of the jeep.

He hands the roll of duct tape over to Scott “Right– I leave you with this.”

Stiles looks up to the jeep, moving his eyes around it before he addresses Scott again “You know… hurt her, and I’ll kill you.”

Scott snorts and shakes his head softly “You sure you won’t need it?”

Stiles lifts his shoulders quickly “It’s okay. Adds and I are gonna drive over to D.C. and move me into my dorm before we head to Massachusetts to move her into her dorm– the Jeep won’t make that right now.”

The corners of my lips lift as I brag over to Scott “Plus we need to put some miles on the new car”

Scott rolls his eyes “I can’t believe dad got you a car for graduation”

I scoff lightly as I remind him “He offered to get you one too but you said you were good with your bike and Roscoe, plus we both know it was for his own benefit of reminding me how easy it will be to visit him more often.”

Scott throws me a knowing look, nodding softly “He’s also proud of you for getting into MIT at the level you are.”

Stiles makes a noise “We’re all fucking proud, you’re starting MIT as a Junior, babe– I mean how do you even do that?”

“I… She’s a genius.” Scott stammers, smiling brightly and shaking his head as he answers Stiles’ question like I’m _not_ standing right here.

I scoff through a chuckle, nudging my shoulder with his and trying to get the attention off of me “I’m not a genius”

Stiles snorts, wiping his hand over his mouth to fight his smile when I snap my eyes over to him. He clears his throat, dropping his hand to cross his arms over his chest and nodding towards me “What are you majoring in again, sweetums?”

I lift my shoulders as I rattle off like it’s no big deal “Electrical Engineering and Computer Science”

Sharing a knowing look with Scott, Stiles draws his brows in and waves his hand in a circle motioning for me to elaborate “Which would mean you could do…?”

Huffing out a breath, I elaborate the description he’s smiling all smug for because it will prove his fucking point “Focus on principles built on mathematics, computation, and the physical sciences for researching and making breakthroughs in the likes of hardware and product design, data science, robotics, and countless others… which now that you’re making me rattle off a brochure, I decided that I _may_ want to go into focusing on biomedical research–”

“Biohacking at the FBI and leading investigations with me” Stiles shrugs with his interruption of a suggestion, Scott chuckling before Stiles continues with another shrug “Your dad basically offered you a job in six different departments for your choosing once you graduate with that kind of degree– _plus_ you know we make one hell of a team.”

I roll my eyes, failing at hiding my smile “We do make a hell of a team, _but_ I want to earn my job– not just be handed one.”

Stiles scoffs, dropping his arms back down to his sides and looking to Scott for back up “Adds, you are literally a genius– and when I say literally I mean _literally_ – I saw the letter that MIT sent you. No one will even think of saying you were handed anything. You have your pick of jobs because even the Suit himself knows whoever or whatever company gets you on their team– they will be fucking _unstoppable_ in their research productivity.”

I shake my head softly, smiling over to him as I concede “I’ll think about it” 

“That’s all I ask– so real question is, how did you get into UC Davis?” Stiles turns towards Scott who smirks and jabs back “How did you get into George Washington?”

Stiles snorts, lifting his hand up “I don’t know. Uh, your guys’ dad. The, uh, big FBI pops made a call to the little pre-FBI program.”

“Pre-FBI– MIT– UC Davis… Well, I guess we’re not the same kids running around the woods, looking for a body.” Scott murmurs thoughtfully, his eyes cast down to the ground between us.

“No, we’re not.” I agree, leaning my side into Stiles and resting my head on his shoulder. He lifts his arm to rest against me, his hand gripping my hip as Scott nods towards him “You know, you can keep the Jeep.”

Stiles grabs the keys out of his pocket with his free hand, flipping them around his fingers before he places them in Scott’s hands “No. I… I want you to have it.”

Scott examines the keys and makes a noise as he looks them over “Stiles…? These aren’t the keys to the Jeep.”

I move my teeth inwards between my teeth to hide my smile as Stiles points towards the keys and enlightens Scott to what he was just handed “Well, that one is to your guys’ house, another to your room, Addy’s room– uh, it’s the master key to the school, animal clinic… a key to the Sheriff’s station… I just figured you should have all the copies I secretly made, so…”

Stiles pulls the actual keys to the Jeep out of his pocket and looks over at the school. We all watch everyone walking around going about their end of the school year business as he states “They still need us.”

“They’ll always need us.” Scott agrees, following Stiles’ line of sight.

Stiles brings me closer to his side, kissing the side of my head before he clears his throat and directs his words towards Scott again “And, you know, I… I need you. You know that.”

Scott smiles, looking between us before his eyes land on Stiles “I need you, too– both of you”

My nose stings with the warning of tears to come as I smile over at Scott and nudge my side into Stiles with my agreement.

“I’m gonna miss you.” Stiles’ voice is thick with emotion and I drop my head onto his shoulder, fighting back my tears.

Scott drops his eyes, swallowing thickly and clenching his jaw as he tries to keep his own emotion in check.

Clearing my throat, I try to offer lightly “Come on guys– this is not goodbye. We’re going to school but we’re still family we are going to be seeing each other soon”

“Oh the ever positive Addy McCall has made one last appearance before we head off into the world!” Stiles jokes, his voice shaking with his unshed emotion as Scott quickly wipes his eyes and I smile cheekily “Damn straight, I will always be right here keeping you guys in line.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, Addy” Scott murmurs, wrapping me in a hug that I return with a little squeeze.

Stiles walks up and presses his chest against our shoulders, wrapping his arms around us for a big group hug. After a moment, Stiles lays the side of his head on top of my head “No, really, I need one of you McCall twins, though. Uh– I lost my license in the hunt, so one of you needs to drive.”

Chuckling through the emotion we pull apart, and I shake my head at him “Your dad is the Sheriff”

Scott nods and elaborates with smirk “Exactly, I’m sure he will let it slide– come on, you drive.”

I tap Stiles on the chest as I walk past him and climb into the back from the passenger side, pulling the seat back with me so Scott can climb in up front.

Stiles and him shut their doors before he starts the engine and the police radio clicks on “Unit Four, repeat– you’re telling me there’s a body in the woods?”

My eyes flick down to the radio as I scoot forward and lay my arms across the back of the front seats, hearing the click again as unit four responds “That’s exactly what I’m saying. There’s a body in the woods–”

Stiles reaches down, making a face and clicks off the radio. Scott looks over his shoulder at me, Stiles looking up in the rearview mirror as we all share the silent agreement looks of **_why the hell not?_**

I offer them a cheeky smile before they both face forward again and Stiles pulls out of the parking spot, taking off down the road and heading in the direction of the woods.


	96. Said the Spider to the Fly

“Wolves, or Werewolves?” Malia implores, her eyes never leaving the travel book on France she’s holding up in front of her face while she lays on her stomach across her bed.

Lydia moves her suitcases and comes to stand beside me while I cross my arms over my chest and answer her “They said wolves.”

Apparently a bloody wolf with an injured leg crashed the lacrosse practice tonight and freaked all the players out.

Scott and Liam followed the injured wolf into the woods and found another one that was dead laying on the ground. They watched hundreds of little spiders pour out of its eyes and mouth, scurrying away and drawing their attention to more than a dozen dead wolves scattered across the woods in front of them **_it gives a heebie jeebie vibe doesn’t it?_**

Malia makes a noise and flops onto her back, continuing to read her book as she dismisses us “Not interested– you two go.”

I share a look with Lydia before I shake my head and direct my words back at Malia “Liam was asking for help from the _werecoyote_ , not the banshees.”

Again she keeps her eyes on her book, furrowing her brows slightly “Why me?”

Lydia, clearly becoming impatient with Malia’s lack of enthusiasm, retorts with a sarcastic shrug “Because you’re the former animal. No one understands mysterious animal situations like you do.”

Malia flops back onto her stomach and moves her eyes between us, looking at us both as she shakes her head “I’m done with mysterious animal situations. I want mysterious men– French ones.”

I throw her an amused look, my eyes landing on her open laptop screen beside her as she goes back to her book.

The website on the screen is tracking her flight to Paris and there’s a bright red warning blinking ‘Rerouted’.

Lydia shares a look with me before she informs Malia of that fact “Your flight is delayed.”

Malia again looks up to us and argues “No, no… it’s rerouted. There’s a difference.”

I smirk and drop my head to the side, countering lightly “Delayed is what happens when a flight is rerouted– so you have plenty of time to help us figure out what’s going on before we all leave, Mal–”

Another pop up on her laptop draws my attention to it before I inform her “–and there’s a storm system shutting down Charles de Gaulle Airport.”

Malia glances back to look at the computer before scoffing and returning to her book “It’s a _minor_ shower.”

I huff and look at Lydia who shakes her head, silently telling me she’s got this. She puts her hands on Malia’s bed and leaning forward, she gives Malia a stern look.

I move my lips between my teeth to hide my smile, watching as Malia sighs before turning around and slamming her laptop shut. 

She turns back to face us as she argues defensively “Guys, Liam’s got everything covered. They were just dead wolves– it doesn’t sound supernatural to me.”

Malia flops her back onto her bed again, lifting her book back in front of her face to continue her reading.

Lydia stands back up, rolling her eyes before she connects them with mine. I shrug my shoulders and nod my head towards the door.

We start to head out of her room, stopping in the doorway to look back at her as I gently remind her “Make sure you come by to say bye when your flight is back on…”

Malia doesn’t respond, just takes one of her hands off the book to wave us on that she heard my request.

***

My phone alerts me of a text message and I smile to the screen as I read the message at the bottom of the stairs

Stiles: “Time change is once again my enemy with you being almost 3,000 miles away still. I’m calling it a night but I just wanted to say– It isn’t easy being so in love with you and not being able to see you every day. There are times when I’d give anything just to be able to gaze into your beautiful blues or hold you in my arms, even for a few minutes. I always feel incomplete, like a part of me is missing, when we’re not together. I know that right now this is how things have to be, but that doesn’t make it any easier to bear. Every day without you reminds me of the joy you add to my life, joy that I’m missing. So don’t forget that I love you, that I’m thinking of you, and that I’m counting every minute until we’re together again. Love you, Adds and feel free to send me a picture of your gorgeous face so it can be the first thing I wake up to in the morning ;]”

He finishes his message with a picture of his sleepy smirking face laying in bed and my heart squeezes that much more **_fuck I miss him_**

My dorm wasn’t ready after Stiles and I had taken our road trip to the east coast and got him settled two weeks ago, something about a water leak and needing to redo three of the floors of the building.

So I spent as much time with Stiles as I could before dad had offered for me to keep my things and car at his new place in D.C. and bought me a ticket to fly home **_because I was so not driving all the way back to California that soon_**

Now I’ll be moving in the day after tomorrow with orientation and class signing up the next day, it will definitely be a whirlwind the next couple of days.

Walking into my room I shrug off my jacket and shoes before I place my phone on my nightstand, setting the mental reminder to send him a picture before I go to bed like he asked.

Hearing voices coming from Scott’s room I walk through my open bathroom door and Scott’s, seeing him and Liam kneeled down beside a suitcase as they try to keep the overstuffed case closed **_it’s as funny to see in person as you’re imagining_**

“Whatever happened with those wolves is definitely supernatural” Liam throws over his shoulder to me as I walk into the room and stand near the edge of Scott’s bed.

I nod with his words, hearing them struggling to push down the suitcase latch to close it.

Scott groans with the exertion before he shakes his head and argues “Well, I wouldn’t say definitely… it could have been a parasitic infection. I mean, we get dogs coming into the clinic with bot flies coming out of their skin.”

I make a disgusted face while Liam questions back to him “Can that happen to people?”

“Yeah– yeah, they crawl under their skin, lay some eggs– and eventually they…” Scott trails off as they both stand up and lift the seemingly closed suitcase, throwing it onto Scott’s bed beside me.

As soon as the suitcase slams onto the bed, it bursts open and Scott’s clothes spring out of it earning me to chuckle as I retort “Burst?”

Scott throws me a look and I try to hide my snicker with a cough as him and Liam sit down on the end of Scott’s bed.

Liam anxiously runs his fingers through his hair and after a moment of awkward silence, Scott looks up to me and over to Liam “So, you wanna talk about it?”

I walk around a few boxes on the floor and come to stand in front of them as Liam looks between us and throws Scott a confused look, imploring on an amused tone “I thought we were talking about it…”

Scott chuckles lightly “No, that’s not what I’m talking about–”

An overwhelmed look crosses Liam’s face as he nods with his answer “Oh– that… me”

I furrow my brows, wondering what they’re talking about when Liam chuckles anxiously and looks away from us.

Scott shares a look with me and sighs “Yeah, you– your fangs, your eyes, the growl…”

I immediately sit down on the ground, crossing my legs as I prepare for the story time of what else apparently transpired at the lacrosse practice tonight.

Liam smiles nervously at where this conversation is going and throws his hand up off his leg “It’s not like we’ve gotta talk about this…”

Scott doesn’t miss a beat “You just need to remember your mantra– ‘What three things cannot long be hidden’?”

Liam gives Scott an exasperated look, quipping back quickly “Look, I haven’t had to use that in–”

“Bub–” I interrupt softly, Liam taking a moment before he looks over to me and I continue softly “What three things cannot long be hidden?”

Liam breathes out deeply, licking his lips impatiently before he answers me quickly “The sun, the moon, the truth.”

I offer him a small knowing smile, Scott doing the same as he nods and gently instructs “Again”

Liam takes a deep breath and closes his eyes before repeating the mantra once more, this time controlling his breathing and speaking the words after breathing out deeply “The sun… the moon… the truth…”

Scott had closed his eyes as well, turning his head ever so slightly as he focuses on Liam’s heart rate. When Liam finishes, Scott smiles proudly and connects his eyes with his “Better.”

Liam nervously looks between us, looking over his shoulder at the clothes explosion on the bed and takes the focus off of him “You don’t have another suitcase, do you?”

Scott makes a face, leaning over to reach into one of the open boxes beside him and smiling brightly as he lifts the item he grabbed up “I got duct tape.”

I smile, instantly missing Stiles even more as Scott tosses the roll to Liam who catches it and makes an amused face before he shrugs and they get back to work packing up the suitcase again.

***

Scott and I helped Lydia put a list together for her to go and give to her mom, who is now the principal at the high school.

We figured it was a good idea for Auntie Nat to have all the information she will need involving the supernatural.

Liam texted that a swarm of dozens of rats came out of a vent in one of the classrooms that class was in session and everyone was screaming as they stood on their desks.

Mason filled in that the vent in the classroom eventually leads into the tunnels and that that’s where the rats probably originated from **_because what in this city doesn’t lead to those very familiar tunnels?_**

They walked through a goo, ** _that I will not repeat in full description like they did_** , that was covering the base of the tunnel and eventually found a large star shaped pile of dead and mutilated rats. Mason called it a Rat King and we asked Malia to go and check it out– which surprisingly she agreed to and is going to keep us posted on what she finds.

Lydia leaves our house to go to the school while Scott and I go to hospital to see mom, on a mission to make sure she’s well prepared to protect herself while we’re away at school.

Once mom directs us to the morgue and we’re alone– Scott grabs the large taser wand we got for her and clicks it on, mom and I jerking back from the force of the blue electrical currents flickering around that thing.

Mom looks between us, sighing loudly as she raises her brows at us “Eight hundred thousand volts? Sounds pretty dangerous.”

Scott sighs, just wanting to make sure she’s safe and holds it out to her “Just use it on me.”

Mom throws him a look and he immediately reassures her “I’ll be okay, I promise.”

She scoffs in disbelief, but does as she’s told and takes the taser wand that Scott is offering her before standing to her feet.

Scott bounces on the balls of his feet for a moment as he psychologically and physically prepares himself for the shock, and after a moment, he growls under his breath and lunges for Mom. 

She flinches away, making a scared noise as she shoves the tip of the taser right in the center of his chest– however, it does nothing to harm him whatsoever. 

Scott looks down at the wand against his chest in confusion before looking back up at her and shakes his head softly “You have to hold the button down.”

Mom rolls her eyes in exasperation and holds the wand out to her side before pressing the button, causing the taser to spark with electricity again, albeit nowhere near Scott’s body.

She looks between us, her face softening “Guys, I’m going to be fine– and if something happens, I will call Liam.

“What if he’s not around?” I question back to her and move to stand next to her.

She laughs incredulously and looks at the taser “You two think that this thing is gonna protect me? I’m a nurse– stun baton isn’t my thing.”

“You have a thing?” Scott and I murmur together and she smiles while offering a nod “Sort of…” she trails off and walks us over to one of the autopsy drawers.

Mom opens the door and pulls out the table, our eyes widening at the stock pile of over a dozen jars of various herbs and plants that look familiar to the Nine Sacred Herbs concoction Chris taught mom how to brew. 

I let out a little shocked noise moving my eyes around the jars as well as a large syringe gun, surgical tweezers, and other medical instruments **_mom has got the supernaturally induced injuries covered_**

Mom looks between us and reassures once more “If something does happen, and people get hurt, then I got it covered.”

“Wh– where did you get all this from?” Scott stammers and mom gives us her stern _do not question her_ look “Scott you have orientation tomorrow– classes to schedule, dogs and cats to heal at UC Davis and Addy your flight was rescheduled for tonight. Your MIT meeting to set up your classes is the day after tomorrow, computer research to study and mystery medical cases to solve.”

She finishes her words by pushing the tray back into the autopsy drawer and locks the door before turning to move her eyes between us “You two need to worry about your futures– not me.”

Mom yanks the taser wand out of Scott’s hands before smiling proudly at us and pulling us into a group hug. 

Scott yelps in surprised pain and we all split apart, earning me to look over as to why. Mom had the taser in her left hand, which was wrapped around the top of Scott’s shoulders, and apparently while she hugged us tightly she accidentally pressed down the button and shocking him **_all eight hundred thousand volts of it_**

Mom has an apologetic and guilty look on her face as she examines him “I held the button–”

Scott, now recovering from the shock, gives her a look and nods while I chuckle in my confirmation “You definitely held the button–”

“–Didn’t I?” Mom tries to hold back a laugh and Scott offers a tight lipped smile “Mmhmm”

“Thank you for holding it in your left hand” I chuckle, letting out a snort and turning away when Scott playfully glares over at me, hearing mom cough to hide her own chuckle “Yeah, you’re welcome sweetie.”

***

Throwing my messenger bag strap over my shoulder, I roll my little suitcase prepared for carry on status on the plane behind me and stop in the hallway outside my door “Scott? You ready?”

Silence meets my question and I look down the hall taking notice of the darkness coming from Scott’s room. I furrow my brows and slide the handle back into place and instead grab the top handle to carry the suitcase down the stairs.

I set the case by the front door, sliding my messenger bag strap off and setting that on the case before turning towards the living room. 

Once I take a step the lights shut off and I breathe in deeply as I slowly move through the living room. A bright light shines through the front windows causing shadows that look like spider legs to appear on the walls and a loud cranking noise sounds around me.

I swallow hard, my voice shaking more than I care to admit “…Scotty?”

Silence once again meets me and I watch the shadows dance along the walls and ceiling in confusion for a long moment before turning around to make sure no one is behind me.

I frown in fear and slowly finish walking through the living room and into the kitchen until the sound of the house phone ringing loudly startles me so much that I jump.

Even more confused now, I hold out my hand and slowly walk towards the phone as it continues to ring. My hand shakes, and I push back the nerves before finally picking it up and hitting the button to answer the call while a gust of wind rushes through the house, blowing my hair around my face.

Placing the phone to my ear I’m immediately met with a piercing electronic squeal and I drop the phone with a grimace, spinning on my heel to head back towards the front door.

Only when I turn around, I’m in the middle of the dark entrance hall at the high school instead of the house. A familiar revelation overcomes me and I take a deep breath in, knowing that I’m in the middle of another premonition.

The lights flicker ominously overhead, and when I hear footsteps approaching, I once again turn around quickly to check to see if anyone is coming up from behind me.

Seeing no immediate threat I start to walk down the hallway, turning left to find that the adjacent hall has what appears to be an endless amount of cobwebs stretching from floor to ceiling **_really hoping Shelob isn’t roaming the halls at night and planning her attack to take down the city_**

I walk toward the cobwebs and reach my hand out towards the closest stretch of them, inadvertently triggering my power of clairaudience that has been getting stronger and is just as much familiar as it is terrifying to hear.

I immediately hear what sounds like a series of slamming doors. Knowing I need to hear more, I continue to touch the cobwebs in a sequence as I keep my feet moving down the hall. I hear sounds after sounds when my fingers touch the webs all of which include: the crackling of electricity; pouring rain, thunder, and lightning; an electronic door lock beeping before a door opens; horses neighing and hooves beating against the ground; several people screaming in agony; more crackling electricity; and a flurry of gunshots.

Reaching out to touch another section of cobwebs, my blood runs cold with the deep growling voice that grates out in a warning “You let it out– it was supposed to ride with the Hunt forever.”

Those words terrify me straight to my core and I quickly back away from the cobwebs I just touched. As I’m scurrying backwards I trip and fall back into another section of the cobwebs.

Instantly feeling trapped and like I’m suffocating just waiting for Shelob to kill me, I frantically start clawing at the spider webs trying to escape.

One more swipe of my hands and I gasp loudly, seeming to land in the middle of the kitchen again. 

I turn around in a circle looking around the dark kitchen and feeling wetness on my cheeks, I quickly swipe my hands and clear the tears that had fallen while in the overwhelming premonition.

My eyes land on the phone still in its charger and not on the ground from where I remember dropping it.

Hearing the familiar sounds of the Jeep sputtering I quickly run outside to the driveway, coming up on the drivers side I slam my hands against the frame of the open window “Scotty!”

He jumps back into his seat, gasping loudly and hitting his hand on his chest “Jesus Addy, what the fu–”

“We can’t leave.” I interrupt him, connecting my watery eyes with his so he knows how serious I am.

***

We picked up Lydia on the way to Malia’s, the three of us walking into her house and coming to a stop outside her open bedroom doorway.

We see her standing in front of her computer, hearing her yell “Oui Oui” excitedly as she pumps her fists into the air. She turns towards her bed and grabs a bag before heading towards her door, stopping short when she sees us.

Her face falls and she lifts her hand to point one of her fingers at us “No! No, no, no, no, no! It’s just rats! Rats and wolves, and maybe a little bug problem.”

“We need you.” Lydia informs before Malia is quick to counter “And I need Paris.”

I let out a little groan of frustration as I shake my head at our stubborn friend “Paris has been around for two thousand years, Mal– it’s not going anywhere.”

Malia looks between all of us, a look of betrayal flashing over her face before she huffs and turns away from us, heading straight for her window **_apparently she’s intent on climbing out and escaping that way_**

She unlocks the window and Scott tries gently “Malia…”

She hesitates and I don’t waste a second before letting her know “Liam and Mason called again–”

“–Yeah, they’ve got it covered.” She interrupts me and Scott sighs “We can’t make you stay, and I don’t want to try… But, we were hoping that you would want to.”

Malia just gives us a look before she quips back quickly “I don’t.”

Scott, looking disappointed, shrugs and steps out of the way “Okay.”

Malia, bag in hand, prepares to walk out the door, but I, apparently being the only one intent to convince her to stay, move in front of the door to once again block her way.

However, when Malia stops to glare at me, Scott grabs me by the arm and pulls me towards him and out of the way so she can fucking leave.

I stumble over and crash into his side, yanking my arm out of his grasp as I glare up to him while Malia quickly walks past us and out into the hallway. 

Once she’s out of our sight, we sigh in disappointment and I share a look with Scott.

Malia’s bag flying through the door and hitting Scott in the chest, followed by her reluctantly walking back into her room with a scowl on her face has me smiling brightly at her.

Malia crosses her arms over her chest, flitting her eyes between us as she grumbles “What are we supposed to do?”

Scott takes on a more serious look as he reiterates what Liam and Mason called about “Find a Hellhound.”

***

We all climb into the jeep, Malia and Lydia sitting in the back while I sit up front with Scott who is driving as we head to the school.

Liam and Mason let us know when they called on our way to get Lydia that another Hellhound is here and fought Parrish and Liam at the school a little bit ago, claiming we let something out of the Wild Hunt **_exactly like the voice in my premonition_**

The new Hellhound was incredibly strong and quickly overpowered Jordan, leaving him unconscious before Liam stepped in to fight him.

The Hellhound thought whatever he was searching for that escaped the Wild Hunt was Liam until he was all close and personal with him when they were fighting and muttered about it not being him. 

Then the dude, who is super injured, muttered in an amused tone “It won’t stay hidden. It must be stopped– nothing else matters,” before he ran off leaving Liam barely healing in the locker room with Mason.

We fill Malia in on all of that and I connect it with the voice from my premonition, looking back at her with my words “We opened a door to another world… and something came out with us. Now we need the Hellhound to stop it.”

“So we put it back. We’ve put things back before.” Malia offers, earning Scott and I to share a look.

“Why are you two looking at each other like there’s something you know that I don’t know?”

I scrunch my nose up in a small grimace as Scott sighs and adjusts his grip on the steering wheel while answering her “It might not be that simple.”

I turn in my seat to face Scott, looking in the back again “We saved Stiles. We brought everyone back, but that’s not how it was supposed to happen. There’s _always_ a price to pay.”

“We learned that from the Nemeton.” Scott grumbles and I rest my elbow on the back of the seat, chewing on the side of my thumb nail.

Malia leans forward with her alarmed question “What kind of price? A big price?”

Taking a moment, I drop my hand and connect my eyes with Lydia’s before I answer Malia with a nod “Big.”

We pull up to the school and quickly climb out of the jeep, meeting around the front “Okay, we should move pretty quickly…” Scott mutters as we look around the dark school.

“Do we even know what we let out?” Malia questions, earning us all to shake our heads before I add thoughtfully “This Hellhound might be the only one who does.”

We hear loud roars coming from the Preserve to our left and without another word, we run off toward the sound of an injured and unknown Hellhound.

Lydia and I keep our pace with Scott and Malia, running as fast as we can through the woods. We come to a stop in a clearing when the painful sounds that were guiding us stop.

Though another loud roar echoes through the woods and we all share a look before we continue following where it leads– hearing a gunshot soon after and we quicken our running pace.

We come around a tree and see a body lying dead on the ground facing away from us in a shallow ravine, the four of us coming to a stop near his head.

I move my horrified eyes over him, noting the bullet hole in the middle of his forehead and his torso that is riddled with deep, blood soaked claw gashes. 

I swallow hard before I question just above a whisper “I thought you couldn’t kill a Hellhound.”

Scott looks devastated by the sight in front of him, and he looks around before he kneels down to pick something up.

I follow his movements with my own eyes, watching as he widens his own in shock after looking over the bullet casing. He turns it towards me and I suck in a shocked breath when I notice the fleur-de-lis stamped on it.

Scott connects his eyes with mine as he informs the rest of our group “Argent…” **_doesn’t seem like Chris would have done this though_**

I draw my brows in, my mind moving quickly over all the facts of the evening as I look back over the body of the Hellhound and remember parts of the premonition when I heard gunshots “Then it’s true…”

“Then what’s true?” Malia asks, looking over to me. I don’t answer her though, this is all way too terrifying to even think about.

Lydia steps closer to me and sets her hand on my arm, speaking gently to me “Addy, what else did you hear?”

I swallow hard, taking a moment before I look up from the dead Hellhound and connect my eyes with hers “The sound of people who have never lifted a hand against another human being…”

“Something was killing them?” Scott tries to fill in and I shake my head, looking over to him as I clarify “They were killing each other.”

***

We headed back to our house, the whole car ride was spent with our arguing voices over whether or not to call Stiles and tell him about our day, specifically my premonition and the not so impossible to kill Hellhound.

Scott sits down on the edge of his bed, his phone in his hand with the screen lit up to show his voicemail and the message that Stiles left this afternoon.

Malia and Lydia sit down beside him– all of us debating what to do next, however I just pace in front of them.

Scott’s voice is hesitant as he calls out to me “Addy–”

Crossing my arms over my front, I shake my head with my rambling “No– okay I vote _no_ , and I’m the girlfriend who needs him to be _safe_. I mean in case anyone forgot–”

“Uhh…” Lydia makes a noise and I stop my pacing for a second to flick my eyes to her before I continue pacing “–Yeah, I just said ‘forgot’.”

I stop right in front of them, my face all sorts of serious as I relive the horror of a few months ago “We almost _lost_ him last time.”

Scott nods in agreement, but offers another angle to the situation “If this turns out to be something big, and we don’t call him…” **_yes that’s a valid point_**

I groan and nod my head forward as I elaborate“He would kill us, _however_ I’m leaning more on the side of this is worth his anger to keep him safe.”

Malia looks between us and shrugs as she offers “Maybe we should go back to the woods tonight and find the killer?”

Lydia sighs and turns her attention to my brother who looks conflicted on what to do “Scott…”

He sighs and points towards his phone “You guys didn’t hear his voice– he sounded really excited to be there.”

“That’s because he is and he deserves to be there being happy away from this–” I trail off and throw my hand towards the phone as I continue “–just play the voicemail, Scotty.”

Scott pulls up the voicemail on his phone and plays it on speaker so we can hear it for ourselves, my face instantly lighting up when I hear his voice “Hey, Scott. So, I’m here– I’m in Quantico, Virginia at the FBI. I’m at the _fucking_ FBI! It’s real. I’m really here–”

I close my eyes as his voice continues to float around us “And I kinda told Addy that I miss her and I can’t wait to get home, but listen, Scott… whatever you’re doing right now, just make sure you’re still getting out of Beacon Hills. I mean, maybe you think you can’t leave, you know, like the whole thing falls apart if you’re not there, which, I get… but you _have_ to. I know you’re supposed to drive out tonight, so, if you don’t call me back, just promise me you’re actually going. Just get in the Jeep and _go_ – like seriously though because you’re supposed to drop Adds off at the airport on your way and I really kind of need her on the same side of the country as me again. Alright, later man– I’ll talk to you soon.”

***

_Stiles POV_

FBI internship officially begins today and dressed in my dress pants, crisp button up white shirt adorned with a black skinny tie and my laminated badge on a lanyard around my neck, I head up the stairs to the conference room with the others from my class.

I adjust the strap of my messenger bag over my shoulder as I get to the top of the stairs, my eyes falling to the presidential seal on the floor by my feet. 

My eyes move across the words, ‘United States of America Division of Justice’, smiling proudly that this is really my life now as I adjust my tie.

I walk into the room with the others and take a seat at the second table from the front before unpacking my bag with my notebook, a few pens, and my water bottle while our supervisor begins to speak to the room “You’ll find three words on the official FBI seal: loyalty, courage, integrity. These are the qualities we expect of all our interns– the qualities we demand of you during your six months with us. Loyalty. Courage. Integrity.”

He sets one hand on the lecture stand and brings up the projector, turning slightly to point towards the screen as he shows photographs of crime scenes and continues “You’ll join actual federal agents as we investigate everything from white collar crime, to terrorism–”

My interest is completely zoned in on everything he’s saying and I interrupt without really thinking much of it “International and domestic?”

Clearly I took him off guard and he throws me a look before he stammers through my interruption “Uh, yes– exactly… We’re also part of task forces to catch kidnappers, murderers–”

“Serial killers?” I once again interrupt and fully take in the aggravated look he throws me as he answers “…Yes, even serial killers.”

I grimace slightly and throw up my hand as I offer “I’ll raise my hand from now on. Sorry, keep going…”

He goes back to clicking through the slides of crime scene photos while I pick up my water and take a drink to give myself a moment to shake off the first day jitters.

“One recent manhunt had our crisis response team chasing down a bizarrely feral unsub in the wilderness of North Carolina…”

While I’m securing the lid back onto my water bottle, our supervisor clicks to the next slide– which is a video. 

The movement on the screen gains my eyes, which immediately take in the shirtless back adorned with a _very_ familiar triskelion tattoo in the middle of his shoulders running through the woods. 

_Holy fucking shit– Derek?!_

The water I had yet to swallow immediately sprays out of my mouth, showering the occupants of the table in front of me with my wonderful spit take. I slam my hand over my mouth, blinking rapidly as I look between my supervisor and the paused video of Derek’s back mid-running step.

I feel everyone’s eyes on me, however I can’t even think to feel embarrassed while my mind works through what this means.

Our supervisor furrows his brows at me “Is there a problem–” he trails off, moving his hand over the podium in front of him probably trying to figure out the pronunciation of my name and shakes his head “–Uh, young man?”

Clearing my throat I wipe the water still on my face with my hand and point towards him as I stammer “No, sorry. Uh, just got a little excited. It’s no problem–” pointing to the paused video on the screen of Derek’s back I subtly implore “Little question, though. That guy up there? What’s he wanted for?”

Serious expression thrown my way, he answers with one word “Murder.”

He turns back towards the screen and I make a little noise before throwing my hand in the air “It’s, uh–”

Our supervisor turns back towards the room when he hears my mumble of trying not to speak out of turn. He throws me a look, however, raises his brows expectantly for me to ask my question.

I throw him a sheepish expression and apologize while trying to remain calm to not draw any more attention than I already have “–Sorry… Just… what kind of murder, exactly?”

I’m met with a deep sigh of exasperation before he finally answers, his words widening my eyes with this turn of events “Mass murder.”


	97. Raw Talent

Scott hangs up the voicemail from Stiles and looks up to me “We’ll try to figure this out, find Argent– maybe this all won’t be something big and we can just tell him when it’s over.” **  
**

I throw him a grateful look, nodding my head to the side as I concede “We give it a few days– week at most and if it gets to be too much over our heads… we’ll call him.”

Scott stands up in front of me and sets his hands on my shoulders, lifting the corners of his mouth “Deal– let’s head back to the woods.”

Once we get to the preserve Scott has a far off look in his eyes and he just starts running. Not slowing or looking back, just hopping over trees and running through the dark woods with Lydia, Malia and I trying to follow behind him.

After running for who knows how long, Malia shares a look with me before offering to Scott in front of us “We can still catch him.”

Scott seems to break out of whatever trance he was in, the four of us stopping our running steps. He turns to look back at us as he furrows his brows “Catch who?”

I set my hands on my hips, trying to slow my breathing **_I really hate running_**

Malia frowns and shares a look with Lydia and I before answering him “The killer– what were you thinking about?”

Scott holds up the bullet casing in between his fingers we found next to the dead hellhound, looking down to the end of it with the fluer-de-lis “Getting the bullet to Argent.”

“Even if he’s the one who fired it?” Malia questions and I nod, connecting my eyes with Scott’s “Especially if he’s the one.”

Scott takes a step away from us, his feet freezing in place when he turns back to look at us “Do you hear that?”

Malia nods and fills in for the non heightened hearing banshees “Heartbeats”

Panic flashes across Scott’s face as he rushes out “A lot of them– they’re coming.”

Lydia and I share a confused look before we look back to him “Who?”

Scott turns back towards the tree line that the apparent heartbeats are coming from, becoming absolutely horrified as he orders back to us “Hunters– run!”

Scott takes off running, the three of us taking a second before Malia looks around and we take off running behind him “Scott, wait! Scott!”

He ignores us and continues to run at a pace we can’t even hope to catch up with. Malia thankfully sticks with us, however I don’t miss the worried look on her face as we dodge trees and attempt to keep Scott in our view.

We don’t see anyone else chasing after us and once we get into a little break of the trees we see Deputies– all with their guns drawn and flashlights pointed at a pair of people laying on the ground **_well at least we caught up to Scott_**

Once we get closer I grimace taking notice that the two people are Noah and Scotty.

Noah lifts one of his hands towards the Deputies and warns “It’s okay. Everybody, stay back– it’s just a kid.”

We’re closing the distance between us when we hear one of the female deputies question “What’s wrong with is eyes?” **_he’s got glaucoma_**

“Fuck, that’s not good” I grumble, the three of us pushing our feet into the ground faster as Jordan’s voice rings out “You heard the Sheriff, stand down!”

Stopping in front of Scott who is kneeled down on the ground, I land on my knees in front of him and set my hands on his forearms, inquiring through my panting breaths “Scotty, what happened?”

Scott throws a sheepish look our way, shaking his head and looking over to Noah who is moving his worried eyes between us.

I scrunch my nose up and turn on my toes to look up at Noah, taking the focus off of whatever just occurred “We need to show you something, Mr. S”

We help Scott stand up and head back through the preserve towards the area where we found the body of the hellhound.

We stop our steps off to the side pointing him out to Noah, Jordan and a few other deputies who move back to set up a perimeter around the crime scene, searching for any other clues.

Scott fidgets and turns to Noah, murmuring sheepishly “I’m really sorry.”

Noah smiles softly, shaking his head like it’s already forgotten as Jordan kneels next to the body.

I cross my arms over my front, feeling Scott’s worry from here as he questions further “You don’t think they saw anything, do you?”

Jordan takes a second and stands back up, answering with a little shrug “No more than they’re used to.” **_that’s depressingly true_**

Noah clears his throat and turns towards us with his curiosity “You wanna tell me what happened here?”

“He’s a Hellhound.” Jordan announces, pointing towards the body before Malia elaborates “A _dead_ Hellhound.”

Lydia throws her a look that I snort and drop my head forward in response to, lifting my eyes back up to the group when Noah quips “Yep, got that.”

Jordan, however, looks more taken aback than anyone “Well, I don’t get it. I didn’t think you could kill a Hellhound.”

Malia looks between us before she chimes in helpfully “Looks a lot easier than we thought.”

An awkward silence falls over us all as we think over this turn of events and what we thought we knew. I scratch the side of my face, raising my brows when Noah looks over to Scott and I “You got anything you wanna add?”

Scott looks over to me and I feel his arm brush past mine as he shoves his hand in his pocket. I realize that he’s more than likely shoving the bullet casing in his pocket, wanting more time to talk to Chris about it.

So I clear my throat and answer for him “Yeah– we uh, we don’t think it was just any bullet to be able to do that.”

Noah raises his brows, nodding with my words as Jordan crouches down, a frown of worry overcoming his features as he looks over the hellhound’s body once more “I hope not.”

***

Malia pulls her car into our driveway, shutting off the ignition as Scott and I unbuckle our seatbelts in the backseat.

Lydia turns in the passenger seat to look at me pointedly “Why didn’t you say anything?”

I open my mouth, Scott beating me to it as he jabs back “Why didn’t _you_ say anything?”

Malia turns in her seat as well, looking between all of us “Why didn’t _any_ of you say anything? Wait, was I supposed to say something?”

I chuckle softly and lift my hand off of my knee as I clarify “None of us said anything because it’s Argent, and he deserves a chance to tell us himself what’s going on.”

Scott smiles and nods, looking from me and over to the pair in the front seat “Exactly– so none of us are going to say anything until we talk to him. Everybody good with that?”

Lydia and Malia look uncertain, however, Lyds connects her eyes with mine and nods “As long as we talk to Argent soon.”

I make a noise, breathing out deeply like that will take my dread away “Soon as in immediately would be preferable.”

“Premonition?” Malia guesses, looking my way and I quip “Yeah– the one with the screaming, and people killing each other.”

Scott rubs his hands over his thighs, raising his brows and nodding like we’re in agreement “First we find Argent.”

***

“What do you mean, you missed your flight last night?” Stiles’ surprised voice rings out through the phone and I close my eyes “Sty– I need you to promise me something.”

“Promise I won’t freak out at the fact that your orientation is tomorrow and you’re still in Beacon Hills? Because I uh– I can’t promise that, Adds. I know you, with your planning and schedule and I just– how are you not freaking out with not being at school yet?”

Tears well in my eyes, I miss him and I wish he was here– however I need him to stay focused with his internship **_his dream_**

I will the tears away, clearing my throat as I set my hand on the corner of my dresser, gently running my nails over the grooves “I need you to promise me you won’t ask anything along the lines of what I’m doing… at least for a week.”

“Addy, what the fu… Jesus Christ hold on–”

I hear shuffling on his end before ultimately a door closing, followed by his deep exhaling breath “Babe, talk to me– what’s going on at home?”

I lick my lips quickly, looking over a picture frame of the two of us from graduation on the top of my dresser. 

Stiles and I are in our burgundy colored graduation gowns, him holding me bridal style while my arms are wrapped behind his neck, our ceremonial rolled up diplomas in my hand by his shoulder. The sides of our faces are pressed together and our bright _just graduated_ smiles are directed at the camera as mom captured the moment.

Smiling softly at the memory, I release a deep breath and answer him honestly “Sty, I don’t want to lie to you–”

“So don’t”

I chew on my lip with his interruption, closing my eyes before I whisper “I don’t know enough to explain, I just need you to trust me– trust I will tell you everything when I know _something_.”

“I trust you more than anyone, you know that. Now stop being frustratingly vague and tell me what’s going on– are you in trouble, did something happen?”

“Not exactly…”

Stiles hmm’s before rattling off quickly “Sociopathic alphas, vigilante lizards, twisted Darach inspired human sacrifices, evil fox spirits, classmate assassins, nazi doctors, or memory erasing cowboys terrorizing the city again?”

I chuckle sadly, sliding my hand off my dresser and turning around to walk towards my bed. 

I sit down on the edge before I fall backwards to lay across my comforter “No seven fold– nothing has happened to me or Scott or anyone else in our pack. I don’t want to worry you, I want you to stay focused with your internship–”

“Then don’t tell me _not_ to ask questions about why you aren’t in Massachusetts yet… are you– are you not going to school?”

“I’m still going to school, I just– I can’t leave Scotty right this second. Not until we know more about… something.”

He scoffs, grumbling lowly “ _Something_ – seriously Addy, that’s all you’re going to give me?”

I close my eyes on a grimace, bringing my free hand up to run my fingers over my brow-line “Yes?”

He’s silent for a few moments before he taunts “You do realize I am learning and training in ways to get you to release information, correct?”

That brings a smile to my face, flopping my hand on the bed above my head “Well in a week you won’t have to resort to those methods…”

“Adds–”

“Sty, I know okay. I know I am asking a lot with this. I’m asking a lot with not only the ‘boyfriend/girlfriend’ guidelines but also in the ‘who you, Stiles Stilinski, are as a person’ guidelines and _I hate it_. I hate that you aren’t here, laying next to me as I try not to freak out with the timing of everything. I hate that instead of being next to you, we are instead 3000 miles away from each other. I hate that I missed my flight and I have no idea when I can catch the next one…”

He’s silent on the other end, his breathing the only signal that the call wasn’t lost as I work through my frantic ramblings.

“However– even with all of that hate coursing through me… the possibility of something happening here is strong enough that I know I have to stay and try to prevent it.”

My voice cracks, the emotion I was trying to keep away breaking through and Stiles’ tone is softer “I can be there in a few–”

“No,” I interrupt quickly, sitting up on the edge of my bed “Stiles, no you will not leave your internship to come back here when this all could not be anything big enough to warrant you throwing away everything at Quantico in the first place.”

“Do you even understand what you’re asking of me? To not get on a flight and physically throw you over my shoulder to remove you from a city overrun with supernatural nutjobs that have almost taken you _away from me_ more times than I can even count?”

I chew on the side of my lip before I whisper softly “I’m asking you to trust me and the decision I’m making to keep you, Stiles Stilinski– the love of my life, safe.”

I can feel his aggravation radiating through the phone, so I push on without giving him much chance to say anything else, “Give me a week– _one_ week and I promise I will tell you everything whether this is nothing at all, or something big that we will undoubtedly need your help for, Sherlock.”

He’s silent for so long, I pull the phone away from my ear to check that the call is still connected **_still there, say something please_**

When I place it back against my ear I hear him sigh out roughly, his voice full of so many emotions with his three clipped out words “One week, Watson.”

***

Scott and Malia volunteer to head down to the Argent bunker, trying to find any clues of where Chris is because we haven’t heard from him.

Lydia sticks with me and offers to help me work through cracking my premonition and what all the sounds were that I heard when I touched the cobwebs. 

She drives me over to the Sheriff station asking Jordan for access to the card readers, hoping to cross off one of the sounds from the list.

Jordan agrees and guides us down to the holding cell area, Lydia and I stepping to his side. I lean my back against the bars of the cell, closing my eyes when Jordan slides his card on the lock of the cell “Is that it? The sound you heard?”

I breathe out deeply, shaking my head and opening my eyes “No, it’s something else.”

Lydia links her arm with mine, the two of us following behind Jordan as we make our way through the station and into the bullpen where the other deputies are working.

Jordan sits on his desk, Lydia and I stopping in front of him as he works through the other possibilities “It could be any kind of public facility– hospital, a fire station, or…”

My body tenses and I instantly know exactly where it’s from. Lydia looks over to me and I throw her a look as I finish his train of thought “Or a mental institution.”

Jordan flicks his head to me, the look that flashes through his eyes already telling me what his words are about to “Don’t say it–”

“Eichen House.” I grumble, ignoring his previous command.

Jordan sighs and Lydia guesses through a grimace “The card readers on the doors?”

I nod towards her before I breathe out deeply “It’s the Closed Unit.”

A hard look settles on Jordan’s face as he stands closer to us “You’re not going back to Eichen, and you’re definitely not going _anywhere_ near the Closed Unit.”

Lydia makes a noise and leans in closer as well “What if there’s a connection to the…” she drops her voice to a whisper “dead Hellhound?”

Jordan is already shaking his head in the negative column when he connects his eyes with mine “What if you go there again and someone tries to kill you? Which, by the way, happens _every time_ you go in there, Addy!”

I shrug my shoulders, knowing we don’t have anything else to go on right now “It’s our only lead.”

Jordan jerks his head back, licking his lips quickly “Don’t take this the wrong way because of where exactly it is that we’re talking about– but are you insane Addy? I’m not letting you near that place.”

I move to respond with my own argument, however, he just lifts his hand up to stop me as he continues “No, Stiles is with the freakin’ FBI now and I’m not delusional enough to think that _that_ fact won’t be convenient in what would happen if he found out that I allowed you to go back there and be almost murdered again– all _without_ him knowing.”

“Being almost murdered isn’t going to happen every time I go there– I can think of two times where that wasn’t the case,” I grumble and he just raises his brows.

I huff dramatically and cross my arms over my chest, looking between him and Lydia with my offer “Fine if you are so worried– then you can come with us.”

Jordan just smirks, reaches over to his desk chair and grabs his jacket “Or… I can go alone with the two of you staying here in the nice safe Sheriff’s station.”

Lydia and I make similar _what the fuck_ noises at his retreating back. I roll my eyes and look over to her, watching as she shakes her head “Fucking men.”

***

Lydia and I swivel back and forth in our chairs beside Jordan’s desk, a calendar reminder on her phone chiming and gaining our eyes to her light up screen

‘Last day to register for MIT– today, 6:00PM.’

She connects her eyes with mine, a defeated look on her face that has me clearing my throat and lifting a shoulder “I’m thinking about registering for a few online classes for this semester. That way I don’t loose my spot and it gives me some time to get everything sorted.”

Lydia sighs, placing her elbows on the desk and running her hands over her eyes “That’s not a terrible idea, what classes are you thinking?”

I cross my arms and lean my elbows on the desk beside hers “I talked with a counselor earlier, said a family emergency is keeping me in California for a few weeks. She suggested the online courses instead of taking a semester off and sent me a list of classes with a light course load that will still be helpful for my degree.”

I set my chin on my crossed arms and chuckle lightly as I continue “Though I don’t think anyone is much too concerned with the first year entering Juniors graduating on time.”

Lydia snorts and drops her hands from her face, mimicking my crossed arm position and nudging my shoulder “Lets register tonight.”

I nod, immediately sitting up straight when radio feedback rings throughout my ears, sharing a look with Lydia who nods **_she hears it too at least_**

We look over our shoulders, and I try to clear my face from being suspicious when I see one of the lady deputies putting her walkie talkie on a charge port.

She spares us another look before she leaves the room, Lydia and I sharing a look before we stand up and head for the desk with the charging walkie talkies.

I look around, seeing no one looking our way before I pick up one of the walkie talkies. As soon as I touch the device it produces even more static and I furrow my brows at what it’s trying to tell us.

Lydia reaches forward and raises the volume, however nothing more than even louder static comes through the speaker. 

I spare another look around, seeing everyone doing their own thing and not paying any attention to us. I move my eyes to connect with Lydia’s as I click down on the button, moving the mic near my mouth “Hello?”

Through the static after I release the button, we hear an echo of a voice I faintly recognize **_though I can’t seem to place it_** filter through the speaker on the walkie talkie “ _Even you can freeze solid, Deputy Parrish. We should be killing them_.”

“ _Wait!_ ” comes another echo voice **_that was definitely Jordan’s voice_**

Lydia gasps, connecting her worried eyes with mine before I put the walkie talkie back in it’s place and reach out to grab her hand “He’s in trouble, let’s go.”

***

We pull up in front of the familiar metal gates of Eichen House and climb out of Lydia’s car. 

I swallow hard, the memories of the last time I was here ever present and terrifying. The side of my head seems to ache and I close my eyes, willing the trauma to stand down **_Jordan’s in trouble we have to save him_**

Lydia links her arm with mine and pulls me tight into her side “You’re not alone, we’re in this together.”

I throw her a grateful smile and increase my hold on her “Thanks, Lyds.”

The gate closing behind us has me flinching, the echoing clank sending a deep shiver down my spine. I shake it off and we take the steps up to the building.

We head inside, finding our way down the stairs and into the hallway for the closed unit. We each pull out our phone from our pockets and turn on the flashlights, trying to light up the dark space around us. 

“Why aren’t the lights on?” Lydia questions on a whisper and I shake my head when we come across the main gate for the closed unit semi opened “I don’t know but paired with all the fucking doors being unlocked, I have a really bad feeling about it.”

Lydia furrows her brows, walking through the unlocked gate with me before she’s shouting “Hello?”

The silence we hear is defending, though it’s short lived as the gate we walked through clangs shut behind us and I jerk away from it. 

We hear a crack of electricity and I barely register Lydia’s shaky voice call out for Jordan as I turn away from her towards the gate.

My breathing increases as my mind instantly starts reeling with memories of Valack and being down here with him. 

I slam my hands on the gate and desperately try to open it as my eyes move all over the space around me, however I don’t see the dark hallway– instead I’m laying in the bed while Valack asks me questions about the chimera pack, sitting up in that fucking chair while my brain was about to explode from all the noise. That fucking mask Valack held in front of me just before I screamed and killed him.

Lydia sets her hands on my arms and I gasp loudly, jerking away from her however she increases her hold on me “Addy, you’re okay! You’re okay– you’re here with me, breathe– just breathe.”

I feel wetness on my cheeks as I move my eyes up from the ground to connect with hers, trying to control my labored breathing as I grab onto her outstretched arms.

A couple more deep breaths in and out before I hold my breath at the voices I can now make out echoing in my head 

“ _It’s here_.” a female voice states before the familiar voice from earlier repeats “ _We should be killing them_.”

“ _Wait_!” comes Jordan’s shout followed by a gunshot echoing loudly and clear as day. 

I widen my eyes and share a look with Lydia, both of us increasing our holds on the others upper arms before we turn towards the dark hallway in front of us.

We move our steps in sync, quickly making our way through the hall as we sense exactly where Jordan is.

We come across an open doorway, our eyes taking in the doctor– who I now recognize as the one who had let Stiles and me go and see Valack in the closed unit when we were first learning about who the Dread Doctors were– pointing a gun at the side of Jordan’s forehead, muttering something about not being afraid anymore.

Not missing a beat– Lydia and I raise our arms out in front of us and push our hands forward, directing our banshee screams directly at the doctor. Our screams hit him with such a force, he flies away from Jordan and hits the wall of the cell, falling to the ground completely knocked out.

I suck in a deep gasp once the scream dies down and drop my hands back down to my side, Lydia doing the same before we rush over to Jordan.

He’s kneeling on the ground and looks near frozen, his face is a blue, purply color and he’s shivering. I take off my sweater and drape it over his back as he moves his eyes between Lydia and I, a weak smile lifting the corners of his lips in his thanks.

Lydia and I grab each of his arms and together we lift him up up to his feet, guiding him out of the cold cell to lean him up against the wall of the hallway. 

He continues to fight through the shivers wracking his body as he warms up and begins to tell us all about what dear Dr. Fenris has been up to.

***

Lydia and I meet Scott and Malia at our house, the two of them having just come back from a road trip to see Chris at an apparent gun deal he was supplying. 

Chris informed Scott that he hasn’t been avoiding us, he’s just been very busy investing why gun sales are so high recently.

When Scott asked about the shell casing they found, Chris denied it coming from him since he hasn’t stamped a bullet since Ally died.

Chris went with Scott and Malia to the area where we found the hellhound and ended up helping Scott find the slug of the bullet **_the very much made of silver bullet slug_**

Lydia and I explain about our day and rehash what Jordan had told us about Dr. Fenris’ malicious actions to the patients of Eichen House.

Scott shakes his head incredulously “He killed every supernatural in the Closed Unit? All of them?”

We nod, Lydia shrugging a shoulder “He said he couldn’t see it any other way.” 

Looking over to Scott, I clear my throat and elaborate “He became so angry as he struggled to protect the world from the ‘things’ in the closed unit and realized he shouldn’t be caging the supernatural– instead he should kill them to protect the humans.”

Malia scoffs, looking between us all “Well, I’ve got another way. You don’t kill everyone.”

“I think he was afraid.” Lydia states, a silence falling over us all before I furrow my brows and add thoughtfully “The wolves, the rats. It keeps coming back to the same thing, fear.”

Scott looks over to me, his thinking face in full force as Malia shrugs beside him “But what is everyone afraid of?”

Taking a second to dig in his pocket, Scott places the slug of the bullet they found with Chris onto the kitchen island in front of us, answering hesitantly “…Us.”

We all look down to the bullet slug in between his fingers– the slug made of silver that proves someone is new to the hunting business and doesn’t know that silver hurting werewolves is just a myth.

Scott drums his fingers on the island and continues “We don’t know what fear would do to somebody. I mean, it can change them. They’ll look at us differently. They’ll do things that they’ve never done before.”

Malia digests his words before she quips “People can be so stupid.”

Lydia shakes her head, quickly countering Malia’s thought “They’re not stupid, they’re scared.” 

I nod with her words and share a look with all of them as I murmur thoughtfully “And scared people will do things that you wouldn’t believe.”


	98. After Images

“Addy!” Scott’s bellow of a voice has me jumping and almost losing my hold on my phone perched in between my shoulder and ear “Jesus, Scotty I’m in the kitchen.”

I hear Stiles’ chuckle on the other end when Scott comes rushing into the kitchen, eyes frantic as he lifts up the end of a bloody lacrosse stick and whispers “We have to go– Brett’s missing.”

“Adds?” Stiles calls and I close my eyes, hating Beacon Hills that much more at the moment **_why does missing always have to include blood_**

I walk over to where my shoes are by the side kitchen door and slide my feet into them “Stiles, I’ve gotta go–”

“Let me guess, you’ll tell me in a week?” he grumbles and I feel the jab all the way from Virgina, breathing out a deep breath “Sty…”

“No don’t,” he interrupts quickly “I didn’t mean for it to sound like that, go be the badass I fell in love with so so many moons ago.”

I grab my olive green button up soft jacket from the back of the dining room chair, smiling into the phone “I love you”

“I know” comes his quick reply, earning a chuckle from me before he continues “I love you, Adds– and for the love of fuck be safe.”

We say our see you laters and I hang up the phone, already making it through the living room to meet Scott at the front door.

He chuckles and opens the door for me “I still can’t believe he’s actually giving you a week before you tell him what’s been happening.”

I sigh out my anxiety with still keeping things from him “Yeah, well I know it’s killing him which in turn is making me feel awful. Just– hopefully we’re going to have it all sorted so I will only be _telling_ him about it all and he won’t have to come here.” **_I won’t know how to keep him away_**

Scott shares a look of agreement with me as we walk down the steps of the front porch. 

As we walk over to the jeep where Brett’s sister, Lori, is already waiting for us, I text Lydia, Malia and Liam. 

I have them meet us at the school where Lori found the bloody lacrosse stick by Brett’s car. Since it was the last place he was, it seems like the right place for us all to start looking for him.

Mason was with Liam when I texted, so the four of them are now waiting in the parking lot when we pull up beside them. 

Lydia turns to me with her game plan “I’ll stay here and try to see if I can get anything, Addy why don’t you go with them– see if you feel anything while following his trail.”

Scott and Malia nod while I agree “Sounds good.”

Mason throws his hand over his shoulder to point towards the school “Corey is in a study group so we can stay with Lydia, we can– you know, try to be helpful?” **_yes because Lyds is always wanting help from the youngins_**

She throws him a look, however ultimately agrees “Fine, meet me in the Chemistry classroom.”

They walk off towards the school, Lori turning back to us “His blood is over here,” Liam nods on his jog over towards her “Lets go.”

We follow the blood trial into the preserve, Liam coming up to a tree with an arrow in it and stopping. He lifts his hand up to the end of the arrow, turning and guiding his arm from where the arrow was shot from “Here.”

Scott and Malia come to a stop behind Liam first, followed by Lori and I. My eyes fall to the ground by our feet, seeing a black phone that Lori picks up and raises her eyes to connect with mine “It’s his.” 

I reach over to her slowly, indicating towards the phone “May I?”

Lori nods and places the phone in my outstretched hand. I wrap my fingers around the device, bringing my other hand over to lay on top as I close my eyes and will any feeling to come to me.

“I think he set a trap,” Liam states and I open my eyes as Scott proudly looks between us “He’s fighting back.”

I hand back the phone to Lori as I elaborate with a little hope “And now we know he’s alive.”

Lori turns towards the tree, looking around frantically “But he’s still hurt. We need to find him– he needs to know we’re here,” she takes a deep breath in and turns towards the preserve, ready to howl when Malia reaches over and stops her “You want the hunter to know we’re here, too?”

Liam shakes his head and defends “He’s new– we can take him.” **_that’s if he’s alone_**

“What if Brett howls back? He’ll lead the hunter right to him,” Malia argues and Scott shakes his head to offer a different outlook “No, we could find him first. There’s no human that can track sounds faster than we can, and we’ve got the advantage. We’ve done this before– we know what we’re doing, guys.”

Malia furrows her brows, looking around “How come I can’t catch his scent?”

“He’s masking it,” Lori fills in for us and Malia grumbles “Can someone tell him _not_ to?”

Liam walks past us, pointing to the ground a few feet away from us “He went this way.”

He takes off down the trail, Lori and I following behind him while Malia and Scott stay back for a few exchanged words before they catch up to us.

We stop after a few minutes, Malia huffing and setting her hands on her hips “The trail’s gone.”

“Uh, maybe he just stopped bleeding?” Scott offers, moving his eyes around the ground for any different kind of clues.

“Guys, I think we should split up. Lori and I go this way, you guys go that way,” Liam offers before Lori chimes in “Or maybe we go in five directions?”

I share a look with Malia and shake my head towards him “We should stick together, Bub.”

“Addy we have the advantage– it’s five against one.” he argues and I’m quick to counter “Not if we split up.”

He furrows his brows at me “I’ve been doing this the past three months without your guys’ help. I think I can make a decision.”

“Well, if you’re deciding to do something stupid and die, then go ahead” Malia quips earning me to throw her a grateful look before Liam gains my attention again “It’s one hunter– one amateur– who doesn’t know what they’re doing.”

Scotty kneels on the ground, moving some loose dirt around and revealing footprints in the mud below “Scotty?”

Liam looks between us, his eyes landing on the footprints in the mud as well “The hunter– he’s covering his tracks.”

“There’s another,” Scott informs as he moves more loose dirt that was moved over to cover the other set of prints.

Malia steps closer to him “Two of them?”

“Maybe more,” I clarify and move my eyes to search the area around us **_I feel like we’re being watched now_**

Lori makes a noise and addresses Scott “How many hunters have you seen out here before?”

Scott takes a moment to contemplate that, looking over his shoulder towards us with his answer “…a lot.”

I cross my arms over my chest, connecting my eyes with Liam as I raise a brow “Still wanna split up?”

He makes a face at that, shaking his head as he reiterates “We can deal with it. We just need to find Brett’s trail.”

Lori’s voice gains us to look over to her as she excitedly fills in for us and points forward to a stack of rocks “No, we don’t. Rock balancing– Satomi taught us. It’s him, and I know where he’s going.”

Not far from the balancing stack of rocks there was a grate covered by a fallen bushy tree branch, which we moved and climbed down into the tunnels below.

We are making our way through the familiar tunnels when we see a few decent sized puddles of black. Lori kneels down and swipes her fingers through one of the puddles, letting out a sigh as she turns back to us “He’s been poisoned.”

“That’s why he’s not healing,” Scott voices what we’re all thinking and a familiar dread feeling crashes over me. If he’s poisoned and we’re still searching for him– we may not make it to Deaton in time.

“What if he only has a few hours to live?” Lori frantically asks the group and I suck in a shaky breath **_I can confirm that’s more than likely the case_**

Liam snaps his gaze to me, obviously reading on my face how true her statement is and he declares “Well, if we howl, we can find him.”

“That’s too risky” Malia argues, Lori quick to counter back “Who cares about the risk? He could be dying.”

I resist the urge to confirm that _he is dying_ while Malia offers instead “He’s still moving.”

Scott shares a worried look with me before he sees the urgent look on Liam’s face and shakes his head as he mumbles “We just need time to think.”

Lori shares my thought that we’re running out of time because she rushes out “I need him to know that I’m here, that I’m coming for him.”

“Yeah, Lori’s right. He has to know we’re here–” he declares already turning towards the tunnel the black goo piles lead and taking a deep breath in.

“Liam, wait!” Malia shouts, however, Liam is already sending a location roar out of his chest and it echoes down the tunnel.

The answering silence doesn’t sit well with anyone and we share a look before we continue our steps down the tunnel.

“Why didn’t he answer?” Lori questions, and Liam makes a noise before he answers her “Maybe– maybe he didn’t hear us…”

I snort “Don’t sell yourself short, bub. Maybe he _couldn’t_ answer back– you know with the hunters on his tail.”

“Lori, no!” Scott bellows and we jerk to the side, following Lori’s legs and seeing a tripwire that she’s walking right through.

Liam grabs my arms and pulls me back when there’s a clicking noise and a whoosh, our eyes widening when Scott groans and we see him hit the wall. 

He lifts his hands to his abdomen where a metal pipe is embedded just under his ribs.

Malia and Liam grab onto the end of the pipe, slowly trying to remove it from his abdomen before they finally pull harder and Scott groans louder when it’s fully removed.

They drop it onto the ground and I widen my eyes when I see the spikes protruding over the entire top half of the pipe.

Scott slides his back down the wall until he’s sitting down and scrunches his face up in pain as he groans out “They knew we were coming.”

Malia slides with him as she kneels beside him and orders “Don’t talk– just heal and let us figure this out.”

“They’ve been a step ahead of us the whole time.” Scott grumbles, holding his stomach and wincing.

Lori bounces on her feet, looking torn as she looks from Scott and down the tunnel a few times “I’m sorry, but I can’t wait around… we have to go.”

Liam nods and observes “We still have the numbers– four to two. We’re faster, and we’re stronger, plus Addy is like our secret weapon.”

I throw him a look, furrowing my brows with my silent question that he thankfully answers right away “I mean, no offense, but one look at you and no one would think ‘Sure she can throw me through the air twenty feet with a scream’– so being underestimated is your secret weapon.”

I make an impressed face, however Scott bursts my bubble as he grunts out “They’re smarter.” **_and big bro sweeps in to keep me level headed_**

“I don’t care who’s smarter, or faster, or whatever. My brother’s going to die.” Lori argues and I draw my brows in as I look at the wire by our feet “Something’s not right. That arrow, the trip wire, the poison… these aren’t amateurs.”

Liam flicks his head in my direction again as he urges “But they’ve never fought us before.”

“And you’ve never fought hunters, Liam. We need to stick together.” Scott rushes out with a more authoritative tone, which Lori gives two shits about “I need to go.”

Liam reaches out and stops her “No, you’re not going alone. I’ll go with you,” which earns me to also reach out and stop him “Bub, you don’t know who they are or what they’re capable of.”

He softens his face towards me, moving his eyes between me and Scott “Look, I _know_ who we are. We _never_ give up. Especially when it’s someone innocent. When it’s someone alone. When it’s one of our _friends_.” **_damn he has a point_**

I share a look with Scott and he nods “Okay. Go– go.” I hesitate and he connects his eyes with mine “All of you– I’ll catch up.”

Scott moves to stand, however groans and falls back onto the ground “I just need a minute.”

I look over to Malia and she nods her head towards the tunnel “You go, I’ll stay with him.” I debate for a few more seconds before Scott looks up to me as well “Stay with Liam– please?” I make a face and breathe out deeply “Okay, okay– stay safe.”

Liam, Lori and I take off down the tunnel and come around another corner which ends up presenting us with two options for which way to go. 

“Which way?” Liam asks, turning towards Lori and continuing his questions “There’s gotta be something. Did he leave anything for you to find, like– like a signal, or more rocks?”

“I don’t see anything… I don’t _hear_ anything.” Lori admits, worry lacing her words and Liam turns to her, reassuring her while I close my eyes and try to hone in on where the dreaded death feeling is coming from “We’ll find something. He’s gonna be okay.”

“How do you know?” Lori questions, earning Liam to urge gently “'Cause– ‘cause he’s strong. He’s really strong. He’s knocked me down on the lacrosse field more than once. Now, when I see him coming, I do everything I can to get the hell out of the way.”

I smile at that, tilting my head to the right as I open my eyes and take in the tunnel way staring back at me for which way we should go **_equally glad and upset to have an answer_**

“Brett actually started playing lacrosse for me.” Lori admits, Liam furrowing his brows “For you?”

She nods “I didn’t have any friends at my old school. Devenford Prep needed lacrosse players, and Brett practiced all summer. And he got a scholarship and told them that they had to take me if they wanted him.”

Liam reaches over and sets his hand on her arm “Hey, we’re gonna find him,” looking up at me with his words, I tilt my head to indicate which way we need to go.

Liam follows the direction I’m suggesting and moving his eyes back to me, I soften my face silently conveying _why_ I know to go that way **_I’m sorry, Bub_**

He licks his lips angrily and guides Lori towards me and we take off down the tunnel way, though their steps falter a little ways down “Do you smell that? It’s… it’s sour.” Liam concludes and Lori nods “It smells like something’s rotting.”

“I think it’s poison” Liam states and Lori smiles “That’s how we’ll find him.”

We run further down the hallway, dread completely filling my entire body the further down we go.

“They all look the same. Are you sure we’re going the right way?” She questions back to me and Liam nods “Trust her, she knows– plus I’ve gotten lost down here before, more than once– we just need to follow the scent.”

I snort and keep my pace with theirs, Lori admitting through a grimace “I _hate_ that scent.”

Liam reaches over and stops our steps with his hand on my arm “Wait– I hear something. It sounds like…”

“…a heartbeat,” Lori finishes and it’s my turn to follow them and their heartbeat hearing ears.

We come to a wider part of the tunnel and there leaning up against the wall near some containers is who we’ve been looking for “Brett!”

Lori rushes up to kneel beside him and he smiles as best he can “You found the rocks.”

“Yeah, I found the rocks.” she proudly states, Brett’s eyes drawing over to us “Hey Addy, Liam–”

I offer him a comforting smile with a nod in hello as Liam moves closer to them “Hey, we’re going to get you out of here.”

The poison is definitely doing its job because Brett looks awful– there are black lines of the _not able to heal_ goo coming out of his nose, mouth, eyes and ears.

The sight causes my heart to pang a little more, absolutely terrified we won’t be able to save him **_especially since we don’t know what he was poisoned with_**

Lori grabs his arm that’s closest to her while Liam reaches out for his other hand, which Brett places his into and jabs as they pull him up “You’re a dumbass for doing this.”

Liam smirks “Oh, is that your way of thanking me?”

Brett let’s go of his hand and attempts to smile “No, that’s my way of calling you a dumbass,” he moves his eyes between us, landing them on Liam “But… thanks.”

A loud tire screeching as though it’s trying to dodge something in the road has me gasping loudly and jumping to the side, earning three sets of eyes to look at me in confusion.

Liam makes a noise and steps forward, his face softening “Addy?”

I make a noise, looking around the tunnel and muttering just above a whisper **_though I’m sure I already know the answer_** “You, umm, you didn’t hear a car swerving just then by chance did you?”

“No– do I even want to know _why_ you are–” Liam’s words are cut off as a canister is thrown and fog fills the far end of the tunnel we originally came through. The fog quickly spreads right before one of Argent’s sound emitters he used to corner werewolves starts going off.

The three wolves throw their hands up to cover their ears while I lift my hands up defensively and directed towards the tunnel with the fog. 

I take quick deep breaths to ready my scream as I narrow my eyes trying to see any sign of movement through the thick fog.

“They’re coming.” Lori bellows and I look over my shoulder at Liam coming to stand beside me “Okay, go with them– I’ll hold ‘em off,” Liam orders and I drop my hands to look at him, though he doesn’t give me a chance to argue as he guides me over to Brett and Lori with a shove of my shoulder “Go! Go!”

Running over to them I grab Brett’s other arm and throw it behind my neck, grabbing onto his wrist once his arm is situated. 

Wrapping my other arm behind his back Lori and I turn, helping him walk with us and our quick steps down the tunnel.

Our panting breaths are the only noises to be heard as we make it further down the tunnels, each step feels like we’re walking closer and closer to death **_and I’m starting to wonder if it’s only for Brett_**

I see the ladder up ahead and I breathe out “Just a little further guys.”

Lori tightens her grip on her brother and reassures him “Hey– we’re almost out of here.”

We stop at the bottom of the ladder, Lori and I guiding Brett up until she follows him and he’s able to move the cover of the manhole. 

I tap my fingers on the ladder as they continue to climb, the feeling like I’m missing something growing with each passing second.

I start to climb up the ladder, however am stopped about three rings up when arms wrap around my waist and pull me back onto the ground. 

I let out a grunt from the force that Liam pulled me back with before he interrupts quickly “There’s no one down here, the hunter wanted this–”

The swerving car sounds loudly in my head again causing me to jerk away from the ladder again and it finally clicks why I’m hearing it. 

I breathe in a sharp gasp and grab onto Liam’s arm “They’re gonna be hit.” 

Liam widens his eyes and starts climbing up the ladder as I shout up towards her “Lori, no– wait!”

“Lori, wait!!” Liam climbs up faster as Lori goes out of view, fully stepping out onto the street as I start to climb up the ladder as well.

Liam’s almost to the top of the ladder when we hear a car rev and speed right towards where we’re at, just before we hear very distinct thuds. 

The noise hits deep in my bones and freezes my movements, my blood turning to ice as my eyes slam shut and I drop my forehead onto the back of my hand still resting on the next step of the ladder.

Liam roars and I lift my head up, jerking back from the emotion radiating off of him as his pain filled roar echoes around the evening air.

Climbing the rest of the way up the ladder I hear tires screech to a stop right above me now and I peek out of the manhole, my eyes widening as I notice the crowd of people starting to gather and cars pulling up to the scene.

I keep the top of my head just below the street and whisper yell at him “Liam– Liam you _have_ to shift back– _now_! Bub, you _can’t_ let them see your face– dammit Liam _listen_ _to me_ –”

“It’s too late,” he grits out angrily, moving his eyes around all the faces that are gathering. He turns back towards me, keeping his face directed at the new car pulling up in front of him “Stay out of sight, Addy,” he growls at me through clenched teeth before he again roars so loudly I flinch back on the ladder.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket and I hop down off the ladder, pulling my phone out to read the message that’s from Lydia

Lyds: _Nolan attacked Corey in the library, stabbed him in the back of his hand in front of people kind of attacked. PEOPLE WHO SAW HIM HEAL RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES._

“What the fuck?” I grumble to myself, a hand landing on my shoulder causing me to yelp and turn around quickly. 

Scott raises his hands up to his sides “Stop, it’s just us.”

I slap my hand on my chest as I breathe out deeply “Well make a noise or something– I don’t have werewolf hearing, we were just tormented with fog that apparently was a _decoy_ to get Brett and Lori out onto the stree–” I trail off, my eyes moving up to the ladder and down to my now locked phone.

I draw my brows inwards, my mind quickly moving between the obvious setup scene out on the street and the library display of supernatural healing from a kid I don’t even now.

Scott steps closer to me “Addy? What happened?”

“They’re on the street,” I answer and snap my hand forward to stop him from climbing the ladder as I continue “We can’t go out there– not yet.”

“Addy if they’re out there, we have to–”

I shake my head quickly “It was a _setup_ , Scotty. There are a dozen or more people out there at a weird time of night for a fucking walk. Those people just witnessed Liam in all his wolfed out glory jump out there and _roar_ – and that’s not all…”

“What else?” Malia questions and I lift up my phone even though the screen is black “Lydia texted me and said Nolan just stabbed Corey in the back of the hand in the middle of the library that was _full_ _of people_.”

Scott furrows his brows “Why would Nolan want to hurt Corey?”

I lick my lips quickly and shake my head “He wasn’t trying to hurt him, he was trying to _expose_ him– it was a test. The hunter used the fog and the emitters to get Lori, Brett and us probably to go up this _exact_ ladder onto a street where a car was waiting to run us down and a group of people told to come inspect not long after–”

“But why, what’s the purpose of it all?” Scott asks and I look between them “What it all comes back to, Scotty– to instill _fear_ in the people who aren’t already afraid of us.”

Scott jerks his head back with my words “Wait us? I thought your premonition was about people turning on each other?”

I shake my head, chewing on the side of my lip as I voice what I’ve concluded “I was wrong. They’re gonna turn on _us_ … and it’s already started.”


	99. Face to Faceless

Scott drives up next to Lydia’s car where Malia and I are waiting with her. Once he parks we all get out of our respective cars and meet in front of the jeep as I question Scotty “Liam okay?”

Scott nods, offering a comforting smile “He’s going to go to school.”

I jerk my head back, stammering out quickly “I’m sorry what?”

Lydia shares my same look of freaked out confusion and Scott looks between us and over to Malia, who shrugs at him, before he answers “Yeah, told him he needed to be like Clark Kent and pretend like nothing happened.”

I gape at him, shaking my head like he’s insane “Like nothing– Scotty, he was wolfed out in front of who knows how many people _and_ roared at them with his teeth bared in case it wasn’t apparent enough that he _wasn’t_ a full human,” I take a calming breath and try to get him to see where I’m coming from “Nolan already had the balls to stab Corey in front of other students so what– what the fuck do you think they’re going to do to _Liam_?”

“They won’t do anything to him because no one has proof– I mean it was nighttime and who’s to say that anyone saw anything,” he concedes and starts to walk towards the tunnel entrance. 

Malia turns and follows him as well, though they both stop when they don’t hear Lydia and I following them.

When he looks back over his shoulder at me raising his brows in his silent question, I mutter just above a whisper “Even _you_ don’t believe that, Scotty.”

A flash of understanding crosses his features before he releases a breath and lifts the corner of his mouth as he takes those four steps back towards us “Look, he is taking Brett and Lori’s death really hard…”

“We all are” I correct and he shakes his head “We are because they were great kids who didn’t deserve that– but we didn’t know them like he knew them,” I nod with that and he continues “We’re trying to save lives, which is why he needed to go to school and pretend like nothing happened– because if he doesn’t go, more people could die.”

I jerk my head back, the worry never leaving my voice “And if Nolan and whoever gave him the idea to test Corey decides to test Liam in school, in _daytime_ with all those _prying_ eyes?”

Scott shakes his head softly “What happened to my ever positive sister who could always look on the bright side when we attempted to be hopeful for something bad _not_ to happen?”

Without missing a beat I deadpan “I felt two innocent people be run down in the middle of a street confirming my premonition that Beacon Hills is about to turn on and murder everyone I’ve grown to love in these last four years.”

Scott softens his face, stepping up to me and setting his hands on my shoulders, reassuring with so much conviction “We’re not going to let that happen, okay?”

A few silent seconds pass before I breathe in deeply, digesting his words and finally offering a nod “Okay.”

Scott squeezes my shoulders and guides us over towards the entrance to the tunnels that will get us to the Argent bunker the fastest.

Chris is already waiting in the bunker when we get there and he asks us to fill him in on what happened last night with Brett and Lori, along with the traps that were set by the hunter who was after Brett.

Scott drops the lacrosse stick onto the table we’re standing around once he’s done with his story time “They were murdered. Killed by the new hunter in Beacon Hills.”

I set my hands on the table and look over towards Chris “You know, when the hunter took out the Hellhound, we thought it was just luck– that we were dealing with an amateur. But after last night and how the traps were set in the tunnels… now we know that whoever this new hunter is, they have a teacher.”

“Gerard,” Chris states with a nod, looking remorseful as he continues “Which means this is my fault. I’m the one who let him go.”

“You couldn’t have done anything,” I reassure though Malia is quick to counter “He could’ve killed him” **_Chris did shoot him at least, just a bummer it wasn’t a fatal shot_**

The four of us throw her a look, and she shrugs “Just saying…”

“We’re not executioners,” Lydia quips with an eye roll and Malia states matter of factly “You are when it comes to war.”

“That’s why we’re gonna make peace.” Scott offers and I scoff, flicking my eyes to him “With _Gerard_?”

Scott leans on the table more towards me “Addy, you know what’s coming. We all keep using the same word–”

“–War.” Chris finishes for him and I look between them, crossing my arms over my front “So what stops a war from happening?”

Chris looks over to me and nods his head once with his answer “A peace summit.”

Scott nods and lays down his plan for us “Right. We meet face to face with Gerard, find out what he wants, and then we stop all this before it gets any worse.” 

Remembering what Scott told us from his lesson with Gerard during the Alpha pack time of our lives, I tilt my head to the side towards him “Last time Gerard was at a ‘peace meeting’ was with Deucalion– he blinded him and then killed everybody else, including his _own men_.”

That gives him pause, until Chris turns more towards us “I’ll go– I mean he’s not going to kill me.”

“You sure about that?” Lydia questions and Chris shrugs, a smile fighting to break through “Not really.”

“All we need is to find out what he wants– then we can bargain,” Scott suggests and Chris not missing a beat, offers quickly “Even if he does agree, his terms might be difficult to meet.”

Scott shrugs and looks between us “Well, that’s why it’s a negotiation. I don’t expect to get anything without giving something up.” **_what are you willing to give up?_**

Chris takes a moment before he voices what we’re all probably thinking “Then you’re gonna have to figure out just how much you’re willing to give, and how far you’re willing to go to stop a war.”

***

Chris went to meet with his father at some warehouse that is apparently Gerard’s base of operations for his gun business.

Liam texted Scott that while in the guidance counselor’s office he noticed scratches on Tamora Monroe’s neck as well as books about the supernatural on her filing cabinet. 

When he asked how she got the scratches she said from a branch in the woods when she was running. He kept asking questions, mainly who she was running from, and from how she dodged his questions he just knew– she’s the new hunter.

Scott and I get home to let Chris know what we just found out and when we walk up the back porch, heading for the side kitchen door, Scott stops me from opening the door.

I throw him a questioning look, however the words die in my throat when we hear Chris talking to mom “As far as I can tell… genocide.”

I share an alarmed look with Scott as mom scoffs “He just wants to kill them? All of them?”

Chris sighs and elaborates his crazy father’s way of thinking “If you’re looking for rationality, I think he left that behind a long time ago. In his eyes, Scott has killed half his family, turned his daughter into a monster, and turned me, his only son, against him.” 

I resist the urge to scoff while mom is right there with her incredulous question “So, I’m supposed to just tell my kids to give up?”

“I’m not asking them to give up. I just want them to survive.” Chris urges, and even I can feel his protection over us from here **_can mom and him officially date already? kthanks_**

Mom’s voice sounds closer now as she’s moving through the dining room towards the kitchen and throws back at him “I’ve never told Scott and Addy to run and hide, and I’m not going to start now.”

Chris argues back quickly as he follows her “Melissa, Addy was so close to death a year ago her heart stopped for two minutes and Scott– he was dead in your arms once before, and you had to bring him back yourself. What if this is the one fight they _don’t_ come back from?”

I nudge Scott and he pulls open the screen, both of us walking quickly towards the pair as I announce “There doesn’t have to be a fight.”

Chris sighs and looks between Scott and I “Do you guys know something I don’t?”

Scott lifts up his phone and informs what we know that he doesn’t “ _Someone_. Tamora Monroe… she’s the new Hunter.”

***

Lydia used having the same last name as the principal to set a meeting with Monroe and try to get her to see reason **_since Gerard said no_**

And Lydia being Lydia who usually gets her way– Monroe agreed to hear us out over our suggestion to live in coexistence.

Stiles’ name pops up on my screen for a text message and I smile while picking up my phone, snorting with a soft chuckle at his message 

Sty: _Did you steal my hoodie?_

Adds: _What hoodie?_

Sty: _You know what hoodie, the one that I specifically made sure I packed because it smelled like you from the last time you stole it._

Adds: _Hmmmm…_

Sty: _You literally wear it all the time_

Adds: …..

Sty: _It’s maroon_

Adds: _ummm_

Sty: _Says Stilinski in big block letters on the back_

Adds: _Yeah that’s not ringing any bells_

Sty: _You are a dirty liar– I can’t believe you stole it back in my time of need!_

Adds: _In my defense it smelled like YOU from being packed in your bag and I left you the zip up hoodie you let me wear that last weekend so that should smell like me still._

Sty: _It doesn’t, you little thief._

Adds: _I miss you._

Sty: _I miss you and your coconuts more._

Smiling brightly, I slide my phone in the back pocket of my maroon skinny jeans and make my way down the stairs as Malia walks through the front door.

We walk into the living room with Scott and fill her in on where he’s going to go and meet Monroe. Once he’s done, I make my way into the kitchen and after Malia digests what he’s said– naturally she voices her worry “It’s a trap!”

Scott walks into the kitchen when I close the refrigerator door, Malia walking right behind him as he counters “She said she would meet to talk.”

Malia shares a look with me while I drink my afternoon iced coffee goodness, rolling her eyes at me when I just shrug **_he wants to do this_**

“Meeting alone in the middle of the tunnels with a werewolf hunter? It’s a _trap_.”

“Then what do you want me to do?” Scott offers and she’s quick to respond “Don’t go.”

Scott softens his face, however his tone is just as urgent with him not backing down “Gerard’s recruiting new hunters and he’s murdering our friends. He’s not gonna stop unless I can convince him that we’re not his enemy.”

“What happens if you can’t? You’re gonna get yourself killed– we need you!”

Scott looks between us “If I didn’t think you guys could beat him without me…”

“That’s not what I mean,” Malia argues and Scott steps ever so slightly closer to her “Then what do you mean?” **_say it_**

Malia draws her brows in, stammering “I mean… you know what I mean.”

“… I’m kind of getting confused.” Scott admits, Malia nodding as she concedes “So am I.” **_this must be how frustrated everyone was with Stiles and I_**

Scott steps forward and closes the gap between them as he sets his hands on her shoulders “Malia, I have to try this. All I want to do is get Monroe to trust us. She agreed to this peace summit and I have to go– I’m going alone.”

With that, he nods and walks to the side kitchen door without another word. My eyes move from him and over to Malia, watching as she grimaces and rubs a hand over her face. 

Scott turns back to throw her one last look over his shoulder that everything will be okay and she quickly drops her hand, a forced smile on her face as she waves bye.

Once Scott closes the door and I hear the door to the jeep, I snort and set my coffee down onto the kitchen island “Well that was brutal– you haven’t told him how you feel why?”

She groans and throws her head back, all but growling out towards me “I’m trying…”

I chuckle sadly for my friend’s dilemma and she looks over to me , shaking her head and lifting her shoulders at me “How did you do it? Tell Stiles how you felt?”

I smile with the memory, grimacing softly “It wasn’t _exactly_ how I wanted to do it, but I was on a ramble trying to get through to him not being responsible for Void and it kind of just happened– I shocked us both with it actually. Though it ended up being the best thing my rambling has ever done for me because he kissed me.”

Malia smiles softly towards me, pondering my words for a moment before she furrows her brows “So next time either of us is rambling I should just kiss him?”

Coughing as I attempt to swallow my coffee, I clear my throat and shrug “If you want to get your feelings across, kissing him first will definitely break the ice and probably give you both enough courage to finally talk to each other.”

She nods, smiling nervously “Thank you for talking this out with me, Addy. I don’t know– I don’t really know how to do all of this.”

I return her smile, admitting “None of us do, however for what it’s worth I think you would be perfect for him.”

Her brows raise into her hairline, her face adorably confused “Really, you– you do?”

Chuckling softly, I nod with my words “I really, really do. He’s more himself around you and happy in a way that comes easy to him. I haven’t seen him this way since before– well… in a long time.”

She gives me a knowing look because even though she didn’t know Ally, she knows enough to know she was a big part of Scott’s life and it took a really long time for him to get over losing her in _every_ sense of the word.

A comfortable silence falls over us, both of our eyes moving towards the door Scott last walked through as Malia murmurs “We’re not going to let him go alone are we?”

Throwing her a smirk, I shake my head “Not a chance, let’s go get Lyds.”

***

Malia, Lydia and I walk slowly through the tunnels and as quietly as we can while Malia keeps her eyes closed to focus her hearing for where Scott is with Monroe.

She falters her steps, looking over her shoulder at us and whispers “There’s a lot of heartbeats– she didn’t come alone.”

“Of course she didn’t,” I grumble and we make our way further into the tunnel, Malia reaching her arm out to stop us from going further “There’s a guy armed with a taser gun around the corner” she whispers near my ear and I nod.

We hear Scott’s voice once our steps are stopped “Trust me, he’s not the kind of person that you want to follow. He’s gonna lead you off a cliff.”

“Following me? No one here is following me, Scott. I’m merely an adviser.” Gerard grumbles smugly and I look over at Malia and Lydia as Scott voices what I came to the conclusion of as well “This is because of _you_?”

“That’s right. You’re negotiating with me, Scott.” Monroe taunts and I can feel the anger rolling off of Malia so I reach over and rest my hand on her arm **_we need to time our entrance to not get everyone killed_**

“Okay,” Scott sighs and continues “Tell me how to settle this. What do you want?”

“I want to see a werewolf beg for peace,” she demands, Scott quick to adhere to her wishes as he rattles off quickly “Fine– okay, I’ll beg. I’ll– I’ll do whatever you want. Just tell me that we don’t have to kill each other. That we can find a way to make peace.”

Monroe taunts darkly “That wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.”

“People are _dyin_ g,” Scott stresses, Monroe snapping back at him “They’ve _been_ dying. You only care now because it’s _your_ people.”

Scott makes a noise and tries again “You have to want something other than seeing us all dead. What if we leave Beacon Hills? All of us?”

“If you leave, we’ll follow you. We’ll hunt you down until every single one of you is gone,” she threatens and Scott answers back quickly, his patience waning “Some of us have actually been _protecting_ you.”

“Don’t listen to him. He wants you to be afraid,” Gerard urges, clearly still trying to keep his hold on the situation and Scott is quick to argue “But you shouldn’t be afraid of us. We protect people– _people_ like you.”

Monroe scoffs and questions back “People like me? You don’t know anything about people like me.”

“So help me understand. Tell me what made you hate us so much,” Scott pleads and Gerard’s voice is grating as he taunts “I don’t think you want to press that button, Scott.”

He however doesn’t listen and again asks for the enlightening story “Something happened to you, didn’t it? Something bad.”

Monroe takes a second before she answers “Bad doesn’t even come close– There was a faculty meeting that ran late one night. We were complaining about the new course rubric. I thought that was the worst thing I’d have to deal with that year. I was wrong. We all heard it, this sound coming out of the shadows. ‘Probably an animal’, they said– but not like anything I’d ever heard. When it moved, it moved faster than anything I’d ever seen. I saw teeth and claws… fangs… and then there was blood everywhere. I couldn’t believe I was still alive.” **_the beast wasn’t our fault though_**

“If one of us had been there…” Scott begins, however, Monroe is quick to enlighten us all “You _were_ there, Scott– you, your sister, three others and the deputy. Don’t you remember?” **_wait, she was on the bus that night and survived?_**

At his silence, she continues “Did you even think to check if anyone was still alive?”

Scott answers honestly, his voice cracking “I didn’t know–”

“–You didn’t _care_ ,” she interrupts and continues “How many people have to die so you could keep your secret– so your friends could carry on as if nothing ever happened? I was there– lying under those bodies. Hiding and waiting for someone to finally find me.” **_‘_** ** _carry on as if nothing ever happened’, fuck you and your high horse lady_**

“You shouldn’t have come alone, Scott.”

“He didn’t,” Malia answers Monroe’s statement by kicking the hunter with the taser gun right in his chest and he crashes into the wall on the other side of us, falling onto the ground completely passed out.

Lydia and I step around the corner with Malia, my deep glare directed at Monroe and my words never wavering from how pissed off she has made me “And don’t you dare think that we all haven’t been through something _exactly_ like you have– lying in a pool of our _own_ blood– of _our friend’s_ blood because something of the supernatural tried to fucking kill us.”

The hunters with guns standing on either side of Monroe and Gerard turn their guns towards us, Scott immediately lifting his hands up to ward them off from us crashing the party “Hey, hey, hey– we did not come here to fight!”

Gerard smirks as he taunts us all “Well, then you came here to die.”

“We’re trying to protect you!” Malia growls, bouncing on her heels earning Gerard to lift one of his decrepit hands towards her “You might want to control your Beta, Scott– she could get you all killed.”

I swing my hatred filled eyes for the geriatric pain in my ass towards him before I shake my head and urgently fill them in on the bigger issue “We’re not the enemy! There’s something else going on. We don’t know what it is, but we promise you, there’s a bigger problem.”

“Something worse than supernatural cannibals?” Monroe exclaims, all of our faces obviously showing shock that she knows the history we barely just found out because she smirks and nods “Yeah, I know everything now. Wendigos, Oni, were-coyotes… people being murdered as _human sacrifices_?”

“We weren’t performing the sacrifices and in fact we _tried_ to stop those” I argue on our behalf _**because we sure as fuck did try**_ – however she misses the point _again_ “And how many people lost their lives while you were ‘ _trying_ ’?”

Scott tries softer as he answers her honestly “Too many.”

“It was twelve!” She bellows, turning to the men behind her as she informs us “His son was one of them– his throat was cut, and his head bashed in,” turning the other way now she continues “His brother was a deputy– gutted and torn apart. The official report read ‘animal attack’.”

“We lost people we knew in those sacrifices as well!” I interrupt, quickly moving to stand beside Scott, who puts his hand across my stomach to hold me back when the guns move towards me– however I just set my hands on his arm and all but growl out towards her “Do you nut jobs even realize we are _teenagers_ who didn’t ask for any of this supernatural shit that has infiltrated our lives?”

Their silence is all I get in return so I continue with my anger train “I sure as hell didn’t ask for the night of my first dance to have claws embedded in my abdomen– which turned me into a honing device that found all twelve of those sacrifices with my sixteen year old eyes. Turning me into a banshee that caused me to _feel my best friend_ _dying_ like I was the one stabbed with the Oni sword. I definitely didn’t ask to be kidnapped and have a hole the size of a golfball drilled into the side of my head, that all but killed me to correct the damage it caused– all so I could be used in some demented ‘doctor’s’ plan to figure out the identity of the fucking Beast that attacked you!”

I breathe in deeply, releasing a humorless quick laugh as I regard the four people in front of us “And even with all of that shit we didn’t ask for, all of the people– the teenage KIDS– we have lost… at least we were still trying to stop everything that has threatened this city– all to keep _other_ people safe. What the fuck were _you_ doing?”

Monroe just raises her brow, Gerard finding his voice first “Quite a speech Addeline, where is the other one fond of giving speeches– the Sheriff’s son?”

I snap my eyes to him “Oh you mean the _human_ who was sixteen the last time you saw him and beat him senseless to bring him into the middle of _your_ supernatural family drama?”

That little fact _does_ give Monroe pause and I enjoy that for a moment before I continue “Well after he was a few hours shy of being completely forgotten and taken away from us four months ago because of the _last_ supernatural crisis that we also single handedly stopped and saved this city from for you ungrateful asses–” I wave my hand between Monroe and the guys behind her before I glare back at Gerard “We are making sure he’s safe and far away from your little band of murdering misfits.”

“What happened four months ago?” Monroe questions, the men behind her looking equally confused and I shake my head at her “Cliff Notes version? A Nazi Alpha werewolf from the 1940′s was chemically kept alive by these Dread Doctors who were responsible for bringing the Beast here. Things happened and he escaped the chemical coma, brought these memory erasing cowboys– who snatch people out of a city until the entire city is forgotten– to be his supernatural army. They almost succeeded in making Beacon Hills a Ghost Town and you’re looking at the people, minus three, who stopped that from happening– however unless you read up on the Wild Hunt in your supernatural research– you wouldn’t believe me.”

The hunters behind Monroe were beginning to shake increasingly as I talked, moving their eyes quickly back and forth while adjusting their grips on the guns.

Hearing them shake and watching fear flashing over their faces, I take in how their eyes are quickly moving around the tunnel before a feeling of complete _terror_ crashes over me.

 ** _So quick story time_** – Liam and Mason had found a body the other night in the locker room after the hellhound had fought Liam. 

That body wasn’t like any other body though, there was no face and as best as they could describe it– the body looked like the skin was removed, leaving only the red and pink of muscles behind **_big bloody lump were mom’s exact words_**

Mom tried to get a sample from the body when it was in the hospital morgue, however she couldn’t because she was overcome with absolute terror that choked her and made her feel like she couldn’t breathe. She even called Chris to help her, both of them failing at hiding the overwhelming feeling of terror as they tried to get a skin sample– which they finally did, however it wasn’t good news as the body seemed to have no traces of DNA or cells in general.

Hearing her describe what being around that body made her feel– I’m feeling that now.

As I look around at their faces, I realize that they are feeling it too and their fear paired with the guns in their hands is making me feel very uneasy.

“It’s amplifying their fear…” I mutter to Scott, who again tries to diffuse the situation with Monroe “We’ve all been through horrible situations we shouldn’t have. We’ve all lost somebody and you wanna get revenge. I get that– but, just listen to me. Something escaped the Wild Hunt–”

Wanting to scream with the realization, terror grips at my throat and tears well in my eyes as I grip onto his arm harder and exclaim “Scott– Scott, it’s here! It’s here right now.”

“What?” Scott questions, turning us around and gripping onto me harder when we see the bloody non skinned figure standing behind one of the hunters near Monroe who instantly starts shooting “Get down!”

Gunshots are ringing everywhere in the darkened tunnel and Scott pushes me back with Malia and Lydia, the four of us crouching down and moving behind the corner of the other hallway.

“Hey, stop! Stop shooting!” Monroe shouts to the idiots who are still shooting in the dark and Scott mutters to us “I think that thing’s making them panic!”

I nod “Remember what mom said being near that thing made her feel? I now know exactly what she was talking about.”

Malia gets up on a growl and rushes forward towards the faceless creature, however when she swipes at it she just swipes through air as it seems to just vanish into thin air.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Malia questions before our eyes are moving towards the grate in the ceiling above us that’s opening and a lit up flare is dropping into the tunnel.

Scott shifts his focus, voicing “What is that?”

“Backup.” Lydia states proudly before Jordan jumps from the open grate and lands near us, eyes their bright hellhound orange as he roars deeply towards the skinless bloody lump creature.

One of the hunters turns towards Jordan and starts firing at him, though Jordan doesn’t stop his steps as he beelines it towards the creature– he just reaches out and knocks the hunter into the wall, effectively knocking him out and finally ceases the bullet fire.

Jordan continues his quickened pace steps, grabbing the skinless lump around the neck with one hand and shoving the still lit flare into the side of its head with the other hand.

One last growl from him as he flames on and both of them are consumed in flames. The fireball Jordan creates passes a moment later and the tunnel darkens once more, Scott and Lydia rushing forward to help Jordan to his feet.

I take notice that Monroe and her hunters are gone before I move my eyes over the skinless lump that is now severely scorched and lying on the tunnel floor.

Malia’s soft voice directed at Scotty gains my attention “They didn’t come here to negotiate. You did everything you could.”

I look over to them, Scott sharing a look with me before he turns back to her and admits “No, not everything. Not yet.”

***

We walk inside the house, all of us going on alert when a new unfamiliar voice questions “Scott… Scott McCall…”

Malia moves forward like there’s a threat and Scott stops her “Wait! Hey, hey, hey– sit down,” he guides the girl back to one of the dining room chairs, throwing over his shoulder at us “She’s a werewolf.”

Lydia and Malia share a look with me before I gain the new girl’s attention “Hey, what’s your name?”

The girl has been severely injured and is slowly healing, she’s got blood all over her skin and clothes and she looks really shaken up. She looks up at me and I soften my face at her, silently letting her know she’s safe with us.

“Quinn” she finally answers and I smile at her “I’m Addy, Scott’s sister,” I lick my lips quickly and gently ask “Who did this to you?”

“Was it a hunter?” Malia further implores and Quinn shakes her head before she hesitantly admits “A Deputy.”

I inwardly groan with that development and look up at Scott as Lydia incredulously jabs “They’ve got a Deputy?”

Sharing a look with Scott, I draw my brows inwards and state the terrifying truth “They’ve got _everyone_.”


	100. Pressure Test

Theo was brought into the Sheriff’s station last night with two other werewolves from Satomi’s pack, Jiang and Tierney. 

Noah informed us that he arrested them because he has evidence pointing to murder– though he only had evidence for Jiang and Tierney, Theo was only arrested because he was with them **_and it’s Theo_**

However, he is now being released since a few minutes before we got to the station, Jiang admitted to the charges and said they didn’t have a choice in killing the hunters because they came after them and killed their pack– and since there’s a camera in the holding cell block, that Noah and Jordan were watching when Jiang confessed… Theo is now free to go.

Scott jerks his head back and looks back at Noah after he tells us that bit of information “What about Jiang and Tierney?”

Noah slams a case file with both of their pictures paper clipped on the outside onto his desk, announcing “I’m not letting them out. We’ve got two bodies covered in slash marks. They confessed to killing two people.”

“ _Hunters,_ ” Scott stresses before Noah corrects him “People, Scott. Self defense or not, they’re still here, the other guys are dead– and there’s a process I have to follow.” **_the hunters are cold blooded vengeful murderers– they’re not people anymore_**

Scott makes a noise and tries to get Noah to see it from the other side **_our side_** “Yeah, but you know what’s happening around here. It’s not safe for them.”

Noah swings his arm out to his side, indicating the windows into the front area of the station behind us “This may actually be the safest place for them in Beacon Hills. At least I can protect them here.”

“Would _Stiles_ think that?” I question, giving him pause before I continue “Especially if one of your Deputies is working for Gerard?”

Noah gives me a look and shakes his head softly “Kid– I’m sorry but not buying that. I know these Deputies like the back of my hand. I know their families, their kids, their brothers and sisters… I know who they are, and I trust them.” **_you need to trust us_**

Liam leans on the desk while he’s quick to counter “You know who they _were_. There’s something out there. Everyone’s afraid, and it’s getting worse.”

Scott nods and elaborates “Yeah, you can’t protect two werewolves from hunters if they’re already on the inside.”

Noah takes a few seconds, tapping his hand on his desk before he moves his gaze to the couch behind us, the five of us turning to look back at her as well “It’s Quinn, right? You sure it was a _Deputy_ who shot you? Absolutely one hundred percent sure?”

Quinn looks up and takes a moment before she nods her head and explains what happened “I saw flashing lights… a police car… I– I saw a badge, a gun, and then they shot me. They shot me in the head and that’s all I remember.”

We all turn back around with that, Noah voicing how much he’s not on the believing train as he raises his brows at us “There are a couple holes in her story.”

Lydia nods her head to the side as she concedes “Maybe because there’s a hole in her _head_.”

On the other side of me Malia starts laughing with that, causing everyone to throw her a look while I snort and drop my head forward, looking up at her out of the corner of my eye. I move my lips between my teeth to fight off my smile as I close my eyes and subtly shake my head at her **_not quite the time my dear_**

Malia moves her eyes between me and Scott, landing them on him as her face clears and she states “…I’m sorry.”

I lift my head back up, clearing my throat as Scott closes his eyes and shakes his head softly before he regards Noah once more “Sheriff, we need to get Jiang and Tierney out of here before anyone _realizes_ that they’re here.”

Noah raises his brows as he responds quickly “And take them where? I can’t let them go.”

I lift my hands out to my sides as I question “But if you keep them here, they're…”

Noah lifts his hand up to stop me “Look, if there’s a problem…” his words are cut off as bright spotlights turn on outside, shining through all the windows of the station.

Quinn stands up from the couch and moves over towards us as we all turn towards the windows **_well this evening just took a turn_**

Noah quickly walks out of his office and towards the Deputy desk area of the next room, ordering “Get away from the windows! Put those guns away.”

Scott and I walk over to the open doorway of Noah’s office as Jordan walks up to him “I’m guessing you know who’s out there.”

“I got a pretty good idea,” Noah mutters, reaching for his gun and taking it out of his holster to place on a desk “They’ll be armed to the teeth, which means I won’t be.”

Jordan follows his movements with his eyes and declares “I’m going with you.”

Noah stops and turns back to him, ordering him “No, you’re gonna get some Deputies, check the exits, and hope we’re not completely surrounded. And keep an eye out– let’s make sure we’re all on the same side, here.” **_there’s the Mr. S I know_**

Jordan nods, looking back over his shoulder at his fellow Deputies before Noah opens the door, arms raised in surrender as he slowly makes his way outside towards Monroe and her murdering band of misfits **_I really hate her_**

Scott and I share a look before we move back into Noah’s office with the others, coming to a stop next to Liam and looking out the window with him.

Malia grabs my attention as she quickly moves away from the window and morphs into complete freak out mode “We have to get out of here.”

“Give him a chance. He knows what he’s doing.” Scott offers, not looking back at her and instead only lifting his arm towards her, silently telling her to relax.

She draws her brows in as she rushes out in a panic “I am giving him a chance. He can talk all he wants, but we have to get the hell out of here.”

“How do we get Jiang and Tierney out?” Liam questions, turning away from the window though Malia is quick to snap back “Screw them. It’s Stilinski’s job.”

I jerk my head back with her sudden change of views, sharing a confused look with Liam as Scott voices my same thought “But it’s _our_ job to keep them alive.”

The other door to Noah’s office opens with Theo strolling right in as he argues against what Scott just said “Not mine.”

Liam sets his hand on my arm and quickly moves past me towards the new guest “Do you want me to just kill him?”

Malia raises her arm up to stop him, addressing us all “No, just leave him. Can we please just go?”

Quinn makes a noise on our other side and rushes out through her own hysteria “We’re not going anywhere. Don’t you get it? We’re trapped. They have all the windows and doors covered. We’re going to die in here.” **_calm your tits, getting out of hopeless situations is kind of our thing_**

“Does someone want to kill her?” Theo jabs with a point over towards Quinn earning Malia to clench her teeth as she takes quick steps towards him and bellows “Shut up!”

My eyes snap to the back of her head with her outburst and I step towards her, sharing a look with Liam while Scott moves forward as well and reaches out to grab her hand “Malia, hey– take a breath. You’re shaking.”

She turns back towards him, moving her eyes quickly between his “I’m fine.”

Lydia walks around me and urges “Guys, there’s only a dozen of them out there. We can take them!”

Scott looks from her to me and I shake my head “Noah’s out there too and he can’t be in the crossfire if we go out there.”

Liam steps closer to us, pointing out the other door “Scott, they’re the last of Satomi’s pack. We can’t leave them behind.”

With one last look at all of us, Scott turns and sets his hands on Malia’s upper arms “Okay. We go,” he turns towards Liam and I with his next words “But Jiang and Tierney are coming with us and we’ll go out the door on the other side of the building.”

Liam swiped a keycard and left to go and get Jiang and Tierney out of the holding cell while the rest of us move to the doors by the front desk, on the opposite side from where Noah is outside with Monroe.

Liam, Jiang and Tierney walk up and join our group, Scott standing in the front of us and looking back at us all “You ready?”

We offer him nods, Malia returns with a prepared growl while Liam flicks up his claws from his hands. Theo doesn’t respond right away and when we all throw him a look, he rolls his eyes and lifts up his hand, flicking out his claws from his fingers as well **_that’s a good sport_**

Turning back towards the door, Lydia and I link our hands as we all bounce on our feet prepared to run outside when Noah’s voice announces behind us “Nobody’s going anywhere.”

“We can get through them,” I announce back to Noah, indicating between Lydia and I with our hands clasped together to combine our screams.

He looks between us and shakes his head “We’re not gonna fire the first shot. Now, get back from the door. All of you. Parrish, get these two back in their cell.”

Jordan walks forwards with Jiang and Tierney down the hallway while Scott and I move forward towards Noah “What happened?”

He looks between us and mutters “She gave us ‘til midnight.”

Furrowing my brows, I share a look with Scott before I repeat “Gave us ‘til midnight to do what?”

Noah releases a deep sigh, conflict and anger crossing his features “Hand over Jiang and Tierney– dead or alive.”

***

Scott, Malia, Liam and Theo get to work lifting desks up onto their sides and pushing them up against the doors while the Deputies arm up and ready their guns.

Lydia and I move into a side room with Quinn and try our luck at the radio since none of the phones are working.

“I still don’t have any service,” Quinn announces and I make a noise of agreement as I pocket my phone in frustration before I lean forward and turn the dial on the police radio.

“That’s because it’s jamming all our cell phones,” Lydia murmurs and notices my inner freak out, leaning forward in the seat she’s sitting in beside me “Anything other than our current situation on your mind?”

Twisting the dial slowly to the right, I flick my eyes up to her quickly before going back to my task at hand “Yes, however I can’t be upset about it because it was my stupid idea in the first place. I wanted to be the protector for once and now I’m drowning in this whole shit show sandwich and I don’t know what to do.”

Lydia clicks her tongue and nods her head to the side “Addy, you did not make a stupid decision– we all agreed with it.”

Swallowing thickly, I murmur quietly “He would know exactly what to do and I thought I did– I thought we could sort this out and make everyone get along, stop this threat and send whatever the fuck came out of the Hunt back to wherever it came from but I–”

“I need him, Lyds,” I whisper, tears welling in my eyes as I drop my hand and look over to her “Not in some damsel in distress kind of way, I just need him here with me– with all of us as we try to save everyone.”

Lydia softens her face and pulls me in for a hug, **_the best we can in our seated positions_** “We’re going to figure everything out and you two will be back together giving us all the relationship goals we should aspire to once again in no time.”

I chuckle and pull back from her, sniffling softly “Thanks, Lyds.”

Quinn brings us back to the situation at hand “What about the radio?”

Clearing my throat, I lean back towards the radio as Lydia answers her “All we’re getting is static.”

“Are they jamming that, too?” Quinn questions and I make a noise as I work through that “It’s not easy to find a jammer capable of disrupting a law enforcement transceiver…” I lean back in my seat as I murmur lowly “Unless someone had access to it.”

Lydia looks over to me, widening her eyes as she guesses “Someone in here.”

The lights of the entire station power down, shrouding us all in darkness and I swallow thickly as I grumble “…that can’t be good.”

We get up from our seats and walk into the other room with everyone, hearing Malia question “How easy is it to cut the power in a Sheriff’s station?”

“Too easy!” comes a Deputy’s reply from the side hallway who walks into the room and throws someone down onto the ground in the middle of where Noah and Scott are standing.

When Lydia and I come to a stop beside Jordan, I see the person who was thrown on the ground is Nolan and I immediately look up to Liam as he bellows “Throw him out!”

See yesterday at school, Nolan and Gabe took it upon themselves to try to get Liam to turn in front of everyone. How did they attempt to achieve said show and tell you might ask? Oh by beating him senseless **_and I was worried something might happen to Liam at school, silly me_**

Liam was able to hold off on changing– a fact we were all more than impressed with, though it made us all uneasy because Mason came to the conclusion that Gabe and Nolan didn’t just want to get Liam to shift… they wanted to show everyone else who the _enemy_ was.

Nolan pushes up off the ground into a seated position, stammering out his plea “No, you can’t. Okay? Please, don’t! She’ll know I screwed up.”

Liam clenches his teeth, his anger filled eyes never wavering from where Nolan is still seated on the ground “He’s with them”

Scott turns to the side and warns “Liam–” while Jordan turns to his other side “Sheriff?”

Liam ignores everyone and fills them in “He’s a liar, and he’s sick in the head.”

“And now he’s under arrest– lock him up,” Noah states, the second part of his words directed at Jordan who immediately bends down to grab Nolan and walk him back towards the holding cell area.

A few minutes later a loud metal clinking noise sounds and draws our eyes over to the middle of the room at the same time as Jordan yells “Everyone get down!”

Lydia and I kneel down, throwing our arms over our heads as Scott grabs Malia and pushes her down beside us.

After a loud bang– smoke fills the room quickly from the grenade that was thrown and everyone starts coughing as we slowly stand back up and look around.

“They said midnight!” Noah yells and moves towards the door, however Jordan pulls him back and I can just make out him saying “It came from in here.”

Malia looks between Scott and I, muttering “What the hell was that?”

I sigh and connect my eyes with Scott’s as we grumble together “A distraction.”

Speaking of the distraction, Liam rushes up to our side quickly with a thrashing Nolan in his grasp before he lifts his hand out towards us “Wolfsbane– he was trying to kill them.” **_fucker wanted to get arrested to get to Jiang and Tierney_**

Scott looks from the wolfsbane and up towards Liam who continues “Scott, there’s something else you need to see.”

Liam takes Scott back down the hall towards the holding cell area with Jiang and Tierney while Jordan takes Nolan and another deputy into a side office to keep an eye on him.

About a minute later we hear Scott roar and I snap my head towards Malia who furrows her brows and focuses her hearing down the hall.

She connects her eyes with mine and informs “They’re telling Scott about who they killed when the hunters went after and killed Satomi– Scott’s saying that they can’t kill innocent people and Tierney’s arguing they killed their whole pack, so they weren’t anymore innocent than they are.”

“Well that’s not going to go over well with Scott,” I mumble more to myself than anyone and a second later Scott proves my point as he comes walking out from the hallways and muttering that he needs to talk to Mr. S.

They walk into his office and are in there for a few minutes when the side window shatters and an arrow flies through the room, landing in one of the pillars.

I turn from the window and over towards the arrow while Malia pulls it out of the wall. We see there’s something attached to the end and Malia gets to work taking it off of the end before she hands it over to Liam.

A hard look crosses his features as he unfolds the piece of fabric and reveals a bloody ripped piece of a jersey with a number seven on it “This is Brett’s number.”

I swallow angrily and announce “They’re trying to rattle us,” earning Theo to walk up and look around at us “It’s working.”

A shrill scream sounds out from the other side of the room, specifically the open doorway to the room that Jordan had previously taken Nolan and the other Deputy.

Jordan and Noah rush over to the door and a few seconds later a familiar feeling crashes over me and I gasp, sharing a look with Lydia before I run over towards the door as well.

“No, no no…” my feet are sliding to a stop as I slam my hands on the doorway and shout towards Deputy Morrow who’s sitting in a chair against the wall slowly raising her gun to her head. I bite back my scream, instead exclaiming as I reach out my hand towards her “No don’t!”

“We’re already dead” she states before she sets the gun under her chin and pulls the trigger.

I slam my eyes shut and rest my forehead against the back of my hand on the door frame.

Breathing out deeply, I slowly bend my knees and slide my hands down the door frame as I crouch down outside of the room.

Deputy Morrow was the one who had screamed when she walked into the room and saw that the Deputy who was in the room with Nolan had hung himself in the corner of the room.

Jordan and Noah finally got him down and laid his body on the floor before they moved her body to lie down on the ground next to him as well.

Noah and Scott stand behind Lydia and I as we kneel in front of the bodies, my throat thick with emotion as Noah tries to work through what happened “She kept saying we had fifteen minutes and then we’d be dead.”

I shake my head and look over to Lydia as she voices my same concern “That wasn’t just panic. It’s in here with us.”

“What do you mean?” Noah questions and I look back at him “Whatever’s causing the fear. The same thing that drove the wolves and rats to kill each other… the same thing in the tunnels yesterday– it’s in here with us.”

“Guys, it’s almost midnight. We’re out of time,” Scott says, flicking his eyes between us and Noah is quick to shake his head “I’ve already got two bodies. I’m not giving Monroe two more.”

Scott nods with Noah’s words before his face changes and he looks down at the bodies. He makes a noise and walks out of the room asking Theo about being with Jiang and Tierney.

Theo looks between us and fills us in that they were all captured by hunters and tied up to a chain link fence where this guy from Eichen was torturing them with shocks of electricity. They had tied them up with plastic zip ties though, so eventually the plastic melted away and that’s how they escaped.

Scott shakes his head and asks specifically when they were brought into the room with Theo before he walks out of the room.

Noah and I quickly follow behind Theo who answers Scott “I watched two guys bring them in and tie them up.”

“Okay, but how long did they actually have Tierney and Jiang?” Scott reiterates and stops on the side of one of the desks pushed up against the doors, looking out the window as Theo answers “A couple hours, maybe?”

“Did Monroe talk to them?” Scott asks and it finally clicks why he’s wondering– we have two bodies that could easily pass for Tierney and Jiang if no one knows what they actually look like. I chuckle softly with this realization “Brilliant, Scotty.”

He throws me a look and nods as Theo looks between us and finally answers Scott’s previous question “No, I don’t think so. Just that guy from Eichen House, maybe one or two other guys with shotguns. I think they were waiting for Monroe to do the real interrogating.”

I move my eyes from Scott and connect them with Theo’s as I elaborate “So, she might not have seen them…”

“What are you two getting at?” Noah questions, raising a brow at us and Scott sighs “I’ve got an idea– I don’t think you’re gonna like it.”

Noah shakes his head and looks between us “If it keeps someone from getting killed, I’m pretty open.”

I make a noise and nod my head to the side as I look at him “Monroe said that she wanted Jiang and Tierney brought out– _dead or alive_.”

Noah makes a face and nods, turning to one of the Deputies near us “Grab them some body bags”

Scott and Theo lift the bodies while Liam and I maneuver the body bag around said bodies, the four of us moving them out in front of the doors once we’re done.

Noah nods and takes his gun out of his holster, raising it towards the ceiling and releasing a series of four shots, spread out to sound like a believable amount of distance to an actual fight.

Once he holsters his gun again he lifts his hand out towards Scott and Theo, who are knelt down on the sides of the bodies, “Five minutes.”

We push back the desks and hold open the doors while Scott and Theo move the bodies outside, Noah following and moving to go and talk to Monroe.

Moving towards the window, I cross my arms over my chest while Malia and Liam walk up on either side of me.

“Anyone think this is gonna work?” Malia questions and at the looks we throw her, she backtracks “…I’ll stop asking.”

Through the somewhat open door we can hear Noah explain to Monroe why they’re in body bags “They tried to run… and tried to take a couple Deputies with them. Either way, you got what you wanted.”

“Let me see their faces,” Monroe announces, Scott and Theo moving to unzip their respective bags and opening them enough to uncover the faces of the two Deputies.

“What’s wrong? You don’t recognize them?” Scott questions back to Monroe who takes a moment before she commands “Show me their tattoos.”

Scott shakes his head, looking over to Theo as he replies “What tattoos?”

Monroe looks smug as she states “The pack symbol.”

“Fuck” I grumble lowly, Liam makes a noise and flicks out his claws beside me as he bounces on his feet for us to go out there, however a new voice comes from behind the crowd “Good thing you’re not the only ones who can negotiate.”

Hope fills my chest and I push against the door a little more “Dad?”

“Dad? What are you doing here?” Scott voices my same thought before dad states like the FBI boss man he is “Making sure no one else dies tonight.”

***

Dad ushered us back inside while he talked things over with Monroe outside, which is even more productive since dad is in on the know about all things supernatural and what his kids have become.

We had explained everything to dad earlier this summer when he came for our graduation– all about what happened the night Scott was bit and _everything_ that has happened since **_literally everything he wanted a complete rundown with nothing left out_**

He was surprisingly very open minded to what we had to say– mainly because of everything odd and weird that had happened when he first came back with the sacrifices. 

What was even more surprising was how easy it was to talk to him, only thing he had to say was he was sorry we felt like we couldn’t tell him then and that he was even more sorry that he made us feel that way.

Dad comes into Noah’s office a few minutes later and rehashes what the deal is he came to with Monroe– Jiang and Tierney will go with his men into FBI custody while the case of self defense gets looked over, meanwhile we have to leave not only Beacon Hills but the entire state **_every supernatural person who is still here_**

After he’s done telling us our fate with this part of the deal, I chew on the side of my lip and share a look with my brother.

Lydia looks between us and leans forward in her seat “You guys sure about this?”

I flick my eyes to her, not answering right away and Liam jumps in “I’m not. This deal sucks.”

Dad makes a noise and walks in front of our group “But it’s the only one on the table. In a situation like this, the best solution is always to de-escalate,” he looks over to Noah with his next question “It’s why you called me, isn’t it?”

Noah makes a face and admits with a shrug “To be honest, I didn’t think anyone was gonna show up.”

Scott looks over to me standing beside him and we seem to come to the same decision with the little nod he gives me and we look back to our friends before settling our eyes on dad “Okay,” Scott agrees and I elaborate “We’ll go.”

Liam snaps his head our way and I give him as subtle of a shake of my head as I can, which Malia and Lydia must pick up on as well because they don’t argue like their faces are wanting to.

Dad breathes out deeply and indicates with his arm towards the door for us all to get a move on “All right, let’s go and everyone walk slowly– don’t give them any reason to do anything stupid.”

We nod, following behind him and meeting Jiang and Tierney out in the front area near the doors. 

Dad and Noah open the door before dad guides Jiang and Tierney out towards one of their black transport vans. They look back at us, mouthing thank you towards us which we return with soft smiles and nods **_at least they’ll be safe_**

The rest of us walk to the side of the building, my deep glare directed at Monroe the whole way until we’re out of their sight and we climb into the jeep and Malia’s car, heading back to our respective houses to finish packing.

Dad follows us inside the house and heads to the kitchen while Scott and I head up the stairs to pack.

I set my bag on my bed and walk through the bathroom, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning my shoulder against the doorframe on Scott’s side as he finishes packing his duffle bag.

Dad walks up to Scott’s open bedroom door a few minutes later and clears his throat “Look guys, I know this isn’t what you wanted, but it’s the right decision. When Stilinski called…”

“Can you hand me that shirt right there?” Scott cuts in and nods towards a shirt hanging on the door handle.

Dad shuffles his steps forward, grabbing the shirt and handing it to Scott as he goes on “Now, you guys can be mad at me, but I’d rather watch you leave the state than watch either of you die.”

Scott throws his shirt into his bag and zips it up, sharing a look with me before we look over to him and mutter “We’re not mad.”

“We get why you did it,” Scott says before I shrug “It’s fine dad, really– besides we shouldn’t have still been here anyways right?”

He ponders that, not saying anything and looks to the side as Malia comes to a stop in the open doorway as well.

“Scott, you’re not the only one who gets to protect his family,” he finally murmurs with one last look between us before he excuses himself “I’ll be downstairs.”

Malia and Scott share a look and I make a noise almost missing my que to leave “I’ll see you guys downstairs.”

They acknowledge my words with nods and a smile from Malia as I push off the doorway and head back into my room, grabbing my bag and heading downstairs.

***

The next day we all meet up at our chosen destination following the banishment from California, attempting to form a plan on what we need to do next.

While we were dealing with Monroe at the station yesterday, Corey and Mason met up with Deaton who had taken a visit to Eichen House. He was looking for any clues in the cell where the hellhound Monroe killed apparently had lived for one hundred years– and he found a carving in stone in the wall of the cell and it had half a face carved into it.

Corey was able to see the other half of the drawing with his double worlds special power and drew it on the stone for Deaton which led him to figure out what we’re dealing with– an ancient shapeshifter, a creature of disharmony.

It can turn neighbor against neighbor, sowing the seeds of discord and hate. It doesn’t need fangs or claws because it uses something far more sinister– fear.

When paranoia turns to anger, anger turns to violence and entire communities tears themselves apart– the creature feeds off the fear and grows more powerful– it’s called the Anuke-ite.

Though the terrifying thing that Deaton told them was that the Anuke-ite is sometimes also called Double Face or Two Faces– one is beautiful and the other is hideous which is why it represents disharmony and discord.

What makes that terrifying is we don’t know if we’re looking for something that has two faces or if it could be _two people_. 

Which if it’s two faces that could mean two creatures and when they come together Deaton suspects they will be unstoppable– so we’re hopeful it’s not that option **_but come on– it’s us… of course it’s that option and we have to stop it from happening_**

Corey left to complete the first part of the plan and while we wait for him to get back, I’m keeping busy staring at my phone screen and the blinking cursor taunting me to tell Stiles everything.

I receive a message from him in the time that I haven’t had any words come to me and I can hear the excitement from here

Sty: _You are not going to believe what I just succeeded in doing *insert pause for effect because I can’t wait for you to text me back to share the news* I am going on my first operation to capture a known mass murderer!_

Adds: _That’s equally amazing and terrifying–_

Sty: _You don’t have to be scared for me babe, I’m an almost fully trained agent– plus we’ve been doing scarier shit for years._

Adds: _Somehow that doesn’t make me feel better._

Sty: _Welcome to my hell regarding you and the unknown in Beach Hills ;)_

Adds: _Someone’s being a cheeky bastard_

Sty: _What can I say you bring out the best in me._

Adds: _Well I’m excited for you… I just, and don’t take this the wrong way, but do they usually take interns on this type of dangerous mission?_

Sty: _Who said anything about it being a dangerous mission?_

Adds: _I dunno the ‘mass murderer’ is clueing me in on the severity of the situation you’re about to be thrown into_

Sty: _I just convinced them that bringing me along would prove to be an insight with this specific case…_

Adds: _How could you have insight… oh my god who are you capturing? Does it have anything to do with current or previous residents of our fine city?_

Sty: _You know I can’t discuss things at this stage… just trust me? I’m handling it._

I close my eyes missing him even more before I breathe out deeply and type out my reply

Adds: _You better stay safe, Sherlock– or I will kick your ass._

Sty: _Right back at you and your cute little ass, Watson. I’m told service will be spotty for a few days, but I will check in when I can all right?_

Adds: _You better._

Sty: _I love you, Adds_

Adds: _I love you right back, Sty_

I pocket my phone and lean back against the table beside Liam and Scott, Corey arriving back and announcing from the doorway to the other room “He should be here–”

“Now” Scott answers before we hear the door open and Corey turns away from us as a panting voice yells “You told me you were leaving!”

“I _had_ to.” Corey urges before Mason pushes him and exclaims “You _lied_!”

Liam pushes off the table we’re leaning against and says loudly for his friend in the other room “We _all_ did.”

Mason freezes and turns towards the doorway of the back exam room we’re all standing in at Deaton’s.

He moves his eyes around all of us and our apologetic faces, murmuring “So this was the plan all along?”

I bring my brows in sadly as I speak up next “We’re sorry, Mason– our dad had to believe we left Beacon Hills.”

“ _Everyone_ has to believe it.” Scott urges the severity of what we had to do and the way we needed it to look.

Mason smirks and nods, looking between us “Then what happens next? We fight back now, right?”

I share a look with Scott, smiling from him and over to Mason as I raise my brows quickly once “What did you think we were gonna do… run?”


	101. Triggers

Mason made a show of putting blankets and other supplies in the trunk of Lydia’s car at the school, hoping to attract the attention of Nolan who needs to prove himself since he failed at killing Jiang and Tierney at the station. 

Which he did– Mason is currently leading Nolan to the abandoned zoo where Liam and Theo are waiting for Nolan to hopefully call in the massive find of figuring out where ‘we are hiding out’.

Plan is that with our location revealed to Monroe, they will send the backup of hunters to the zoo to help Nolan– which will lead them away from where we’re currently waiting with Chris outside of Gerard’s building of operations at Argent Arms International **_which we’re wanting to break into since everything thinks we’re gone_**

I get a text from Liam that Mason just got to the zoo and unloaded the car with Nolan ‘inconspicuously’ waiting just down the road. I smile to my screen and turn in the passenger seat of Chris’ SUV to face everyone “It worked.”

“It’s about damn time” Malia smiles and moves to unbuckle her seat belt in the back, though Scott stops her from getting out of the car “…Wait”

She freezes, notices his attention is out of the car and focuses her hearing as well, nodding a few seconds later “I hear them, too.”

I share a look with Chris who is sitting in the driver’s seat and clarify to the enhanced hearing duo “Hear what?”

“Heartbeats,” Scott answers with Chris questioning “How many?”

“Ten?” Scott gives us a number and Malia shakes her head “More.”

“Are we breaking in or not?” Lydia chimes in on the other side of Scott and Chris answers without missing a beat “Not. The armory should be empty by now.”

Malia scoffs and offers like it’s no big deal “We can take down a few hunters if we have to.”

Chris turns more in his seat and fills us in “We’re dealing with a dozen well armed hunters who have orders to kill you on sight.”

We all share a look with that bit of information we weren’t fully aware of before and Malia leans closer “Then how are we supposed to get inside?”

The black SUV’s outside of the building we’re attempting to break into are still there, so the second part of the plan has still not happened **_why the hell haven’t they left to go and kill us all at the zoo?_**

After waiting a couple more minutes, Chris has obviously had enough of us imitating sitting ducks and reaches forward with a turn of his keys to start the car.

Malia grabs onto his seat and reaches in between us, turning his keys back to shut the car off.

Chris immediately turns around to face her as she sits back in her seat, raising her hands “Gerard thinks we’re gone. It’s a good plan.”

“It’s our only plan,” I correct her and Chris snaps his head in my direction, setting his elbow on the window frame as he grumbles “And it’s not working.”

“We can still do this,” Malia urges as I sit back in the seat, furrowing my brows at the windshield when I see a tiny crack start to form.

I barely hear Malia call for us to vote while Scott mutters about us needing to give Liam and Theo a little more time as I lean forward, running the pad of my finger against the cracking glass.

The glass starts to splinter off more and more making a spiderweb design almost as Chris’ aggravation grows “We have ten minutes. _Ten_ minutes before Gerard’s people flag this vehicle. Once that happens, we’ll be seen as a potential threat.”

“Addy, you okay?” Scott asks and I’m pulled back into the car, jerking my hand back away from the windshield that is perfectly whole and not at all cracked.

I swallow thickly and nod “Yeah… yeah, I think so…”

“We should call off this mission,” Chris grumbles and Scott doesn’t miss a beat to lay everything out there “Brett and Lori are gone, and Jiang and Tierney are still missing. Gerard’s always one step ahead of us. We have to do this now.”

Yes apparently Jiang and Tierney went missing last night after they left the station in the transport van and the officer who was driving them was injured– though dad texted us that he strongly feels like the wounds were self inflicted **_they were supposed to be safe and I’m still holding out hope that they are_**

“We’re too exposed, Scott.” Chris argues, earning Malia to lean forward “You said we have ten minutes.”

Chris looks at his watch and corrects “Nine.”

Scott makes a noise and reaches across Lydia, grabbing onto the door handle and earning me to turn more towards him “What are you doing?”

“I’m gonna lure them away so we can get inside,” he answers quickly and Malia growls lowly, reaching over to take his hand off the door handle while Lydia locks the door once more.

“We need a new plan,” Scott mutters in his defense, looking over to Malia quickly who shares a look with me before she answers him “Not a _dumb_ one.”

Scott shrugs and sits back in his seat, offering “I’ll bring the thermite charges.”

“We need them for the armory,” I remind him and turn back around to face forward in my seat while Chris immediately backs me up “The explosion will buy you time, but not enough to get in and out safely.”

I widen my eyes watching the hunters rushing out of the building towards the SUV’s we’ve been watching “Guys…”

“How about using the tunnels?” Malia asks, not hearing me before Chris replies to her suggestion “We could get underneath the building, but we’d still need to sneak in undetected.”

Obviously seeing what I’m seeing, Lydia chimes in as well “Guys…”

“The ventilation system?” Scott suggests next and I roll my eyes when Chris continues to not pay attention “Same problem.”

I huff and turn away from my window towards the rest of the car “Guys!”

When they all look at me I smile sarcastically “Hey, how’s it going? Having a good talk?–” I point over my shoulder and continue “Because they’re leaving.”

We quickly climb out of the car and Chris grabs his weapon of choice while Scott grabs the duffle bags filled with the thermite chargers we’re going to use to destroy all the weapons Gerard and his army are keeping here.

Lydia leans out of the car and nods towards her phone “I’ll stay out here in case they come back.” 

I set my hand on the side of the door and make a noise “Wha– you sure?”

She nods with a little roll of her eyes “Yes mom is demanding I check in with her so better get that over with– I’ll text you if I see anything.”

I offer her a smile and close the door, quickly running to catch up with the others as we move towards the building.

Breaking in through the door Scott and Malia head in first, taking out the two hunters on guard while Chris barely opens another door just enough to point the gun through. He aims for the security camera in the corner and shoots the lens with one of the paintballs from his gun.

We all walk through the door now that the security camera is down and Chris turns towards Scott “The thermite charges will take care of the weapons. Just make sure you’re clear before they detonate, okay?”

Scott nods and he grabs the duffle bag from Chris before him and Malia take off down the hallway towards the weapons room while Chris and I head for the security room to take out the last hunter and keep an eye on Scott and Malia.

We slowly walk into the room seeing the hunter sitting in a chair with his back to us as he looks at the screen he can’t see out of since it’s covered in paint “You find the problem?”

Chris answers the hunter’s question by jamming the butt of his gun into the side of the guy’s head, effectively knocking him out as he crumbles to the ground.

We pull up the cameras and see a hunter on the screen standing guard outside the armory room just before Malia runs onto the screen and throws him into a wall, knocking him out onto the ground as well.

Chris makes a noise and fights his smile as he nods his head to the side. Malia and Scott rush down the hallway and wait by the door for us to unlock it.

I jerk back from the desk, Chris looking up at me with his silent question before I frown and ask him “Did you hear a gunshot?”

Making a face, he breathes out with a shake of his head “No, I didn’t hear anything.”

Turning my head to the side with the new noise that rattles around me, I close my eyes and sigh “I hear shell casings as well.” 

Opening my eyes, I lick my lips quickly and admit to what happened in the car earlier when we were waiting “I saw your windshield crack, and then I heard it shatter.” 

Chris throws me a look and I let out a deep sigh, leaning forward to set my hands on the desk and lower my head between my shoulders as I digress “I think you were right. We should’ve called this off.”

Hearing more gunshots in quick succession with each other has me reaching over and stopping Chris’ movements from unlocking the door Scott and Malia are waiting in front of “We all have to get out of there.”

He softens his face, however raises a brow and argues gently “Do that, and we lose our chance.”

“Scott and Malia could die– it’s not worth the risk,” I urge and he makes a face before he counters “Look Addy, ten minutes ago I would’ve agreed, but right now, we’re in it, and we need to weigh the risk versus reward carefully. If we stay, we could succeed. If we go, we know we won’t get another chance. Since one risk is known, and the other unknown…”

“We go with the known,” I mumble, dropping my eyes towards the panel as Chris pushes the lever forward and the door opens for Scott and Malia.

Once they run inside the armory room a different security camera angle clicks on and we see the very empty room “Okay, where are all the guns?”

“They knew we were coming,” Scott announces and I share a look with Chris “That can’t be true– can it?”

“There’s no way, but whatever’s happening can’t be good,” Chris shakes his head and we watch on the screen as Scott bends down and pushes back the lid on a wooden crate, looking back up to Malia before Chris turns on the intercom “Guys, get out of there now.”

“Let’s go before they all get back,” Malia states and they both walk over towards the door, though Scott stops his steps and Malia turns back to him “What?”

“That scent…” Scott mutters before Malia recognizes it as well “It’s Jiang and Tierney.” **_interesting turn of events, where are they keeping them?_**

Seeing Scott and Malia still stopped in the middle of the room looking at a closed metal door, Chris hits the intercom again “Guys, you need to leave now!”

Scott ignores him and taps Malia on the arm, running over towards the closed door “Help me with this.”

They grab onto the handle and start pulling on it while we watch with furrowed brows at what they’re doing.

A beeping noise gains our attention and we look down to the control panel seeing a red light underneath the word ‘Armed’ start to flash and Chris figures out what’s about to happen because he orders into the intercom once more “No, no, no! Don’t open that door!”

No sooner did Chris warn to _not_ open the door do they succeed in getting the fucking thing open. The beeping sounds increase as other beeps join the party before an alarm sounds and all three doors leading into the weapons room slam shut **_well that’s not ideal_**

“What the hell did they do?” I ask, flicking my eyes from the screen and Chris who lifts his hand off the panel “Everything’s shut down. They’re locked in, and we can’t do anything about it.”

The flashing light on the panel draws my eyes and I point towards the one red light “What’s this?”

“A motion sensor,” Chris informs and I run my fingers across the name above the flashing red light “What does H-2100 mean?”

Chris looks between me and the panel as he answers “‘H’ stands for halon. It’s a fire suppression system. It’ll pull all the oxygen out of the room to put out a fire.”

I make a noise, flicking my worried eyes between him, the panel, and the security cameras as I reiterate “ _All_ of the oxygen? How long can a werewolf hold their breath?”

“I think we’re about to find out,” Chris mutters before he stands up and looks around “Communications are shut down, and the room is soundproof.”

A red laser begins to sweep across the floor of the room they’re in and I shake my head “We need to warn them.”

Chris nods and indicates the pipes above him as he climbs onto the desk “We are. One of these pipes leads in there.”

He takes the handgun out of the back of his jeans and hits the butt of it against the pipe “Anything?”

I look at the cameras and don’t see Scott or Malia reacting to anything so I shake my head “Nothing.”

Chris moves to the other pipe and again starts banging his gun against it, Scott and Malia both turn their heads to the right and I nod “I think he hears you.”

Stronger and louder hits sound behind me and Chris makes a noise that has me furrowing my brows before I turn around towards him “What are you doing?”

Chris doesn’t answer and manages to break a small hole into the pipe, putting his gun back in the waistband of his jeans before he cups his hands around his mouth and shouts into the pipe “ _Don’t trip the sensors_.”

Another beam flashes across the screen a few feet higher than the first one, Scott watches the beams for a second before he tells Malia to follow him and he rushes forward into the room.

They each dodge the two beams and jump up onto one of the empty racks, Scott laying down first on the top shelf above the beam with Malia following right behind him and landing on top of him.

Chris gets down off the desk and comes back over to the panel, unplugging wires and informing “Okay, if I can bypass the electrical system, I might be able to reset the console.”

I nod with his words, movement on the screen gaining my attention and I make a noise as I lean closer to the screen “What the hell is she doing?”

Malia climbs off the shelf and jumps over to a support pillar in the middle of the room, hanging onto it like a monkey. 

She pushes off of the pillar and grabs onto a pipe on the ceiling, hanging down for a few seconds before she gets her grip and swings her legs up to also wrap around the pipe just above where the sensor sweeps across the top of the room.

Her focus is on the skylight and she reaches out, trying to swipe at the padlock. She misses once before she gets her bearings and successfully swipes out, managing to break the lock and it knocks down to the ground.

I hold my breath as the lock falls and Scott cheers in her success before a loud noise blares and smoke flies from the ceiling, at the same time I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket.

“Oh no,” I whisper, watching as the Halon fire suppression system kicks on and knocks both Scott and Malia down from their perches onto the ground below and the sound of their gasping breaths fills the speakers on our end.

Scott crawls on the ground towards Malia and sits up, resting her against his chest as they try to catch their breaths and I pull my phone out of my pocket already knowing it’s probably Lyds.

“How long do they have?” I murmur so quietly, though Chris hears me loud and clear as he answers “Minutes.”

I open the text from Lydia, barely reading her words when movement on the smaller screens gains our attention. 

Hunters walk back into the warehouse from where we first walked in, guns raised while they talk to each other on their radios

“ _We found Anderson unconscious. We’re moving in_.”

“ _How many are inside_?”

“ _I don’t know_.”

“ _What else can anybody see_?”

I lick my lips quickly, my nerves itching and screaming at me before I turn to Chris “We have to do something.”

Chris nods and grabs his duffle, grabbing some items and his gun before we hear the last command from the hunters on the screens as they crowd outside the door to the armory room, guns aimed and ready “ _Shoot to kill._ ”

Chris unhooks the pin on a grenade and rolls it down the hall towards the hunters, releasing smoke quickly that fills the hallway before he rounds the corner and shoots out the lights above the corridor.

I look around the corner of the hallway and watch as sparks from the lights being shot out shower down on the hunters who are coughing through the smoke.

Chris moves down the hall, with me following behind him, and I can barely make out his outline before I hear grunts and the sound of the butt of his gun hitting into the sides of the men’s heads as he walks down the hallway.

Seeing one of the hunters not in Chris’ path start to come towards me, I walk towards him quickly and throw the duffle bag at him to distract him before I jump up and deliver a kick to his chest that sends him sprawling backwards.

Once he crashes into the wall, I turn around to face the direction of the armory however through the smoke, the hallway disappears and I’m back in the living room at home just like the night I got my premonition.

The shadows are dancing across the wall and I quickly turn around, going back and forth between the smoke filled hallway and home as I hear glass breaking all around me.

The noise of the shattering glass continues to increase until Chris runs back towards me and snaps me out of whatever premonition that just turned into “Hey come on.”

We run down to the door and he nods towards it, I furrow my brows and look between him and the door “You said the doors were solid steel.”

Chris smirks and points towards the door “I said they’ll stop a bullet, not a _Banshee_.”

Nodding my head to the side I breathe out deeply, building my scream up as I take in a few prepared breaths and lift up my hands in front of me, palms up towards the door.

I breathe in deeply one last time and release the scream, directing its power with my hands towards the steel door in pulsing waves.

The center of the door starts to crush inwards before it finally buckles and falls backwards into the armory room with a loud crash as my scream dies down.

I drop my arms back down to my sides, panting through labored breaths as I try to catch my breath at the same time as I hear Malia and Scott gasp deeply with the fresh air running through their lungs.

***

We get back home and regroup while Scott and Malia head upstairs to rest for a bit and Mason meets us to return Lydia her car.

Jiang and Tierney weren’t in the room that tripped the alarm in the armory, well not alive anyways. A piece of their skin, specifically the part with the Satomi pack symbol of stacking rocks tattoo, was on a display case like some twisted trophy **_they were murdered when we thought they were going to be safe_**

There were a couple other items in the room, one being a map of the continents that Scott had insisted we take with us.

I walk forward and unroll the map, placing it on the kitchen table that mom, Chris, Mason, Lydia and I are all standing around.

The world map has seven red dots indicating locations on Northern California, Greenland, Brazil, France, Egypt, China, and Siberia. The one directly over Beacon Hills instantly clued me in as to what they were. 

I clear my throat and inform the rest of them to my thought process “They’re Nemetons.”

Mom looks over to me and questions “What does Gerard want with them?”

I breathe out deeply and nod towards the map “If they’re like the one here, they’re beacons for supernaturals.”

“If you wanted to kill _every_ supernatural creature in the world, these are where you would start,” Chris elaborates and mom mumbles thoughtfully “Well, then Gerard isn’t gonna stop with Beacon Hills, is he?”

I jerk back with the sound of glass breaking again and I move my eyes around the room around us, sharing a wide eyed look with Lydia who is obviously feeling what I am **_so the threat wasn’t with the mission earlier?_**

“He wants the whole world,” Chris digresses before the side kitchen door opens loudly and dad’s voice joins our conversation “Addy– where’s Scott?”

Mom and I share a look before she sighs out her answer to him “Upstairs. Why?”

Dad looks between us, his eyes landing on me when he answers “You can’t leave– no one can.”

“Glad to see that you changed your mind, but I’m afraid to ask why…” mom trails off and dad rushes out quickly “It’s Gerard’s weapons–”

“Dad?” Scott walks into the kitchen with Malia right behind him, dad continuing on through the interruption “The guns, they’ve all been distributed _legally_ to the citizens of Beacon Hills– all of them, and at _no charge_.”

“What, he just gave them away?” Scott ponders and I jerk to the side, my shoulder bumping into Lydia’s when I hear an onslaught of bullet casings crash onto the floor near our feet.

Lydia grabs my hand, the combination of us together causes a premonition like the one we saw in the library when Theo was killing Scott. I grip onto her hand tighter as we immediately see the window behind us shatter and bullets are firing into the house in quick succession, hitting and killing us all.

“No– he’s arming his army,” I barely hear Chris confirm while the premonition ends and I gasp loudly, looking at Lydia before both of us are turning towards the window, knowing what’s going to happen next. 

“Get down!” we scream and I grab onto Mason and Lydia, pulling them down to the floor with me and everyone following suit just as two arrows break through the window beside us and embed themselves in the wall.

The arrows were equipped with flash bangs and they go off right before an onslaught of gunfire explodes in the room from outside the window.

There’s glass from the window flying everywhere, other debris exploding into tiny pieces from items in the path of the bullets as red beams dance through the window.

The noise is so loud and my nerves are on fire as I resist the urge to scream, reaching across the floor to grab onto Lydia’s hand– I barely register the blinding white pain emanating from my thigh and shoulder before the darkness swallows me and coldness seeps into my bones.


	102. Werewolves of London

A knock on my hospital door has me turning and groaning with the stiffness of my neck as I look to the door.

Noah, with his hand on the edge of the door, smiles and walks into the room “Hey kid, how’re you holding up?”

I make a face and lift my hand on my good arm up off the bed “They just gave me another round of the meds… so not too shabby at the moment, Mr. S.”

He chuckles and sets his hands on his hips “Your mom just got out of surgery, she’s resting now but they said she’s going to be just fine– the bullet missed one of the main arteries.”

I breathe out a sigh of relief, closing my eyes briefly before I look back at him “Good, that’s good– what about the others?”

Noah clears his throat and and fills me in “Your dad is going to be fine, they transferred him to San Francisco Memorial. Mason and Lydia got out of surgery just before you did and they’re both all right too– the bullets missed everything that matters.”

Offering a grateful smile, I nod and drop my eyes down to my bandaged up thigh “How’s Scotty?”

Noah sighs “He… well he’s pretty upset. After he got an update on you and your mom, I let him know the whole department was gonna be on this to figure out who did this–”

Lifting my head back up, I make a noise **_because we all know who did this_** and Noah just raises his hands up to his sides “Yeah, I know we _know_ – but” he points to the badge on his chest and raises his brows “ _Sheriff_ , kid… I have to find the proof to pin this on them, all right?”

The corners of my lips twitch and I nod “Sorry…”

“No, you are laying in hospital bed with two GSW’s because of them– you have every right to be pissed as well, you all do, so what you don’t need to say right now is sorry… my job is to protect you from this– _I’m sorry,_ Addy.”

I soften my face, shaking my head gently as I reassure him “Mr. S, I don’t think anyone could have suspected they would have shot up our house. There were just as many humans there last night as supernaturals– they crossed a line.”

He nods and stresses “I agree and I will get her to confess to either doing it or to knowing who orchestrated it.”

“I know you will,” I reply without missing a beat and Noah takes a moment before he clears his throat “I’ve been trying to get ahold of Stiles–”

I make a noise and draw my brows inwards “Oh no, please tell me he’s not on a plane that he will have been fuming on for five hours before he gets here, knocking down that door in the process to yell at me?”

Noah snorts and shakes his head, making a little noise “He– uh he doesn’t know. I haven’t been able to get a call through to him that doesn’t go straight to voicemail.”

Nodding with his words, I recall the last conversation I had with him “He said service was going to be in and out for a few days while he was going to wherever he was going.”

Noah sighs and rubs a hand over his face, moving over to the side of my bed and pulling a chair closer before he sits down “I know we agreed to leave him out of what’s going on here for a few more days,” he softens his face as he points towards me and my slinged up arm “Is that still the case? Because I’ll tell him the rundown on everything so you don’t have to.”

I snort and lean my head back against my pillow more, rolling my head to face him “That’s not going to stop him from being angry with me. He wanted me to leave, to make sure I wasn’t going to get hurt in this city again and I asked him to trust me because I wanted to keep him safe.”

“Kid, my son has been in love with you long enough to know that you’re just as stubborn as he is. You both want to keep each other safe and you put his safety above your own– he will be upset that you’re hurt, but he _won’t be angry_ at you. He’s just going to focus on the fact that you’re _alive_.”

Taking a moment to digest his words, I nod slowly “I still don’t want him here yet”

He lifts the corners of his mouth with his agreement “I don’t either, but like I said he’s just as stubborn and he’s going to want to be with you right now– and I think you should let him.”

I laugh with that before my eyelids feel heavy and I can’t help the yawn that falls from my lips. 

Noah smiles softly and hits his hands on his thighs “All right then, you get some rest and I’ll come back and check on you a little later, yeah? Pina colada smoothie still your favorite?”

I smile brightly and nod ever so slightly “That sounds amazing.”

He bends forward and kisses the top of my head “You got it.”

***

When I wake up next, I’m still in the hospital room only it looks like everything has frozen over, with a thin layer of snow on the ground. 

I look around and notice there’s little snowflakes on my hospital gown and the pillow beside me. 

Letting out a little puff of air, that I can clearly see in the freezing temperature around me, I turn my head to each side before I push up into a seated position and move off the bed **_well freezing premonition world means I don’t feel any pain in my thigh or on my chest right below my shoulder where I was shot_**

I move my feet across the layer of snow towards the frozen door of my room and open it, looking out into the just as frozen hallway outside the room before I step out into it. 

I slowly pad my feet down the hallway, seeing puffs of my breath out in front of my face as I shiver from the cold and cross my arms over each other.

The frozen hospital is completely deserted and as I make my way through the hallway, I eventually come upon a middle strip of the hallway floor that has somewhat melted just enough for me to see footprints in the melted snow.

The melted pathway and footprints curve at the end of the hallway and stop leading into the frozen over doors to the morgue.

Knowing I need to go in there, I walk right up to the doors and push them open. Even though they’re frozen and covered in ice, they open without difficulty and I walk into the just as frozen over in ice morgue.

I walk further into the room and to the right of the exam tables in the middle of the room towards the wall of doors to the cadaver drawers.

Moving my eyes from the room and over to the drawers, I see that the ice has melted off one of the doors leaving it the normal looking metal it usually is **_well that’s obviously where I’m headed_**

I walk up to the clear of ice door and see a warm orange glow around the entire square of the door.

Walking through the layer of snow on the floor, my body shakes with another round of shivers and my jaw threatens to start clattering my teeth together.

The closer to the door I get, the more the light glows and I can see steam, or smoke almost, coming out from the crack around the closed door.

I reach out my shaky hand and grip onto the handle, feeling that it doesn’t feel too warm– I turn it to the side and pull the door open.

***

After walking through the woods and into an abandoned building, **_that is almost suffocating with the death that surrounds me,_** I push open the curtain hanging in the middle of the doorway and a flashlight quickly shines my way before Scott’s voice rushes out “Addy? What the hell are you doing here– no, no _how_ did you get here?”

A new round of shivers course through me as Scott stops in front of me and I croak out “He led me here– he wanted me to find it.”

“Who led you?” Scott asks and I look up to them, my body still fighting off the cold as I shiver more “Halwyn.” **_aka the dead hellhound we found a few days ago_**

Scott quickly hands off his light to Malia and shrugs out of his jacket, walking up to me and helping me get my good arm through the sleeve and situating the other half over the sling on my arm before he zips it up halfway to keep it on me.

I offer him a smile of thanks before I nod my head to the side “Come on, we need to go outside.”

Malia shares a look with Scott before I turn and they follow me outside of the building, towards the woods of the surrounding area.

Walking on the path now, Malia chimes in behind me “Why would a dead Hellhound bring you here? Also, isn’t he _dead_?”

I shrug, hissing with the pain I can apparently now feel in my shoulder again as I answer her “I guess the connection between a banshee and a hellhound–”

“A _dead_ hellhound” Malia cuts in and I continue through her interruption “–is stronger than I thought. As for the why, I’m hoping if I find the body, I’ll figure that part out.”

“You know, there’s a pile of dead bodies back there,” Scott chimes in worriedly and I close my eyes as I stop my steps “It’s a different body.”

“There’s not another body out here. I’d smell it,” Malia is quick to deny what I’m saying and I nod my head to the side, continuing my walking “I’m a harbinger of death– trust me.”

We eventually come upon a skinless bloody lump of a body that is covered in leaves and with Scott’s help I kneel down on one side while him and Malia kneel next to me “How is this possible? We saw Parrish kill it…”

Moving my eyes over the lump, I shake my head quickly as I fill in “This one’s different.”

“Yeah, I think Addy’s right– I think this is part of the pack,” Scott breathes out and Malia looks over to him quickly “How do you know?”

Scott reaches out and lifts up the bloody lump’s arm, pointing out “This is their pack symbol.”

“Its skin is gone…” Malia trails off as I look over and see the white scarred outline of a circle with a crescent moon above it and I answer thoughtfully “Wolves have to burn tattoos into their skin.”

Scott nods and lifts his arm up with his words “My tattoo is probably scarred into my muscles too.”

Malia quickly shakes her head in thought while Scott lays the arm back down “Okay, but why are there two of these bodies?”

“Because the Anuk-ite has two faces,” I conclude and Scott looks over to me “That’s why Halwyn sent you here, Addy.”

I draw my brows inwards, looking between them and the body as I process everything “He wanted me to find the Anuk-ite’s other face.”

***

Driving back to the school Scott and Malia fill me in on their day and mission to recruit any and all help they could to help our cause against the hunters and form our own army. 

First they met with Duecalian who was of no help because he’s steered away from the fighting and bloodshed, offering to teach them Bagua which he described as a ‘martial art that takes the path of least resistance’.

Next they went to Peter who, no surprise at all, only thought of Peter and how well he’s doing so of course he wasn’t going to help in another suicide mission with our pack.

Finally they went to enlist the help of a pack known as ‘The Primal’. The pack had apparently given up everything that made them human – rules, morals, electricity and they’re not only strong but they’ll kill anything that crosses their path. 

Only when Scott and Malia got to where the pack was residing– they found them all dead with their eyes blackened and hollowed out **_also where I was led by Halwyn and where I met up with Scott and Malia_**

We get to the school after Liam called Scott, saying him and Theo needed to show us something. 

They lead us through the school and fill us in on their encounter with Gabe in Liam’s attempt to find out who shot up our house– his attempt which included shoving Gabe’s head into the mirror in the locker room in his anger.

Gabe had taunted that they should be trying harder to keep people alive, earning Theo to shove his head harder into the mirror until he finally relented there are a number of bodies in the school.

He lead Liam and Theo to a freezer chest showing him three bodies inside, one teacher and two students.

Theo asked why Gabe hid the bodies and he admitted they didn’t want to get caught testing the students to see if they were werewolves **_they have been slicing the backs of the hands of everyone in school with a scalpel to test them_**

These three apparently were werewolves but Gabe claimed the hunters didn’t kill them as he pointed to their faces and figured something else did it. 

They surmised that it was the Anuk-Ite and that death was just a byproduct of it looking for its other half and that it’s searching supernatural creatures.

They reprimanded Gabe, saying that he has single handedly been helping it on its mission. Gabe admitted he was just helping some Aaron kid and that it was all his idea to test the students with the scalpel **_which means Aaron is one half of the Anuke-Ite_**

Theo and Liam open the freezer once we are standing in front of it and see the three bodies with their eyes the blackened gaping holes like the werewolf pack from earlier.

“It’s a bad day for finding bodies,” Malia grumbles and closes the freezer, earning Liam to nod his head to the side “There’s gonna be a lot more if we don’t find Aaron’s other half.”

Theo makes a noise beside us “Which we know nothing about.”

Scott shares a look with me and looks between Liam and Theo as he admits “We do know one thing– we know it’s a werewolf.”

“We need to find this other werewolf right now. Preferably before they merge,” Theo states and Malia looks between us “What happens if they merge?”

I shake my head, gripping onto my elbow in the sling as I say “I don’t know, but I have a feeling that it’s not going to be good.” **_its doing this kind of damage alone– together it could be catastrophic_**

Theo shifts beside me and looks over to the other side of the freezer “Any chance you got to put together that army, Scott?”

“You’re looking at it,” Scott admits before we hear feet shuffle behind us and Peter’s voice chimes in “Let’s hope this thing doesn’t feed off desperation, because this room _reeks_ of it.”

We all turn to see a half healing from a burned state Peter holding a burnt to a crisp steering wheel. Malia nods her head towards him “What happened?”

“The Hunters destroyed my _perfect_ automobile. So, if this thing had anything to do with it, I’d like to see its demise is appropriately painful.”

Peter throws the steering wheel to the side and Malia furrows her brows “I thought you had two cars?”

“There’s going to be hell to pay,” Peter grumbles lowly and I share a soft chuckle with Malia before we head out towards the cars.

Scott helps me climb into the jeep before he climbs in the drivers seat, setting his hands on the steering wheel as he admits “I uh– I called Stiles.”

I look over to him and keeping his palms on the steering wheel, he lifts his fingers up and continues “And– and you can hate me or be upset at me that I did, but you were in surgery along with mom and dad– and I _needed_ my best friend to know what was happening,”

He looks over to me, his worried eyes dropping down to my arm and connecting with mine once more “ _You_ need him here with you.”

I reach over with my good hand, resting it on his forearm as I smile “Thanks, Scotty.”

Furrowing his brows, he makes a noise and shakes his head “You’re not upset I made that decision without you?”

I offer him a reassuring squeeze “No, as much as I wanted to keep him safe– it’s been hell without him. We all need him here with us.”

Scott releases a sigh of relief, though I draw my brows inwards “Please tell me you didn’t tell him about the shooting on his voicemail?”

Barking out a laugh Scott shakes his head quickly “No– trust me I learned my lesson with _not_ leaving important messages through text or voicemail. I didn’t get to actually talk to him, just told him to call me.”

I nod and shift back in the seat, hissing in pain and breathing out deeply before Scott immediately reaches over and touches my shoulder gently. 

He groans and drops his head forward, black lines shooting up his arm and earning me to gasp “Scott–”

Making a noise he drops his arm down, clearing his throat “I know how painful it is to get shot– so you know, it was the least I could do.”

Breathing out deeply, I close my eyes with the lessened pain before I look over to him again “Thank you.”

Scott nods “Let’s get you back to the hospi–”

His words trail off as I shake my head, leaning back in the seat “Home– let’s just go home.”


	103. Genotype

Last night before we had left the woods near the Primal pack’s lair, a beeping notification sounded from one of the bodies, which led Malia to find the phone it belonged to and we saw a voicemail alert. 

We listened to the voicemail when we got home. It was a woman’s voice begging whoever’s phone it was to call her back and if not this woman was going to go up to the woods. Her final words were reminding the phone owner that this was the woman’s pack too.

We couldn’t recognize the voice so Scott went to the animal clinic to meet Liam, Mason and Theo. 

The four of them are on figuring out duty for the day– first trying to see who the voice belongs to, **_which will hopefully lead us to figuring out who the other face of the second half of the Anuk-ite is_** , and second trying to figure out where Aaron is.

While the guys are working on that so we can keep the two halves apart, I head to the hospital with Malia to check on Lydia and also pay a visit to the morgue.

Lydia is still working on getting the doctor to release her, so Malia and I head into the morgue to meet her. Once the coast is clear we head inside and find the cubby where Halwyn’s body is being kept.

We open the door to the cubby and slide the drawer out, unzipping the black body bag and taking in Halwyn looking just as he did when he was shot and killed by Monroe **_the bullet wound is still in the center of his head and the claw gashes are still covering his chest_**

“Well, it’s still here. Still dead. What else were we supposed to do?” Malia ponders and I make a face as I fill in thoughtfully “We need to figure out how a Hellhound led me into the woods to find another faceless body while being _technically_ dead.”

Malia makes a face and clarifies “Technically?”

I breathe out deeply, moving my eyes from her and over Halwyn’s face “I don’t think I would have been led out there if he was fully dead.”

“I don’t think we should be hanging out here waiting for him to _spring_ back to life,” she rushes out and I shake my head quickly “We don’t have to wait if we can figure out how he was able to reach me.”

She makes a noise and her brows snap together “How do we do that?”

Nodding my head to the side, I look down to Halwyn as I state matter of factly “I’m just going to have to ask him.”

Malia helps me roll over one of the steel autopsy tables, putting the end of the table right up against the end of the drawer Halwyn is laying on.

“Now what?” she asks and I look up from the table to her “Now I’m going to lie down on this side and hope that our heads being a few inches apart will be close enough for a connection.”

I set my hands on the edge of the table, taking a deep breath in and readying myself to push up onto the table when Malia makes a noise and walks up “What are you doing, here…”

She grips behind my legs, careful of my thigh, and wraps her arm behind my back to help guide me onto the table, laying me back gently “You okay?”

I smile gratefully up to her and nod as I push my feet into the table to shift around “Yes, thank you muscles.”

She snorts and crosses her arms over her chest as I finish getting into a position that will be the most comfortable **_but it’s a metal table so not much room to be comfy_**

I rest my hands on my stomach and link my fingers before I close my eyes and focus my breathing into nice and even deep breaths.

***

“Anything yet?” Malia whispers from her crouched position near the top of my head and my eyes fly open, whispering back through my irritation I’m trying to keep at bay “As opposed to when you asked three minutes ago? _No_.”

A few seconds tick by before I huff and move to sit up, “It’s not working.”

Malia offers me her shoulder to set my hand on as I climb off the table and we move over to the side of the drawer near Halwyn as she suggests “Maybe you should touch him?”

I scrunch my mouth over to the side “Umm, no that’s ridiculous. There’s no way–”

My words are cut off as Malia reaches over and grabs my hand, placing it onto his very cold shoulder. I snap my eyes up to her as she ponders “Anything?”

I smile tightly and make a face, thoroughly not enjoying touching the corpse “Nothing.”

Malia grips onto my wrist with one hand and lifts the body bag up further with the other before she places my hand on Halwyn’s slashed up chest.

Resisting the urge to gag, I close my eyes and make a noise as I turn my head to the side and Malia continues “What about now?”

I whimper and try to pull my hand away, though Malia just holds my wrist tighter and I finally answer her “Nope, not a thing.”

Malia shifts to the side and places my hand on his chin, questioning “Now?” and I finally get my hand free of her grasp, throwing her a look as I turn to face her “Okay, stop.”

She offers a look of apology before she sets her hands on his chin and the top of his head and gently turns it to the left, exposing the back of his neck to us.

Her turn to be grossed out, Malia lifts her hand up with her fingers near his neck indicating the memory manipulation ritual “I could try it…?”

I shake my head before she’s even done with her question and look up to her “You could damage his brain, maybe even more than that bullet already has.”

Looking relieved, Malia reaches forward and places his head back in the supine position before she wipes her hands on her shirt and walks around me to lean back on the other table “How did it work last time?”

Letting out a breath, I turn around to face her as I answer with a quick shake of my head “Last time, I was unconscious.”

“Unconscious…” Malia trails off, nodding her head as she stands up from her lean and looks around the room. Eventually she spots something and smiles back at me “Okay, we can work with that!”

She walks over and picks up a surgical steel hammer, banging it against the autopsy table to emphasize her point of her brilliant idea to knock me out with the apparent hammer “See? It will be quick!”

Raising my brows with the sharp sound of metal hitting metal, I throw her a look as I refuse quickly “No– mmm-mmm. Not like that.”

She frowns through her confusion, reiterating “You want me to knock you out, right?”

Clapping my hands together, I enunciate slowly as I stand up and move closer to Halwyn again “Render _unconscious_ – preferably without pain.”

I move my eyes from Malia’s _at a loss for how to do that_ face and down to Halwyn before an idea comes to mind **_albeit not the best one_**

“Okay, this is what we’re gonna do,” I turn to face her, seeing her nod as I continue “You’re going to press against my chest– _hard_ – constricting the flow of blood and oxygen to my brain. It’ll drop my blood pressure and render me unconscious.”

“ _That_ sounds totally unsafe,” Malia frowns in her exasperation and I’m quick to counter “Oh, it’s extremely unsafe– but we’re limited on time and options.”

Malia jerks her head back, brows forming a deep line as she moves her eyes between mine quickly “Addy– are you sure?”

“No,” I answer honestly and breathe in deeply, licking my lips as I go on “But let’s go.”

I clear my throat and take several deep breaths to psychologically prepare myself for what we’re about to do.

Stepping back into the wall of cadaver drawer doors, I flatten my back against the doors behind me as Malia moves to stand in front of me and places her hands on each of my collarbones.

She lays her palms on my chest and I resist the urge to hiss as I suck in a sharp breath as she presses right below where I was shot.

Malia interlocks her thumbs to put more pressure on my chest, immediately causing me to gasp for breath as it quickly feels like I’m being choked.

I reach my hands up and clutch onto Malia’s wrists, my eyes watering as I look up at the conflicted look on Malia’s face for having to hurt me.

After a few more moments I barely hear “What are you doing?!” as I slam my eyes closed and feel my legs give out before I’m gasping for breath and the pressure on my chest falls away.

Setting my hands on the ground I’m kneeling on, I pant through labored breaths and quickly open my eyes “I don’t think that…”

My words trail off as my mind catches up with what my eyes are seeing and the fact that I’m no longer in the morgue with Malia, instead I’m in the hallway of the closed unit in Eichen “…Worked.”

As I look down the hall with the cells, the walls begin dripping with melted silver as fire burns inside one of the cells **_which I’m going out on a limb and guessing that was Halwyn’s cell when he was locked away in here_**

I push up from the ground and make my way down the hallway of the closed unit, turning to the side when I reach Halwyn’s cell.

I look through the foggy window on the door, which is glowing with a bright orange light. 

Inside, Halwyn, in some kind of fossilized volcanic ash form, is suddenly surrounded by a cloud of cold air from the freezer components **_like the doctor tried to kill Parrish with_**

However, the cold air is no match for Halwyn’s thermokinetic and pyrokinetic powers, and the next moment he bursts out of his rock shell with such force that the pieces explode. The sudden noise of the explosion scares me to the point where I duck forward and cover my ears to protect myself from the blast.

Once the dust settles, I stand back up to full height and look back into the window– the sight of Halwyn, with his claws and fangs out, roaring in front of the door and slamming against it with his hands shocks me enough to jerk back away from the window.

Halwyn is suddenly pulled back into the cold fog by an invisible force, confusing me more. 

My eyes are fighting to stay open with the bright light emitting from his body, and narrowing them more I walk toward the door again. 

I reach out and brace myself against it with my hands on either side of the window, just as Halwyn comes into view again.

He’s just like he looks in the morgue– still covered in the claw gashes and still has the bullet wound in his forehead– and he begins bashing his head against the window, over and over again.

Confused, I continue to watch with concern as Halwyn once again backs away from the door, taking deep breaths as the cloud of cold fog is sucked back into the components. The lock on the outside of the door is unlocked by an invisible force, and the door slowly cracks open.

Watching the door open more, my jaw drops open in shock as I reach out my hand towards Halwyn, only for him to completely launch himself towards me.

He wraps his arms around me, holding onto me protectively, as we fly backwards through the cement wall behind us– almost as though we had phased through it.

My eyes fly open, as I awaken with a loud rasping gasp “He’s not dead!”

Malia and Lydia are right in front of me, hands on my arms as they help pull me up from the ground. 

“Halwyn’s not dead…” I try to catch my breath, looking between them and down to the table as I croak out “And I know how to save him.”

***

Malia snuck out of the morgue and found some scrubs for us and a patient gurney for the next part of the plan. 

Once we’re changed into the blue scrubs she grabbed and we get Halwyn onto the gurney, we throw on some surgical masks and slowly make our way towards the elevator to head for the radiology wing.

When we finally make it into the room where the MRI machine is located, we remove our masks and caps from our undercover nurses’ outfits and breathe out a sigh of relief from not being seen.

I smile over to them in triumph and look at the machine in front of us “Step one, complete.”

“Now, how do we turn this thing on?” Malia questions and I lift up my phone, showing her the screen as I quip “We read the manual.”

We get Halwyn set up on the table that will maneuver his body into the machine before we head into the observation room to get it set up to run.

I sit down in the chair and begin typing on the computer, adjusting the controls based on what the manual says and the table guides Halwyn into the MRI machine.

After a moment, the imaging of his brain comes up on the computer screen and I point towards one of the images “Look– see that image artifacting? That means the bullet is ferromagnetic. Probably steel so it’ll react in the MRI. We’ll increase the magnet’s power, and the machine will pull the bullet right out.”

I take a deep breath, sharing a nod with Lydia before I look over to Malia “Ready? It could get messy.” 

She has her hands on the table next to me and she leans forward with my thought process “I’ve seen messy. Go for it.”

Nodding with her words I move my hand over, hovering over the start button when my eyes move to the screen again and I frown looking at the image with the bullet “We can’t do this.”

Malia snaps her head in my direction quickly “What are you talking about?”

Licking my lips quickly, I answer thoughtfully “The bullet– it’s not just steel,” pointing towards the screen at the little bits near the bullet “See those fragments around it? That’s silver. The bullet was coated with it. Silver won’t react in the MRI. We pull that bullet out, and he’ll start to heal.”

“Healing is good!” Malia states and Lydia quickly catches on, filling her in “But he’s a Hellhound. He’ll heat up. When he does, that silver is going to melt and seep _right_ into his brain.”

Standing up from her lean, Malia shrugs a shoulder “So, what’s a little silver?

“Argyria,” I mutter and look up to her again “Silver poisoning– and we have no way of getting it out.”

Finally catching on to what I’m saying Malia looks out into the room with Halwyn “So, if we take out the bullet, he dies again…”

I make a noise and set my elbows on the desk, running my hands over my face in aggravation at what we’re supposed to do now **_more importantly the decision we’re having to make_**

Malia goes to the door of the MRI room and anxiously looks out the small window before she comes back into the observation room with Lydia and I.

After a few moments, Lydia looks between us “There has to be another way.”

“Yeah… if we had more time, I’m sure we could figure something out, but we don’t. Someone is gonna come through that door any second now and bust us,” she points at the window in front of us towards the MRI machine and continues “Our _last_ shot at figuring out how to beat the Anuk-ite might be laying on that table, so we need to make a decision _right now_.”

Lydia scoffs and throws her a look “You don’t mean ‘decide’– you mean ‘do it’.”

Malia looks between us and continues the debate of our options “Yeah, I think it’s the right decision. If it were Parrish, he’d want us to do it. He would sacrifice himself for everyone in Beacon Hills.”

Lydia makes a noise and faces us both as she argues “But Parrish would be able to make the decision himself! We don’t know what Halwyn would do.”

I look out towards Halwyn and back towards Lydia as I counter gently “We kind of do. He built Eichen and he froze himself for a _hundred_ years so that he could be ready to fight the Anuk-ite,” Lydia looks out the window now as I go on thoughtfully “The first thing he does when he’s unfrozen is starts hunting the thing. If that’s the only thing he’s ever cared about… then he’d want us to do this– give us the best chance to defeat this thing since he can’t do it now.”

Lydia sighs and connects her eyes with mine, giving me the slightest of nods knowing I’m right before I walk over towards the control panel again. 

I reach out and place my fingertips on the sliding switches for the magnetic component. Taking one last calming breath in our decision, I slide them up all the way to increase the magnetism to remove the bullet.

All of our eyes move from the screen and out into the room with the machine as we wait for the MRI to pull the bullet out of his brain.

After a moment, Malia frowns worriedly and leans against the desk beside me again “Something’s wrong.”

“What is it?” Lydia questions and Malia takes a second to focus her hearing before she answers “His heartbeat… it’s too fast, and erratic.”

No sooner has she said that than does Halwyn begin seizing, his muscles spasming painfully as the MRI continues to do its work.

Lydia and Malia both look towards me with alarm as Malia anxiously taps my hand as she commands “Turn it off! Turn it off!”

We quickly start hitting the buttons on the keyboard in our attempt to turn off the machine and Malia adds in urgently “Hurry!”

I tap a few more buttons and though we manage to successfully turn the MRI machine off, it takes a few more moments to fully power down.

Halwyn, now conscious, stops seizing and instead roars in pain at the top of his voice, his eyes blazing with fire and his fangs extended from the trauma of the bullet successfully being pulled from his brain.

The power shuts down around us causing a blackout in the hospital, and after a brief moment, the back-up generator kicks in.

We quickly run into the next room and stare in shock at Halwyn, who has just stood weakly to his feet. 

I notice that his fire based healing power is already starting to kick in to heal him of his wounds, as a steam like aura can be seen around his body.

Halwyn turns towards us and growls under his breath “Where is it?”

Before we have a chance to answer him, he takes a step towards us– however he doesn’t make it far as he ends up getting woozy and falls into me. 

I set my hands on his sides and with Malia’s help we get him onto the ground, gently leaning his back against the wall.

Panting for breath, he frowns in confusion and connects his eyes with mine “What’s happening?”

I look over to Malia and Lydia, guilt already creeping into my bones as I clear my throat and look back at him “The Anuk-ite is destroying our city, that’s what’s happening– and we need you to tell us how to kill it.”

He groans and leans his head back against the wall and with his not answering of the question, Malia pushes “Does it have any weaknesses?”

“Malia…” Lydia states and I look over to her, seeing her nod her head towards Halwyn’s face. I follow her line of sight as Malia ignores her and continues “Is there a weapon that we can use?”

I widen my eyes seeing the molten silver beginning to come out of his nose and I also try to get her to stop “Malia…”

She finally stops with her questions and looks at us, seeing us nod towards his face. 

Halwyn also notices our worried stares and lifts his hand up, running his finger under his nose and turning his anger filled eyes towards me “What did you do to me?”

Clearing my throat, I set my hand on his arm “I’m sorry… it was the only way to revive you.”

He chuckles darkly, his breathing picking up “Revive me so I can die?”

I shake my head quickly, gaining his attention again “No, so you could _help_ us. Tell us how to stop it.”

He’s now bleeding silver from his mouth as well and looks at me for a moment more before he sighs defeatedly “You can’t stop it– you can’t kill it.”

“But _you_ did…” Lydia offers and he’s quick to correct her “I trapped it.”

Growing in her impatience, Malia clips out “Well, how do we do that?”

“Don’t let it find its other half,” he states and I nod my head towards him “How do we know it hasn’t found it already?”

Hawlyn groans through the pain of the silver poisoning him and grimly croaks out “Because you wouldn’t be alive to tell me.”

He pauses for a moment, catching his breath before he grunts and continues “Keep them apart. It’s still weak.”

“One of them isn’t so weak– it’s supernatural,” I elaborate for him and he snaps his alarmed filled eyes to mine once more “A shapeshifter?”

I nod and clarify “A werewolf.”

He breathes out harshly before he warns “You can’t let the two halves merge. If you do, you won’t be able to catch it.”

Molten silver begins to bleed from the gunshot wound in his forehead, and he groans in pain as the silver poisoning spreads throughout his body. 

I draw my brows in, sharing a guilty look with Lydia and Malia before I grip onto his hand near me and murmur gently “We shouldn’t have done this. I’m so sorry– I’m sorry.”

The silver is now pouring out of both of his ears and his right eye as well as his mouth, nose, and open wounds as he pants through his pain filled breathes. 

He squeezes my hand back, causing me to look at him once more as he advises “Okay, listen to me. If it finds its other half… if the two become one… do not look at it,” his eyes start to flicker orange-red with fire as more molten silver runs from his eyes like tears, and he starts gasping for breath as he urges lowly “You can’t look at it– it will _kill_ _you_ with a look.”

The tears that had gathered in my eyes, slowly fall down my cheeks as Halwyn takes one last rasping breath before his body goes weak and his hand loses strength, falling out of my grasp and onto the ground beside him.

***

I just make it to the library seeing Liam bouncing on his feet as he prepares for another fight and starts to shift again, when I slam my hands on his shoulders and yank him backwards through the double doors behind me and we fall to the ground.

Letting out a groan with falling onto the ground, I push myself up and Liam quickly grips onto my sides, pulling me up as I whisper under my breath “We have to run, bub– now!”

Once we’re standing, I set my hand against his back and push him with me through the area outside the library and into the hallway of the school right across from us.

Liam follows, though he’s quick to fill me in on his confusion “Addy, what are doing? Quinn and Aaron merged– we have to stop them!”

Not stopping my steps, I grip onto the sleeve of his shirt to keep him with me as I shake my head and quickly fill him in on what I just learned with Halwyn **_before my nerves screamed that Liam was about to die in the library_** “You can’t, all right? You can’t look at whatever they just turned into,” I look back at him as we rush down the hallway “If you do, it’ll kill you!”

Liam grips onto my arm and pulls us around the corner of the adjacent hallway, standing in front of me as he listens back the way we originally came from.

I rest my forehead against the back of his shoulder, covering my mouth with my hand as I try to breathe as quietly as I can.

Once we got Halwyn back into the body bag, I gasped loudly as my nerves blazed and I shared a look with Lydia earning us to link our hands. We saw the two halves of the Anuk-ite fighting in the library before Aaron snapped Quinn’s neck and spiders transferred from her body and into his. 

He doubled over in pain and became engulfed in a purple smoke until he turned into a very tall and thin humanoid being with what looked like irritated read flayed skin, a sealed mouth, and hollow eye sockets with swirling purple light illuminating the sclera of his eyes.

The humanoid could sense Liam and began searching through the shelves in the library when the premonition ended **_and we wasted no time in hauling ass to the school to save him_**

After a few seconds, Liam turns back to look over his shoulder at me and nods “He’s gone, come on.”

We walk back the way we came, however instead of walking straight to go out the doors towards the library, we turn down the adjacent hallway when we see two dark figures laying on the ground in the middle of the hallway.

Sharing a look with Liam, we walk closer and notice that the bodies laying on the ground were turned into cement statues and were previously hunters **_if the guns in their hands are anything to go off of_**

“How do we fight something we can’t look at?” Liam questions and I shake my head slowly, looking over to him as I whisper “I have no idea.”

Scott, Malia and Lydia walk up behind us as Scotty states thoughtfully “We have to learn to fight without our eyes.”

We all look at him, Malia voicing our same thought “Fight without seeing? That means…”

Looking from Scott and down to the statues, I make a noise before I sigh out “…Deucalion.”


	104. Broken Glass

Lydia huffs and throws her phone in her bag that’s sitting on the edge of my bed “Still nothing.”

Chewing on the side of my lip, I nod with her words and shove my phone into the back pocket of my olive green skinny jeans “Same, here– I also don’t get why Scott and Malia left or where the hell they went this morning without filling us in.”

Malia and Lydia both stayed the night last night as we tried to come up with what to do regarding the Anuk-ite now being a, turning people into statues with one look, nightmare force.

Lydia and I both woke ourselves up last night **_in true banshee fashion_** and I’ll just say that what we both saw was enough to scare the ever living shit out of us **_causing our need for us all to be together right now to be even higher than usual_**

I set my hands on my hips and try not to freak out over the fact that our communication resources are limited and I have absolutely no idea where a lot of _our_ people are.

Noah was kicked out of the Sheriff’s station yesterday– yes you heard that correctly the _Sheriff_ was forced _out_ of the _Sheriff’s_ station because that is how big of a hold Monroe has on our city and it’s non supernatural occupants.

His check in call was the last one I received earlier this morning and any outgoing call I’ve tried to make since has gone straight to everyone’s voicemails **_it’s starting to feel like the end of the world and I’m not a fan_**

We hear a noise coming from downstairs, earning Lydia and I to share a look confirming we both heard something before we head out my door and down the stairs “Scott?”

I set my hand on the banister and swing myself into the living room, stopping my steps immediately when I don’t hear or see anyone.

Looking over my shoulder at Lydia who has stopped on the bottom step, I try to open my hearing to anything else as I turn back towards her **_and try not to be a scary movie victim by calling out Scott’s name again_**

“Hello, Addy– Lydia,” a voice calls behind me a few seconds later and I spin on my heel and gasp before closing my eyes in annoyance at who I see.

I catch my breath and open my eyes to shake my head at him “Peter– what in the holy hell are you doing here?”

He sets his hands on his hips, failing at hiding his nervous demeanor as he quips “Looking for Malia– what are you doin’ here?”

I narrow my eyes towards him as I deadpan “I live here.”

Peter’s face falls like he asked the stupidest question before he’s quick to recover “Right, well why are you shouting for Scott?” **_my house, my questions_**

Crossing my arms over my chest, I raise a brow at him “Why are you looking for Malia?”

He takes a deep breath before he comes up with “…Parental concern.”

“Huh” I mumble, narrowing my eyes at him once more and making it obvious I don’t believe a word he’s saying.

Peter nods his head to the side and tries a different tactic “Why didn’t you just call Scott?”

“Why didn’t _you_ call Malia?” I counter quickly, my suspicion growing by the second.

Letting out an exasperated noise, Peter stammers “This… we’re not… this is… we’re not getting very _far_ with this conversation.”

I scrunch my mouth to the side and release a deep sigh before I finally admit “We can’t reach him.”

A mix of relief and concern flashes over his face as he also admits “Well, I can’t reach _her_ , or anyone– there’s reports that several cell phone towers in the area are down.” **_knew it felt like the end of the world_**

Raising my brows with that information, Lydia is quick to grumble beside me “Okay. That’s definitely cause for concern…”

“It’s more than that,” he states quickly and I widen my eyes with the realization “Monroe and Gerard.”

Peter nods, looking between us “They’re cutting us off from the outside–”

“And from each other,” I finish what he was implying and he makes a noise before he continues “Which likely means that they’ve already started amassing troops on their side.”

Throwing him a smirk, I share a look with Lydia as I quirk a brow and declare “Then we’d better find ours.”

***

We have been searching for Scott and Malia for _hours_ and night has officially fallen when Peter, Lydia and I get to the animal clinic to regroup and also see if anyone has been here today.

We walk into the exam room and Peter focuses his sense of smell before he shakes his head and fills in “They haven’t been here.”

“Maybe we should go to the school” I quickly rush out and Peter softens his face, completely ignoring my suggestion “Addy– you never said _why_ you were so adamant at finding your brother earlier.”

I chew on the inside of my cheek before I walk forward and rest my hands on the metal table between us, leaning on it as I look up at him “Are you sure you want to know?”

“Do I _need_ to know?” he answers back exasperatedly and I sigh as Lydia speaks up first “We had premonitions.”

Peter looks between us, drawing his brows inwards with his question “Both of you had _separate_ ones or both of you had the _same_ one?”

Lydia looks over to me and Peter groans in frustration “Come on guys– we are on the same side and based on what’s written on your faces, I need to know what you saw.”

“We had separate premonitions that we think are more than likely related,” I begin before Lydia huffs a moment later and fills in “Last night, I woke up saying two words… that may just be from a dream… or might be something else.”

Peter waits for us to continue and when neither of us says anything he scoffs impatiently “What two words?”

Lydia looks at me and rolls her eyes back to him as she elaborates “Where’s Jackson?”

Peter looks thoroughly appalled as he grumbles “That is disturbing on _multiple_ levels. What else?”

I hesitate for another moment, which only serves to make him more impatient as he snaps his eyes back to mine “Addy! Don’t hold back on me– I’ve never held back on you.”

Breathing out deeply, I reluctantly admit “I saw _you_ … turned to stone.”

A look of horror overcomes his face and I shift on my feet before I elaborate further “I was in a storage container. It was steel and here was a blue wall…” I trail off, my mind replaying the vision I had.

Inside the storage container it was covered in these massive cobwebs exactly like the premonition I had before Halwyn died. 

Every time I touched the cobwebs I saw a series of visions– first one was of Peter in the entrance hall of the high school, where he seemed to have turned at the waist to see something behind him and had been instantly petrified into stone.

I immediately moved to touch another section of the cobwebs and I saw Ethan turned to stone in the boys locker room, along with Jackson, who was standing in front of the Anuk-ite.

I quickly had turned to touch another part of the cobwebs and was instantly met with the vision of Malia petrified into stone in Coach’s office. Next, I saw Derek frozen into stone in another hallway in the high school.

Finally, I was so overwhelmed with fear and grief that I turned around and found I wasn’t inside the container anymore– though what I saw next had me gasping deeply when I registered it was Scott petrified into stone in the middle of the shipyard maze.

I clear the emotion from my throat and connect my eyes with Peter’s once more and finish telling him what happened “I saw _everyone_ , even Derek and Ethan. _All_ of you turned to stone.”

Peter digests my words and clicks his tongue, incredulously questioning back towards me while lifting his arms out to his sides “Do you ever see anything _remotely_ optimistic?”

“It’s optimistic if you _prevent_ it,” I jab back sarcastically and Peter sighs, knowing I’m right, before he pauses and backtracks on what I just told him.

He looks down to the table, his brows drawn in while he murmurs lowly “…Storage contain–” he looks back up to me quickly as he asks more clearly “Do you mean a _shipping_ container?”

Furrowing my brow in thought, I nod as I reply “Yeah. I was surrounded by them.”

“I think I know where that is,” Peter smiles, earning me to jerk my head back and return his smile as I state “Then you know how to find Scott.”

***

On our drive to the shipping yard Peter had thought of, I look out the window and notice how deserted the whole city looks at the moment **_no one is on the road like they’re all trying to prepare for something_**

Setting my elbow on the window frame and resting the back of my hand against the side of my head, I make a noise as I look around “You know what I think it is? It’s _Kristalnacht_.”

Peter scoffs lightly, looking over at me before looking back at the road as he grumbles “Is that German?”

Nodding, I look back over at him “They call it ‘The Night of Broken Glass’. The Nazis instigated this wave of anti-Jewish violence all over Germany and Austria. Over two hundred synagogues were destroyed, people dragged out of their homes, attacked and murdered… they arrested thirty thousand Jews, all in one night.”

Lydia leans forward between the seats, setting her elbows on her knees and connecting her eyes with mine “So that’s what’s going to happen here… to _us_ ” **_I so badly want to say no, but it definitely feels like a war is about to start_**

Sitting back in my seat I hesitate before I nod sadly “They’re coming for us. _All_ of us.”

It’s started raining now as we pull up to park across the way from the shipping yard and notice Deucalion, Malia and Scott underneath a concrete stall **_fighting each other?_**

As Peter, Lydia and I run through the rain we see Scott block a hit from Deucalion’s cane, using it to instead flip Deucalion onto his back.

They exchange a few words we can’t make out before Scott reaches down to help Deucalion to his feet **_so they sought him out to help them train, that’s promising_**

We quickly close the distance between us and them and once we’re almost out of the rain, I bellow “Scotty!”

Scott looks our way and frowns in concern as we join them underneath the concrete stall out of the rain– though I don’t give him time to ask the question written all over his face, as I look between them and digress grimly “None of us are going to survive this…”

Looking at me in alarm from what I said, Scott shares a concerned look with Malia before he looks back at me “What? Why? What are you guys doing here?”

“They’re coming!” Lydia interjects, gaining everyone’s attention, before Peter elaborates further to what it is we’re going on about “Monroe and more– and they have _heavy_ firepower.”

None of us really has time to process what he said before a rapid hail of gunfire is shot towards us. 

Jerking back from the noise we all watch in shock as more than at least a dozen of them hit Deucalion in the chest and abdomen from behind. His body shakes from the attack before he falls face first onto the ground between our feet.

Looking up from him in our shock, we all turn to our right and through the pouring rain just past the concrete area we’re standing under, we see a wall of hunters with their guns aimed right at us **_and the war is here_**

One of the hunters moves to the side and reveals that Monroe is standing behind them looking at us with a smug smirk on her face. 

Movement behind her gains my attention as I watch the other hunters quickly moving behind her and readying themselves with their guns as well.

Scott immediately grabs my arm right before multiple hunters take aim and open fire on us yet again.

The sudden onslaught of bullets flying our way causes us all to jump and run off to the side, dispersing from our half circle as we try to take cover behind whatever support columns, dumpsters, and steel drums are nearby.

Just before Scott pushes me around one of the concrete support columns, I watch as Monroe holds up a handgun and aims it right at us– not wasting a second before she pulls the trigger.


	105. The Wolves of War

Monroe and her Hunters continue to shoot up the shipyard in a relentless wave of gunfire as we are all taking cover behind what little it is that we can hide behind.

Scott looks around the corner of the cement pillar for a brief moment, before he’s forced to move back to avoid being hit with the gunfire that pummels the corner of the cement and breaks a piece off.

I turn to press my left shoulder into the pillar and face Scott’s back so we can stay out of the line of fire that’s freshly in our direction now.

“Malia!” He bellows and throws his arms up to cover his face from getting hit with the debris of the pillar that continues to be shot off as the bullets continue to rain down on us.

Scott scoots his back against my chest more, throwing his arms back to cage me against the wall as a hunter with an assault rifle stands directly in front of us.

My grip on Scott’s shoulders increases while we watch the hunter lift his gun, aiming directly at us just before he’s hit by a car so forcefully he flies backwards out of our sight **_holy perfect timing_**

Though he wasn’t hit with any car– nope he was hit with the most beautiful blue jeep ever. With its even more beautiful owner turning his head our way, leaning his elbow on the open window frame as he smirks between us “You didn’t think you were doing this without me, did ya?” **_Stiles_**

I release an audible shocked breath at seeing him in front of us, though before we can answer him Derek walks up beside the driver’s side door as he corrects with his own smirk thrown our way “Without _us_?”

Again we don’t get to answer as Derek immediately transforms with his fangs, claws and were-blues shining brightly before roaring and launching himself into the air, allowing him to easily take down two hunters when he lands on the ground.

Scott and I peer around the corner as we hear the gunfire aimed away from our pillar and we watch as Derek runs towards another pair of hunters. 

He snatches one of their rifles out of their hands, using it to knock them out by hitting them in the head with the butt of it and repeating with the next hunter before snarling and moving on.

Since Derek jumping into the action has tilted the fight in our favor, Malia gets out of her hiding spot along with Peter and the two of them aid Derek in knocking the hunters out one by one.

Stiles climbs out of the jeep and with one more look around the pillar **_and watching Derek slamming another hunter onto the ground_** , I take off in a run across the space and towards the adjacent pillar Stiles is next to.

His eyes are on me the whole time and he seems to release a breath of relief as he opens his arms at the same time I launch my body towards him.

My arms wrap behind his neck as his arms wrap around my waist and he pulls me against him tightly, stepping back a step to make sure we’re out of sight behind the pillar “Holy shit, I’ve missed you.”

Shoving my face into the crook of his neck, I increase my hold on him and nod as I breathe him in “Seriously, you have no idea.” 

Lydia runs to our safe side of the fight and leans back against the jeep, pointing towards me as Stiles sets me back on the ground “Careful with your death grip squeezes on her, she was shot.”

“She was–” Stiles frantically begins to repeat before he snaps his head in my direction “You were shot?!”

I throw Lydia a look before I quickly shake my head at him “Not tonight– it was two days ago…” I trail off with a grimace.

“Two days?!–” Stiles bellows, setting his hands on his hips as he all but growls out “I can’t believe that you didn’t tell me about _any_ of this. Not a word– not a _single_ word, Adds.”

I throw my arms out wide to my sides as I argue back quickly “We had _reasons_. Really good reasons and in my defense today was the last day of the week I asked you to give me _before_ I told you everything anyways… _plus_ we’ve all been trying to call you for those two days.”

He opens his mouth to reply, however, Monroe and the other hunters who are conscious and not badly injured climbing into her SUV, gains our attention.

I press my back into the pillar and Stiles shifts to half stand back against the it as well and half stand in front of me as we stay hidden behind the pillar and the jeep while her SUV drives away **_she better be the one dying tonight_**

Once our hiding spot is clear from the previous threat, Lydia walks off with an apologetic look thrown my way.

Stiles walks a few steps in front of me and turns around to face me as he sets his hands back on his hips “Okay, okay,” aggravated frown thrown my way with a quick lift of his shoulders before he states “Just so you know we’re in a fight, but it’s one of those fights where I still kiss you and hold you every chance I can because I’ve fucking missed you and you’re never going to leave me out of the loop again right?”

“Right” my lips twitch, a smile fighting to break free before he nods and closes the small distance between us “Good because I couldn’t stand the thought of fighting with you.”

Before Stiles even finishes what he’s saying his hands are cupping my cheeks and he _finally_ presses his lips onto mine.

Instantly moving my lips with his I smile into the kiss, pushing up on my toes to wrap my arms behind his neck pulling him closer at the same time he’s removing one hand from my cheek to wrap around my waist, pulling me flush against him.

His soft and warm lips press a series of quick kisses onto mine for a few more moments before we pull apart just far enough for him to rest his forehead on mine, connecting his gaze with mine.

He takes a moment before he sighs and whispers softly “Where were you shot?”

Licking my lips quickly, I wrap my fingers around his wrist and gently move his hand to my chest just below my shoulder. 

He goes to say something, however, me gripping onto his wrist again and lowering his hand to my thigh has him snapping his mouth shut as he follows the movement with his eyes.

His watery eyes move back up to mine before he makes a noise and wraps his arms around my middle and pulls me against his chest once more, not saying anything as he gently holds me.

Stiles kisses the side of my head and pulls back, reaching down to grab my hand before we walk out from behind the pillar towards the others.

We walk over where Malia, Derek, Peter, and Lydia are standing around Scott while he kneels in front of Deucalion who is sitting back against a column. 

His breaths have become more and more shallow as he gently places his hand on top of Scott’s.

A trickle of blood drips from his mouth as he connects his eyes with Scott’s and weakly states “Gerard… what he f-f-fears most… he can’t… beat you…” he trails off, having difficulty continuing though he takes another shaky breath in and releases an almost chuckle it sounds like “…And he knows it.”

Before Deucalion can say more, his eyes go glassy, his breathing stops, and his hand slips out of Scott’s own as we watch the life drain from him.

Tears well in my eyes and I cover my mouth with my hand, feeling Stiles pull me gently into his side and wrap his arm behind me.

“It’s really started, hasn’t it?” Malia questions, which Stiles immediately looks down at me with a frown before he mutters “What’s started?”

Dropping my hand to rest the back of it under my chin, I clear my throat as I answer him “It’s an all out war.”

Scott stands to his feet and turns to face our group, seeming to catch up with who else is with us again and looks over towards Derek in shock, before he walks forward and hugs him tightly.

Peter is quick to cut the reunion short and he sighs before he turns towards Derek “As much as I enjoy the impromptu family reunion, what are you doing here?”

Derek and Scott break apart, each clapping each other on the shoulder in a brotherly fashion as they do so, before Derek begins to explain his return to our lovely city “I found a pack slaughtered in Brazil. There were two words written in blood on the wall– ‘Beacon Hills’.”

Scott glances backward at Deucalion’s body for a moment before turning back to Derek with a surprised look on his face “You came back for Beacon Hills?”

Derek looks over at me, his lips twitching before he looks back at Scott and corrects “No– I came back for _you_.”

His words bring a smile to my face before it immediately drops as the police radio in Stiles’ Jeep starts to chirp and beep behind us.

After a moment, Gerard’s voice is heard through the speakers, and we make our way over towards the Jeep.

Scott gets into the passenger seat with Malia and Derek standing outside his open door while Stiles gets into the driver’s seat with me leaning into his side and Lydia and Peter stopping beside me to hear what Gerard has to say.

 _“Blood and destruction / And dreadful objects so familiar / All pity choked with custom of fell deeds / And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell / Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice_ …” **_hmmm Shakespeare, how poetic_**

Scott looks over towards Stiles and I, sharing a concerned look clearly unnerved by the message Gerard is sending.

“ _Do you know the rest, Scott? Do you know your Shakespeare?_ ” Gerard asks and Scott looks over to Derek who nods towards the radio, indicating he knows the answer. 

Scott clicks on the radio microphone and lifts it up to Derek, who finishes the quote “‘Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war’…”

“ _War, indeed. Welcome back, Derek. You must all be feeling rather nostalgic. Are you pleased with the little family reunion I’ve gathered around you, Scott_?”

Scott can’t help but roll his eyes, albeit with a grim expression on his face, before he responds over the radio “Yeah, why don’t you come join us, and I can thank you in person.”

I smirk over towards the radio before Gerard seems to ignore the comment and continues to make his point “ _I even have a few visitors for you… from London– even someone like Jackson Whittemore couldn’t resist coming back to Beacon Hills._ ”

I look over at Lydia, reaching my arm over to grab her hand as Gerard’s voice comes over the radio again “ _Say ‘Hello’, Jackson_!”

We hear a loud crackling of electricity before Jackson’s cries of pain echo through the radio and Lydia increases her grip on my hand, turning her head away with a little whimper as I close my eyes tightly.

“ _Do it again, old man! Come a little closer– I’m gonna shove that thing so far up your ass_!” Jackson threatens over the radio and I open my eyes while Gerard’s voice taunts back at us “ _He’s lost none of his charm, has he? You can find him here with us at the armory, Scott– in fact, I’m going to tell you where to find all of them.” **all of them**_ **?**

“ _Your deputy Hellhound met some friends of his while responding to a call from Eichen House… your father was on his way back from San Francisco with the goal of entering the fight… But he didn’t get far._ ”

I share a worried look with Scott as Stiles grips onto my side a little more, pulling me into his side as Gerard once again continues “ _You might want to tell your mother to skip her shift at the hospital tonight. Liam and his friends are there now. Optimistic of them, but woefully ill-advised– this is how you wage war, Scott_.”

We’re all looking at the radio now, completely horrified by what Gerard is saying **_and_** **_the similarities to when the Nogitsune taunted us about all his territories he claimed as well_**

“ _A strategic positioning of your army against theirs. Which is why you will come to me. You will try to save as many as you can, and you might even save a few. But, your limited resources will be spread thin, and ultimately, you will fail._ ”

Scott grimaces with Gerard’s words and sighs as he squeezes his eyes closed for a moment, clutching the radio so tightly that he nearly crushes it as Gerard finishes with “ _The dogs of war, Scott… They’re coming for you_.”

***

Lydia went to make sure the animal clinic sign on the door was flipped to closed before she joins the rest of us in the back exam room, moving to stand next to Scott and Malia at the end of the table.

Derek crosses his arms over his chest and stands on the opposite side of the table that Stiles and I are standing on, indicating with a nod towards Stiles that he should tell the story of how they’re involved first.

Stiles wraps his arm behind me, resting his hand on my hip while he excitedly fills everyone in on “So, literally day one of my internship, and up comes this slide about this guy they’ve been chasing in the woods of North Carolina–”

“I thought you were in South America…” Malia interrupts Stiles and looks over to Derek who nods “I was. The bodies of the wolves I told you about? They blame me.”

Stiles bounces on his feet and quickly goes back to his story time “So, I learn that the FBI has cornered this feral, mass murdering unsub–”

“–I _found_ a group of Hunters gathering in a meeting place. I was trying to get information,” Derek interrupts with his own version of the story and Stiles rolls his eyes before moving on “Yeah, well, the FBI found it, too, and they were planning a SWAT assault to take him down, dead or alive– and, as we all know, though, with Derek, it’s preferably dead.”

Derek throws us a look and shrugs as he acknowledges the truth behind those words “Preferably.”

I snort and feel Stiles’ arm behind my back tighten around me as he goes on “So, I convinced them to take me on the field op.”

Scott and Malia are looking at Stiles and Derek with shock and confusion, while Lydia’s expression makes me chuckle as she incredulously clarifies “ _You_ convinced the FBI to bring an _intern_ onto an extremely _dangerous_ field operation?”

I make a noise of agreement **_since I asked basically the same thing_** , before I smirk up towards him “I’m surprised he didn’t convince them he could _lead_ it.”

Stiles nods his head to the side as he admits “I tried– didn’t work.”

I chuckle and nudge my shoulder into his side before he shakes his head and lifts up his other arm to accentuate his next words “Anyway, long story short, I basically had to, you know, save his life.”

Derek takes a moment and looks at Stiles with a mixture of exasperation and offense at what he is implying, making a noise before he corrects “…That’s not exactly how it happened.”

“Yeah, I may have left out a detail, but that’s the gist of it,” Stiles looks around at us, nodding with our support before he continues to defend “That’s the essential _essence_ of it.”

“You couldn’t walk” Derek deadpans and Stiles scoffs as he hesitantly admits “…I was limping…”

Derek releases a deep sigh “You couldn’t walk– and I know that because I was _carrying_ you.”

Stiles looks at Derek as though he is hurt by that interpretation of the rescue story before scoffing and giving his rebuttal “They shot my _toe_! You wanna see it?”

Scott bends to the side looking down at Stiles’ feet while Derek rolls his eyes and Stiles exclaims “My toe was caught in the crossfire! It was _obliterated_!”

I look down to his shoes, tilting my head to the side as I clarify “You were shot and didn’t tell me?”

Stiles makes a noise and looks at me while I lift my head back up and raise a brow at him. He smiles sarcastically and points towards me “Ha– no, no sweetums, our situations were _not_ the same.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I shrug as I counter “We were both shot during operations we couldn’t fill the other in on to keep them _safe_ and we both learned about said operations and bullet wounds _tonight_ …”

I hear Scott snort behind me and watch as a few different emotions cross Stiles’ face before he groans in frustration “Fine– fine, no grudges will be held and the fight is officially over.”

Pushing up on my toes I kiss his cheek in my victory and lean more into his side as I look back down to his feet “Which foot and what toe?”

Licking his lips quickly when I look up at him he points with his free hand “Oh it was my left foot and it was my–”

“Okay, forget your toe” Lydia exasperatedly interrupts and Stiles leans closer towards me “ _Pinky_ toe and it was _obliterated_.”

Scott fights off a smile and brings our attention back around to the threat at hand “Guys, it’s not just the hunters– we’ve got another problem.”

“It’s called the Anuk-ite,” I fill in, earning Derek and Stiles to look at me before Scott continues, “It can get into your head, it can make you see things…”

“What does it look like?” Stiles looks around and I breathe out deeply while I answer him “It used to look like two ordinary people… but, somehow, they merged– all we know is it’s made of two faces– one human, the other supernatural.”

“It’s a shapeshifter, just like us,” Scott clarifies and nods his head to the side “But it knows what you’re afraid of– what you fear most.”

I shift on my feet as I finish with the most terrifying part “And now that the two halves merged– it can kill you just by _looking_ at you… turn you into _stone_ kind of kill you.”

Stiles makes a noise and frowns as he repeats what we’ve said “Okay, so you’re telling me that we’ve gotta go up against this thing _blind_ and face our deepest fear?”

“Yeah…” Scott answers, nodding towards his friend with his next question “Why, what do you fear most?”

“Blindness,” Stiles breathes out and Derek shakes his head as he clarifies “Becoming blind?”

Stiles nods, looking around at us all as he defends himself and his fear “Yeah, terrified of it. Always have been– so this just seems to be a situation of unfortunate overlap.”

I move my lips between my teeth and lean the side of my head onto his shoulder in my support of his valid fear while Scott clears his throat as he finishes the plan “Lydia, you go with Addy and Stiles– you guys need to find Chris and get to the armory to rescue Jackson.”

“I don’t think we have time to wait for him,” Lydia stresses and I nod, looking over towards Scott as I state confidently “I’ve gotten through those doors once before, I can do it again.”

Stiles looks down at me incredulously as he mumbles almost incoherently “You got through doors–” he trails off and interjects louder “Can we slow it down just for one second to make sure I’m grasping this? So, we’re talking about _actually_ doing this? We’re gonna do _exactly_ what Gerard wants us to? Is that right?”

“I think that if we stop the Anuk-ite, we stop it all,” Scott admits and Derek looks between us as he clarifies “Stopping this thing can stop Gerard and the hunters?”

Scott looks over to me and shrugs as he fills in “Not all of them are hunters.”

I nod and look over to Derek “He’s right, most of them are ordinary people acting out of fear.”

Scott lets out a sigh and nods his head to the side, thoughtfully adding “Monroe’s not gonna change… but I think that we can reach the others. Most of them, actually.”

I make a noise and grumble with the timing of everything “Monroe got lucky that we released the _one thing_ from the Wild Hunt that would help her the most in creating this army. The Anuk-ite is causing them all to come from a place of fear.”

Derek nods with my words and shrugs “Well, fear’s pretty motivating, especially when it leads to anger.”

Scott nods and continues “And I think that if we can take out the fear, we can take out the fight in them, too. They’re afraid of us, but they don’t have to be. They just have to change their minds.

“ _We_ have to change their minds” Derek corrects and Malia sets her hands on the table “Okay. We can face the Anuk-ite. We can try to fight it blind. We can try to face our fears– but, we still need to know how to _catch_ it.”

Scott looks at all of us, his eyes landing on her as he states softly “Yeah, we’ll figure that out. We always do.” 

“Well, it’s nice to see someone hasn’t lost their optimism,” Derek jabs and Scott smiles over towards him “Not yet.”

“I have” Stiles grumbles and I elbow him in his ribs, causing him to immediately reach his free hand over to grab them as he grits “Dammit woman, your bony ass elbows I have not missed one bit.”

I playfully roll my eyes and look over to my brother who moves his humor filled eyes between us “We’ll buy you time, Scotty.”

“Who knows? Maybe Jackson has the answer,” Lydia chimes in hopefully while I offer “Maybe Chris will come back with one.”

Scott lifts the corner of his mouth as he looks between us all and nods, directing his words towards Malia and Derek “You two, you’re with me and we need Peter– anyone who can help stop this thing, or slow it down.”

“Where are we headed?” Malia questions and Scott nods “The high school.”

“That’s where we’re gonna find this thing?” Derek concludes and Scott is quick to correct “No. It’ll find us.”

***

Stiles, Lydia and I get to the Argent Arms International building we broke into a few days ago and finding the back entrance empty, we walk inside and make our way down the hallway.

Seeing armed hunters down near the doors to the armory, I take quick steps back and look over to Lydia “Ready?”

She nods and lifts her hand out towards me, breathing in prepared breaths to build her scream while I grab her hand, doing the same to prepare my own scream. 

With one last shared look between us– Stiles slams his hands over his ears while we take a final deep breath and release our built up power scream.

Raising our free hands up we direct the pulsing waves down the hallway, knocking all the armed hunters into each other and crash them back into the wall before they all crumble to the ground.

Stiles had moved past us and turned his attention towards one of the doors and starts kicking at it to get it open.

Once he does, Lydia and I head over to the doorway seeing him jerk back as he states “Jackson?”

“Stiles?” we hear from inside the room and Lydia is quick to also question “Jackson?”

I walk up beside Stiles as he grumbles “Already covered that” right before Lydia squeals and runs past us to jump into Jackson’s arms “Oh my god! It’s you! It’s really you!”

Smiling at the pair and the look on Jackson’s face, I lean into Stiles’ side as he wraps his arm around my back and kisses my temple “I love you my banshee badass.”

I look up at him with a bright smile, earning him to press his lips to mine as I murmur against them “I love you my badass FBI agent.”

Stiles releases a breathy chuckle and kisses me quickly once more before Jackson and Lydia step apart and his eyes widen when he looks past us “You guys did _that_?”

We follow his line of sight to the five hunters lying unconscious on the floor with blood coming out of their ears outside the door before Lydia and I share a proud smile and nod back at him “We did that.”

“I kicked down the door,” Stiles interjects and I smile over at Lydia before he continues “Now that we’ve all contributed, you wanna get the hell out of here, huh?”

Jackson looks between us with concern before he shakes his head with determination “Not without Ethan.”

I furrow my brows with that turn of events as Jackson walks past us and through the door while Lydia questions “Ethan? What’s Ethan doing here?”

Jackson stops walking and turns to face before he sighs out “He’s with me.”

“He’s with you?” I clarify and Jackson shifts on his feet as he reiterates “Yes. Me.”

Stiles makes a noise and I can feel him jerk his head back “Ethan?”

“Yes– Ethan,” Jackson clips out earning Lydia to slowly fill in “And… _you_ …”

I smile over at Jackson, **_happy that he finally found who he truly was_** and look up at Stiles seeing the wheels turning before he also raises his brows with the realization.

“Yeah,” Jackson states once more and Lydia widens her eyes as she figures it out and states “Oh… my… god,” before she clears her face and plasters on a smirk “I thought you’d never figure it out.”

Jackson laughs at her jab before he rolls his eyes and brings us back to the task at hand “Can we go find him now?”

“Yeah,” Stiles answers before his ringing phone stops our steps “Oh hang on–”

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and answers it, placing it to his ear “Yeah, man?”

Stiles nods at whatever is said on the other line before he states “We are. Leaving momentarily, though.”

Jackson looks completely impatient to still be here instead of looking for Ethan so I nod my head towards them “Hey Lyds, you guys go find Ethan– we’ll catch up.”

She nods and the two of them take off down the hallway while Stiles mutters “She knows? Okay we’ll grab it.”

He hangs up and shoves his phone back into his pocket “Trophy room?”

I clench my teeth with the memory of what was in that trophy room and breathe out deeply as I nod “Yeah, this way.”

We walk up to the steel door and unlatch it before we slide it open and Stiles walks in first “What the fuck?”

I clear my throat and point to the spot on the wall where the map was hanging that we had taken the last time we were here “Yeah, the map of the Nemetons of the world was right there,” I shove my hands in my back pockets “What does Scott need?”

Stiles moves his eyes around and turns to his right, bending forward to the far right corner of the room for a glass jar “This.”

***

We get to the school as quickly as we can with Lydia, Jackson and Ethan going into the school while Stiles and I head to the Library.

Standing outside the doors we can hear the signs of the fight going on inside between Scott and the Anuk-ite as Scott screams a war cry.

Stiles goes to open the door and I grab onto his arm, urging “Remember do not look at him.”

“I got it, babe” he kisses my cheek and I grip onto the handle of the doors, swinging them wide open before he rushes inside and I look around the edge of the door, keeping my eyes on his back.

Stiles reaches his arm back and immediately throws the jar of mountain ash that we stole from the armory as hard as he can towards the humanoid creature.

The jar shatters onto the ground, releasing the ash into a perfect circle around the Anuk-ite as I walk into the library and stand next to Stiles.

A hue of grey smoke lifts up and the mountain ash seems to cause the Anuk-ite’s own power to be rebounded back on itself, petrifying the creature into stone like the rest of its victims.

Once the dust settles and all that remains is the stone version of the creature, we look over to Scott who stumbles back onto the stairs and we quickly rush over to him “Scotty!”

When we get to him, we kneel next to him and my eyes immediately blur with tears as I look at his face. 

His eyes are blackened out and dried blood covers the wounds where his eyes used to be “Oh, what did you do?”

“I had– I had to… I had to fight him blind and the temptation to open my eyes to do it was too strong.”

Stiles shifts on his feet, reaching out to rest his hand on Scott’s other arm “Okay, but why aren’t you healing?”

Scott shakes his head just as Lydia and Derek rush into the library with us and stand just behind us.

We patiently wait for him to heal and the more time that passes, the more worried I’m getting when Malia quickly runs into the library as well “Scott?”

Stiles and I stand up, giving Malia room to kneel down in front of him on the stairs now. 

She looks him over, lifting her hands up though she doesn’t touch him before she looks over her shoulder at us “He’s not healing? Scott, what happened to your eyes?”

“I had to, I’m sorry–” Scott tells her and Derek shares a look of concern with me before he directs his words back at my brother “Scott, you _have_ to heal. If your eyes stay like this much longer, the damage is gonna be permanent.”

I cover my mouth with my hand, the tears welling in my own eyes for how broken Scott looks. Which just makes me so angry with what he fucking accomplished tonight **_he doesn’t deserve this_**

Stiles wraps his arm behind me and clears the emotion from his throat “Come on, Scott, concentrate.”

“I’m trying… it’s not working. I can’t focus,” Scott rushes out, pure panic lacing his words which causes Malia to cradle Scott’s face in her hands as she tries to be strong for him “Hey! Hey, look at me! Yes, you can! Just concentrate!”

We all nod with her words, looking at Scott and silently begging him to do this– though all we hear are his quick breaths that sound like he’s starting to hyperventilate “I can’t– I can’t– I can’t do it.”

“Yes, you can. Scott, please, just look at me,” Malia urges and I draw my brows in with my terrified worry for my brother before an idea comes to me.

I look up at Stiles, feeling him increase his hold on my hip when he looks down to me and I call out to my friend “Malia…?”

Stiles draws his brows inwards with his silent question before I look over towards her. 

She’s still holding Scott’s face in her hands as she looks over her shoulder at me and I smile softly “Kiss him.”

Malia doesn’t even hesitate to throw me a look like this sounds absurd “What?”

“Just trust me– _kiss him_ , Mal.”

Malia doesn’t let up with her furrowed brow frown directed at me before she turns back to Scott and leans forward, gently kissing him.

Scott answers by reaching up with his left hand and placing it on where she has her own hand holding his jaw as he kisses her back.

After a moment, she pulls away and Scott carefully opens his eyes, revealing that they are in fact healing in a burst of his Alpha red light.

I let out a shocked yet relieved breath of air, laying my head on Stiles’ chest as he increases his hold on me with his own relieved breath **_kisses giving you something else to focus on for the win_**

Scott never wavers his look of complete adoration from Malia before he leans forward and kisses her again.

***

That night not only did we defeat the Anuk-ite but we also took back the town.

Liam, Theo, mom and surprisingly Nolan held their own at the hospital, taking down the hunters that came to kill them which resulted in Gabe getting caught in the crossfire **_he was the one who shot up our house, so it may be sad that a young life was taken however he was apart of starting the war_**

As he laid there dying in front of them, he whimpered that his wounds hurt and Theo took mercy on him. Theo was able to take away his pain in his final moments as Nolan looked on in surprise– which is what finally made him see that we aren’t who he should have been afraid of in the first place.

Noah had gone to Eichen to free Jordan from his almost frozen state and the two of them headed back to the station where dad had been thrown into one of the holding cells.

The three of them went around the city and collected all of Gerard’s guns that he had distributed. Gerard put guns in people’s hands– but a lot less than they thought were actually willing to use them.

Speaking of Gerard– he had apparently given Monroe a yellow wolfsbane bullet to kill Scott with and she shot him at the school, however Derek was able to burn the wolfsbane out of him before he went and took on the Anuk-ite.

The real twist is that Gerard got the yellow wolfsbane from Kate and as a thank you Gerard shot Kate– just before Chris had met up with them at the armory to inform him that Scott had figured out how to defeat the Anuk-ite with the mountain ash.

Chris left his father to die at the hands of Kate who needed to take out her bottled up anger at her father for hating who she had become in the supernatural world **_and no one cried over the geriatric pain in all our asses finally dying_**

More people in Beacon Hills know our secret now, but more of them are on our side. They aren’t afraid of us anymore. Now we have allies who used to be enemies– we have protectors and friends willing to fight for us.

Dad has created a department in the Bureau dedicated to dealing with the more unexplained situations of the world. The circle is small and has a lot of words to cover up what _exactly_ is done– however when a situation comes up, Stiles is his lead operations man and since I just graduated, I will be joining the task force with them as well while we set up the San Francisco office as our base.

Monroe and the few hunters left unfortunately were able to run and get away that night.

She’s been slowly building up her army again over the last year and now she’s got a lot of followers, thousands of them actually, all over the world.

The rest of us have been looking for other supernaturals, the newest one Scott and Chris were able to track down being in L.A. which is where we’re headed this evening to meet with him now.

Stiles and I pull up in front of Scott and this young werewolf named Alec before Derek, Jordan and Lydia pull up in his Camaro followed by Malia and Liam in her car.

Stiles lifts up our intertwined fingers and kisses the back of my hand before we climb out of the jeep and walk around the front of it in the rain that’s now started.

Alec looks around at all of us before he looks back at Scott “Are they all… different?”

Scott nods “Some of them are,” he looks around at us all and continues “Some can do things you’d never believe. And others might only be human–” Stiles throws him a wink before Scott smirks “–but they make up for it by being really smart –or really good in a fight,” Scotty finishes his speech with a look thrown my way, earning me to quickly raise my brows up once as I smile at his compliment.

Alec had moved his eyes around at all of us with Scott’s words and he takes a moment before he looks back at Scott “Who are they?”

Scott smiles thoughtfully and throws Derek a look before he answers Alec “My friends, my family– my _pack_. And you can be with us, if you want– but you’re going to have to fight.”

“Against Monroe?” Alec asks grimly and Scott immediately is nodding “And everyone that follows her.”

“She said she’d find me. That she’d hunt me down and kill me. She didn’t care how old I was. She said I was a monster.”

“You’re not a monster. You’re a Werewolf–” Scott stresses thoughtfully before he shines his bright Alpha reds and states “Like me.”


	106. New City, New Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These last five chapters are an Epilogue of sorts continuing Staddy's life through the years after the series finale

Running my fingers through my still wet hair, I walk out of the bathroom and into the main area of the hotel room, noticing Stiles sitting out on the balcony through the open slider.

I lean against the doorframe, taking a moment to just watch him scrolling through apartment listings on his iPad.

Sensing me behind him, he doesn’t look up from his perusal when he states “I want you to come apartment hunting with me today.”

“Okay,” I smile to myself and push off the frame to walk up behind him, leaning against his back to wrap my arms over his shoulders and rest my hands on his chest.

He lifts his left hand up and wraps his fingers around my forearm as he goes on “Because we really can’t be staying in the hotel much longer.”

“That’s true,” I mumble and kiss his cheek before resting my chin on my arm.

Stiles makes a noise and absentmindedly drums his fingers against my arm while he implores “How long did they say we could use this place?”

I make a hmm noise and tilt my head from side to side with my words “Since we relocated, they said as long as we needed it while we were able to find somewhere to live– though I think dad has more to do with the easy timeline.”

I feel his shoulders shake slightly with his silent chuckle and he’s quiet for a few moments, continuing his perusal of layouts and floor plans “Hmm, so are you thinking we should find somewhere close together then?”

“Yea I think so” I reply and remove my arms to sit down beside him in the other chair while he continues to have his focus on the task at hand “Like how close? Same street might be difficult.”

I smirk at his knee bouncing and him rubbing his fingers over his lips. He’s so nervous and I am more than sure I know why– so I’m just going to have to do this my damn self “Hmm, could be yeah– same building would probably be better.”

A throat clear from him and still not looking at me he replies thoughtfully “Right same building– do apartment buildings usually have two vacancies at the same time?”

I set my elbow on the table and rest my chin in my palm as I digress “When Lydia and I were apartment hunting last year it was very rare to find a building with multiple apartments for us to tour unless it was the end of the semester.”

He makes a noise of frustration and rushes out “So should we be looking near the university?”

“Stiles?” I try, though he ignores me and continues his stressed out ramblings “Because that will be one hell of a commute every morning to downtown with the traffic–”

“Sty?” I ask, reaching my free hand over to set on his and move it off the ipad. Stiles follows the movement of our hands with his eyes before he snaps his gaze up to finally connect with mine “Yes my love?”

I soften my face, lifting the corners of my mouth in a gentle smile as I state “How much longer are you going to keep up the pretenses that you want each of us to get our own separate apartments and that you don’t want to take this next step with me and _freaking_ move in with me already?”

Fighting back his smile, Stiles jerks his head back a little and turns in his seat to face me more “Did you just ask me to move in with you?”

I turn his hand in mine and intertwine our fingers “Yes, yes I did– are you saying yes?”

“Of fucking course I’m saying yes woman!” he rushes out before he pulls me by our hands and sets his hands on my hips as he guides me to straddle his lap.

His bright smile matches my own as he slides his hands up my sides, to cradle my face in his palms as he slides his fingers into my hair and pulls me forward, pressing his lips to mine.

Moving my lips with his he tilts my head to the side, easily deepening the kiss with sliding his tongue with mine. With a few more soft kisses, we pull apart and he kisses my nose earning me to crinkle it as I move my eyes quickly between his “You ready to have me around all the time?”

Stiles’ chest shakes under me in his silent chuckle as he places his hands on my hips again “Adds, literally nothing could sound like a better time than to have you all to myself all the time.”

I lean forward and press my lips to his once more before he makes a noise and tilts his head to the side “So you said you loved me first resulting in taking the next step in our relationship starting, and now you asked me to move in with you– you do realize it is _MY_ turn for the next big event of our lives.”

I snort and run my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck as I quip “Deciding when we get a puppy?”

Stiles playfully narrows his eyes at me and states quickly like he’s already had everything planned “We shall get a puppy in a few years when we get our house and a proper yard for the rascal but that wasn’t the event I was talking about.”

I make a face like I’m seriously trying to figure out what he’s getting at, earning him to throw me a look that he sees right through my attempt at being obtuse and I drawl “Ooooh– _that_ big event.”

He playfully rolls his eyes, digging his fingers into my skin where my hip meets my thigh “Yeah, I’m calling dibs, McCall.”

I smirk and lean forward, kissing his jaw up to the shell of his ear and feeling him shiver under me as I barely whisper “Well I make no promises, Stilinski– I know what I want.”

***

Surprisingly the apartment hunt didn’t take too long since a lady we work with at the bureau overheard us talking at the office and offered to sublet her condo to us since she’s moving to New York. 

She was dreading having to sell the space since it’s in a coveted neighborhood and apparently gorgeous with not only the recently remodeled inside but also the city views, so she views this as more of a win for her– however we all know we’re lucking out as well.

We’ve officially become one of those annoying couples who were handed a fucking steal of an apartment that we don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for and is ours until we save up our down payment for a house– however after all of the shit we have been through, I’m welcoming this perfect timing with wide open arms.

Our new two bed, two bath condo is on the corner of the sixteenth floor so inside has loads of windows with both city and bridge views– basically night time is my favorite with the gorgeous city lights. The floor plan is open and the kitchen is an absolute dream with an island and everything.

There’s a balcony patio space big enough for a table and chairs along with a BBQ and I’m counting down the days until we can enjoy a thunderstorm out there.

Moving in only took a few hours since neither of us had very many boxes and the place was already furnished.

I finish making the bed with the freshly cleaned sheets and comforter we bought yesterday and I head down the hall to head through the living room.

Once I come into view of the kitchen Stiles immediately chokes on his coffee, setting the cup down before placing both of his hands on the counter and dropping his head between his shoulders as he coughs through his body trying to save him.

I move my lips between my teeth and lean my hip against the edge of the island closest to him.

He calms his breathing and slaps a hand over his chest while he stands back up and once his coughs have subsided I smirk “You okay there?”

Moving his eyes over me in his unabashedly perusal, he clears his throat and nods once “Wrong pipe– whatcha doing?”

I shrug as I move past him and grab the coffee cup he unpacked and set aside for me, pouring some coffee in it as I answer the obvious “Getting some caffeine in me, why?”

Lifting his hand off his chest he makes a circle motion towards me as he quips “Just wasn’t expecting to see so much of you when you walked out.”

I look down to my shorts and light teal colored lace bralette, raising a brow at him when I question “Do you want me to change?”

Stiles scoffs as he exclaims “For the love of god woman, you just surprised me– no need to cover up.”

“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable,” I smirk over the rim of my coffee cup before I take a sip and Stiles rolls his eyes “Stop being a smartass and bring your sexy little body over here.”

Chuckling softly I set my coffee cup down beside his and move the few feet over towards him.

Once I’m standing in front of him he smiles brightly, grabbing my hips he places me on the island counter, stepping in between my legs while I wrap my arms behind his head.

His hands slide up from my waist, his fingers gliding over the skin of my back and shoulders instantly causing goosies to cover my arms as he rubs his nose along mine “The fact that you’re here in a space that is all ours, free to walk around however we want– yeah I could definitely get used to that.”

I smile towards him, humming my agreement as I connect our lips and murmur against them “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before,” before I fully press my lips to his.

I hear him breathe in through his nose as he wraps his arms around me tighter and pulls me closer against his chest, moving his lips with mine.

He makes a noise in his throat before he kisses me a few times and pulls back to rest his forehead against mine “Adds, this is so different. The few weekends we got to ourselves was just a tiny glimpse of what living with you would be like. Here we call all the shots, we get to make this place our own and we don’t even have to wear pants if we don’t want to,” I share a chuckle with him before his face changes to how serious he feels “This is the beginning step of my life with you Adds, of our life together. Seeing you and your smokin’ hot body in what little you wear to bed is just a bonus.”

“Well I don’t wear this to bed…” I trail off, pushing his chest away from me so I can cross my arms over my front and grab the bottom hem of the bralette, pulling it up over my head in one sift motion.

Stiles widens his eyes, visibly swallowing hard as he stammers out “Oh I didn’t mean you had to–”

I set my hands behind me on the counter of the island so I’m able to lean back slightly causing his hands to slide away from my back and land on my hips once more.

I lift my brows up once while I smirk at him “We call the shots right– _our place_ all to ourselves? So you have me topless on this island, Stilinski– what are you going to do about it?”

He seems to work through his speechless state and increases his hold on my hips as a cheeky smile lights up his entire face “Put off unpacking to cristen as many fucking rooms of our first place together as we can.”


	107. Because Love Is the Best Thing We Do

Checking the mail I flip through the envelopes and coupon ads on my way to the elevator, smiling brightly at one piece of mail in particular.

Once I walk inside the apartment I set my keys and bag on the entry table before I head through the living room and back towards the kitchen where I hear Stiles moving around.

I throw the mail on the edge of the counter and I walk up behind him standing in front of the fridge, wrapping my arms around his middle.

He closes the fridge and turns in my arms, murmuring “Hey gorgeous” while he slides his fingers into my hair and pulls me towards him.

Stiles releases a little noise of content as soon as he presses his lips to mine and I wrap my arms behind his neck, pulling him even closer to me.

With one more loud kiss to my lips and my cheek, Stiles sets his hands on my hips and nods to the side where I discarded the envelopes “Anything good in the mail or just the usual junk and bills?”

Running my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck I answer with a soft smile “Mom and Chris’ wedding invitation came.”

“Isn’t it a given we’ll be going?” Stiles asks, drawing his brows in wards and I chuckle “Yes, but they still need a headcount with the rsvp’s to give to the resort plus I wanted one.”

Stiles smiles at that and kisses my forehead before he moves to grab his water “It’s about time they finally get married.”

While he takes a drink, I nod and lean my hip against the edge of the island “Couldn’t agree more. Plus their no fuss and just our close friends, little gathering they demanded to have is going to be such a fun week and a half in Hawaii.”

Stiles recaps his water bottle and wipes his mouth with his hand before chiming in with his agreement “Hell yea it is, plus the place we’re all staying at looks like a fuckin’ dream.”

I nod with a soft chuckle “Yeah, Chris has stayed there before on business and he said he felt so out of place. It’s all inclusive and has loads of things to do there or they have programs to sign up for other things around the island.”

Stiles shrugs and steps up to me again, setting his hands on my hips once more “I just want to lay with you in one of those lounge chair things with the canopy like the website had in their amenities slideshow.”

Setting my hands on his chest, I hum in agreement as I look up to him “Yes that will be done for the rest of the afternoons after we do some snorkeling or ziplining, oh _or_ they have this insane paintball course that we’d totally kick ass on– it’s not completely evil to demolish cocky teenagers that will inevitably be on the course with the training we’ve had is it?”

Stiles smiles brightly and pulls my hips forward as he mutters against my lips “Fuck I love you,” before he fully presses his lips to mine and kisses me silly.

Once he pulls back, he finishes with answering my question “Also it’s not completely evil, it will be _just_ evil enough and I can’t wait for them to underestimate you.”

I laugh at that, raising a brow up to him as I smirk “Why do you get such a kick out of me being underestimated?”

He makes a noise and shrugs “Because it’s already insanely hot to watch you in the field– so add that to paintball and watching the little shits that are always on the paintball course thinking they’re tough shit have their faces realize that this little five foot one inch blonde who’s one thirty soaking wet has tactical skills they’ve only seen in video games? _Big turn on,_ babe.”

I snort and shake my head, my lips twitching “Jesus, you’re such a guy.”

Bright cheeky smile thrown my way, Stiles increases his hold on me “And you love it.”

“I do” I mutter and push up on my toes to connect my lips with his, earning Stiles to groan softly as he cups my face in his palms and moves his lips with mine.

Few more quick series of kisses before he pulls back and grabs his phone and wallet off the edge of the counter “All right, you ready for date night?”

Feeling giddy for the surprise night I’ve not been allowed to know about, I smile brightly “Hell yes, it’s been weeks since we’ve been free to have a proper date night out.”

Stiles grimaces and scratches at the side of his jaw “I know, I’m sorry–”

I step up to him and set my hands on his hips while I interrupt “Nope, no apologies. I don’t feel deprived from my time with you, I just meant it’s nice every now and then to get all ready and go out with you so I can show you off– do I need to change or am I fine for what you have planned?”

Stiles sets his hands on my shoulders, sliding them down my arms until he reaches my hands as he answers “Yeah you look stunning as always and it’s definitely I who shows you off and practically screams to the world that I’m the lucky bastard who gets to call you mine.”

I intertwine our fingers and start walking backwards towards the front door, pulling him with me “Oh, keep that swoon talk up and you’ll be getting lucky tonight, Stilinski.”

Stiles moves our arms out to our sides and shrugs a shoulder “I get to kiss you goodnight and sleep next you so I’m lucky every night, McCall.”

I immediately stop our steps “All right I stand corrected, keep the swoon talk up and we’re not going anywhere that won’t allow us to be horizontal and naked.”

“Fuck me,” Stiles mutters under his breath, pulling me closer by our hands until my chest is pressed to his. He increases his hold on my hands and shakes his head quickly “No– nope we _have_ to go… we have somewhere we _have_ to be.”

He leans forward and kisses me quickly before he resumes our steps “But just keep thinking that way, I like where your head’s at,” he winks and opens the front door, ushering me out with a promise we will be home sooner rather than later.

***

We pull up to an open grass area of one of the bigger parks on the far west side of the city. Other cars line the parking lot and I look over towards him as he parks the jeep “What are we doing?”

A smirk and playful glint to his eyes along with a “You’ll see” is all I get as an answer before we climb out of the jeep and meet in the front.

Stiles reaches out and grabs my hand, linking our fingers together as we follow a few other people towards the entrance of the park.

Once we come around a corner and can just make out the Golden Gate Bridge to our right, I widen my eyes as I take in the countless lanterns on the grass.

I gasp softly, my grip on his hand increasing as I look over to him “No way.”

He smiles brightly and never takes his eyes off of me “Yes way– we may not be able to ride in a boat while these float in the sky– because it’s been deemed a fire hazard– however, we are releasing lanterns into the water and making one of your favorite Disney movie scenes come to life.”

“Sty…” I trail off, because I don’t even know what to say. I knew they did this in Thailand, however I wasn’t aware any city in the states did this.

As if reading my mind, Stiles tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear and mutters softly “This is the first lantern festival the city is hosting and when I heard about it I immediately bought tickets for us.”

My heart swells for this man standing in front of me as I feel my nose tingle, signaling the tears are on their way and I whisper “I can’t believe you did this.”

Stiles cradles my face in his hand, stroking his thumb against my cheek “Don’t you understand yet? I’d do anything for you, Adds– anything to get to see this smile on your face.”

“Fuck I love you” I murmur before I close the small gap between us and press my lips to his, feeling Stiles smile against my lips as he returns the kiss.

When he pulls back he intertwines our fingers once more and resumes our walk “So what do you say being the Rapunzel to my Eugene huh?”

Smiling brightly I step into his side as I answer him “I would love nothing more.”

Once we exchange our tickets for a lantern we head over to an area of grass that not many people are standing around.

Stiles takes out the sharpie from his pocket that he brought and we get to work writing our dreams and goals for the upcoming year.

We each grab onto one side of the lantern and I hold it steady while Stiles lights the fire inside the lantern where we’re supposed to.

I stare in awe as our words and names are lit up around the outside of the lantern and I hear Stiles mutter “Crap I dropped my phone, hold onto the lantern tight so I can find it– I want to film this.”

I nod and grip onto the side, muttering “Okay, I got it,” while looking over to my left where people are starting to move towards the water.

“Addy shine the flame over to your right a little more, I can’t see my phone.”

I move the lantern more to the right and as soon as it’s no longer right in front of me, I gasp at what exactly I do see– Stiles on one knee with a black box in his hands, a nervous smile and his honey colored gaze directed right at me.

My heart hammers in my chest and I think my lungs forgot how to function for a moment as I gasp “Holy–”

He chuckles and shakes his head, his voice thick with emotion “I know– but let me just say this because I don’t want to forget any of what I’ve planned to say.”

Tears well in my eyes and I fight them off so I don’t miss one second of this on account of blurriness, offering a few quick nods instead– since I’ve completely lost my voice at the moment.

Stiles smiles brightly, licks his lips and clears his throat “Addy McCall, my Adds. In my twenty four years on this planet I’ve never met anyone else like you– and I don’t just say that because it’s cliche. I say it because it’s the truth. I’ve never met anyone that can make me laugh as much, I’ve never met anyone who makes me as happy, I’ve never met anyone that I can talk so freely to– and really, I’ve never met anyone who’s mere presence can actually change my mood the way you can. Those realizations hit me when I was eight and for the past sixteen years those words could not be more true. You came into my life with a bright smile and a carpet square and you stole my heart. I never needed to chase you to demand you give it back because I didn’t want it back. Even at four years old I only ever wanted yours in return. I fell in love with you because you weren’t afraid to show me your imperfections. I fell in love with you because you weren’t afraid to take risks, to speak your mind and when I’m about to give up on everything you tell me it’s all going to be fine. I fell in love with you because you’re always supporting me, checking up on me, finding the good in me. I fell in love with you because you treat me with such a level of respect I cannot even begin to explain. I fell in love with you because we are not only lovers but also best friends. I fell in love with you because I see myself with you until my life ends. Frankly we have been through more than most people three times our age and I know I’m only kneeling before you right now because I had you by my side. You got me through it all, Adds, quite _literally_ in a few of those instances,” a soft laugh escapes me as the tears I was trying to fight back finally break free and fall down my cheeks.

Stiles’ eyes swell with unshed tears as well and he playfully scolds “Keep it together Watson or I’m gonna lose it, we’re nearly there–”

I breathe in deeply and nod “I’m totally kept together, Sherlock, as you were.”

He smiles and clears his throat, connecting his unwavering gaze with mine once more “Adds, you have saved my life on more than one occasion so it’s only fitting that I would want to spend forever continuing on making it one hell of a ride with you by my side. Since we’ve been together you have made me feel more complete, more alive, and have shown me the true meaning of happiness by letting me be loved by you… and because love is the best thing we do–”

He trails off while he opens the box and reveals the most stunning and perfect ring I’ve ever seen– a soft aquamarine color stone surrounded in a halo of diamonds with an intricate diamond band.

I release a small gasp of a noise and move my eyes back to his face, watching as he looks back up to me and licks his lips quickly, declaring with zero hesitation “Marry me, Adds.”

“Yes, a million times yes!” I waste no time in exclaiming and bend forward to press my lips against his.

Stiles stands up and wraps his arms around my waist, never breaking our lips apart as he lifts me up and I faintly hear clapping around us– though I’m so lost in him and this moment, I barely notice.

I smile and somehow keep a hold of the lantern with one hand as he bends forward to set my feet back onto the ground.

Once I’m stable, he steps back from me just enough to bring the box in between us as he removes the ring and reaches down to grab my left hand, easily sliding the band over my knuckle.

“It’s stunning Sty…” I trail off and look back up to him, watching as he shakes his head and moves his eyes all over my face “You’re stunning, this is just pretty.”

“Get over here” I murmur and place my left hand on his face as I press my lips to his once more.

When I pull back I register the clapping paired with hoots and hollers– specifically a wolf whistle and I look around us trying to find the culprits.

Stiles’ chest shakes as he chuckles and turns us in a half circle in the other direction causing my eyes to fully register our audience group “I hope you don’t mind but they couldn’t _not_ be here– plus Lydia wanted to get pictures.”

Tears are clouding my vision once more as I move my eyes over the group with mom, Chris, dad, Noah, Scott, Malia, Lydia, Jordan and Liam as they quickly make their way over.

“Guys!” Scott bellows with a bright smile and gets to us first, wrapping his arms around us in a big hug followed by Liam shouting “It’s about time!” before everyone else follows suit until we’re just a massive group hug of love.

We all pull apart and I wipe under my eyes to clear the tears that don’t seem to want to leave. 

“Bout time we made you a part of the family officially” Noah murmurs and kisses the side of my head, earning me to smile brightly before he grabs Stiles into a proud papa bear hug. 

Mom sets her hands on my cheeks, smiling wide with tears in her eyes before she wraps her arms around me and squeezes tight, whispering against the side of my head “I’m so happy for you sweetheart.”

“Thanks momma,” I murmur and squeeze her back watching as Chris smiles just as wide and slaps Stiles on the shoulder, bringing him in for a hug as well.

Dad makes his way over, kissing my temple and wrapping his arms around me “I hope you know how happy I am for you,” he pulls back with one arm still around me and sets his other hand on Stiles’ shoulder as he continues “And how grateful I am you’re the one to take care of her.”

Stiles lifts one side of his mouth in his smile with dad’s words “Thank you, sir.”

Dad offers one more squeeze before he walks over and stands by Noah, both of them exchanging smiles and slaps on the chest in their congratulations type of way. 

I smile with their exchange before Lydia wraps her arms around me in her own hug before she pulls back and grabs my hand, smiling with her approval “It’s exactly what I’d picture for you.”

Malia leans in with her, nodding her head with her own smile “It’s gorgeous and the exact color of your eyes– how did you manage that?”

Stiles shrugs and scratches behind his neck “Ah, well I had it made– the jewelry store had the band and the owner helped me find the right color stone– then they put the halo around it and created that. I don’t know, the end result was perfect and exactly what I envisioned so I didn’t ask questions.”

I smile with his words, nodding in my agreement of it being perfect earning Stiles to pull me into his side as he kisses my temple.

Once everyone has offered hugs and congratulations we walk over to the little beach and crouch down as we set the lantern on top of the water.

“Thank you for making this perfect, I love you Sty” I look up and smile when I find Stiles already looking at me with the brightest smile on his face.

The corners of his mouth twitch and he leans forward, barely whispering “I love you, Adds,” before capturing my lips softly.

He kisses my check and we each set a hand on our lantern, gently pushing it out onto the water.


	108. I Choose You

The buzzer for the door downstairs beeps while I’m taking a sip of some tea and I make a noise before I set my cup down “That’ll be Lyds–”

“I got it” Stiles murmurs and kisses the side of my head as he gets up from his chair beside me where we were seated at the island finishing up our lunch.

“Let me uuuuuuuup” I hear through the speaker earning me to snort, followed by Stiles’ chuckle before he unlocks the front door and pads his way back over to his chair.

Once the front door opens and closes, Lydia is down to business “All right, you just got back from Hawaii so it’s officially time to start asking the important questions– how long are you giving me to plan this nothing short of a perfect day the two of you deserve?”

She asks while she walks into the living room and drops her bag on the couch before she sets her hands on her hips and turns towards us.

I chuckle and turn in the seat towards her, setting my forearm on the top of the chair while I nod towards her “A year and we want it small, our group isn’t very big anyways and you’re basically the extent of our extended family.”

Lydia smiles and looks between us, nodding her head once while she grabs a notebook from her bag and walks over to stand on the other side of the island from us “Simple and elegant with all the fairy lights– I hear you and I’ve already got the perfect vision for you two lovebirds. Plus a year is just the right amount of time, though we’ll need to find a place to secure the date as soon as possible.”

“Yay fairy lights” I squeal with a bright smile, already loving what she’s probably got planned as I turn forward in my chair again.

Stiles chuckles and sets his hand on my leg closest to him, leaning in to kiss my cheek “Well that’s settled– fairy lights everywhere and nothing else matters right?”

I snort and look between them “Besides some form of cake and a doughnut bar? Nope not really, they’re just so magical.”

Stiles beams towards me, moving his eyes between mine as he shakes his head “Well put and hell yeah to the doughnut bar.”

Lydia chuckles and sets her notebook on the island counter in front of her, drumming her fingers on it as she smirks over towards us “Please– I know you two so well I’ve already factored in a doughnut and coffee bar. Even found a mini trailer food truck that specializes in that exact combo for events.”

Stiles raises his brows “Jesus, you’re on it.”

She scoffs playfully and points to herself “Yes, hi she is my _best friend_ , my family, and I had an entire eleven days to brainstorm ideas to make this as easy as possible for you guys. Doesn’t mean you can’t change anything or give me your own ideas– I just, I want everything to be thought of for smooth sailing planning. I want you guys to enjoy your engagement, this is such an exciting time for you guys. After everything we all have been through, you guys especially, I want you to look back on this time and only remember it being fun. We have not had enough fun in our lives, plus I know you’ll do the same for me when it gets to be that time.”

I smile at her, answering immediately “Damn straight I will– now we just need Jordan to get with the program.”

Stiles coughs and I look over to him, narrowing my eyes towards him and watching as he shakes his head ever so softly and hits his chest “Wrong pipe.”

Lydia didn’t notice the exchange as she was already replying to me “Things have been so great with us since he asked me to move in with him last year, so I don’t want to push him– who knows maybe your guys’ wedding will be the push he needs?”

I smile over towards her in my support because they are absolutely perfect together and based off of Stiles’ reaction to what I said, he knows just how close to getting with the program Jordan may already be– definitely will have to ask him about that when she leaves.

Lydia clears her throat and is right back into maid of honor mode “So it’s almost the end of October– any specific date you two want for next year?”

Stiles looks over to me and makes a face while he shakes his head and answers her “Not really? We just want a fall date maybe anywhere between mid October to mid November and preferably outside if possible for the weather.”

Lydia hmms and walks over to the fridge, pouring herself some iced tea “Well outside venues usually have an option for unforeseen weather so don’t you worry, your maid of honor will secure you all the backup shelter we could possibly need.”

I set my elbow on the counter, resting my chin in my palm while I smile over at her “We know you will Lyds.”

***

These past few months have been a whirlwind of all things wedding and Lydia has been a true saving grace with everything she has planned and taken care of.

Her vision of this time being the least stressful and only an exciting and fun time completely came true.

We got everything finalized and sorted in those first two months and since then we only had to send out the invites and take our engagement photos– which I thought was a little redundant, however they came in a package with the photographers for the big day and I couldn’t be more pleased we have those amazing pictures of us now. 

It’s hardly felt like we’re planning a wedding and I don’t know if that because we had Lydia or if we’re doing it wrong– but I couldn’t be happier with the day we have planned and when it comes down to it I just want to get to marry Stiles– everything else is just details.

There is one thing Lydia couldn’t help me with, so I’m headed home to take care of one last thing.

Mom opens the door as soon as I knock “Seriously, the knocking– why do you and your brother insist on doing that now that you aren’t living here?”

I chuckle and wrap her in a hug “I have no idea, seems weird to just walk in now– this is your guys’ place.”

She pulls back and sets her hands on the sides of my face “This will always be your guys’ home and we’re too old for anything embarrassing to be happening in the living room anyways.”

Widening my eyes I shake my head as I grumble “Jesus christ I don’t need to hear that and you are far from old but anyways _moving on_ – is Chris here?”

“Yup, I’m in the kitchen completely ignoring what’s being said out there.”

I snort and walk with mom towards the kitchen “Good man.”

Mom rolls her eyes with a smile breaking free as she goes back to her coffee cup and takes a drink.

Chris smiles and walks over, wrapping me in a hug “Big day’s almost here, yet I don’t feel the need to ask you if you’re nervous.”

I chuckle and walk over to lean my hip against the island as I answer him “I’m really not, is that a bad sign?”

The corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles and shakes his head softly “No, I actually think it’s the universal sign for you picked a good one– I wasn’t nervous when I married your mom.”

Mom smiles over towards him with so much love shining in her eyes and I can’t help but smile as I look between them.

I cross my arms over my chest and breathe out a sigh of relief “Good, that makes me feel better, I was starting to get nervous that I _wasn’t_ feeling nervous like everyone else is expecting me to be.”

Drumming my fingers on the side of my jaw, I chew on the inside of my cheek before I clear my throat and just come out with it “So I have something to ask you.”

Chris connects his eyes with mine, his brows raising when he realizes I was talking to him “Anything kiddo.”

I drop my arms down to my sides as I chuckle softly “You don’t even know what I’m going to ask you yet.”

Mom kisses his cheek and walks into the living room, though I know she’s standing just off to the side of the wall so she can still hear us.

Chris shrugs and faces me more “Hey I’m here to make sure you have everything you need for your day and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Addy– you know that.”

I nod with his words, telling the nerves to back off before I clear my throat again “I was hoping you would walk me down the aisle.”

“Me?” Surprise crosses his face and I quickly keep going “Yes and I don’t want you to say yes because I’m the bride and you’re just wanting to make me happy. I want you to say yes because you are a dad to me and have been for over eight years. You helped guide Scott and I, you protected us, you fought for us against your own family. You have loved our mom the way she has always deserved to be loved, you have treated us and loved us as your own long before you two got married and I would love nothing more than if you could give me away on my wedding day.”

He takes a moment, his eyes shining with unshed tears before he clears his throat “It’s not that I don’t want– I just– what about your dad?”

I smile softly and lift a shoulder “He said he wouldn’t want it any other way than for the _both_ of you to walk me down the aisle.”

“Really?” The surprise is evident in his voice and I so want him to understand there’s no ‘step’ in front of his ‘dad’ title with us– he’s our family and I want him to be seen as much.

“Yes really, Chris. Stiles and I love you and want you a part of our day more than just the secret security you’re planning on having around the property.”

Chris makes a noise and jerks his head back “How did you–”

“Like I said you’ve been a dad to us for over eight years– I know how you think,” I interrupt with a smirk and can hear mom laughing on the other side of the living room wall.

Chris lifts the corners of his mouth and pulls me in for a hug, murmuring against the side of my head “I would be honored to walk you down the aisle.”

***

Today is the big day, I have been completely done up– hair, makeup, and dress are all in place as I take my place at the end of the line in between dad and Chris who each hold out their arms for me.

The weather has been a nice overcast day with clouds that were nowhere near rain clouds and that will produce the perfect light for pictures– so we’re all more than thrilled, especially the photographers.

Jordan more than happily agreed to be our officiant and took the online class to be ordained so he could perform the ceremony for us.

With one more kiss from Lydia, he’s off down the aisle first followed by mom and Noah who holds out his arm for her.

Malia and Liam walk down the aisle arm and arm next followed by Lydia and Scott.

I grip onto each of dad and Chris’ arms, feeling them each place their hands over mine as I mutter “Just please don’t let me fall.”

They each chuckle and offer their own “We won’t” and “We got you” before we walk down the aisle at a pace that the photographers can capture decent pictures.

Once I walk around the corner and see Stiles, any thought of falling goes out the window as I take in the look on his face. 

His eyes are locked on mine with his hand over his chest as I walk towards him. I so hope one of the photographers listened to my request to get photos of his face when he saw me because that face– yup you guessed it, swoon worthy I wanna look at that face for hours to remember the love shining through his eyes.

Once we’re stopped in front of them, Jordan smiles and clears his throat “We’re all here today to celebrate the relationship of Stiles and Addy and to be witnesses and supporters of the commitment they share with one another. Together we’re a group of the most important people in their lives and they’ve brought us here to publicly recognize that we’ve all played some special part in the love they share today. Addy and Stiles wanted me to thank you all for being here and to recognize how important each and every one of you are to their relationship. They would also like to recognize all of those who couldn’t make it here today as they are certainly missed but not forgotten on this day of celebration,” I grip onto Chris a little more with those heavy words before Jordan continues “Speaking of important people, there were none more important in influencing the lives of Addy and Stiles than their parents. With that being said, who gives Addy away in marriage to this man?”

“Her mother and we do,” dad and Chris answer in surprisingly spot on synchronicity and I smile brightly as I turn to dad first and he wraps me in a hug before Chris does the same. 

They each give my hands to Stiles’ and he grips onto me tightly as they move to sit down on either side of mom.

Stiles and I move to stand in front of Jordan and facing each other while Stiles throws me a wink and I squeeze his hands three times.

Jordan smiles and continues “A good marriage must be built on the foundation of this commitment. In marriage the ‘little’ things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is never going to sleep angry. It is standing together and facing the world. It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right partner– it is being the right partner. The road that has brought Addy and Stiles here today hasn’t been easy,” 

There’s a good round of soft chuckles from us all since everyone here, minus a couple, actually know how entirely true those words are. Jordan pauses for a moment as he smiles knowing exactly what he said before he goes on “It’s been filled with challenges that they weren’t necessarily prepared for. But together they’ve taken each one on and have used those experiences to strengthen, not weaken their love.”

Jordan goes on to say it’s time for the vows and looks towards me to signal I’m going first. I lick my lips quickly and breathe in deeply, grasping onto Stiles’ hands a little more as I start

“Sty, I love you because you are happy and adventurous and strong. I love you because you love your family and friends just as fiercely as I love mine. I love that you have never missed an opportunity to show me how much I mean to you, how much you love me and how much you are willing to do to protect me. I love that I got to grow up with you, always knowing what being loved by you felt like. You are my best friend and I am so happy a certain someone in the crowd behind us was a douche and hoarded the carpet squares from you,”

Stiles leans his head back and laughs before he looks back to me and I continue “You are the love of my life and you make me happier than I could have ever imagined and more loved than I ever thought was possible. You make me unbelievably proud of you always and I promise I will make you proud as your wife. I vow to listen to you and learn from you. I vow to laugh with you and cry with you. I vow to value our differences just as much as our common ground. I vow to put all my effort into strengthening our marriage and giving you the best version of Addy. I do believe in fate and destiny but I also believe we are only fated to do the things we’d choose anyway. And I’d choose you; in a hundred different lifetimes, in a hundred different worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you, Stiles.”

Stiles breathes out deeply, his eyes shining with unshed tears as he bounces his knee to keep from kissing me.

Instead he rubs his thumbs on the back of my hands and mutters “I’m gonna kiss you for that in a moment.”

Jordan snorts and covers it with a cough as I smile brightly and watch Stiles lick his lips and grasp onto my hands a little more with his words “I tell you this everyday, but what better day to repeat it than today? You are the love of my life, Adds. You are my best friend, you’re my lover, you’re my inspiration. You make every day better and you make me better. I promise to love you unconditionally through thick and thin, your strongest moments and your weakest. I promise I will love you when you’re happy and I will love you extra hard when you’re sad. I promise to accomplish one of the greatest streaks any human could ever wish to pursue– to tell you I love you every single day for the rest of our lives. Which by my calculations should be around thirty six thousand five hundred more consecutive days if we live to be one hundred and thirty years young,” 

A ring of soft laughs float around us and I move my lips between my teeth to keep it together as I feel my nose tingle and he continues “I promise that as we adventure through the rest of our lives together, I’ll always be by your side loving you, pushing you and celebrating with you. I will always put you first and give you my absolute best for the rest of my days. I choose you and I’ll choose you over and over and over, Adds; without pause, without doubt, in a heartbeat I’ll keep choosing you.”

Much in the same fashion as Stiles, I breathe out deeply with his words and try not to cry, earning Jordan to chuckle “Nearly there you two, let’s do the rings.”

We each turn to Lydia and Scott who hand us our respective rings before we face each other and Jordan walks us through the exchanging of our rings.

Once we’re sporting our new left handed ring bands, a dark grey titanium one for Stiles and a thin diamond band for me that was designed to fit into my engagement band, Jordan closes his book and raises his hands up to his sides “Stiles and Addy– it is with my greatest honor, and because California allows me to, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kiss your girl, man.”

I make a little excited squeal with his words and Stiles matches my own wide smile before he sets his hands on the sides of my face and presses his lips to mine.

We hear claps and cheers all around us and Stiles removes one of his hands from my face, earning a louder round of cheers which I will later learn when we’re looking through photos is because he throws his arm in a fist pump celebration.

We pull apart after a series of a few quick kisses and we turn to the crowd of everyone standing and clapping for us as Jordan finishes his role “Ladies and Gentlemen– I give you Mr. and Mrs. Stiles and Addy Stilinski!”

***

With the reception in full swing, and consisting of as few weird traditions as possible, we all sit down with our cupcakes, doughnuts and coffee or other desired beverages while Lydia and Scott prepare for their speeches.

We insisted they did not have to, but well– you’ve met them.

Stiles sets his hand on my lace dress covered thigh, squeezing softly as I lean onto his arm and Lydia grabs our attention first “So my history with these two had a bit of a rocky start, however the moment– and people I mean the _exact_ moment– that I was properly introduced to Addy I knew she was the friend to have. This girl is smarter than anyone you will ever meet and she is not shy or embarrassed to wow you with her smarts– not even in a cocky way. It’s a way that is all Addy not being ashamed of who she is. I admired her long before I knew her. You had it all figured out, things that took me a year to finally grasp for myself, that no one else’s opinion mattered of me but my own. You taught me to value myself and to own everything that made me, me. In the middle of the chaos of our lives you were always there for me, through the boys and the heartbreak, through the loss and grief I have always had you,” 

Tears well in my eyes and I swallow hard with the emotion she is bringing before she smiles and moves on to being my cheeky Lyds “Now we all know we could fill the entire evening of stories of how agonizing it was to watch these two pine over each other so badly that they actually _legitimately_ made themselves blind to the other person’s big ass heart eyes for the other one– however we would never make it home tonight,” a loud round of laughs fills the space and I playfully roll my eyes, wiping the few tears that did manage to fall as I chuckle myself and feel Stiles shake his shoulders in his own silent laughter before she goes on “I just have to say that even though it made me want to smush your adorable faces together, it was an honor getting to not only watch you two finally be together but to be apart of your story all those years ago and especially today– I love you both.”

We cheers with her, Stiles and I standing up and giving her hugs once she walks over to us “Love you, Lyds.”

She winks and takes her seat beside Jordan as Scott grabs the mic next “You know being the older brother,”

I scoff playfully and Scott flicks his eyes towards me, smirking into the mic as he looks back towards the crowd “Older by forty five _never lets her forget them_ seconds” he corrects and a series of chuckles follows earning me to roll my eyes again.

He clears his throat and continues “No one really gives you a guidebook on what to do to be a good brother– but with Addy it was always easy. I’m not saying I was a saint and didn’t mess up or make stupid decisions when we were growing up, but I always knew she was who I needed to protect and be there for. She’s my oldest friend, with Stiles coming in a short four years later. We were inseparable, the three of us, we drove our parents crazy with us always demanding to be together– but we didn’t care. We found each other and we were not going to let anything get in the way. I had a front row seat to watching these two literally fall in love with each other, even if I wasn’t fully aware that’s what was happening at the time. Looking back now though, I know. I told Addy once that growing up her and Stiles were so in sync with one another it was like they had their own language and anyone in here who has known them since high school can agree to that. You guys have been so inspiring to me and have set the bar for the kind of love we all deserve, and should be aspiring to receive, so high that I know I’m gonna be just as happy as you guys are today and for the rest of our lives when I marry that girl over there next year,” Stiles and I smile and whoop our yeah’s of celebration as we clap over towards Malia who shakes her head with a bright smile directed at Scott.

He laughs softly and continues “When Stiles finally _actually_ said the words to me that he was in love with Addy,” he coughs into the mic “Like I had known for years prior to him actually telling me,” one more cough through the laughs before he goes on “He was so shocked that me being her brother, that I would actually be okay with him dating her. What he failed to realize, and I don’t even know if he fully grasped when I answered him that day, is that as a brother who has as big hearted of a best friend as I do– that is the ultimate dream, man. You get her– you get her in ways no one else could even come close to. I saw her happy when we were growing up, however her happiness with you in her life is immeasurable. Stiles you are my best friend and I wouldn’t trust anyone else with her, I love you man. Here’s to you both, I love you.”

I again wipe my tears away as we stand up and Scott wraps his arms around us in a group hug “Love you, Scotty but damn you for making me cry.”

He kisses my temple and laughs “Yeah, yeah, yeah it’s a given today.”

Everyone goes back to mingling and eating their dessert while Stiles wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into his chest “Hey, wifey.”

Since I’m in heels I easily wrap my arms behind his neck and run my fingers through the air at the nape of his neck, smiling so wide with his words as I offer my own greeting “Hey, hubby.”

He increases his grip on me with a soft groan “Fuck that sounds even better than I imagined it would.”

“Well get used to it because you are officially mine forever,” I reply with smirk and Stiles scoffs, leaning forward to murmur against my lips “Adds, I’ve always been yours.”


	109. Our Forever Home

Stiles and I walk in through the front door of the condo, heading straight for the kitchen where I set my iced coffee, which was needed at four in the afternoon after our shit day, onto the counter.

Setting my bag on the counter and taking off my sweater, I lay it across the back of the chair at the island and turn around towards Stiles, setting my hands on my hips as I complain “We have spent too much of our first year being married looking for a house for us to _still_ not be in one.”

Stiles groans in agreement, covering his face with his hands as the back of his legs hit the arm of the couch and he falls backwards onto it, grumbling behind his hands “Why is house hunting so fucking difficult?”

I pad my way over to the couch and look over the back at him while I answer “I don’t know, I think it’s got to be some kind of a requirement to have an agonizing process hating absolutely every house your realtor takes you to.”

Stiles moves his hands from his face and flops them down against his sides “None of them have been right–”

“Or they have a horrible kitchen,” I grumble, earning him to point towards me “Exactly– what are we going to do?”

I shake my head and set my hands on the back of the couch “I don’t know? I don’t like the idea of a starter home. When we find a home I want it to be our _forever_ home– is that too unrealistic though?”

He reaches his hand up and wraps his fingers around my forearm, softening his face “It’s as realistic as supernatural creatures being real, Watson.”

I smile at that and reach my free hand over to rest on top of his “Well put, Sherlock– but I mean, at this point I feel like it’s going to come down to staying in the city or having kids.”

With those words, he sits up quickly as he declares “I want kids with you.”

Removing my hand from his, I reach over and gently rest my hand against the side of his face as I smile softly with my agreement “I want kids with you too.”

“So that settles it–” he states and quickly reaches over, wrapping his arms behind me and hauling me, resulting with a squeak of surprise from me, over the back of the couch to lay down on top of him while he continues “Let’s build our perfect home.”

“I’m sorry what? You want to _build_ our house?” I clarify while getting my legs situated in between his and laying my hands on his chest to hold me up.

Stiles’ hands rest on my waist while he shrugs “I’m going to find a really good contracting company to do the actual building but yes– I think this is going to be the only way we get everything we want in a home.”

Drawing my brows inwards in my confusion, I go on “Isn’t that a huge undertaking and way more expensive?”

Stiles lifts the corners of his mouth and shakes his head a little “Not really, I started looking into it a few months ago after house number, I don’t even know what, had another fucking kitchen from the seventies we’d need to completely gut and remodel anyways.”

“So back to price and what we can afford…” I trial off, not having even considered just building a home this whole damn time.

“It may end up being cheaper in the long run with the loan we’re already pre-approved for,” he repositions the pillows behind his neck more before he resumes his hands on my waist to fill me in on his plan “Think about it like this– if we bought one of these other subpar homes we’d have to gut and remodel the majority of it anyways. We might as well be building from the ground up, knowing the slab, electrical and plumbing would all be up to code and not hiding some scary problem we’ll be dealing with in however many years.”

I chew on the side of my lip, working through everything he’s bringing to the decision making table and Stiles takes my silence to continue “Plus we get to pick everything that would go in, you’d get your dream kitchen in the color and style you want, we get the exact layout with the exact rooms and bathrooms we want– it’s a win win plus we can be done with the fuckin’ realtor already.”

“Sam is not bad” I chide, smiling at him as he relents “She’s not but the market is complete shit and you cannot argue with me there.”

I take a moment, mulling over everything before I softly ask “It’s really this easy? We just decide to build a house and we can make that happen?”

Stiles cups my face in his hands, gently moving his thumb across my cheeks and smiling softly “It really is plus it’s the perfect time for us to do this because we don’t have kids yet. Come on, do this with me, Adds– build our dream forever home with me.”

Smiling with his words I lean forward, brushing my lips against his as I murmur “Let’s do it.”

***

Building our home surprisingly went pretty quick once the weather allowed us to break ground and after that everything went up within six weeks.

It was one of those stressful yet exhilarating processes because the end result was so worth it.

We moved in a year and a half ago and we have never been more happy with our decision to build our home ourselves– with the help of very talented contractors.

Every decision was thought out to cover everything we would ever want and or need as we put together our five bedroom three bath home– complete with a beautiful gourmet kitchen with a massive island perfect for holiday gatherings that has an open floor plan with the living room.

The upper and lower cupboards in the kitchen are a light heather grey color with a sea coastal light aqua blue subway tile backsplash that matches the color of the cupboards on the bottom part of the island.

The countertops are a white quartz that has marble style lines of grey that match the cupboards perfectly, paired with a gorgeous white farm sink underneath a window that slides all the way to the side for a passthrough out into the backyard patio.

I even got to fit in a walk-in pantry that has a counter shelf around the middle for the bigger appliances that aren’t used everyday– like I said, I finally got my dream kitchen and I’m in love with cooking and baking treats at any chance I can get.

We have one of the rooms dedicated for our own personal office space with both of our crime boards– one for the supernatural aspect we work with Scott for and the other for the Bureau.

Another room is my own dream library with ceiling to floor shelves, a reading nook that’s more a bed with massive pillows and two of the cloud blankets Stiles once demanded we have one day in our home– and true to his demand we have seven of them, three in our room, two in here and two in the living room.

The nook also has a bay window that extends a little ways outside so that it has glass for the roof for rainy days– that paired with the fairy lights covering the ceiling and it’s my favorite room.

We even got to install one of those ladders that moves across the shelves because I was so not missing an opportunity to live out my own scene from Beauty and the Beast.

The other two rooms are guest rooms for now and our master room is my second favorite room. 

We have a walk-in closet that we had customized with built-in shelves and our en suite bathroom is nothing short of a spa experience. We carried the grey and white with splashes of the sea coastal light aqua color in there as well and there’s a walk in shower with a massive rainfall shower head and a tub that when I lay in it, the water covers my knees and boobs at the same time– winning.

Stiles walks into the room and wraps his arms around my middle, pressing his chest into my back as he kisses my cheek “How was shopping with Lydia?”

“It was good–” I spin in his arms that settle around my waist while I wrap mine behind his neck “I got a new shirt that I didn’t get a chance to try on in the store though and I don’t know how I feel about it, mind giving me your opinion?”

“You’ll be wearing it, I’m sure I’ll love it,” Stiles murmurs, leaning forward to capture my lips with his.

I smile into the kiss as I move my lips with his, making a noise as I murmur against him “I just don’t know if I like the color on me.”

A few more quick kisses before he trails his lips across my jaw and towards my ear “All right well try it on and let me tell you how gorgeous you look.”

Pulling back just enough to smirk at him I cheekily reply “Yes, sir” as I grab a bag and walk into the closet.

“Ha– don’t start that and walk away from me, also _why_ are you walking away from me and not just changing right here?”

I set the bag down and take off my shirt as I reply back to him “Because I really do need your opinion on the shirt and if I take off my other one in front of you you’ll distract me from accomplishing what I need to.”

I hear him snort through the partially closed door “I have no idea what you’re talking about– now get out here and let me see this shirt so I can take it off of you already.”

Smiling with his words I place the shirt over my head and pull it into place, pulling my hair out of the back collar.

I take a deep breath and open the closet door, stepping out into the bedroom and noticing Stiles’ back to me as he empties his pockets of his wallet and phone onto the dresser.

Walking a little closer to him, I clear my throat and ask “What do you think?”

He turns around immediately, furrowing his brows with a soft smile “The color is black why would you not like it on y–”

His words trail off as his eyes move down the front of the shirt and he reads exactly what it says.

Wide golden eyes snap back up to me “You’re– we’re–” he walks up and closes the space between us, setting his hand on the entirety of my lower stomach “We finally made a baby?”

Tears well in my eyes as I nod quickly, whispering “We did.”

“Oh, Adds” his voice cracks and he leans forward, pressing his lips to mine as his arms wrap around my middle and lift me up.

We decided after we were settled in our new home that I would stop taking birth control– that was a year and a half ago.

We weren’t wanting to stress, just wanted it to happen when it was going to happen and enjoy our time together in the process.

These last few months though I was starting to think it may not be in the cards for us, however I was late this month and took a test a few days ago.

Stiles walks us over to the bed and he sits down, situating me in his lap with my legs on either side of him “How far along are you?”

I slide one of my hands from behind his neck and place my palm on his chest as I shrug “A few weeks I think? We need to find an OB and make an appointment to even confirm the test I took was accurate.”

Stiles hums and drums his fingers against my thighs “There’s no other way to know for sure until the appointment besides the test?”

“No, but I took three so I think it’s pretty positive for now,” I admit and he chuckles, moving one of his hands to my stomach again “I love you even more than I thought possible that you found a Star Wars maternity shirt to announce this to me.”

I smile wide and press my lips to his once more “Surprised I wanted you to be.”

***

“All right, how are you feeling? Any morning sickness?” The OB asks once she walks into the room and introduces herself to us.

Stiles is sitting in a chair beside the exam table I’m laying back and mildly propped up on “No, not really. I was queasy the other day but nothing like what I’ve heard is supposed to be happening… is that bad because it’s freaking me out that my only symptom is being late at this point.”

She chuckles and slides her hands into a set of gloves “Not at all, every pregnancy is different and a lot of women actually have light nausea or none at all. It’s not always like what the movies show you.”

Stiles grips onto my hand a little more with that, silently telling me he told me so and I smile softly over towards him.

She slides over a tiny rolling stool chair for her and the sonogram monitor, offering us smiles as she gets situated “Right, let’s have a look at your baby and put your mind to ease shall we?”

“Sounds great” I breathe out while she gets me set up and gets the sonogram device squared away where it needs to be for this early of an appointment.

She moves it around a little and points towards the screen “All right, this right here is your uterus and I’m measuring that you are eight weeks along,” she clicks on the keyboard and it takes a picture of the screen before she moves her hand to the side and goes on “And this right here–” she smiles towards the screen, looking over to us quickly “That’s the baby’s heartbeat.”

Stiles shares a watery eyed bright smile with me, kissing the side of my head as he grips onto my hand more and we look back to the screen with her as she mumbles “But–”

My heart drops with her words and I look from the screen and over to her a few times “But? But what, is something wrong already?”

She chuckles and sets her free hand on my stomach, her face softening and her tone matching to calm my first time mom nerves “No stop, nothing is wrong just let me move this to the right a little and… yup, you guys see this?”

We follow her line of sight to the screen again, watching as she zooms in and moves her fingers across a black circle as she continues “There’s two heartbeats and two sac’s– nothing’s wrong Addy, you guys are having twins.”


	110. Our Next Chapter

Since we found out right before Thanksgiving, naturally we decided to announce it to everyone then.

After dinner we gather around to take some photos and Stiles gets the ‘timer’ ready on the phone– which really is actually a video. He rushes back over to stand next to me in the middle of everyone “All right three, two–” he trails off and I’m right there without missing a beat to announce with him “Smile we’re pregnant!”

It takes half a second before we hear gasps and whoops of celebration from everyone around us before we’re smushed into a group hug.

“There’s going to be a baby here next year?” Mom asks in pure excitement, tears welling in her eyes when we face her and I shake my head with a bright smile “No– there’s going to be two.”

“TWINS?!” Scott bellows and picks Stiles up, twirling him in a circle while mom wraps me in a hug followed by Noah, Chris, and dad.

Lydia rushes up and places her hands on my stomach “Oh I’m going to be the best auntie, you little ones just wait and see.”

Liam walks up and kisses my cheek, muttering his congrats before he smirks over to her “Won’t you technically be their cousin or something?”

Lydia makes a noise and looks up at him “We’re not getting technical because I’d be the munchkin’s first cousin and that’s just not as much fun as the cool auntie who spoils them rotten.”

“You’re more my sister anyways so Auntie Lyds it is,” I declare with a shrug and she moves her watery eyes to mine “I can’t believe we’re gonna have babies here soon.”

“I’m still wrapping my mind around it as well,” I chuckle and Stiles walks up beside me, smiling down to me earning Lydia to scoff playfully “Your babies are going to be so gorgeous, you two should be ashamed of yourselves.”

We laugh with her while I start grabbing the desserts and setting them up on the island with plates and silverware for everyone to buffet style it up.

“We know I’m going to be the favorite uncle,” Liam boasts and Scott scoffs loudly with his face in the fridge as he grabs the toppings for the pies “What the hell ever man, you’re competing with me– they’re going to love me.”

Malia raises her hands up to stop their bickering and walks past them towards us on the other side of the island “All right, all right– we’re all going to be the favorite aunts and uncles now moving on to the important questions: how far along are you, when are we finding out what they are, and when are we deciding on names?”

Stiles wraps his arm behind me, resting his hand on my hip while I answer through a chuckle “I’m thirteen weeks, we’re finding out in a few weeks and we’re not deciding on names until we see them.”

There’s a mixture of disappointment groans and squeals of excitement that have us chuckling as I look around at the mixture of faces looking at us. I shrug and elaborate “We’ve decided to come up with the names, hopefully four that we can agree on, beforehand so when we see them we will know the right names to pick.”

“I’m guessing they’re girls” Lydia chimes in, moving her narrowed in thought eyes between my face and my barely there belly while Malia shakes her head “No way they’re definitely boys.”

Mom sets her elbow on the counter and rests her chin in her hand as she looks between Stiles and I “I think they’ll be one of each.”

Stiles snorts and points between the three of them “Well good news is one of you is correct.”

***

We found out the genders, however we had the doctor write them down and put the paper in an envelope that we then handed that envelope off to Auntie Nat– who demanded she be the one who ordered the correct color for our reveal since she can keep a secret and so everyone else could be surprised.

We opted for a sunday BBQ with the family to share the news, though we’re at least doing something fun instead of just saying what it is.

Stiles and I each stand in the backyard, baseball bats in our hands, with everyone around us and Auntie Nat moves to stand in the front of our group to get pictures of everyone’s reactions when we hit the exploding baseballs that are filled with either pink or blue powder.

When everyone is ready Noah and dad stand in front of us and count down together before they softly underhand throw the baseballs towards us. Stiles and I swing at the same time and the next thing I know my bat connects with the ball and I’m covered in a thin cloud of pink from the powder.

Everyone’s yelling excitedly and clapping while I immediately look over to Stiles at the same time he looks over to me and our eyes take in the pink color surrounding both of us.

Our clouds of pink mix together as Stiles closes the gap between us and wraps his arms around my middle, lifting me up and spinning us twice as he shares in my celebrating laughter.

He sets me down and cups my cheeks in his hands “I was literally going to be happy no matter what, however girls are just absolutely perfect for us.”

“I couldn’t agree more, you’re going to be the best dad to them” I smile up at him and he leans forward, murmuring against my lips “My girls are so lucky to have you as their mom, my love.”

***

Lydia just finishes securing my hair in two side french braids when another contraction hits. 

Stiles grips onto my hand breathing with me in the way we were taught and a few seconds later Scott grabs my other hand– though the high pitched yelp from Scott as he drops my hand and falls to the floor has all of our eyes moving over towards him.

Everyone chuckles while he quickly stands up like nothing happened and I shake my head, still attempting to breathe as instructed, as I smirk towards him “What the hell was that, Scotty?”

He sheepishly shrugs “I wanted to take some of your pain away– but fuck that _hurt_.”

The contraction lessens some and I narrow my eyes, throwing him an incredulous look “Do I even need to ask _why_ you didn’t think this is currently painful?”

Scott widens his eyes and raises his hands up to his side in surrender “Honestly I only felt a fraction of what you’re feeling and I can’t believe you’re saying no to the drugs.”

Stiles makes a noise, a mix between a snort and cough, as he lifts his left arm up to point towards Scott and the door “All right, that’s enough of the visitors for now– how about you guys go wait out in the waiting room and we’ll get you when they’re here?”

Lydia nods and chimes in, setting her hands on Scott’s shoulders as she guides him towards the door “Yup, let’s go– you got this Addy.”

“You’re Wonder Woman, don’t forget that as you’re single handedly bringing these girls into the world” Malia reminds as she points towards me and follows them.

Through my deep breaths I smile at her and nod in my thanks before she walks out the door and our OB walks in with a few nurses for the next check in with the dilation.

Stiles kisses my temple as another contraction hits and my grip on his hand tightens as I do the breathing exercises and groan through the pain once it finally ceases some “Oh my god, it’s got to be close right? That was _way_ stronger than they have been and let me tell you they’ve been freakin’ strong this last hour doc.”

She chuckles and sets her hands on my knees “You’ve been at this for twenty six hours and they’re finally ready– next contraction you’re going to push okay?”

I nod while the nurses help me scoot forward more in the middle of the bed and Stiles gets situated behind me, his legs on either side of me with his chest against my back as he grabs onto my hands and the next contraction hits.

***

After the longest twenty eight hours of my life, both of our girls are finally here and I lean back against Stiles after the final push in complete exhaustion.

Stiles moves his thumbs against the back of my hands, kissing my temple over and over as he murmurs against my skin “You did it, Adds– I’m in complete awe of you.”

I attempt to smile as I try to calm my breathing and move my head to the side to face him “I love you.”

Tears well in his eyes as he looks over my face and we hear little cries filling the room “I love you.”

After the nurses clean the girls, they walk up on either side of the bed and Stiles helps to open my gown off of my shoulders and push it down past my chest so they can lay our girls on my chest. 

The nurses lay the girls’ blankets over their backs and make sure their little beanie caps are situated before they go back to cleaning up.

Tears well in my eyes as I feel their skin against mine and lay my arms under them to support them.

Stiles wraps his arms around me, laying his hands on each of their backs as he presses the side of his head against mine, looking down at them with me “Oh my, Adds they’re mini you’s– they’re gorgeous.”

“I see you in them too– they’re perfect,” I whisper and turn my head to the side, pressing my lips softly to his.

***

Once we attempted the first breastfeeding, the nurses helped teach us how to swaddle them in their designated colors and we picked out their names.

We’re each leaning back slightly on the bed holding our swaddled up, amazing smelling little bundles of joy when there’s a knock on the door and a nurse pops her head in “Hey, you four ready for visitors?”

We chuckle and I nod “Yes, let them all in– I can feel their anxiousness from here.”

She opens the door wider and mom walks in first, quickly followed by Lydia, Malia, Scott, Liam, Jordan, Chris, Noah, and finally dad.

“Oh my, they’re– oh my god.” Lydia breathes out, walking up next to mom who is beside me.

“Yup that’s basically my reaction as well” Stiles nods, leaning over to kiss my temple as Scott, Noah, dad and Liam walk up on his side of the bed.

Mom gently switches to being the one holding her with Malia, Lydia, Jordan and Chris standing close to look down at her, while Stiles hands his girl over to his dad with Scott, Liam and dad looking down at her.

Everyone has the same awe filled looks on their faces while they look at our girls and I have never felt as much love for them as I do right now.

Mom’s watery eyes move to mine and she softly whispers “We’re dying guys– what are their names?”

Stiles makes a noise, sharing a look with me as he snaps his fingers “Damn, I knew we were forgetting to do something.”

Everyone looks at us quickly and I attempt to hold a straight face, however I’m too emotional and end up making a noise that’s a mix between a snort and a chuckle.

“I hope they get your grace” Lydia quips and winks at me, earning me to playfully roll my eyes. 

Sharing a look with Stiles I clear my throat “Mom you’re holding Avery Allison Stilinski” I smile at her before Stiles points over to Noah “And dad you’re holding Ashlyn Claudette Stilinski.”

***

Taking on our next chapter I didn’t think I could love Stiles more than I already did, but man was I wrong. Watching him be a dad to our girls is unlike anything I’ve ever seen or could have even imagined.

He’s so patient and sweet with them, always knows when I need a break and easily holds them against his chest with one hand while he shoos me off with the other to eat or go shower.

Having twin newborns was no joke, it was difficult and exhausting yet wonderful and so rewarding. As far as babies go, though, I think we lucked out with Avery and Ashlyn.

They were great babies who were on a pretty decent schedule– they ate and slept a lot and were hardly fussy.

They were the happiest babies, always smiling and so engaging with everyone.

They had the best deep belly laughs and melodic soft giggles— still do as well.

They both took their first steps on the evening before their first birthday and Avery said mama first while Ashlyn said dada first— though they’re both such daddy girls and have Stiles completely wrapped around their little fingers.

He knows it and he loves it.

They’re four now and the toddler stage has definitely been one to get used to. I miss the newborn stage and just getting to lay with them as they slept so peacefully, however, every new stage is just as exciting and fun in its own way. They’re talking more and more and they say the funniest things when they’re aren’t telling us no.

They both got my lighter blonde hair and they have Stiles’ honey eyes.

They are our perfect mini me’s, complete with our sense of humor and mischievous curiosity— especially when their cousins are around.

Lydia and Jordan waited one year after they were married to start having kids and they have two already— a boy and a girl. She was pregnant when I was almost due, she just didn’t know it yet.

Scott and Malia have two boys and one more on the way that they just found out is a girl.

Liam and his wife of a year just welcomed their son six months ago.

I’m grateful that we all somehow managed to have our kids close in age because the kids get on so well when we’re all together.

Watching all the kids play together is one of the best things because it really is like watching our mini me’s running around.

We just finished with our weekly Sunday night dinner and put the girls to bed, they haven’t wanted to have their own separate rooms yet so bedtime is much the same as it has been with the four of us in their room– Stiles and I each reading bedtime stories to one before we lay down with the other until they’re both fast asleep and we sneak out of the room.

Call us whatever kind of parents you want, however, snuggling with them after a long day is one thing we will not say no to.

I wash my face and throw on some leggings and a long sleeve henley before I pad my way out to the living room so we can watch a movie.

I lay down on the chaise part of the couch and get the pillows situated, having one of the cloud blankets thrown over me a second later followed by Stiles plopping down beside me.

I laugh with him and cuddle into his side once he’s settled, throwing my leg over his as I burrow into him and he wraps his arm around me.

His right hand splays out across my hip as he pulls me more into him and I lay my hand on his chest.

Stiles turns his head towards me, placing his free hand on the back of mine laying on his chest “Thank you for our incredible life, Adds.”

I smile up at him and connect my eyes with his “You’re here making it incredible as well, Sty.”

He moves closer, the tiny gap between us closing as he moves his nose along with mine “I always knew I wanted to do life with you– I just had no idea how much more I was going to fall in love with you while we were living through what we built.”

Smiling brightly with his words I lean forward, brushing my lips with his as I murmur “Fuck I love you,” before I fully press my lips to his, feeling his grip around me tighten as he pulls me against him more and moves his lips with mine.

A series of quick kisses before I pull back slightly and move my eyes between his “Thanks for choosing me.”

Stiles breathes out softly, his eyes never wavering from mine “You’re my soulmate Adds, it will always be you.”

**The End.**


End file.
